Sound Words: Soteriology Part 6

Introduction

Our study in Sound Words is based on , where Paul commands Timothy to retain or hold on to the sound words (healthy words) that he had given to him. They are the things he had taught Timothy over the years that had established good doctrine. In this study we look at the process of sanctification.

, where Paul commands Timothy to retain or hold on to the sound words (healthy words) that he had given to him. They are the things he had taught Timothy over the years that had established good doctrine. In this study we look at the process of sanctification.

Sanctification is what happens in the life of a true believer following their conversion. It is a process, sometimes called progressive sanctification. It continues throughout the life of the Christian until he/she sees Christ (). One way of looking at the process is our obedience to the great commandment which was identified by Christ in when he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ In this study of Sound Words we will show that sanctification is growth in loving God perfectly and loving others completely.

Love God Perfectly

Loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind means that we are “all in” when it comes to love for God. We hold nothing back. What does it look like when we love God in this way? Here are some suggestions.

1. We have a desire for the Bible. We want to hear it preached, to read it, to study it, to meditate on it, even memorize it! (; )

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2. We have a desire for prayer. This ties closely to being in God’s Word where we hear Him speak to us. Now we want to speak to Him in praise, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession. (; )

3. We have a desire for the Church. We want to be with other believers and serve other believers. We care! We support! We help! (; )

4. We have a desire for obedience. Those who love God are obedient to His commandments. When they see what the Bible teaches, they don’t question it. They obey. They want to obey. ()

Love Others Completely

After Jesus named the “great and foremost commandment”, he then added a second: to love our neighbors as ourselves. This command takes us a step beyond a desire for God’s people. This means we have a desire for other people who are not believers. It’s a desire for the lost. So what does that look like for the Christian?

1. We have a desire to help those in need. Jesus used the parable of the good Samaritan to demonstrate this point. ()

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2. We have a desire to do good to others. We don’t wait to find needy people, but actually attempt to do good works for other people ()

Why Is This Sound Word Important

These commandments are the basis for ALL of what God wants us to do (). We love God, so we won’t worship idols or use His name in vain. We love others, so we won’t steal, lie, murder, or covet. Then we see all the commands given in the New Testament and see that it is also our desire to obey them. In short, those who are truly saved are “obedient from the heart” (). If you want to discover what people love, don’t just listen to what they say — watch what they do. What we love can’t help but work its way into our actions (Jon Bloom, Desiring God article, February 15, 2019).

Application

What evidence is seen in your life of NOT loving God perfectly? What evidence is seen in your life of NOT loving others completely? What evidences should be seen?