Brandon Clemens from The Revolution taught yesterday on the topic of sanctification. That's a big word (sank-tiff-eh-KAY-shun) to describe a pretty mind-blowing idea.
Accepting the gift of Christ's forgiveness of your sins is only the beginning of the journey.
Brandon used a powerful example. Brennan Manning, one of the most revered Christian writers of his generation, was once a Franciscan priest who ministered to the poor while harboring a dark secret. He was an alcoholic.
Alcoholism contributed to his removal from his position in the Catholic church, and his divorce. He wrote about how he would lie to everyone and hurt the people closest to him in his last book, All His Grace, published two years before his death in 2013.
How could this be the life of a Christian? That is the question Brandon sought to answer.
Brandon's favorite passage in all of scripture is Romans 7:21-25, in which the Apostle Paul himself laments that he is still plagued by sin:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
We should take notice when Paul, who was saved on the road to Damascus long before he wrote his letter to the Romans, admits to struggling with sin. It should completely reverse what we so often think "getting saved" means.
"Holiness," Brandon said, 'is not a path to righteousness. Rather, righteousness is the first step toward holiness."
You can't get righteous by "being good" or doing good works. God makes you righteous. He justifies you - forgives you of any wrongdoing - based on nothing but his love for you. Sorry, but you can't earn it. You can only choose to accept it.
Justification is all God's work. Sanctification, on the other hand, is not about being saved. That's already done. It is about growing closer to God. It is about becoming more like him over time. And it requires our cooperation.
Brandon drew from many verses to show us what the Bible says we are called to do in the process of sanctification, such as Romans 6:13:
Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
It's really about offering ourselves to God and letting him work in us. It's about being humble enough to say we need him. It's about being willing to sacrifice parts of ourselves that get in the way of his work. And it means being courageous enough to allow him to change us.
Brandon offered 5 practical steps we can take if we desire to be sanctified (not saved - remember, by believing in Jesus you're already saved!):
1. Read the Bible. Seek guidance from the Word.
2. Pray. Ask God for wisdom, energy and courage, and listen for his response.
3. Live in community with other believers. Be a part of a church in which you will be encouraged and can encourage others.
4. Take steps of faith. God will ask you do to scary things, but they are good things.
5. Get professional help, if necessary. You may want to speak with a mental health counselor, especially if you are struggling with an addiction like alcoholism.
"There is no perfect progress!" Brandon said. As we strive to be closer to God, we will make mistakes. We will hurt people. We may even walk away from God for a time. But he will always welcome us back and continue his good work in us.
He did not forsake Paul; he did not forsake Brennan Manning; and he will never, ever give up on you.
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HEY! Want to learn what being baptized into the church is all about? We had our first lunch & learn yesterday. Pastor Josh ordered pizza and had a Q&A time with those who wanted to know what baptism means, what to expect during the ceremony, and afterward. Our next lunch & learn is Sunday, February 24th at noon. Join us!