Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
00:00:01.40\00:00:02.77
Are you aware that God
promises to make you complete
00:00:02.80\00:00:05.54
in every way to do His
will through Christ Jesus?
00:00:05.57\00:00:09.41
Join us now on
"The Grace Pipeline"
00:00:09.44\00:00:11.62
as we study
Christ, our sanctification.
00:00:11.65\00:00:16.04
Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline."
00:00:35.09\00:00:36.95
This is a series
based on a Bible study
00:00:37.24\00:00:39.53
book by the same title.
00:00:39.56\00:00:41.91
You know, it's a great privilege
00:00:41.94\00:00:44.60
to write something
for the glory of the Lord.
00:00:44.63\00:00:47.69
At the same time,
it's a great responsibility
00:00:47.72\00:00:50.85
and it's important that it
is a well-balanced teaching.
00:00:50.88\00:00:55.13
Because something that God wants
00:00:55.16\00:00:57.99
is for us to know
the balance of truth.
00:00:58.02\00:01:00.53
It results in
great personal growth,
00:01:00.56\00:01:03.67
because as you write,
00:01:03.70\00:01:05.26
you must necessarily restudy
and dig deeper into scripture.
00:01:05.29\00:01:10.12
And as you begin to
mind the depth of God's word,
00:01:10.15\00:01:15.15
He teaches you more and more.
00:01:15.18\00:01:17.28
His word is inexhaustible.
00:01:17.31\00:01:19.89
I don't pretend to know all
there is to know about grace,
00:01:19.92\00:01:23.17
but what God has taught
me has been life-changing.
00:01:23.20\00:01:27.06
And day by day,
He is teaching me
00:01:27.09\00:01:29.95
how to make this more
of a personal experience
00:01:29.98\00:01:33.80
rather than merely an
intellectual understanding.
00:01:33.83\00:01:37.62
My hope is that you
too will be transformed
00:01:37.65\00:01:41.14
as we study God's word together.
00:01:41.17\00:01:44.15
Today, if you're following along
00:01:44.18\00:01:46.02
in the series companion
book "The Grace Pipeline,"
00:01:46.05\00:01:49.10
we will begin our study in
chapter 7 and that's page 106,
00:01:49.13\00:01:54.08
as we consider how
Christ is our sanctification.
00:01:54.11\00:01:59.85
Because we are
dividing this study on grace
00:01:59.88\00:02:02.96
into bite size
pieces, it seems it would be
00:02:02.99\00:02:06.24
a good thing for us to
take just a few minutes
00:02:06.27\00:02:08.89
to quickly review some
of the Bible principles
00:02:08.92\00:02:11.95
we have already established.
00:02:11.98\00:02:14.65
We have
identified it is God's love
00:02:14.68\00:02:17.28
that is the compelling
force behind His grace.
00:02:17.31\00:02:21.13
This unending well of love,
00:02:21.16\00:02:23.91
overflows with every
good and perfect gift
00:02:23.94\00:02:26.86
from our Heavenly Father
and grace is the pipeline
00:02:26.89\00:02:30.57
through which all blessings
flow from heaven to earth.
00:02:30.60\00:02:33.77
Faith we've
identified as the faucet.
00:02:33.80\00:02:36.53
It's how we tap into
God's grace pipeline.
00:02:36.56\00:02:39.10
And our faith regulates
the release of blessings
00:02:39.13\00:02:42.92
from His great reservoir.
00:02:42.95\00:02:45.10
Now prayer is the handle
that opens the faith faucet.
00:02:45.13\00:02:50.31
Trust is the foundation
for the prayer of faith,
00:02:50.34\00:02:53.45
and relationship is
the foundation for trust.
00:02:53.48\00:02:57.63
What's the foundation
for relationship? Love.
00:02:57.66\00:03:01.01
And the more we love and
understand His love for us,
00:03:01.04\00:03:06.48
the more we love Him in return.
00:03:06.51\00:03:08.73
We develop a more
intimate relationship with Him
00:03:08.76\00:03:12.30
and the more
intimate the relationship,
00:03:12.33\00:03:14.15
the greater our
trust grows in God.
00:03:14.18\00:03:16.58
The more we trust Him,
00:03:16.61\00:03:18.56
the more we bring all
things to Him in prayer.
00:03:18.59\00:03:22.03
And the more we pray in faith,
00:03:22.06\00:03:24.10
the more blessings
God releases on us.
