Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.40\00:00:02.77 Did you know that as we grow in love we grow in holiness? 00:00:02.80\00:00:06.52 Join us today on "The Grace Pipeline" 00:00:06.55\00:00:08.43 to learn how the Holy Spirit accomplishes this in our lives. 00:00:08.46\00:00:13.13 Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline." 00:00:32.18\00:00:34.33 For the last two programs we had considered 00:00:34.36\00:00:36.92 how God purifies us by His grace, 00:00:36.95\00:00:39.99 like the refiner's fire purifies silver. 00:00:40.02\00:00:43.44 Today, we will begin to look at the Holy Spirit's power 00:00:43.47\00:00:46.94 to clean the residue of sins influence away. 00:00:46.97\00:00:50.73 This series is based on a Bible study book by the same title 00:00:50.76\00:00:54.33 that was my great privilege to write. 00:00:54.36\00:00:56.52 If you're following along in the companion book, 00:00:56.55\00:00:59.12 today we begin in chapter 8. 00:00:59.15\00:01:01.76 This is an exciting study, so let's get into it. 00:01:01.79\00:01:05.34 In Malachi 3:6 God clearly states 00:01:05.37\00:01:08.95 "For I am the Lord God, I do not change." 00:01:08.98\00:01:13.43 God has never changed. 00:01:13.46\00:01:15.93 The holy and righteous Lord portrayed in the Old Testament 00:01:15.96\00:01:18.76 is the same sovereign God of the new. 00:01:18.79\00:01:21.61 The tender and loving God portrayed in the New Testament 00:01:21.64\00:01:24.83 is the mirror image of the magnificent 00:01:24.86\00:01:27.29 and merciful God of the old. 00:01:27.32\00:01:29.54 Just listen to this Old Testament 00:01:29.57\00:01:31.79 verse from Isaiah 63:9. 00:01:31.82\00:01:35.37 And it says, "In all their affliction He was afflicted, 00:01:35.40\00:01:40.09 and the angel of His presence saved them. 00:01:40.12\00:01:43.28 In His love and in His pity He redeemed them. 00:01:43.31\00:01:46.70 And He lifted them up 00:01:46.73\00:01:48.25 and carried them all the days of old." 00:01:48.28\00:01:52.83 The angel of His presence 00:01:52.86\00:01:54.83 whom we have established from scripture 00:01:54.86\00:01:57.21 is none other than the patient and compassionate Christ, 00:01:57.24\00:02:00.66 is the exact representation of the character 00:02:00.69\00:02:04.46 and personality of God the Father. 00:02:04.49\00:02:06.76 Hebrews 1:3 says that 00:02:06.79\00:02:08.85 "Jesus is the sole expression of the glory of God 00:02:08.88\00:02:12.43 and He is the perfect imprint and very image of God's nature." 00:02:12.46\00:02:17.00 Christ came to reveal the Father, 00:02:17.03\00:02:19.90 everything the Father is, the Son is. 00:02:19.93\00:02:23.26 As you see Jesus in scripture, you see the Father. 00:02:23.29\00:02:26.64 He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:02:26.67\00:02:29.68 God has always dealt with humanity sins 00:02:29.71\00:02:32.61 that condition by acts of grace 00:02:32.64\00:02:35.31 as evidenced in the provision of the sanctuary services 00:02:35.34\00:02:38.53 and ceremonial laws that pointed to their fulfillment in Christ. 00:02:38.56\00:02:43.35 We have considered how through grace, 00:02:43.38\00:02:46.23 God redeemed and forgave His ancient people 00:02:46.26\00:02:49.48 and justified them on the day of atonement. 00:02:49.51\00:02:52.98 Would it surprise you to learn that He also sanctified 00:02:53.01\00:02:58.05 His people of the old covenant by grace? 00:02:58.08\00:03:01.22 Let's look at Exodus 31:13 00:03:01.25\00:03:04.91 where the Lord says, 00:03:04.94\00:03:06.31 "Speak also to the children of Israel, 00:03:06.34\00:03:09.07 saying: Surely my Sabbaths you shall keep, 00:03:09.10\00:03:12.93 for it is a sign between me and you 00:03:12.96\00:03:16.05 throughout your generations, 00:03:16.08\00:03:17.75 that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you." 00:03:17.78\00:03:23.42 At the end of the creation week, 00:03:23.45\00:03:26.00 God established the seventh day 00:03:26.03\00:03:28.50 as a day of rest and remembrance. 