Grace of Sanctification

Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2:13-22

Our Lenten journey draws closer to the cross. Beginning with the call to rend your hearts and not your garments, to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand, we have progressed I believe, answering the call of Jesus to deny yourself take up the cross and follow him.

To us who are progressing on such a journey, we are called to reflect today on the theme Grace of sanctification.  

Grace is unearned and unmerited favour. A favor done without expecting a return.  God’s grace affects man’s sinfulness. forgives the repentant sinner and brings joy and thankfulness to him. It changes the individual to a new creature without destroying his individuality. This transforms man and cause him to love and seek after the righteousness of God.  

Sanctification is the work of God where we are renewed in the whole man and enabled more and more to die unto sin daily, and live righteously. So a sanctified person is one who is clean and pure is one who is consecrated and set apart of God and sent by him to perform his will.

Such a life is the God fearing life every believer ought to live. Ex 20:20 tells us that: the fear of the Lord will keep you for sin. Proverbs 8:13 says tells us that when you fear God, you hate evil and the fear of God is a fountain of life (Prov 14:27). But in today’s day and age, where there is so much pulling and pushing us in various directions the response to live a God fearing life has become a challenge. There is so much enticing us to live in accordance with worldly standards.

We keep going deeper and deeper into sin and become slaves to sin. It was so with the Israelites. They were in slavery in Egypt. God freed them from slavery and brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey. And around the freedom he gave, he built a wall of protection. Many laws and commandments. To protect them from going away from God, from falling into temptation, to be able to live in his presence.

So he says in Dt 5:33, walk in all the ways the Lord your God commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land you will poses.  He further says, in Dt 6:24 the Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. That law will be our righteousness.

This act of God was God’s grace for a saved people. At the heart of God, are his people, the believers whom he has chosen. A people who were saved by one man’s sacrifice on the cross. The bible tells us “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” Rom 5:20. Why that “Grace will reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ” for all. Today God’s people are living in a sinful world and to protect them and keep them as his, he has given his riches to everyone – his grace.

Unfortunately rather using God’s grace to live the free life God has given us, people prefer to live in sin. Like pigs. However much you wash a pig and give it a clean environment it will find its way back into the mud and dirt. That is how many prefer to live. That is their comfort zone. It is easy. But such a life only brings death.

Today everyone faces temptations, challenges, problems, difficulties in life. In such situations the best thing any believer should do is sit at the feet of the master. With God’s word and prayer. Asking God for guidance, asking God to show you where you have failed, ask God for his forgiveness and to change you.

Rather than doing this, today’s trend is to get onto the internet and find quotations of what people say or some book which we think gives solutions, or online counselors. Why? What people say justify your situation. Or they go to a poosari, or magician. Why? He will give you something which you can see. Then you go and keep it in a corner of your house. Or you call 150 people and get their advice. Such people may not even have any experience of God in their lives. How can they advise a God fearing person? Confusion.

None of these will work. These are temporary. It softens your situation more the moment. You have peace for that moment. But inside because no permanent solution, you begin to hate yourself and others, you get angry with yourself and others, hurts start building up, bitterness starts building up. That is not what God wants for your life. Because it leads you to death and destruction.

That is why Paul says “God has made foolish the wisdom of this world”. I Cor 1:20. For such people the message of the cross will remain foolish, because their destiny is destruction and not life.

Remember you are chosen by God and elected by God to be his. To be his disciples and to be his followers. To such the bible says, I don’t know what the world says, “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” Col 3:12.

People of God listen to what the bible says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luk 21:33-26

People of God, God’s grace is freely available. Grace upon Grace John 1:16. God wants you to be blameless and holy and without accusation in his sight. It is on that cross that he has reconciled the world to him.

What a wonderful life God has planned and willed for his chosen people. the question that I have for you, are you willing to live such a life today.

Just as Jesus cleaned the temple of Jerusalem ask Jesus to take the whip and clean your life, the living temple of the Holy God, from greed, selfishness, disobedience. So that once cleansed that of the living God which is every one of you, will be consumed with zeal for God.

People of God, now is the time. Now is the moment. Commit yourself to Jesus. Rededicate yourself to him. God’s grace is freely available. Live a sanctified life.

Let us pray.