'sanctification' Tagged Posts
What Is More Divisive Than American Politics?
No doubt, in the United States we live in a polarized and divisive political climate. But there is something more divisive than American politics. What is it? The flesh and the Spirit. Paul writes these shocking words in Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” Notice closely: the flesh and Spirit…
Sin Is In Prison
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and union by faith into that death and resurrection, you have been justified and definitively sanctified. The condemnation due to sin has been removed. You are a saint. And this means that your relationship to sin has changed. When once sin held sway over you, you now have the power, through the Holy Spirit, “to not let sin reign in your mortal body” (Rom 6:12). Sin no longer reigns; righteousness reigns. Unfortunately,…
Human Growth and Christian Growth
I was listening to a show on Minnesota Public Radio discussing character development in Young Adult fiction. They said that for a Young Adult book to sell, the character(s) have to experience genuine harm and difficulty, yet show growth in the midst of the trial. In real life, human beings grow and change. Human nature changes: it’s our nature. To be human is to change. We change our viewpoints and values, concerns and character, and interests and ideas. Unlike God…
Am I Growing in My Christian Faith?
A common question people ponder is how they know if they are growing in their Christian faith? Sometimes this question arises in those that are struggling with whether or not they are true believers. In Colossians 1:9-14, Paul gives a model for spiritual growth. He tells us what spiritual growth looks like, thereby showing us how we know if we are growing in our Christian faith. Paul prays for a filling of the knowledge of God “so that you will…
How Can I Grow In Faith?
We tend to read the Bible primarily individualistically. Here is an example of what I mean. Paul writes in Rom 10:17: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” By default, we are apt to read this passage and think: faith comes when I read the word of God. Or, more generally: faith comes through the Bible. The problem with thinking this is that Paul says something much more specific: faith comes by hearing preaching. How do I know? The…
I Got Saved Every Sunday
More than once I have heard a conversion story that basically stated, “I got saved every Sunday.” We sometimes dismiss this kind of story as stemming from bad theology or manipulative practices. And while that may be true, in dismissing it, we swing to the other extreme, which is, “I am already a Christian; this sermon doesn’t apply to me.” But let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. In reality there is truth to “I got saved…