00:03:28.53\00:03:30.83 And Genesis 2:3 tells us that "He sanctified the seventh day, 00:03:30.86\00:03:36.64 setting it apart and making it His holy day." 00:03:36.67\00:03:40.36 A perpetual temple in time 00:03:40.39\00:03:42.79 so to speak was instituted by God 00:03:42.82\00:03:45.89 for the benefit of humanity 00:03:45.92\00:03:48.14 providing a weekly reminder to celebrate His covenant love 00:03:48.17\00:03:51.75 by remaining in His rest. 00:03:51.78\00:03:53.83 A relationship of total dependence upon God. 00:03:53.86\00:03:58.40 He sanctified this memorial of His grace 00:03:58.43\00:04:01.23 as an affirmation that salvation, 00:04:01.26\00:04:03.39 including sanctification, belongs to the Lord. 00:04:03.42\00:04:08.11 In our last two programs we have considered 00:04:08.14\00:04:11.20 the refining fire of God's presence in our lives. 00:04:11.23\00:04:14.79 Now let's take this a step further 00:04:14.82\00:04:16.86 by beginning with Malachi 3:2 which says, 00:04:16.89\00:04:21.55 "He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap." 00:04:21.58\00:04:28.07 The refining fire of God's presence in the Christian life 00:04:28.10\00:04:32.18 burns the dross of deadly sins and worthless pursuits. 00:04:32.21\00:04:36.15 The launderer's soap referenced by this verse 00:04:36.18\00:04:38.97 was a strong alkali that was used to whiten cloth. 00:04:39.00\00:04:43.55 And it serves as another symbol of the inward purifying process. 00:04:43.58\00:04:47.96 The pureness of God's heart detests impurity. 00:04:47.99\00:04:51.74 He loves a sinner, but he hates the sin. 00:04:51.77\00:04:55.03 Christ came to save us from our sins, not in our sins. 00:04:55.06\00:05:00.68 Let me share a quick story about my beloved Yorkshire terrier 00:05:00.71\00:05:05.08 to provide a mental picture of this principle. 00:05:05.11\00:05:08.02 And while this is a rather crude illustration 00:05:08.05\00:05:11.11 it will make the point. 00:05:11.14\00:05:12.51 So please forgive me 00:05:12.54\00:05:14.08 while I digress from propriety in offering this. 00:05:14.11\00:05:18.11 But it will, I hope, 00:05:18.14\00:05:20.04 be of benefit to your understanding 00:05:20.07\00:05:22.45 without offending your sensibilities. 00:05:22.48\00:05:25.42 We had a little pup named TC, stood for too cute. 00:05:25.45\00:05:29.00 And he was the most special dog 00:05:29.03\00:05:30.55 my husband and I have ever owned. 00:05:30.58\00:05:33.07 He was an intelligent and obedient, eager to please. 00:05:33.10\00:05:36.87 We never had a problem with TC 00:05:36.90\00:05:39.08 until we moved to our farm in Central Texas. 00:05:39.11\00:05:41.81 And there to my horror TC discovered 00:05:41.84\00:05:44.71 the lure of cow patties which is cow dung. 00:05:44.74\00:05:48.43 For reasons only that a Yorkie could appreciate, 00:05:48.46\00:05:51.29 he found their scent irresistible. 00:05:51.32\00:05:54.00 And he frequently rolled around in the odoriferous piles. 00:05:54.03\00:05:58.42 Now following his frolics he would come 00:05:58.45\00:06:00.84 pleading at the door to enter our home again. 00:06:00.87\00:06:04.45 And naturally his pungent condition was repulsive to me, 00:06:04.48\00:06:09.36 but I didn't love him any less. 00:06:09.39\00:06:11.61 I could not send my beloved TC away 00:06:11.64\00:06:14.25 issuing the impossible command for him 00:06:14.28\00:06:17.31 to clean himself up before he returned. 