You Have Been Sanctified! Part 2

First John one and let's read together from verse seven through verse 10. First John one seven, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another in the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin. We say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

Let's go to our Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for your word this morning. Use it in our lives. To show us. Your will for us today.

And your power in us and your promises to us that we might be convicted of our sins and challenged in our service and that you might give us great hope, joy, and peace In Jesus Christ, our savior, by what you are doing. In us today. May you be glorified, we pray. In Jesus name, amen. Last week, we learned about what some might call positional sanctification.

Word sanctified means to be set apart. Now, to be set apart from sin, it means to be cleansed and to be purified. We also to be set apart from the world but not only what we are set apart from but the main focus of sanctification is who we are set apart unto. We're not just set apart from sin. We're not just set apart from the world but we're set apart unto whom?

Unto the Lord, unto God, unto Jesus Christ, our savior. This morning, we're going to look at progressive sanctification. You know something? God isn't through with you yet. When you got saved, that wasn't the end, that was just the why.

That was just the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ and God is cleansing us day by day from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, our savior. We are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. We read in second Corinthians five seventeen. We are peculiar people chosen in Christ Jesus to show forth his marvelous light. We have become the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, God's son, John one 12.

We are no longer citizens of this world but we are strangers. Here looking for that city, the same as Abraham whose maker and builder is God. Yes, God had promised Abraham a country on Earth, Canaan to his descendants but there was even a better place than Canaan and that's a place called heaven and Jesus went to prepare for us. Yes, we have been set apart in Christ Jesus. Set apart to be saints and children of the most high God.

If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone, you've been saved by grace through faith in him, then you are indeed a child of God. You are indeed his child. His sanctified one or saint as it is used in scripture. We sang two hymns last week. I am his and he is mine.

We sang another hymn, Now I Belong to Jesus. Jesus belongs to me, not for the years of time alone, but for all eternity. I am his. He is mine. I belong to him.

I've been set apart for his use, for his glory, to serve the king of kings, and the Lord of lords as his child. What a privilege position we have in Jesus Christ. Not because we deserve it, because we don't, but because of the work that Jesus Christ, the one who does deserve it, did for us as he gave his life and took our punishment on the cross of Calvary. That's positional sanctification. We have been set apart in Christ Jesus.

Our sins have been erased off the records of heaven. Our name has been placed in the what? The lamb's book of life. And the Bible says we will never perish. However, as I mentioned a moment ago, that's not the end, that's just the why.

That's just the beginning of new life in Jesus Christ. Now, what? Do we just spin our wheels while we wait for heaven? Or does the God who saved us to whom we now belong have something for us to do here and now. What do you think?

Well, I think he has something for us to do here and now. Matter of fact, I think he has something he wants to do in and for us here and now. We read about his expectations where? In scripture. You know, it's and when you were a kid and Christmas comes along every December 25, Did you look forward to Christmas?

Some of you? Raise your hand. You look forward to okay. Alright. Good.

Good. At least I'm not the only one. Alright. So, Christmas was over. It's now December 26 and now, it is almost a whole year till Christmas comes around again.

So, what are you going to do? You just going to sit there and wait for it to happen? No. We've got responsibilities. We have other things that we need to do, learn, other expectations to have.

I I wanted to to go to college when I graduated from high school. I couldn't just wait for that to happen. I actually had to study in high school to prepare for the day then I would go to college. God does have expectations of his children. We're not just sitting here spinning our wheels waiting for heaven to come.

God wants to do a great work in us here and now. He hasn't left us in the dark to wonder. He has made his will and his intentions clear concerning his children. What are God's intentions for us? What is God doing in us?

First of all, Romans eight twenty nine, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. God knew you before you were ever born. He knew whether you would receive his son as savior or whether you would reject him. And he predetermined before the foundation of the world, not only that his son would come and die on the cross for the sins of the world, but that those who would receive him by faith would be what? Conformed to the image of his son.

Molded into the image, the likeness of Jesus Christ, our savior. It says in Genesis one, when God created man and woman, he created them in the what? The image of God but then they fell in sin and that image was marred. That image was destroyed. That spiritual life was was lost.

Jesus Christ came to restore that and through faith in the risen son of God who gave his life on Calvary's Cross for us, we once again become the children of God and God begins to work in us to mold us back into the image of Jesus Christ, his son and that's the work he's doing today. That's a work he'll do tomorrow. That's a work he was on yesterday and till the day we stand before him in heaven. He is working to change us into the image of his son. He saved you that you might show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness, the darkness of sin in this world into his marvelous light.