00:03:24.13\00:03:27.87
We have also identified
00:03:27.90\00:03:29.66
the three greatest
gifts of God's grace
00:03:29.69\00:03:33.40
as being His son Jesus Christ,
00:03:33.43\00:03:36.49
the Holy Spirit,
and the Holy Scriptures.
00:03:36.52\00:03:39.59
When we understand these
gifts and we are beginning
00:03:39.62\00:03:43.88
to understand
His gifts of grace,
00:03:43.91\00:03:46.06
then we understand
the effects of grace.
00:03:46.09\00:03:49.59
And because of this,
we've arrived at this definition
00:03:49.62\00:03:54.14
that divine
grace is the unearned,
00:03:54.17\00:03:57.47
undeserved gifts bestowed
by a God of infinite love
00:03:57.50\00:04:01.78
which provide
His divine assistance
00:04:01.81\00:04:05.60
and supernatural
power unto salvation.
00:04:05.63\00:04:09.86
Now sometime ago in this series,
00:04:09.89\00:04:11.90
we studied how we
receive justification by faith,
00:04:11.93\00:04:16.32
through the imputed
righteousness of Jesus Christ
00:04:16.35\00:04:19.56
which means nothing less
than the righteousness of Christ
00:04:19.59\00:04:22.86
that is credited to our account.
00:04:22.89\00:04:25.95
We know the Bible tells us
that the wages of sin is death.
00:04:25.98\00:04:29.42
We're all sinners and
we all deserved to die.
00:04:29.45\00:04:32.63
But when we
confess our sins and repent
00:04:32.66\00:04:35.64
accepting Christ as our Savior,
00:04:35.67\00:04:37.61
the record of His
perfect life is credited to us.
00:04:37.64\00:04:42.13
Moreover, He stood
in as our substitute
00:04:42.16\00:04:46.55
and died the death we deserved.
00:04:46.58\00:04:49.30
And His blood covers our sins.
00:04:49.33\00:04:52.06
The demands for
divine justice are satisfied
00:04:52.09\00:04:55.31
and there are no
longer legal grounds
00:04:55.34\00:04:57.44
to justly inflict
the penalty of sin.
00:04:57.47\00:05:01.44
God justifies us,
which means He pronounces
00:05:01.47\00:05:06.26
an acquittal of
the charges against us
00:05:06.29\00:05:08.82
making an official declaration
00:05:08.85\00:05:11.36
that we the
accused are innocent.
00:05:11.39\00:05:14.82
Justification is an act of God
00:05:14.85\00:05:18.15
and that is the
first stage of salvation.
00:05:18.18\00:05:21.22
Justification
changes our record.
00:05:21.25\00:05:24.80
In our last several
programs of this series,
00:05:24.83\00:05:28.54
we have been
studying sanctification,
00:05:28.57\00:05:31.54
which is the
second stage of salvation
00:05:31.57\00:05:33.75
and it changes
not just the record,
00:05:33.78\00:05:36.86
but it changes our character.
00:05:36.89\00:05:39.20
Sanctification is ours
00:05:39.23\00:05:42.26
through the imparted
righteousness of Jesus Christ,
00:05:42.29\00:05:45.76
that righteousness
He pours into our heart.
00:05:45.79\00:05:48.43
And this is how the
process of consecrating us
00:05:48.46\00:05:52.46
or setting us apart from
the world to live for God.
00:05:52.49\00:05:57.02
This is how it happens.
00:05:57.05\00:05:58.61
Sanctification is a
synonym for holiness.
00:05:58.64\00:06:03.24
They both simply mean
to be set apart from sin
00:06:03.27\00:06:07.50
that we might
live the abundant life
00:06:07.53\00:06:10.59
Christ Jesus came to give us.
00:06:10.62\00:06:13.57
Sanctification is a progressive
work of God in our lives
00:06:13.60\00:06:18.24
that requires our
complete cooperation.
00:06:18.27\00:06:22.16
It is a continuous
process of consecration
00:06:22.19\00:06:27.67
or dedicating our
lives to do God's will.
00:06:27.70\00:06:31.75
Sanctification is a work of
God to recreate His image in us.
00:06:31.78\00:06:39.60
And to prove it is God's work,
00:06:39.63\00:06:42.42
The Bible tells us
that we are sanctified
00:06:42.45\00:06:45.43
by the Heavenly
Father, by the gift of our
00:06:45.46\00:06:48.26
Lord Jesus Christ, the
gift of the Holy Spirit,
00:06:48.29\00:06:52.16
the gift of God's love
operating within our hearts,
00:06:52.19\00:06:56.21
the gift of the Holy Scriptures,
00:06:56.24\00:06:58.95
the gift of
faith and the privilege
00:06:58.98\00:07:02.00
of obedience empowered by God.
00:07:02.03\00:07:05.34
His work is a continual,
00:07:05.37\00:07:08.56
day-by-day
development that transforms
00:07:08.59\00:07:12.02
our physical,
mental, and spiritual powers
00:07:12.05\00:07:16.21
if we will only
cooperate with Him.
00:07:16.24\00:07:19.72
Now we have
previously studied what it means
00:07:19.75\00:07:23.40
to be a sanctification seeker
which means we pursue holiness
00:07:23.43\00:07:28.47
or in other words it
means that we cooperate with God
00:07:28.50\00:07:32.46
to be set apart from sin.
00:07:32.49\00:07:35.30
The Apostle Paul tells us
that we should devote our lives
00:07:35.33\00:07:40.42
to this process and
experience of transformation.
00:07:40.45\00:07:44.04
Many Christians do
not fully recognize
00:07:44.07\00:07:47.96
the work of God, the Father
00:07:47.99\00:07:49.41
and God, the Son in the
process of sanctification.
00:07:49.44\00:07:52.83
In our last program, we reviewed
00:07:52.86\00:07:55.63
the Father's action
in this critical work.
00:07:55.66\00:07:58.36
Now, today, let us more closely
00:07:58.39\00:08:01.42
consider Christ's
intimate involvement.
00:08:01.45\00:08:05.95
Sanctification
seekers pursue holiness
00:08:05.98\00:08:09.97
by believing in and
receiving Christ as Savior,
00:08:10.00\00:08:14.08
developing a personal
and abiding relationship
00:08:14.11\00:08:17.92
with Him and by following
the leading of the Holy Spirit.
00:08:17.95\00:08:23.01
This identifies us
as the children of God.
00:08:23.04\00:08:27.80
As John 1:12 proclaims that,
00:08:27.83\00:08:30.52
"As many as have received Him,
00:08:30.55\00:08:33.64
to them He gave the right
to become the children of God,"
00:08:33.67\00:08:38.33
to those who believe in Christ,
in His name, in His work.
00:08:38.36\00:08:44.34
The sacred bonds of
this privileged relationship
00:08:44.37\00:08:48.44
being a child
of God is our means
00:08:48.47\00:08:52.82
of sanctification by grace.
00:08:52.85\00:08:55.58
Let's look at 1 Corinthians
1:30 were the Bible says,
00:08:55.61\00:09:01.10
"But of Him, speaking of
God, you are in Christ Jesus,
00:09:01.13\00:09:07.57
who became for us wisdom
from God and righteousness
00:09:07.60\00:09:13.63
and
sanctification and redemption."
00:09:13.66\00:09:18.61
Now let's unpack this scripture.
00:09:18.64\00:09:21.50
First, it tells us it is of Him
00:09:21.53\00:09:25.01
the Father that
we are in Christ.
00:09:25.04\00:09:28.06
God's all
embracing and matchless love
00:09:28.09\00:09:31.80
was manifested in the
sacrifice of His sinless Son,
00:09:31.83\00:09:36.30
for those who were
yet impure sinners.
00:09:36.33\00:09:40.01
It is by our
Heavenly Father's will
00:09:40.04\00:09:42.89
that we have identified
with Christ crucified.
00:09:42.92\00:09:47.99
Secondly, because of this,
Christ has become our wisdom.
00:09:48.02\00:09:54.42
He possesses the
fullness of God's treasury
00:09:54.45\00:09:58.23
of wisdom and knowledge
00:09:58.26\00:09:59.67
and He reveals
God's purposes to us.
00:09:59.70\00:10:03.43
Making Christ our
wisdom and possessing Him,
00:10:03.46\00:10:07.29
we possess His
wisdom that causes us
00:10:07.32\00:10:10.72
to understand
God's will for our lives.
00:10:10.75\00:10:13.85
Now the third
point of this scripture
00:10:13.88\00:10:16.48
is that Christ
becomes our righteousness.
00:10:16.51\00:10:20.06
In that by faith,
His imputed righteousness
00:10:20.09\00:10:24.79
provides
justification putting us
00:10:24.82\00:10:27.53
in right standing
with the Heavenly Father.
00:10:27.56\00:10:31.21
Now the first
point-- or the fourth point
00:10:31.24\00:10:33.78
I should say of 1
Corinthians 1:30 is that
00:10:33.81\00:10:37.50
Christ's imparted righteousness
becomes our sanctification.
00:10:37.53\00:10:43.33
This fits us to press into
the presence of a Holy God.
00:10:43.36\00:10:50.10
In Christ, we are recreated
00:10:50.13\00:10:53.59
to enjoy a new
life of righteousness
00:10:53.62\00:10:57.26
and we should
devote our lives fully
00:10:57.29\00:10:59.43
to practicing righteousness
by the power of God
00:10:59.46\00:11:03.50
rather than practicing sin
00:11:03.53\00:11:05.58
through the influence
of our old carnal nature.
00:11:05.61\00:11:09.53
And the final point is
that His death paid our ransom
00:11:09.56\00:11:15.07
to escape the penalty of sin,
making Christ our redemption.
00:11:15.10\00:11:20.75
Through our redeemer
Christ, we are saved.
00:11:20.78\00:11:25.14
Now our study today
is on sanctification,
00:11:25.17\00:11:28.09
so let's hone in on
that particular aspect.
00:11:28.12\00:11:32.87
Christ's continual
imparted righteousness,
00:11:32.91\00:11:37.05
His purity, and His
holiness living in our hearts
00:11:37.08\00:11:39.93
through faith
makes us pure and holy.
00:11:39.96\00:11:44.31
By His life within, He separates
those who abide in Him.
00:11:44.34\00:11:49.04
He separates them from sin
00:11:49.07\00:11:52.00
for God's special
purity and holy purposes.
00:11:52.03\00:11:55.77
This makes Christ
our sanctification.
00:11:55.80\00:11:59.86
John 1:16-17 says
that "Of His fullness
00:11:59.89\00:12:05.24
we have all
received and grace for grace.
00:12:05.27\00:12:09.58
For the law was
given through Moses,
00:12:09.61\00:12:12.76
but grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ."
00:12:12.79\00:12:16.31
Through the
revelation of the mystery
00:12:16.34\00:12:19.01
of the Lord's plan of salvation,
00:12:19.04\00:12:21.59
God's greater grace
replaced the grace contained
00:12:21.62\00:12:27.63
in the ceremonial
law, grace for grace.
00:12:27.66\00:12:32.96
The temporary sacrificial system
00:12:32.99\00:12:36.63
pointed to the
perfect sacrifice of Christ
00:12:36.66\00:12:40.30
who would offer
His body once for all.
00:12:40.33\00:12:44.18
The continual animal
offerings of the old covenant
00:12:44.21\00:12:47.83
were a constant reminder
that Christ had not yet come.
00:12:47.86\00:12:52.81
1 John 3:8
reveals that Christ came
00:12:52.84\00:12:56.60
to destroy the
works of the devil.
00:12:56.63\00:12:59.44
Let's read from Hebrews 10:5-10.
00:12:59.47\00:13:05.43
That says, "Therefore,
when He came into the world,
00:13:05.46\00:13:09.66
He said, sacrifice and
offering, burnt offerings,
00:13:09.69\00:13:13.68
and offering for
sin you did not desire,
00:13:13.71\00:13:17.23
nor had pleasure in them
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.04
which are offered
according to the law.
00:13:19.07\00:13:21.60
Behold, I have come
to do Your will, O God.
00:13:21.63\00:13:27.03
He takes away the first that
He may establish the second.
00:13:27.06\00:13:31.08
By that will we
have been sanctified
00:13:31.11\00:13:34.84
through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all."
00:13:34.87\00:13:41.58
God had no pleasure
in animal sacrifices
00:13:41.61\00:13:45.13
because for most people
they became nothing more than
00:13:45.16\00:13:48.79
a ritual requirement
of insincere worshipers.
00:13:48.82\00:13:52.88
In verse 10, we
have just read that--
00:13:52.91\00:13:57.57
and the Greek
emphasizes sanctification
00:13:57.60\00:14:00.90
in terms of our original
change from sin to holiness
00:14:00.93\00:14:06.39
and as a
continuation in that state.