00:06:17.34\00:06:20.17 In disgust, I would just scoop him up, 00:06:20.20\00:06:22.82 plant him into the bath tub and generously lathering him 00:06:22.85\00:06:26.57 with soap and the shampoo I would lovingly, 00:06:26.60\00:06:29.75 but vigorously scrub every last hint 00:06:29.78\00:06:32.38 of the stinky residue away. 00:06:32.41\00:06:34.67 And then I'd give him a thorough rinsing. 00:06:34.70\00:06:37.09 Now TC was not particularly fond 00:06:37.12\00:06:39.68 of my requirement for cleanliness, 00:06:39.71\00:06:42.02 but after his bath, 00:06:42.05\00:06:43.66 we enjoyed sweet companionship again. 00:06:43.69\00:06:47.36 You know, the devil guards 00:06:47.39\00:06:49.43 the landscape with piles of his sin patties 00:06:49.46\00:06:53.68 that are strangely alluring to fallen humanity. 00:06:53.71\00:06:57.53 And rolling around in Satan's immoral mess, 00:06:57.56\00:07:00.46 we don't recognize the stench of our condition, 00:07:00.49\00:07:04.24 how this presents to a God of purity. 00:07:04.27\00:07:07.46 Does He love us any less? No. 00:07:07.49\00:07:09.69 But our state of existence is deplorable to Him. 00:07:09.72\00:07:13.45 Even so where there is guilt and godly sorrow, 00:07:13.48\00:07:18.04 there is grace when we repent and return to Him. 00:07:18.07\00:07:22.37 He is fully aware that our best efforts are futile 00:07:22.40\00:07:25.99 to cleanse our fallen nature. 00:07:26.02\00:07:28.13 He can't bear to leave us in that unrighteous form. 00:07:28.16\00:07:32.16 So with love and pity, 00:07:32.19\00:07:34.01 our holy Lord takes his launderer soap 00:07:34.04\00:07:37.84 to clean the residue of sin's influence away 00:07:37.87\00:07:41.48 and rid us of sin's dominating power 00:07:41.51\00:07:44.46 making our fellowship acceptable again. 00:07:44.49\00:07:48.05 And it is the Holy Spirit's cleansing power 00:07:48.08\00:07:51.49 that works in us in this process of sanctification. 00:07:51.52\00:07:55.89 Look at 1 Corinthians 6:11 which says, 00:07:55.92\00:08:00.17 "And such were some of you. 00:08:00.20\00:08:02.42 But you were washed, you were sanctified, 00:08:02.45\00:08:06.30 you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 00:08:06.33\00:08:09.53 and by the Spirit of our God." 00:08:09.56\00:08:14.29 The spirit has a sanctifying influence. 00:08:14.32\00:08:18.80 God is serious about purifying His people 00:08:18.83\00:08:21.42 through the operation of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:21.45\00:08:24.02 His plan of salvation is to deliver us 00:08:24.05\00:08:26.63 from both the guilt of sin and the power of sin. 00:08:26.66\00:08:33.68 As the personal representative and revealer of God, 00:08:33.71\00:08:37.40 Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. 00:08:37.43\00:08:40.68 Now doubtless, Jesus is God's greatest gift of grace. 00:08:40.71\00:08:45.11 Completing His work for God's act of justification, 00:08:45.14\00:08:48.58 he also laid the foundation for the work of sanctification 00:08:48.61\00:08:52.32 to be accomplished by the Holy Spirit 00:08:52.35\00:08:55.14 and His power throughout our life time. 00:08:55.17\00:08:57.66 When God, the Son took on the form of human flesh, 00:08:57.69\00:09:00.99 he united divinity with humanity forever. 00:09:01.02\00:09:03.60 And as a result of His incarnation, 00:09:03.63\00:09:07.00 He could no longer be in all places at all times. 00:09:07.03\00:09:10.66 He was resurrected and returned to heaven 00:09:10.69\00:09:13.78 in this divine human form. 00:09:13.81\00:09:17.21 Christ was the long awaited consolation, 00:09:17.24\00:09:20.81 the comforter to His disciples. 