First Peter chapter two verse nine. Why did he save you? That he might show forth his praises. In and through you. He saved you so that you might do good works as God's workmanship.

Ephesians two eight through 10. Now, you'll recognize the first part of this but you might not recognize the last as much. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. We're saved not by works, not by the works of man, not by the works of the law, not by the works of the church, but we're saved by grace that's God's giving to us that which we do not deserve.

We're saved by grace through what? Faith. It's not of ourselves. It is the work of who? It's the work of almighty God.

Four, last part, we are his workmanship. We who are in Christ Jesus are his his workmanship, his masterpiece created in Christ Jesus unto what? Good works which God hath before ordained that we, that is his children, Christians, believers, should walk in them. Now, don't get the cart before the horse, okay? You're not saved by works.

You're saved by what? By faith but you're saved by faith that you might what? Do works that bring glory to who? That bring glory to God. God saved you that he might change you, that he might be glorified in your life.

You don't change first. You trust Christ first and then God does the work. And he begins to mold you and make you into his son. Matthew five sixteen, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. He saved you that you might give back to him yourself As a living sacrifice to be transformed.

Look, if you would up here, Romans twelve one and two. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God. Now, what are the mercies of God? This is the mercy of God. When we were sinners, Christ what?

He died for us. Because of God's mercy toward us. Paul writes, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. It's only reasonable that the God who gave his life for us that we should give our lives in service to one, Toward him. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

God saved you. Now, he requests of you. He pleads with you. He beseeches you. Trust me.

Let me have your time. Let me have your talent. Swallow your pride and follow me. I will transform you from the inside out. That's what the word transform means.

As God renews our mind and changes us day by day by his will. He saved you that you would be holy as he is holy. Turn if you would to first Peter one. I don't have this on the screen. So, if you're in John, you only have to turn back a couple pages.

You'll be in first Peter one pretty quick. First Peter 113 through 16. Having been saved by God's grace, which is the subject of the first part of first Peter one, God says in verse 13, wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, okay? Now, we are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ but what kind of children do you think God wants to have?

Obedient children. Now, just because of my boys disobey me doesn't keep them from being my children. They still remain my children but they can be obedient or sometimes disobedient and sometimes we are the same way but God desires of course that we be obedient children. Verse 14 again, not fashioning ourselves, not conforming or molding ourselves according to the former lust and your ignorance before we were saved but it's he which have called you as holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation or conduct. Because it is written, be you holy, for I am holy.

God saved us that he might make us holy. That he might make us to be like who? Like him. He is holy. He desires that we be holy.

Holy in our morality, in our character, in our behavior, doing God's will rather than fulfilling the desires of the flesh, walking in the what? Spirit. As we looked at a few weeks ago. That we might be more like him. That we might be holy.

Set apart. Not just in on the records of heaven through justification but that we might also be set apart in our thoughts, in our character, in our actions, in our words. That others might see Jesus in us. This is what God expects. Not only does God expect this but God actually number two, this morning, he commands it.

These are not just, well, I prefer. I I really, you know, kind of want you to do this. But God commands that we as Christians, be holy. He commands that we abstain from immorality. First Thessalonians four three, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication.

That means immorality. God commands that we live differently than the world around us. How are we to be salt and light to the world if we live and act and talk and think just like they do. God has saved us from sin and hell. He has sent his spirit to live inside our heart.

He expects more of his children. Nay, he commands it. He commands you to flee youthful lust. Second Timothy two twenty two, flee also youthful lust but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Paul writes Timothy, he says, Timothy, don't follow youthful lust, flee them, turn from them, and instead follow after righteousness.

That is just living, right with your neighbors and with the Lord. Faith, that's faith toward who? Toward God because God is faithful and God is is perfect and God is loving and we can grow and put our faith in him. Charity, that's what? That's love.

Love towards God and love towards others and peace. Along with all them that call the law in the Lord, the saints, the the the saved out of a pure heart. God commands that we flee youthful lust and that instead, we spend our time and our talents and our abilities on this Earth being conformed to his image to live and follow after these things. Faith, love, righteousness, and peace. He commands you to yield your members that is your your bodily members as instruments to righteousness.

Romans six thirteen, neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. That's your your your hands, your feet, your eyes, your mind. The things that are contrary to the Lord and his will but to yield ourselves unto who? Unto God. To yield, to surrender ourselves, our hands to be his hands, our eyes to be his eyes, our mind, our words to be used in his service.

Yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead because we have been given life in Jesus Christ and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. This is God's command. Don't don't allow sin to rule, to continue Confess that sin and instead of yielding to the sin in your life, yield yourself to the will of God. Just be set apart from those things and to be set apart unto his will and to holiness. Luke nine twenty three, Jesus said unto them, all, he said, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, that is the desires, the wicked desires of the flesh, and take up his cross, that is God's will, daily, and what?

And follow me. God who saved you wants to do a work in you. He has expectations of you. He has given us commands that we would deny ourselves that is the flesh. It would take up the cross, God's will for our life.

The cross was the reason Jesus came. That was God's will for him And that we should do that daily and follow follow him. I I have a video at home. It's an old Disney movie. It has Fred McMurray in it.

If any of you know who Fred McMurray is, you've got to be at least my age to know who Fred McMurray is. And it's entitled, Follow Me, Boys. He comes to this town and he starts a Boy Scout troop, and there's a little song they sing throughout the movie. It goes, Follow me, boys, follow me. When you think you're really beat, that's the time to hit your feet and follow me, boys, follow me, pick them up, put them down and follow me.

Well, in the movie, he he did a lot of great things for a lot of kids because he was a good example and they followed him. And and sometimes other people around you can be a good example, and you should take note of that. Paul said, follow me as I follow who? Christ. Ultimately, our great example is Jesus Christ.

And God saved you not only so he could take you to heaven if that was the only reason you'd already be there but he saved you to change you, to glorify himself in you and he is sanctifying, changing you, molding you, making you into the image of His Son. And He commands us to follow after Him, to walk in His footsteps, to mind the things that He minds, think the things that He thinks, to follow his example in our lives. And he has commanded us to do so. So, number one, he expects it. Number two, he commands it.

Number three, he who sanctified us and set us apart under his service from the world is not leaving us on our own. But promises in his word that he will help us in this lifelong endeavor to be more like Jesus. Okay, God doesn't just commanded you. Now, you straighten up and you act right and you do the right things. No.

God has promised that he will carry the greatest burden, that he will produce fruit in our life by his spirit, that he will never leave us nor forsake us, that he is going to be the one to give us the strength and the endurance and the power by his grace to be more like Jesus. Turn if you would to John chapter 14, the gospel of John chapter 14. I want you to see here in John 14. Look if you would in verse 18 and then look down to verse 26. Jesus says, as he is talking to his disciples about leaving them, to go to the cross and eventually back to heaven.

In verse 18, he says, I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Verse 26, he says, but the comforter which is the holy ghost whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Jesus said, don't be discouraged, don't don't don't fret. I am not going to leave you alone.

In another passage in John, he says, it's expedient or it's good for you, beneficial that I go back to heaven because then I will send who? The holy spirit and he won't just be with you, he will be in you. And so God says, I haven't left you alone in this endeavor. I've sent my spirit and he will teach you all things and and Acts chapter one, he told his disciples not to go out into all the world but to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the holy spirit and he said, when you have received the Holy Spirit, then, you shall be witnesses. He has given us his spirit We talked about that for several weeks, couple months ago to help us in this endeavor.

He has not left us directionless. He has given to us his what? His word. Thy word, David said, is a light lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I always get those two phrases backwards.

But he's he's given us a map. He's given us a handbook, instructions that we might know his will. People ask me all the time. Well, I got, should I pray and ask God's will? I I don't know God's will and most of the time, God's will is found right here.

If anything, we just need to pray that God will lead us to the part of this that shows us his will. God hasn't left us directionless. He hasn't left us powerless. He's given us his spirit. And he has and he hasn't finished his work in us yet.

He is still working on us day by day to make us what we ought to be to his glory. The journey for many of us is just beginning and it will end for all of us who know Christ one day at his throne. He has promised. He has promised. In Ephesians five twenty seven, to present the church before himself, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Well, watch the church. Is that the walls of this building? Is that Missouri Avenue Baptist? No. Church is made up of who?

Believers in Jesus Christ. When he says he'll prevent us spotless before his throne, he's talking about me and he's talking about you who have been set apart in Christ Jesus. He says in Philippians one six, Paul Paul wrote in Philippians one six, being confident of this very thing that he had which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. We can be confident, God says, Paul says, you can be confident in God that that which he started, he's going to what? He's gonna finish.

Now, have you ever started a project and didn't finish it? Probably. You can probably take me to the area of your house where you started. He never quite got it completely finished but God doesn't do that. What God starts, he finishes and he sets you apart in Jesus Christ to mold you into the image of his son and he's not done with you yet.

He's not finished. He's not finished, but he will finish. You can count on it. And he is working in you, making you more like his son. He has promised that he will conform us into the image of his son once again, Romans eight twenty nine.

