Welcome to Faith Chapel. I am Gordon Kainer, 00:00:31.54\00:00:35.13 a retired academy Bible teacher 00:00:35.16\00:00:37.43 living in Santa Rosa, California. 00:00:37.46\00:00:39.54 The topic that we are going to present today 00:00:40.08\00:00:42.80 is entitled the Double Cure. 00:00:42.83\00:00:44.78 I invite you to pray with me. 00:00:45.22\00:00:47.08 Our Heavenly Father, we acknowledge 00:00:48.86\00:00:51.64 you as the great physician, the one that we can turn 00:00:51.67\00:00:55.36 to for healing, for the remedy for all of our 00:00:55.39\00:00:59.64 defects and I pray today that what you can do 00:00:59.67\00:01:03.74 for us might become real to us as we open 00:01:03.77\00:01:05.97 and study your word in Jesus name. Amen. 00:01:06.00\00:01:09.41 Shortly after the destruction of the 00:01:12.37\00:01:14.29 twin towers in New York on September 11, 2001. 00:01:14.32\00:01:18.61 Somebody very distraught over what had happened 00:01:19.62\00:01:22.43 scribbled these words on a slab near the rubble. 00:01:23.26\00:01:27.84 This is what it said. Dear God, save us from people 00:01:28.00\00:01:32.95 who believe in you, those are really 00:01:33.43\00:01:37.50 tragic words aren't they, but you know that 00:01:37.53\00:01:41.42 please understandable, but it doesn't represent 00:01:41.45\00:01:44.39 the truth of the matter. If a person believes 00:01:44.42\00:01:49.97 and rightly understands God through the person 00:01:50.00\00:01:53.41 of Jesus Christ they will reflect his love 00:01:53.44\00:01:57.00 and his mercy and his compassion. 00:01:57.03\00:01:59.95 Jesus is the human face of God and those who disobey 00:02:00.92\00:02:06.17 and disbelieve in him are not reflecting what God 00:02:06.20\00:02:10.51 is really like. In our world today many people 00:02:10.54\00:02:14.57 have a distorted view of God. 00:02:14.60\00:02:16.93 This is extremely important because once view 00:02:18.19\00:02:21.74 of God lies at the very core of all religions, 00:02:21.77\00:02:25.70 it separate Israel from Baal and Ashtoreth 00:02:26.66\00:02:29.40 and Dagon, just as it distinguishes Christianity 00:02:29.43\00:02:33.06 from Hinduism, Buddhism or Islam. 00:02:33.09\00:02:35.37 So, when sharing our faith, simplicity and clarity 00:02:36.78\00:02:40.73 are extremely important. We need to speak plainly 00:02:40.76\00:02:44.65 and define our terms. It's been said that 00:02:44.68\00:02:48.24 a problem well defined is a problem half solved, 00:02:48.27\00:02:52.00 I like that. Let's illustrate the importance 00:02:52.24\00:02:55.77 of defiling terms by looking at two very common words, 00:02:55.80\00:02:59.69 sin and salvation. 00:02:59.72\00:03:02.52 Imagine for a moment that all the worlds 00:03:03.20\00:03:06.52 inhabitants are being examined 00:03:06.55\00:03:08.56 within the doctor's office. 00:03:08.59\00:03:09.58 According to the Bible, the diagnosis would 00:03:09.97\00:03:13.76 point to one common illness, sin. 00:03:13.79\00:03:17.09 But what exactly are we talking about. 00:03:18.24\00:03:20.27 If you have been checked over by doctor recently 00:03:21.30\00:03:23.21 and he just doesn't simply said to you, hey your sick 00:03:23.24\00:03:25.78 and I send you home, does he? 00:03:25.81\00:03:27.46 It is essential that he provide you with a detailed 00:03:29.17\00:03:32.42 explanation of your problem, that explains 00:03:32.45\00:03:35.94 why God doesn't gave us just a one page Bible. 