Yesterday’s sermon was my attempt to say “Amen” Mr. Robert’s sermon from Tuesday evening that was based on 1 Cor. 1:30. In short, the focus of my sermon was to demonstrate the link between (1) the cross of Christ, and (2) our ongoing sanctification. Not only did Jesus die that we might be justified, but also that we would be sanctified. There is no true growth in Christlikenss apart from the death of Jesus.
Too often Jesus (and His cross) is wrongly divorced from how we grow in grace. Biblically speaking, Jesus is the means by which we are sanctified, because He is our sanctification (see 1 Cor. 1:30). Have Jesus and you will have a life lived unto God. Have lots of religious overtones in your life (e.g. Bible study, prayer, church), and still you could be missing Christ, and therefore missing true sanctification also.
We do not need to spin our wheels faster to become more godly, we need to cling more tightly to Jesus—Who died for us—as we also lay hold of the means God has provided for our godliness (e.g. Bible study, prayer, church).
Observe carefully the thrust of the following verses, and especially how they connect Christ’s death and our living:
2 Corinthians 5:14-15—
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10—
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Hebrews 13:12—
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
Oh, for more experiential knowledge of Christ as our sanctification!