00:09:20.84\00:09:23.76 And after His resurrection 00:09:23.79\00:09:25.73 they desired for Him to remain with them. 00:09:25.76\00:09:29.28 But knowing God's plan, 00:09:29.31\00:09:30.90 He declared it was to their advantage 00:09:30.93\00:09:33.65 that He departed and returned to the Father. 00:09:33.68\00:09:36.81 Only then could He send another comforter like Himself, 00:09:36.84\00:09:41.92 who would have intimate fellowship 00:09:41.95\00:09:43.56 with each of them in all places at all times. 00:09:43.59\00:09:48.16 He intended to send the Holy Spirit as our standby, 00:09:48.19\00:09:52.39 God's promised gift of grace to His people. 00:09:52.42\00:09:56.47 In John 16:7, Jesus told His disciples 00:09:56.50\00:09:59.80 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, 00:09:59.83\00:10:02.46 it is to your advantage that I go away, 00:10:02.49\00:10:05.71 because if I do not go away the helper will not come to you, 00:10:05.74\00:10:09.57 but if I depart, I will send Him to you." 00:10:09.60\00:10:13.28 The Spirit will stay with us forever 00:10:13.31\00:10:16.00 as Christ promised in John 14:16. 00:10:16.03\00:10:19.58 He says that, "I will ask the Father, 00:10:19.61\00:10:22.39 and He will give you another comforter, a counselor, 00:10:22.42\00:10:25.86 a helper, an intercessor, advocate, strengthener, 00:10:25.89\00:10:29.81 and standby that He may remain with you forever." 00:10:29.84\00:10:36.56 The Holy Spirit was already at work in the hearts of men, 00:10:36.59\00:10:40.54 but not in the sense of serving as their comforter. 00:10:40.57\00:10:44.36 The Spirit comes as the personal representative of Christ. 00:10:44.39\00:10:48.67 And as Jesus revealed the Father to the world, 00:10:48.70\00:10:52.27 so the Holy Spirit reveals Christ 00:10:52.30\00:10:54.43 and the wonders of His grace. 00:10:54.46\00:10:56.86 To continue His mission of destroying evil, 00:10:56.89\00:10:59.77 God gives us the Holy Spirit 00:10:59.80\00:11:02.79 who imparts power to overcome sin. 00:11:02.82\00:11:05.61 It is the special office of the Spirit 00:11:05.64\00:11:07.97 to carry out the plan of sanctification, 00:11:08.00\00:11:11.71 separating us from the influence of sin and making us holy. 00:11:11.74\00:11:16.42 All spiritual renewal begins and is accomplished by God. 00:11:16.45\00:11:21.24 Ephesians 2:18 tells us that our access to God 00:11:21.27\00:11:25.32 the Father is by the Holy Spirit through Christ. 00:11:25.35\00:11:29.87 There we see all three persons of the Godhead 00:11:29.90\00:11:32.92 working in concert to complete the sanctification of humanity. 00:11:32.95\00:11:38.71 The Apostle John tells us "God is love. 00:11:38.74\00:11:42.30 God is light. God is life. God is spirit." 00:11:42.33\00:11:46.63 And God seeks goodwill for all mankind demonstrated by His self 00:11:46.66\00:11:52.65 sacrificing love of sending His Son to die for us. 00:11:52.68\00:11:56.48 In Him there is not the slightest shadow of darkness 00:11:56.51\00:12:01.07 as evidenced by His pure and righteous character. 00:12:01.10\00:12:04.72 And as an infinite spirit being, 00:12:04.75\00:12:07.67 His ways and His thoughts are above ours 00:12:07.70\00:12:11.42 proven by His amazing grace. 00:12:11.45\00:12:14.43 1 Peter 1:16 says--gives us actually an imperative command. 00:12:14.46\00:12:20.15 And He says to us "Be holy for I am holy." 00:12:20.18\00:12:25.56 In other words God is saying 00:12:25.59\00:12:27.27 "Be sanctified for I am sanctified." 00:12:27.30\00:12:31.01 The command should not make us tremble as anything 00:12:31.04\00:12:34.41 that God demands is a promise of the very thing 00:12:34.44\00:12:38.47 that He determines to accomplish for us. 00:12:38.50\00:12:41.93 His demand for holiness is based upon His all powerful, 00:12:41.96\00:12:46.96 all equipping grace which leads us to holy lives. 