00:03:35.97\00:03:38.62 That simply asserts that something is seriously 00:03:39.56\00:03:42.00 wrong with us, instead the Bible contains over 00:03:42.03\00:03:45.89 a 1000 pages explaining in great detail 00:03:45.92\00:03:49.17 the nature of sin and the appropriate remedy 00:03:49.20\00:03:52.86 and what's the prognosis. 00:03:53.78\00:03:55.24 Our illness doesn't need medication, 00:03:56.17\00:03:58.05 it requires a miracle. If one misunderstands sin, 00:03:59.28\00:04:04.59 a domino effect occurs. The meaning of salvation 00:04:05.21\00:04:09.00 as well as many other spiritual concepts will be 00:04:09.03\00:04:11.71 skewed or distorted. In other words, 00:04:11.74\00:04:14.77 the fact that every major religion in the world 00:04:15.12\00:04:18.19 has it's own view of the problem. 00:04:18.22\00:04:20.39 Means that each offers a radically different 00:04:21.31\00:04:23.88 perspective of the solution and all their solutions 00:04:23.91\00:04:27.80 are diametrically apposed to the heart 00:04:27.83\00:04:29.97 and soul of Christianity. I recently read about a man 00:04:30.00\00:04:34.92 who introduced a speaker at the company's 00:04:34.95\00:04:38.38 annual banquet and this is what he said, 00:04:38.41\00:04:41.27 our speaker is the most gifted, 00:04:42.18\00:04:44.05 gifted business man in the country. 00:04:44.08\00:04:46.06 In a short time, he made 100 million dollars 00:04:46.49\00:04:49.61 in California oil. Well, 00:04:49.64\00:04:51.12 when the speaker got to the podium he said, 00:04:52.06\00:04:54.38 thanks for that kind introduction, 00:04:55.46\00:04:56.86 but there needs to be some clarification. 00:04:56.89\00:04:58.81 It wasn't oil, it was coal, It wasn't in California, 00:04:59.96\00:05:04.53 it was Pennsylvania. It wasn't 100 million, 00:05:05.14\00:05:08.53 it was 100,000. It wasn't me, 00:05:09.20\00:05:11.69 it was my brother and he didn't make it, 00:05:12.15\00:05:15.46 he lost it. In like manner society today presents 00:05:15.84\00:05:21.02 the human race as big time winners, 00:05:21.05\00:05:23.16 it doesn't like what the Bible has to say about 00:05:23.65\00:05:26.48 us having lost it. Instead of the truth, 00:05:26.51\00:05:30.22 people want to hear something that's 00:05:30.25\00:05:31.56 a little more palatable, 00:05:31.59\00:05:32.79 something little easier on the ego. 00:05:32.82\00:05:34.84 If changes will require they want to experience 00:05:36.10\00:05:38.37 it with dignity and style. The Bible declares that sin 00:05:38.40\00:05:43.89 has brought such havoc in our lives that only God 00:05:43.92\00:05:47.97 himself has the solution, so exactly what is this 00:05:48.00\00:05:52.64 damage that sin has done. First of all, 00:05:52.67\00:05:56.74 sin has affected our status that is our legal 00:05:56.77\00:06:00.49 standing before God. It has severed 00:06:00.52\00:06:03.38 our relationship with him. 00:06:03.41\00:06:04.68 According to Ephesians 2:12, 00:06:05.58\00:06:07.63 we entered this world separate from Christ, 00:06:08.08\00:06:10.99 excluded from citizenship in Israel 00:06:11.85\00:06:14.10 and without hope in God. What the Bible is saying 00:06:14.28\00:06:19.87 is that all of us are off to a false start. 00:06:19.90\00:06:23.58 We are going in the wrong direction, 00:06:24.13\00:06:26.25 that's why Christ's first command 00:06:27.08\00:06:28.80 to all who would follow him is repent, 00:06:28.83\00:06:31.61 turn around, go another direction. 00:06:32.17\00:06:35.15 Secondly, sin has polluted our nature. 