What is Salvation: Sanctification.

Introduction

When we talk about salvation often times people assume it is all about our life after death. As we discussed last week, salvation means to be rescued.

Last week we discussed being rescued from God’s wrath which will be poured out on the spiritual powers and principalities.

Jesus saves us not just from God’s wrath and the principalities but, he also rescues us from ourselves.

Romans 7:14–15 NASB95

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

Romans 7:22–23 NASB95

For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 7:24–25 NASB95

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

At some point we have all experienced this contradiction within ourself.

In My mind I want to live free for God

But then I am driven by a force within me to do the very thing I hate.

Want to be free from drugs, alcohol, hate, roaming eye, lying, gossip, but you just quit.

It is like you are controlled, enslaved.

And then Paul tells us that freedom can be had in Jesus.

How does Jesus Free Us From Our Enslavement to Sin?

I want to share with you three ways Jesus Rescues us from our slavery to sin.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The Holy Spirit Frees Us From A Life That Leads To Death.

Romans 8:1–2 NASB95

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:10–11 NASB95

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

All those who place their faith in Jesus to rescue them are given the Spirit of God to dwell within them.

It is the Holy Spirit who begins to set us free from the power sin has over us.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Holy Spirit Empowers Us From Within.

Philippians 2:12–13 NASB95

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

The first half of this is not good news without the second half.

You cannot free yourself from addiction.

You cannot free yourself from hate

You cannot make yourself love your enemies

You cannot free yourself from sexual sins

And the list goes on and on.

You many want freedom in your mind but as Paul described there is this power of sin holding us captive.

But God is at work in us through His Spirit

both too will and work for his good pleasure.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Spirit Empowers Us To Follow Jesus as Our Example of Life.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Many want Jesus to save them from hell but refuse to follow Jesus’ teachings and life as the archetype of our faith.

Matthew 19:21 NASB95

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Get rid of your distractions.

Get rid of all you assume is what gives you life

And follow Jesus.

Jesus says it like this.

John 14:15–17 NASB95

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

The Holy Spirit Empowers us to imitate our lives after Jesus

And to obey His teachings.

The Spirit Gives us a Community of Love to Confess too.

James 5:15–16 NASB95

and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Confess means to agree with.

When we confess our sins we are in fact agreeing with God that we have missed the mark and are in need of a savior.

Confessing to one another does two incredible things.

It reminds us that we must be dependent on Jesus and not our own strength.

Get cocky and you will find yourself back in the same sin.

It gives us peers to encourage, pray for us, and to walk with us as the Holy Spirit brings us freedom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesus has poured out His Spirit to dwell in every person who places their faith in Jesus to rescue them from a life of sin and death.

It is the Spirit in a believer that gives them the power and will to -

Follow the example of Jesus and to obey His teachings.

And it is the Spirit who has created a community of other Spirit filled believers who we can confess to, gain encouragement from, and be held to a higher standard as they walk this life out with us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today there are two kinds of people here.

Those who have the Holy Spirit in them but are struggling to find freedom from a particular sin.

Then there are those, who assume they are saved because they believe in a god. Yet, there is no change of life, no freedom from sin, no evidence of the Spirit.

If you fall into either of these groups and are struggling in life. Today we want to pray with you and stand by you.

Maybe you just need to confess to a loving person and ask for help.

Maybe you need God to fully rescue you and to fill you with His Spirit.

Struggles in your marriage

Addictions of any kind

Empty and void in life

A life full of chaos and death

Today, Jesus wants to rescue you.

Today Jesus wants to empower you with His Spirit.