00:14:06.42\00:14:10.90
We are sanctified
through the body of Jesus Christ
00:14:10.93\00:14:14.59
and through His blood as further
explained in Hebrews 13:12,
00:14:14.62\00:14:21.19
which says,
"Therefore Jesus also,
00:14:21.22\00:14:25.20
that He might sanctify
the people with His own blood,
00:14:25.23\00:14:29.55
suffered outside the gate."
00:14:29.58\00:14:32.50
It was the will of
God to sanctify humanity
00:14:32.53\00:14:37.59
by the
crucified body of His son.
00:14:37.62\00:14:39.89
It was God's will that
Christ's precious blood
00:14:39.92\00:14:44.22
be shed to cover our sins
00:14:44.25\00:14:47.19
and to separate us
from sin's influence,
00:14:47.22\00:14:52.88
leading to
holiness, to sanctification.
00:14:52.91\00:14:57.90
Well, I certainly consider
00:14:57.93\00:15:00.04
the experience of
sanctification joyful.
00:15:00.07\00:15:03.99
There is a very
serious and related aspect
00:15:04.02\00:15:07.52
that must be
presented to those who would
00:15:07.55\00:15:10.67
receive the promise of
the eternal inheritance.
00:15:10.70\00:15:15.15
Let us consider Hebrews 9:13, 14
00:15:15.18\00:15:22.94
and here the writer says,
00:15:22.97\00:15:25.15
"For if the blood
of bulls and goats
00:15:25.18\00:15:28.13
and the ashes of a
heifer, sprinkling the unclean,
00:15:28.16\00:15:31.77
sanctifies for the
purifying of the flesh,
00:15:31.80\00:15:35.41
how much more shall
the blood of Christ,
00:15:35.44\00:15:39.75
who through the
eternal Spirit offered Himself
00:15:39.78\00:15:44.18
without spot to God,
cleanse your conscience
00:15:44.21\00:15:48.40
from dead works to
serve the living God?"
00:15:48.43\00:15:52.09
Now going right
into Hebrews 10:28, 29,
00:15:52.12\00:15:56.99
we receive the warning,
00:15:57.02\00:15:59.59
"Anyone who has rejected
Moses' law dies without mercy
00:15:59.62\00:16:04.98
on the testimony of
two or three witnesses.
00:16:05.01\00:16:08.89
Of how much worse
punishment, do you suppose,
00:16:08.92\00:16:12.20
will he be thought worthy
00:16:12.23\00:16:13.68
who has trampled the
Son of God underfoot,
00:16:13.71\00:16:17.44
counted the
blood of the covenant
00:16:17.47\00:16:19.84
by which he was
sanctified a common thing,
00:16:19.87\00:16:23.38
and insulted the
Spirit of grace?"
00:16:23.41\00:16:28.00
Sanctified people should
serve the living God in holiness
00:16:28.03\00:16:33.42
using extreme
caution not to count
00:16:33.45\00:16:37.05
the blood of
Christ as a common thing.
00:16:37.08\00:16:40.20
His precious
blood of sanctification
00:16:40.23\00:16:43.46
should not be
profaned by our sinful conduct.
00:16:43.49\00:16:47.51
You know, Paul tells
us in Roman 5:20, 21.
00:16:47.54\00:16:52.06
He said, "The law entered,
that the offense might abound.
00:16:52.09\00:16:56.39
But where sin abounded,
grace abounded much more
00:16:56.42\00:17:01.26
and even that as
sin reigned in death,
00:17:01.29\00:17:04.59
even so grace might
reign through righteousness
00:17:04.62\00:17:08.75
in eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord."
00:17:08.78\00:17:12.90
The moral law of God
revealed His perfect standards
00:17:12.93\00:17:17.88
of righteousness as well
as the true condition of sin
00:17:17.91\00:17:21.95
which reigns in human hearts
hostile to all things holy.
00:17:21.98\00:17:26.37
The mere formal recording
of God's moral requirements
00:17:26.40\00:17:32.09
stirred an even
greater resistance
00:17:32.12\00:17:34.58
in those rebellious
ones who refuse to enter
00:17:34.61\00:17:37.77
into relationship with Him.
00:17:37.80\00:17:40.23
Transgressions were multiplied
00:17:40.26\00:17:43.87
and God permitted this
demonstration of sin's influence
00:17:43.90\00:17:47.54
preparing the way to
prove His perfect love
00:17:47.57\00:17:51.50
toward humanity
by sending His Son
00:17:51.53\00:17:54.08
to rescue us
from unrighteousness.
00:17:54.11\00:17:57.86
Thus He prevailed as both
the just and the justifier.
00:17:57.89\00:18:02.84
Only Christ's
imputed righteousness
00:18:02.87\00:18:05.38
can cover our sin debt.
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.56
Only Christ's
imparted righteousness
00:18:07.59\00:18:10.18
can continually
subdue sin's influence
00:18:10.21\00:18:14.04
and restore us to
the purity of His image.
00:18:14.07\00:18:19.16
God's generous
plan makes it possible
00:18:19.19\00:18:23.00
for grace to
reign in our hearts.
00:18:23.03\00:18:28.33
His grace teaches us His plan
as revealed in Titus 2:11-14.
00:18:28.36\00:18:35.68
Let's read that together.
00:18:35.71\00:18:37.51
It says, "The grace of
God that brings salvation
00:18:37.54\00:18:41.87
has appeared to all
men, teaching us that,
00:18:41.90\00:18:46.45
denying
ungodliness and worldly lust,
00:18:46.48\00:18:49.69
we should live
soberly, righteously,
00:18:49.72\00:18:52.92
and godly in the present age,
00:18:52.95\00:18:55.27
looking for the blessed
hope and glorious appearing
00:18:55.30\00:18:59.40
of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:18:59.43\00:19:02.66
who gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us
00:19:02.69\00:19:06.91
from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself
00:19:06.94\00:19:12.37
His own special people,
zealous for good works."
00:19:12.40\00:19:17.59
Let us learn the
lesson that grace teaches us.
00:19:17.62\00:19:21.21
Colossians 3:3
explains by saying,
00:19:21.24\00:19:24.36
"For you have
died, and your life
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.91
is hidden with Christ in God."
00:19:26.94\00:19:30.33
By faith Christians are
dead to the things of this world
00:19:30.36\00:19:34.63
and to the lure of
the lust of the flesh,
00:19:34.66\00:19:36.98
and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life.
00:19:37.01\00:19:40.59
The advantage of our
relationship with Jesus
00:19:40.62\00:19:44.47
is that we live with
Him in righteousness,
00:19:44.50\00:19:47.47
preparing for a better world.
00:19:47.50\00:19:49.78
At the same time, Christ's
protection encompasses us
00:19:49.81\00:19:54.39
like the heat resistant
crucible during fiery trials.
00:19:54.42\00:19:59.77
Our new life is
concealed in Christ
00:19:59.80\00:20:04.11
with the abiding companionship
of God as our refuge.
00:20:04.14\00:20:07.95
And Christ is more than
our example to be imitated.
00:20:07.98\00:20:11.88
He is the supernatural
power of God into salvation.
00:20:11.91\00:20:16.80
You know, Jesus
said in John 10:30 that,
00:20:16.83\00:20:19.72
"He and the Father are
one and He is in the Father
00:20:19.75\00:20:24.23
and the Father is in Him."
00:20:24.26\00:20:26.66
So through His purifying
grace of sanctification,
00:20:26.69\00:20:31.17
He makes us one Spirit with Him,
00:20:31.20\00:20:34.46
one in thought, one
in purpose and action.
00:20:34.49\00:20:37.69
We live in Him
and He lives in us.
00:20:37.72\00:20:40.99
He is a friend who
sticks closer than a brother.
00:20:41.02\00:20:44.11
So too it is critical that we
stay closely connected to Him.
00:20:44.14\00:20:49.96
Christ explained
why in John 15:4, 6.
00:20:49.99\00:20:56.22
He says, "Abide
in Me, and I in you.
00:20:56.25\00:21:00.87
As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself,
00:21:00.90\00:21:03.71
unless it abides in the vine,
00:21:03.74\00:21:05.87
neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.
00:21:05.90\00:21:09.85
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:21:09.88\00:21:13.06
He who abides in Me and
I in him, bears much fruit,
00:21:13.09\00:21:17.51
for without Me
you can do nothing.
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.90
If anyone does not abide in Me,
00:21:20.93\00:21:23.60
he is cast out as a
branch and is withered
00:21:23.63\00:21:27.18
and they gather
them and throw them
00:21:27.21\00:21:29.84
into the fire
and they are burned."
00:21:29.87\00:21:33.48
To abide means to dwell or
to live and never to depart.
00:21:33.51\00:21:38.85
To grow in grace we
must maintain a vital union
00:21:38.88\00:21:43.24
with Christ our true vine.
00:21:43.27\00:21:45.59
Any branch that is
pinched off from the sap
00:21:45.62\00:21:48.85
that brings the water
and nutrients of the vine
00:21:48.88\00:21:51.54
will wither and
eventually break away.
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.60
Without the divine
sap which I consider
00:21:54.63\00:21:58.56
an acronym for the
Spirit's anointing power,
00:21:58.59\00:22:01.78
without that divine sap
flowing through the living vine,
00:22:01.81\00:22:05.61
Christ Jesus, we will likewise
wither and die spiritually.
00:22:05.64\00:22:10.86
It is imperative
that we abide in Him
00:22:10.89\00:22:14.22
until the end or our connection
to the Savior will be severed.
00:22:14.25\00:22:19.81
The only way
possible for us to produce
00:22:19.84\00:22:21.81
the fruits of righteousness
required by our Holy God
00:22:21.84\00:22:25.17
is as a result of
living in Christ and He in us.
00:22:25.20\00:22:29.57
1 John 2:6 is crucial
advice to the Christian.
00:22:29.60\00:22:33.79
It says, "He who abides in Him
00:22:33.82\00:22:36.13
ought himself also to
walk just as He walked."
00:22:36.16\00:22:40.48
Those who profess Christ
00:22:40.51\00:22:42.14
are obligated to
copy His conduct.
00:22:42.17\00:22:45.23
Accepting the
gift of sanctification
00:22:45.26\00:22:47.36
is accepting His yoke
00:22:47.39\00:22:49.62
and staying in
school with our Christ.
00:22:49.65\00:22:52.67
Our very
qualified teacher speaks
00:22:52.70\00:22:55.00
in the language
of heaven's love.
00:22:55.03\00:22:57.42
Lowly in heart,
He humbles himself
00:22:57.45\00:22:59.74
to take on human form and
learn total dependence upon God.
00:22:59.77\00:23:04.47
Jesus didn't demand His own way.
00:23:04.50\00:23:07.35
And addressing His
Father it was always,
00:23:07.38\00:23:09.72
"not my will but yours be done."
00:23:09.75\00:23:13.14
And we injure our relationship
with our Heavenly Father
00:23:13.17\00:23:16.71
when we demand our own way.
00:23:16.74\00:23:18.99
We need to put
to death our pride
00:23:19.02\00:23:21.00
and learn the
humility of Christ.
00:23:21.03\00:23:23.48
Learn total dependence on God.
00:23:23.51\00:23:26.28
Let's read from
Colossians 1:26-28
00:23:26.31\00:23:30.67
which says, "The
mystery which has been hidden
00:23:30.70\00:23:33.50
from ages and from generations,
00:23:33.53\00:23:35.32
but now has been
revealed to His saints
00:23:35.35\00:23:38.11
which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory.
00:23:38.14\00:23:41.61
Him we preach, warning every man
00:23:41.64\00:23:44.76
and teaching
every man in all wisdom,
00:23:44.79\00:23:47.63
that we may present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus."
00:23:47.66\00:23:53.16
Recreated with the
character of Christ,
00:23:53.19\00:23:55.95
we enjoy a personal
dimension of His divine holiness
00:23:55.98\00:24:01.20
and the natural
outgrowth of receiving Christ
00:24:01.23\00:24:04.14
into our hearts is to live like
Him in the power of God's grace,
00:24:04.17\00:24:09.77
His love, His truth, His
goodness and purity of heart
00:24:09.80\00:24:14.23
should be evidenced in our
daily walk and conversation.
00:24:14.26\00:24:18.20
Christ in you
your hope of glory.
00:24:18.23\00:24:21.47
His refining fire
dwells in your heart by faith
00:24:21.50\00:24:25.13
and you can draw on all of
His perfect character traits
00:24:25.16\00:24:29.87
if you abide in Him
and He abides in you.
00:24:29.90\00:24:34.19
Acknowledge Christ
as your sanctification
00:24:34.22\00:24:37.61
and His holy qualities
will instantly be made yours
00:24:37.64\00:24:41.70
by grace through your
faith put into action.