00:06:36.28\00:06:39.54 The sins we commit is an expression of that nature, 00:06:40.76\00:06:44.57 thus we began life with hearts and the heart 00:06:45.51\00:06:48.01 by the way is the control center of our life. 00:06:48.04\00:06:50.09 We begin with hearts that are self serving 00:06:50.32\00:06:53.00 and rebellious. Sin never has to be taught, 00:06:53.03\00:06:58.02 it comes naturally for all of us. 00:06:58.05\00:07:00.96 It includes everything we say or do, 00:07:01.70\00:07:03.45 that's not in harmony with the Will of God. 00:07:03.48\00:07:05.60 Psalm 58:3 puts it this way, 00:07:06.87\00:07:09.57 even from birth the wicked go astray from the womb 00:07:11.09\00:07:15.02 they are wayward and speak lies. 00:07:15.05\00:07:17.06 What the Bible is telling us is that sin 00:07:18.28\00:07:21.44 comes just from being born. 00:07:21.47\00:07:24.41 All of us, no doubt are very familiar 00:07:26.06\00:07:28.16 with that well known hymn rock of ages. 00:07:28.19\00:07:31.62 Let me read you the words of the second stanza, 00:07:32.65\00:07:35.29 let the water and the blood from thy wounded side 00:07:36.74\00:07:40.72 which flowed be of sin the double cure 00:07:40.75\00:07:45.04 cleanse me from it guilt and power. 00:07:45.94\00:07:48.26 What does the author mean when he said that sin 00:07:48.98\00:07:51.97 needs a double cure. Well, the first cure 00:07:52.00\00:07:56.70 takes care of our status, our standing with God. 00:07:57.28\00:08:00.74 You see when sin came into lives of Adam and Eve 00:08:01.23\00:08:05.99 they switched Kingdoms in their decision 00:08:06.33\00:08:10.49 to disobey they separate themselves from the Kingdom 00:08:10.52\00:08:13.14 of God then entered into the Kingdom of rebellion. 00:08:13.17\00:08:16.37 As the head of the human race, 00:08:17.34\00:08:18.74 Adam became the broken link that loose the entire 00:08:19.25\00:08:23.90 planet from the sovereignty of God. 00:08:23.93\00:08:27.05 How thankful we should be that Christianity meets 00:08:28.92\00:08:33.06 the challenge with an all encompassing solution. 00:08:33.09\00:08:36.14 Whatever sin ruins, salvation restores 00:08:36.77\00:08:41.27 and redeems. Only in Christianity 00:08:41.30\00:08:44.83 does an infant God break into the cosmos 00:08:44.86\00:08:47.87 to rescue a dying world. Only the God of the Bible 00:08:47.90\00:08:51.67 is willing to be pierced and punished and die 00:08:51.70\00:08:55.08 for the sins of the world. The sin that separates us 00:08:55.11\00:09:01.12 from God is dealt with in the person of Jesus Christ, 00:09:01.15\00:09:05.37 who unites in himself the human and divine. 00:09:05.78\00:09:08.58 By so doing, he becomes the connecting link. 00:09:09.56\00:09:13.18 The one mediator between a holy God 00:09:13.76\00:09:16.65 and sinful humanity through the miracle of incarnation, 00:09:16.68\00:09:20.74 Jesus becomes the bridge that spans the gap 00:09:20.77\00:09:24.37 between God and sinful man. 00:09:25.18\00:09:28.07 Someone has described this bridge as a cross 00:09:28.70\00:09:31.12 with three nails. 00:09:31.97\00:09:32.94 When we are in Christ by virtue of our faith 00:09:34.41\00:09:37.30 in this unique God man, our relationship 00:09:37.33\00:09:40.30 with God is restored, the penalty for our 00:09:40.33\00:09:43.42 rebellion against him is legally canceled, 00:09:43.45\00:09:45.78 that is forgiven, it reminds of me of the song 00:09:45.81\00:09:49.47 that we used to sing, Jesus paid it all, 00:09:49.50\00:09:52.21 that's so true. Now we are ready 00:09:52.24\00:09:54.88 for our natures to be recreated and spiritually 00:09:54.91\00:09:57.36 empowered by the Holy Spirit. 