It is our destiny. It is our destiny. Now, people use the word destiny in different ways but in this way, when it uses the word predestinated, it means it is God's will. That's what he has determined and it will therefore what? It will happen.

You can't be sure of it. It is your destiny as a Christian in Christ Jesus to be conformed to the image of his son. Sometimes, we get discouraged. Sometimes, we feel like we're spinning our wheels and not going anywhere. Sometimes, it feels like we go two steps forward and three steps back.

But God isn't finished with you yet. Do not give up on him. He is not going to give up on you nor is he ever going to leave you. For he says, in Hebrews thirteen five, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. God has done a work in you, saving your soul from hell and giving you life, eternal life in his son, Jesus Christ.

But God is also doing a work in you. He is cleansing you from sin day by day. He is molding you into the image of his son. He is finishing the work that he began. That others might see your good works.

What he is doing in you and glorify your father which is in heaven. He is doing that work today and tomorrow and the next day, making you mean to be more like Jesus in your morality, in your integrity, in your conduct, in your choices, in your attitudes, in your thoughts, your words, and in your actions. God is not through with you yet. He is working to restore God's image in you. Now, there's two or three people that are cringing right now because I'm not a professional guitar player.

But there's a little song that I I want to close with this morning, and it's entitled He's Still Working On Me. There really ought to be a sign upon my heart. Don't judge me yet. There's an unfinished part, but I'll be perfect just according to his plan fashioned by the master's loving hand he's still working on me to make me what I ought to be it took him just a week to make the moon and the stars the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars how loving and patient he must be for he's still working on me in the mirror of his word reflections that I see make me wonder why he never gave up on me but he loves me as I am and he helps me when I pray remember he's the potter I'm the clay he's still working on me to make me what I ought to be it took him just a week to make the moon and the stars the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars a loving and patient he must be for he's still working on me can you sing the chorus with me he's still working on me to make me what I ought to be it took him just a week to make the moon and the stars the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars a loving and patient he must be for he's still working on me Thank you for singing with me.

Makes a little easier on the ears There's a lot of truth in that little song. It's sort of a a kid's song. I like to sing it with kids a lot. They they really love that. But just like Jesus loves me, it's not only a kid's song because God is done with you because you got to be 30 or 40 or 50 or 80.

He's still working on you. The question this morning is this, there's two. Number one, do you belong to him? Have you trusted in Christ alone by faith to be the Lord and savior of your life? Are you trusting in your works?

The works of the law, the works of the church? Are you trusting in in baptism? Are you trusting in something else? Or someone else? There is salvation in only one.

And that's Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the father. Would you trust him today? In a minute, we'll give a hymn of invitation. If you've never trusted him, you can if you'll come as we begin that song.

We'd love to show you from God's word how you can be saved and know it today. The second question is this, if you're here today and you say, I am a Christian, I belong to him, then that is wonderful. Remember, God isn't done. It's not the end. It's just the what?

It's just the beginning. He wants to do a work in your life. He is working every day in your life to do that work. Would you help him? Would you confess your faults before him?

The Bible says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He'll do his part. Christian, would you quit hiding? Would you quit pushing that sin aside and say, I'll I'll I'll deal with it tomorrow? Will you confess it today to him?

Would you spend time in his word this week? It is the sword of the spirit that he uses to change your heart, your thinking, to renew your mind after the mind of Christ. Would you spend more time in his word? You will find the more time you spend, the more hungry to spend more time. He will give you.

Will you listen to his spirit, walk in the spirit, and you'll not fulfill the lust of the flesh. He gave you the spirit for a reason. We need his power, his guidance in our life. Too many times, Christians take for granted and don't listen to the voice of God inside their heart. And take up your cross daily.

And follow Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord today. We thank you Lord for your word. We thank you Lord for the living word Jesus Christ who took our place on Calvary's Cross by whom you have given us salvation by grace through faith in his name and his work.

Lord, we we do pray if there's one here today that's never done that they would come as we begin to sing this invitation hymn that we might show them how they can be saved today and know it and Lord, we pray for your people that are here today. That we would take heart Lord. In your work, in the promises of your word, that you're not through with us yet. Do not give up, to know that we have victory in Jesus Christ. And Lord that we would confess our sins and that we would to take time to read in your word, to listen to your spirit.

Lord, that you might do that work in us, that we might be a help and not a hindrance. What you are doing in us day by day. We might look forward to that day then we stand before you complete. We will see you as you are because we will be like you. And we thank you for that.

In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen.