BIG WORDS??? Have you any idea of the what and why of these words? Do those words kinda stick in your throat? Do you run away any time they come up in conversation? Do you try and push them down and hope they will just become invisible? Maybe you try to bluff your way through? Do you even know what those words mean For you? AND, incredulously, do you realize that they are gifts from a loving Father not a burden or a trial you have to endure and will never succeed in attaining because it will always be outside your fingertips? If you feel that you are always a wretch… remember you were saved by grace. Wretch is really a then, not now, word/status.
First… it isn’t a contest, it isn’t a trial, it isn’t something to attain on your own merits or abilities. These are GIFTS you are given once you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and placed All your hopes and faith in Him. Now why would you avoid them? Yep. The source of all this pain – our arch enemy does not want you to ever know who you are and who you are becoming. He will use any subversive and lying trick to derail you – he only comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10: 10) – he’s a thief! The astonishing point is that we seem to be quicker in believing him then in believing the God of the Universe, the Creator of all things good! Our Father (Luke 11:11).
I’m coming to believe that the Father’s Gifts of justification, sanctification, and righteousness are given to us to further separate ourselves from the devil. The Father is interested in keeping us safe from those deceptions which we seem to fall into with regularity. Those deceptions cast us into sin but those gifts keep us focused.
“For those whom He [The Father] foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?” [Romans 8:29-31]
According to one Bible dictionary (Very Simplified):
Justification is the process that occurs of moving our condition through our acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus.
In it’s simplest definition, Sanctification means set apart – to the Lord and for His work (Ephesians 2).
Righteousness is what we are made (2 Corinthians 5:21) when the exchange of our sin is placed on our Savior and we become righteous by believing – simply, it’s our faith. I realize that these 3 great and wonderful gifts have far more depth and are far more than the simple definitions I’ve given – but they can begin the journey to fuller understanding and appreciation. They truly are our foundation.
I think I’ve also discovered a wile of the devil. The more important, the more life changing the issue, word …. the more the devil will tell us we can never attain it, it isn’t for us, we can’t buy or earn it, etc. Now since the devil has used this absurd argument before – why, knowing he lied before, do we suddenly accept what he says? It is truly astonishing how we fall for the same tricks over and over and over. We don’t need to. We can put a stop to these lies. How? Simply by believing the Lord. If He said it, that ends it. And especially if it’s for our good, why thrust away a gift?
Part of our defense against all these lies is found in justified, sanctified, righteous – our status, who we’ve been made. Personally – I want all the weapons the Father has provided (Ephesians 6:12) and become more proficient in their use. We can defeat the devil. His only power is what we give him. That price is incredibly steep when we realize all that we throw away when we accept the lie in place of truth. And if this is you – immediately go to 1 John 1:9 and become cleansed and restored.
“But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].”So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you.” [James 4:6-8, AMP]