00:09:57.39\00:09:59.42 In Christ we are reconciled to God. 00:10:00.00\00:10:02.73 All things have passed away, 00:10:02.76\00:10:04.41 behold all the things are new. 00:10:04.44\00:10:05.98 Christianity stands alone in it's offer of a living 00:10:06.86\00:10:09.84 savior for a dying world. Now heaven's initial 00:10:09.87\00:10:14.71 prescription for sin, that's the first cure 00:10:14.74\00:10:16.99 involves justification. Our legal transfer 00:10:17.61\00:10:21.75 from the Kingdom of our birth, 00:10:21.78\00:10:24.06 which leads to eternal death 00:10:24.09\00:10:25.91 to the Kingdom of God, which leads to eternal life. 00:10:26.59\00:10:31.12 This transfer status extends the contrite, 00:10:32.78\00:10:36.84 brings with it the assurance of salvation, 00:10:36.87\00:10:39.81 knowing that in God or that through God he is, 00:10:39.84\00:10:43.65 made us accepted in the beloved or in Christ. 00:10:43.68\00:10:46.87 This transfers an active grace not based on any 00:10:48.39\00:10:52.71 earthly merit or goodness and what we have 00:10:52.74\00:10:56.93 by faith eliminates the need to get it by good works. 00:10:56.96\00:11:02.37 In 1996, a survey of students taking 00:11:04.07\00:11:07.17 the last day events course in 00:11:07.20\00:11:09.39 Southern Adventist University 00:11:09.42\00:11:11.12 revealed that 77% indicated that they did not 00:11:12.21\00:11:15.25 know if they would be saved if Jesus came that day. 00:11:15.28\00:11:19.12 In that same survey 37% thought that they had 00:11:20.51\00:11:23.15 to do something in order to have 00:11:23.18\00:11:24.98 the assurance of salvation. 00:11:25.01\00:11:26.51 Now why do collegians in our church have 00:11:27.90\00:11:32.98 this view of a works oriented religion, 00:11:33.01\00:11:36.03 could it be that many are prone to climb up 00:11:38.35\00:11:42.11 their own Mount Sinai and come down 00:11:42.14\00:11:45.17 with a set of rules or commandments 00:11:45.20\00:11:47.43 and declare with Israel of old, 00:11:47.46\00:11:49.66 all that the Lord has said we will do. 00:11:49.69\00:11:53.42 It is reassuring that the first cure justification 00:11:56.34\00:12:01.21 is not based on the holiness of the one who believes, 00:12:01.60\00:12:06.17 but on the holiness in whom one believes. 00:12:07.15\00:12:11.83 In the wonderful story of redeeming grace, 00:12:13.41\00:12:16.04 there is an orderly way in which it takes place. 00:12:16.93\00:12:20.05 I can illustrate it in the following way. 00:12:21.64\00:12:23.70 When you enter a hospital, perhaps with a life 00:12:25.48\00:12:29.32 threatening illness or some serious injury 00:12:29.35\00:12:32.42 you are required to sign a legal consent 00:12:33.16\00:12:35.95 form before surgery can be taken, 00:12:35.98\00:12:39.58 could be taken out or carried out. 00:12:40.84\00:12:42.57 This gives the surgeon the authority to do 00:12:42.60\00:12:46.98 whatever he deems best for you. 00:12:47.01\00:12:49.49 Likewise in salvation, there is an official way 00:12:51.60\00:12:55.36 you are lawfully given over to the one 00:12:55.39\00:12:58.40 who is going to repair the damage 00:12:58.43\00:13:00.73 that sin has done in your life. 00:13:00.76\00:13:02.24 This means that your legal standing with God 00:13:03.67\00:13:05.97 must be taken care of first 00:13:06.54\00:13:08.13 that is through justification, 00:13:08.16\00:13:10.03 so that more over renewal or sanctification 00:13:10.93\00:13:14.74 can occur. In another words, 00:13:15.29\00:13:18.09 taking care of you position opens the way of changing, 00:13:19.34\00:13:24.46 in changing your condition. 00:13:24.49\00:13:26.11 Justification is a legal term 00:13:28.42\00:13:31.34 closely related to the idea of trial and judgment. 00:13:31.37\00:13:34.65 It has referenced to being declared righteous, 00:13:35.02\00:13:38.18 to declare innocent, to declare it not guilty, 00:13:38.21\00:13:43.18 it does not imply a change in us, 00:13:44.44\00:13:47.42 but rather it is a bestowal of a righteous 00:13:47.45\00:13:51.78 status by God to repentant sinners. 00:13:51.81\00:13:56.31 In justification all the demands of God's 00:13:57.18\00:14:00.63 law are fully satisfied through the doing 00:14:00.66\00:14:04.40 and the dying of Jesus in our behalf. 00:14:04.43\00:14:08.72 When accepted by faith, we are reconciled to God. 00:14:10.07\00:14:14.19 We are made right with God. 00:14:14.22\00:14:15.85 In other words, transfer back to God 00:14:18.38\00:14:23.15 opens the way for transformation 00:14:23.28\00:14:26.49 to take place. Spiritual renewal 00:14:26.52\00:14:30.05 can best be seen as evidence 00:14:30.34\00:14:32.08 that our citizenship has been transferred 00:14:32.11\00:14:34.95 from the Kingdom of darkness 00:14:35.25\00:14:36.87 to the Kingdom of light that we are now free 00:14:37.96\00:14:41.67 from the world order, doomed to die 00:14:41.70\00:14:44.76 and adopted into God's inner circle 00:14:45.19\00:14:47.72 destined to live. For this reason, 00:14:48.27\00:14:52.05 the Apostle Paul explained, 00:14:52.08\00:14:53.67 exclaims in Philippians 3:20, 00:14:53.70\00:14:57.04 he literally shouts this out, 00:14:58.07\00:14:59.56 For our citizenship is in heaven, 00:14:59.59\00:15:03.11 from which we also eagerly wait for the savior, 00:15:03.64\00:15:06.75 the Lord Jesus Christ, but the emphasis 00:15:06.78\00:15:09.23 here of Paul is to emphasize 00:15:09.26\00:15:12.79 a change in citizenship. It is now in heaven. 00:15:12.82\00:15:15.93 My wife and I dramatically experienced 00:15:16.90\00:15:20.52 what's involved in a legal departure from 00:15:21.09\00:15:23.55 one Kingdom to another in the summer of 2003 00:15:23.58\00:15:28.19 when we took a vacation and our travels 00:15:28.22\00:15:31.14 took us to Canada. When we arrived at the border, 00:15:31.17\00:15:37.12 the US officials interviewed us, 00:15:37.50\00:15:40.14 they examined us, the car and loading 00:15:40.17\00:15:43.86 of our luggage and then told us to move on. 00:15:43.89\00:15:46.58 Now when we got to the Canadian port of entry 00:15:47.85\00:15:50.46 for some reason there were no officials present, 00:15:51.14\00:15:54.16 there was no one standing outside, 00:15:54.19\00:15:56.04 there was no one looking behind the glass 00:15:57.62\00:15:59.43 from inside at us, 00:15:59.46\00:16:01.31 and since it was a little green light there at 00:16:02.06\00:16:05.17 the gateway we mistakenly assumed 00:16:05.20\00:16:09.41 that we could go on, which we did. 00:16:09.44\00:16:11.21 Oh we drove about 5 miles 00:16:13.34\00:16:15.05 and then we were pulled over by a police officer 00:16:16.30\00:16:18.51 and he informed us that we have entered 00:16:19.14\00:16:21.77 Canada illegally. Now, we were no longer allowed 00:16:21.80\00:16:26.57 to enjoy what Canada had to offer. 00:16:26.60\00:16:28.89 We were escorted back to the port of entry, 00:16:29.49\00:16:31.91 we were interrogated several times, 00:16:32.73\00:16:35.41 they went through the car and our luggage 00:16:36.18\00:16:38.59 for over 2 hours and we were fined a $100. 00:16:39.18\00:16:43.78 Only then could we proceed legally, 00:16:45.11\00:16:48.54 this rather scary ordeal served as a grim 00:16:49.87\00:16:52.90 reminder that the wonderful life 00:16:52.93\00:16:55.42 changing transfer that occurs, 00:16:55.45\00:16:57.67 that God gives to us is also a just an legal trans, 00:16:57.70\00:17:04.11 a transaction. Throughout the Book of Revelation, 00:17:04.14\00:17:09.68 the theme song of the redeemed 00:17:09.71\00:17:11.75 is that all of God's acts are just and righteous. 00:17:11.78\00:17:17.70 In the great controversy, 00:17:18.70\00:17:20.24 the highest authority in the Universe, 00:17:20.83\00:17:23.29 the government of God must consistently act 00:17:23.80\00:17:28.20 in just an lawful manner. We see the cross 00:17:28.84\00:17:35.33 as a grand symbol that justice has been 00:17:35.82\00:17:39.80 met in the death of Jesus. That's what righteousness 00:17:39.83\00:17:44.66 or right doing is all about. 00:17:44.69\00:17:47.28 Jesus tells of this legal transfer from 00:17:50.44\00:17:52.45 one Kingdom to another. When he says in John 5:24, 00:17:52.48\00:17:58.09 I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word 00:17:59.40\00:18:02.72 and believes him who sent me has eternal life 00:18:03.44\00:18:06.77 and will not be condemned; 00:18:07.40\00:18:09.31 he has crossed over from death to life. 00:18:09.64\00:18:14.12 Jesus is the official port of entry 00:18:15.28\00:18:19.19 into God's Kingdom. Paul affirms 00:18:19.22\00:18:24.19 this when he says in First Timothy 2:5; 00:18:24.22\00:18:26.43 For there is one God and one mediator 00:18:27.72\00:18:30.48 between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. 00:18:30.51\00:18:34.30 And then he continues in Ephesians 2, 00:18:34.99\00:18:37.54 verses 8 and 9; For by grace you have been 00:18:38.75\00:18:42.48 saved through faith and that not of yourselves; 00:18:42.51\00:18:45.97 it is the gift of God, not of works, 00:18:46.32\00:18:49.63 lest anyone should boast. This affirms the underlying 00:18:49.66\00:18:56.49 theme of scripture that salvation is not 00:18:56.52\00:18:59.35 achieved by human effort, 00:18:59.38\00:19:02.63 but received by faith in Christ. 00:19:02.66\00:19:05.62 Grace provides, faith simply reaches up 00:19:06.72\00:19:10.78 and accepts God's provision. 00:19:10.81\00:19:13.39 Faith itself has no saving merit, 00:19:14.20\00:19:16.30 it never makes salvation, 00:19:16.88\00:19:18.96 it's simply takes the provision God has 00:19:18.99\00:19:22.60 to offer and that gift is Jesus Christ. 00:19:22.63\00:19:27.56 The righteousness then that saves us 00:19:29.29\00:19:33.44 is never our own. 00:19:33.47\00:19:35.01 It is the righteousness of another namely 00:19:35.59\00:19:38.44 Jesus our substitute, just as the ultimate course 00:19:38.47\00:19:43.17 of sin is beyond our world in Satan the rebel. 00:19:43.20\00:19:47.04 So, our salvation is beyond us in 00:19:47.59\00:19:50.29 in Jesus the righteous. Now let's take a look 00:19:50.32\00:19:55.35 at the second cure, it takes place 00:19:55.38\00:19:58.69 within the Kingdom, within our new status, 00:19:58.72\00:20:02.60 where as the first cure is a legal change, 00:20:03.35\00:20:06.02 the second cure is a moral change, 00:20:06.68\00:20:08.99 now while justification and sanctification 00:20:09.71\00:20:11.90 are very intimately connected they do 00:20:11.93\00:20:14.19 have distinctive roles. Justification refers to 00:20:14.22\00:20:18.20 Christ substitutionary work, 00:20:18.23\00:20:20.15 restoring us to God's favor. 00:20:20.18\00:20:22.27 Sanctification points to transforming work 00:20:23.37\00:20:25.78 of the Holy Spirit in our lives, 00:20:25.81\00:20:27.23 restoring us to God's image. 00:20:27.26\00:20:29.63 The moment our union with God is established, 00:20:30.86\00:20:33.54 sanctification springs interaction as a 00:20:33.57\00:20:36.96 heart fell response to that restoration. 00:20:36.99\00:20:40.03 Our faith in God is not to be seen as 00:20:41.22\00:20:44.86 a substitute for obedience, 00:20:44.89\00:20:46.66 but rather it is a stimulant 00:20:46.69\00:20:48.57 for true obedience. 00:20:48.60\00:20:49.88 Sanctification is a separation from sin 00:20:50.39\00:20:53.24 to a new life. It is depicted in the Bible 00:20:53.27\00:20:56.74 in different ways such as spiritual growth, 00:20:56.77\00:20:59.67 following after righteousness, 00:20:59.70\00:21:01.35 walking a newness of life. Sanctification is a life 00:21:01.38\00:21:05.08 long response of surrender 00:21:05.11\00:21:07.70 to God's love and his rulership. 00:21:07.73\00:21:10.85 A life of rigorous discipleship and growth. 00:21:11.29\00:21:14.19 It is our participation in character building, 00:21:14.72\00:21:17.74 so when the Holy Spirit calls us to faith 00:21:18.51\00:21:20.76 we are called to come and die. 00:21:21.39\00:21:23.94 Now this invitation sounds ominous 00:21:24.83\00:21:27.15 like a leap in the dark, but the opposite is true. 00:21:27.18\00:21:30.34 It is a step into the light. 00:21:30.51\00:21:32.50 First John 1:5 says this is the message 00:21:33.18\00:21:36.42 which we have heard from him and declare to you 00:21:36.45\00:21:39.34 that God is light and in Him 00:21:39.37\00:21:40.34 there is no darkness at all. 00:21:41.97\00:21:44.49 So, justification first points us to the Cross, 00:21:46.28\00:21:51.01 the one on which Jesus died from where all 00:21:52.18\00:21:54.91 salvation flows. In sanctification, 00:21:54.94\00:21:58.08 our response is to take up our own cross, 00:21:58.11\00:22:00.77 a symbol of our dying to self. 00:22:00.80\00:22:03.29 The Apostle Paul refers to this as dying daily. 00:22:03.80\00:22:07.52 There are no spiritual shortcuts, 00:22:09.51\00:22:13.13 there are no shortcuts such to say 00:22:14.17\00:22:16.08 to spiritual maturity, the road is long, 00:22:16.11\00:22:19.22 it's hard and it's gonna be difficult, 00:22:19.87\00:22:23.15 but more than that it's a war. 00:22:23.58\00:22:26.92 A life and death conflict, you see 00:22:28.25\00:22:31.09 in justification war is declared when we transfer 00:22:31.35\00:22:36.05 from God's dominion into God's kingdom. 00:22:36.08\00:22:39.41 I hope I said that correctly, 00:22:40.88\00:22:42.00 when we are transferred from Satan's dominion 00:22:42.03\00:22:43.78 into God's Kingdom this means the self, 00:22:43.81\00:22:47.99 that is our sinful nature is deposed from 00:22:48.02\00:22:53.48 the throne of our hearts and now God 00:22:53.51\00:22:56.98 becomes our ruler. This results in a 00:22:57.01\00:23:02.01 lifelong struggle through the conquering 00:23:02.04\00:23:06.67 power of God's Spirit and the old nature, 00:23:06.70\00:23:11.32 struggling for survival. I think a good illustration 00:23:12.00\00:23:19.53 of this was Israel's Exodus from Egypt 00:23:19.56\00:23:23.77 that all of us are familiar with. 00:23:23.80\00:23:25.73 God took Israel out of the Egypt 00:23:27.97\00:23:29.96 in one momentous event, which is like justification, 00:23:30.91\00:23:36.64 but it was an unending battle 00:23:37.52\00:23:39.51 to get Egypt out of Israel, which illustrates the work 00:23:39.54\00:23:45.68 of sanctification. In other words, 00:23:45.71\00:23:48.36 the sinful nature with it's passions and 00:23:48.72\00:23:51.16 desires according to Galatians 5:24 00:23:51.19\00:23:53.91 must be crucified throughout our lifetime. 00:23:54.66\00:23:57.93 Justification by faith is not an alternative 00:24:01.51\00:24:06.38 to holiness, but rather it serves as it's foundation. 00:24:06.41\00:24:12.21 It should not surprise us that God's way 00:24:13.27\00:24:15.53 of salvation is so contrary to the way humans 00:24:15.56\00:24:19.88 do things. For example, in non-Christian religions, 00:24:19.91\00:24:26.04 the perfection or holiness that people strive for, 00:24:26.61\00:24:31.04 ultimately is received when the journey ends. 00:24:32.54\00:24:36.00 They get it at the end of their lives. 00:24:36.40\00:24:38.40 I think of example, Roman Catholicism, 00:24:39.70\00:24:42.12 they believe that utmost holiness is not 00:24:43.45\00:24:45.99 received until a person dies and experiences 00:24:46.02\00:24:51.28 final cleansing in purgatory 00:24:51.31\00:24:54.05 and this seems to be typical, 00:24:55.11\00:24:58.26 I believe from all non-Christian religions 00:24:58.29\00:25:02.38 and that's why there is such an emphasis 00:25:02.88\00:25:05.17 upon salvation by works. They work so hard, 00:25:05.20\00:25:08.79 they work so desperately for 00:25:08.82\00:25:12.23 what they think they will receive at the end 00:25:12.26\00:25:14.90 and as a result this breeds salvation by works. 00:25:15.51\00:25:19.62 Now into the divine order of things, 00:25:20.59\00:25:22.91 the process is reversed, the Gospel declares 00:25:23.65\00:25:27.53 that the gift of perfect holiness is 00:25:27.56\00:25:30.20 how the Christian life begins. 00:25:30.23\00:25:32.94 At the very heart of a restored relationship 00:25:33.81\00:25:36.78 with God is his decoration of a perfect righteousness 00:25:36.81\00:25:43.01 received by faith when we first believe, 00:25:43.04\00:25:46.53 so we just see the opposite here. 00:25:46.60\00:25:49.35 Those of us who have accepted Christ, 00:25:50.04\00:25:53.10 at the moment we accept him, 00:25:53.13\00:25:55.04 he bestows upon us the gift of a perfect 00:25:55.62\00:25:59.24 righteousness, which then of course leads us 00:25:59.27\00:26:02.67 into a growth in holiness, but we need to see 00:26:02.70\00:26:06.44 that the gift precedes the growth. 00:26:06.47\00:26:09.22 As the Apostle Paul declares 00:26:10.33\00:26:12.31 in Hebrews 10:14, he says because by 00:26:12.34\00:26:15.94 one sacrifice he has made perfect forever 00:26:15.97\00:26:20.57 those who are being made holy. 00:26:21.17\00:26:24.15 And so we can see here how Paul deals with 00:26:24.73\00:26:29.19 both justification and sanctification. 00:26:29.22\00:26:31.96 The way he talks about being made perfect forever, 00:26:32.27\00:26:35.30 that's the gift and then being made holy 00:26:35.33\00:26:39.83 is the experience of sanctification where God, 00:26:39.86\00:26:43.34 day by day takes away the sin in our hearts 00:26:43.37\00:26:46.83 and in our lives and exchanges it for his righteousness. 00:26:49.99\00:26:51.15 It was Martin Luther who said, 00:26:52.77\00:26:55.49 uncertainty is the most miserable 00:26:56.18\00:26:59.06 thing in the world. This is true especially 00:26:59.09\00:27:03.39 when it comes to our relationship to God. 00:27:03.42\00:27:06.35 It is essential that Christians, 00:27:07.21\00:27:10.18 young and old have the assurance of salvation, 00:27:10.21\00:27:14.24 but this only occurs if we rely on the merits 00:27:15.04\00:27:17.87 of Jesus rather than our own personal goodness 00:27:17.90\00:27:20.23 or religious fervor. We are not to focus on 00:27:20.26\00:27:23.35 what we have accomplished or what might have been, 00:27:23.38\00:27:26.83 but rather to accept by faith 00:27:26.86\00:27:29.24 what we now have in Christ Jesus. 00:27:29.75\00:27:33.15