00:24:41.73\00:24:45.89
His sanctified life within
you will separate you from sin
00:24:45.92\00:24:50.45
and daily conquer any unholy
passions or desires that linger.
00:24:50.48\00:24:56.09
1 John 4:4 assures
you that Christ in you
00:24:56.12\00:25:00.36
is a greater
power than the enemy,
00:25:00.39\00:25:03.11
the devil and his fallen
angels in this fallen word.
00:25:03.14\00:25:06.69
Further you are
promised in Revelation 12:11
00:25:06.72\00:25:10.41
that growing in the
grace of sanctification,
00:25:10.44\00:25:13.61
you can overcome evil
by the blood of the Lamb
00:25:13.64\00:25:17.31
and the word of your testimony.
00:25:17.34\00:25:18.97
The gospel of grace is a
religion of total dependence
00:25:19.00\00:25:23.40
upon God through Christ
00:25:23.43\00:25:25.22
and in the light of the eternal
privileges of being His child
00:25:25.25\00:25:29.78
and with the refining
fire of His presence in you,
00:25:29.81\00:25:33.12
you have great hope.
00:25:33.15\00:25:34.91
Please disregard
your own weaknesses
00:25:34.94\00:25:39.43
and depend upon His power.
00:25:39.46\00:25:41.04
Philippians 4:13 delivers
the promise that you can do
00:25:41.07\00:25:44.36
all things through
Christ who strengthens you.
00:25:44.39\00:25:47.19
Take notice of Christ's
promise from 2 Corinthians 12:9
00:25:47.22\00:25:52.29
and set your heart at ease.
00:25:52.32\00:25:54.56
Jesus says, "My grace
is sufficient for you,
00:25:54.59\00:25:57.10
for My strength is
made perfect in weakness."
00:25:57.13\00:26:01.23
You know, most of us
are naturally inclined
00:26:01.26\00:26:04.77
to try to tough things out
on our own in self-reliance.
00:26:04.80\00:26:09.67
God will not
force control over us.
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.41
We must admit our weaknesses.
00:26:12.44\00:26:15.35
We must admit our
limited human understanding
00:26:15.38\00:26:18.28
and our limited power
and surrender control to Him.
00:26:18.31\00:26:22.92
Then by grace,
Christ will infuse us
00:26:22.95\00:26:26.57
with His power and strengthen us
00:26:26.60\00:26:28.45
to overcome every temptation,
00:26:28.48\00:26:31.24
every challenge
that we meet daily.
00:26:31.27\00:26:34.24
It is God who works in you
00:26:34.27\00:26:37.01
to will and to
do His good pleasure
00:26:37.04\00:26:39.63
and it is God who will
complete His work in you
00:26:39.66\00:26:43.41
to empower you to do His will.
00:26:43.44\00:26:45.73
This is His will and His promise
according to Hebrews 13:20, 21
00:26:45.76\00:26:53.49
which says, "Now
may the God of peace
00:26:53.52\00:26:56.43
who brought up our
Lord Jesus from the dead,
00:26:56.46\00:26:59.14
that great
Shepherd of the sheep,
00:26:59.17\00:27:01.52
through the blood of
the everlasting covenant,
00:27:01.55\00:27:04.05
make you complete in
every good work to do His will,
00:27:04.08\00:27:07.57
working in you what is
well pleasing in His sight,
00:27:07.60\00:27:10.47
through Jesus Christ, to
whom be glory forever and ever."
00:27:10.50\00:27:15.59
With a watchful eye, He sits
as the refiner of His people.
00:27:15.62\00:27:20.01
He who called you is faithful.
00:27:20.04\00:27:22.61
And He will do His good
pleasure in the purifying grace
00:27:22.64\00:27:26.58
of sanctification
at work within you.
00:27:26.61\00:27:31.18
Amen, so be it, Lord.
00:27:31.21\00:27:34.52
We are only to
cooperate, to surrender control,
00:27:34.55\00:27:41.65
and to depend
totally upon our Lord.
00:27:41.68\00:27:44.88
I hope that this is
getting deep within your soul.
00:27:44.91\00:27:50.45
I hope that you understand
that you can grow in grace
00:27:50.48\00:27:55.30
and the knowledge of our Lord
00:27:55.33\00:27:56.70
Jesus Christ by
His power, god bless.
00:27:56.73\00:28:00.70