"You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them... Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine." -Leviticus 20.22-23, 26
Much of Leviticus 20 is repeated from Leviticus 19, but here in these verses we see that God specifically has set Israel apart as His people. God selected them centuries earlier when Abraham decided to step out in faith and follow God to an unknown land that He promised to give to his descendants. Now as that promise is about to be fulfilled God is instructing His chosen people on how to live, reminding them that they are His.
Men, if we would be men of God, men chosen by God, we must stand apart from other men. The practices that the world engages in that are not of God are practices we need to avoid. The compromises the world makes for popularity, selfish satisfaction and desire, or personal advancement, are things we are to resist and instead be lights of truth.
Men of God are different, because men of God are set apart as God's own. We are called, and sanctified, for God's will and purpose. Let us live like we are set apart.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Showing posts with label Leviticus 20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leviticus 20. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Sanctified
"You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you." -Leviticus 20.7-8
Again God tells His people that they are to be holy because He is holy. They are reminded to keep His statutes and practice them. And they are told that God sanctifies them. I grew up in a denomination that emphasized entire sanctification, and over the years I heard a lot of wrong teaching on what sanctification is.
I've heard it described as a sinless perfection, where a person who has been sanctified completely looses the ability to sin. I've heard it described in a way that teaches that a sanctified person can sin, but no longer struggles with it; they make mistakes, but it isn't sin. I've come to understand it as the Holy Spirit working within us to transform us more into the image of Christ. Sanctification is God working in us to make us more like Jesus, and more holy as a result. We never lose the ability to sin, but the more God works in us, the more our desire is to please Him, and we strive to live righteously.
Sanctification is crucial for every Christ follower, it isn't optional. I believe the process begins the moment we enter into new life, and continues until we die. Sanctification is God setting us aside for His own purpose. Our lives need to be spent fulfilling that purpose. Everything that happens is preparation for this task, even the bad things God can redeem and use.
Men, are you being sanctified? Are you allowing God to work in you daily to mold you more into the what He created you to be? This video just came to my mind, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QCkBL2DfVg, that is the point of sanctification.
God has a purpose for you, and He is working to make you fit for it. Are you letting Him? Are you being sanctified?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Again God tells His people that they are to be holy because He is holy. They are reminded to keep His statutes and practice them. And they are told that God sanctifies them. I grew up in a denomination that emphasized entire sanctification, and over the years I heard a lot of wrong teaching on what sanctification is.
I've heard it described as a sinless perfection, where a person who has been sanctified completely looses the ability to sin. I've heard it described in a way that teaches that a sanctified person can sin, but no longer struggles with it; they make mistakes, but it isn't sin. I've come to understand it as the Holy Spirit working within us to transform us more into the image of Christ. Sanctification is God working in us to make us more like Jesus, and more holy as a result. We never lose the ability to sin, but the more God works in us, the more our desire is to please Him, and we strive to live righteously.
Sanctification is crucial for every Christ follower, it isn't optional. I believe the process begins the moment we enter into new life, and continues until we die. Sanctification is God setting us aside for His own purpose. Our lives need to be spent fulfilling that purpose. Everything that happens is preparation for this task, even the bad things God can redeem and use.
Men, are you being sanctified? Are you allowing God to work in you daily to mold you more into the what He created you to be? This video just came to my mind, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QCkBL2DfVg, that is the point of sanctification.
God has a purpose for you, and He is working to make you fit for it. Are you letting Him? Are you being sanctified?
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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