00:12:46.99\00:12:51.82 Through His work of sanctification 00:12:51.85\00:12:54.50 He will complete the separation of His children 00:12:54.53\00:12:57.22 from sin by supplying the Holy Spirit, 00:12:57.25\00:13:01.54 the Spirit of grace and supplication 00:13:01.57\00:13:04.67 to live right within us. 00:13:04.70\00:13:07.09 Grace and godliness fit together like a hand and a glove. 00:13:07.12\00:13:12.63 When God's grace is in our hearts, 00:13:12.66\00:13:15.20 we are fitted with godliness. 00:13:15.23\00:13:18.16 So Paul asked the question in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20 00:13:18.19\00:13:23.61 "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the spirit 00:13:23.64\00:13:27.53 who is in you, 00:13:27.56\00:13:28.93 whom you have from God and you are not your own. 00:13:28.96\00:13:32.43 For you were bought at a price. 00:13:32.46\00:13:35.42 Therefore glorify God in your body 00:13:35.45\00:13:37.97 and in your spirit which are God's." 00:13:38.00\00:13:41.61 God instructed Moses in Exodus 25:8, he said, 00:13:41.64\00:13:46.47 "Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them." 00:13:46.50\00:13:50.58 Under the Lord's direction, 00:13:50.61\00:13:52.38 the tabernacle was made according to His 00:13:52.41\00:13:55.17 very specific pattern revealed on Mount Sinai. 00:13:55.20\00:13:58.98 The God of love still desires to dwell with mankind 00:13:59.01\00:14:02.74 and has now chosen to make our bodies His holy temple. 00:14:02.77\00:14:07.85 Jesus affirms this in John 14:17 00:14:07.88\00:14:11.76 where he says, "The spirit of truth, 00:14:11.79\00:14:13.96 you know Him for He dwells in you and He will be in you." 00:14:13.99\00:14:18.14 The spirit of the living God within us will construct 00:14:18.17\00:14:22.47 our living temples to conform to God's specific pattern 00:14:22.50\00:14:27.69 revealed on the Hill of Calvary. 00:14:27.72\00:14:30.39 The pattern of Christ completes the mission to the Father 00:14:30.42\00:14:34.51 and death to self which was rewarded 00:14:34.54\00:14:37.77 with resurrection power and glory. 00:14:37.80\00:14:41.39 As Christ is the exact representation of the Father, 00:14:41.42\00:14:45.51 so the Holy Spirit is the exact representation of Christ. 00:14:45.54\00:14:50.16 The three are one. 00:14:50.19\00:14:52.62 Therefore when the Holy Spirit is in us, 00:14:52.65\00:14:55.29 Christ lives in our hearts through faith 00:14:55.32\00:14:58.77 and without the abiding Spirit 00:14:58.80\00:15:00.44 within Christ is absent from the heart. 00:15:00.47\00:15:02.86 And our association with Him 00:15:02.89\00:15:04.91 is the same superficial experience 00:15:04.94\00:15:07.39 as the five foolish virgins of Matthew 25 00:15:07.42\00:15:11.42 who had no flask of oil. 00:15:11.45\00:15:14.08 Only the oil of the Holy Spirit imparts the life of Christ. 00:15:14.11\00:15:18.39 Without Him, we miss the qualifications to enter 00:15:18.42\00:15:22.09 the marriage supper of the Lamb. 00:15:22.12\00:15:24.61 Now as God, He's not only the spirit of holiness, 00:15:24.64\00:15:29.18 but the spirit of love and light. 00:15:29.21\00:15:31.94 His promised presence within the Christian heart 00:15:31.97\00:15:35.39 clothes us with power from on high 00:15:35.42\00:15:38.34 to overcome sin and its dominion. 00:15:38.37\00:15:40.93 And His internal work of grace creates a hatred of all sin 00:15:40.96\00:15:47.44 and cures our bad habits. 00:15:47.47\00:15:49.63 This is the dunamis, the dynamite power 00:15:49.66\00:15:52.50 that Christ promised to make perfect in our weakness. 00:15:52.53\00:15:56.36 Indeed His grace is sufficient. 00:15:56.39\00:16:00.19 Christ proclaimed in Mark 12:29 through 31 00:16:00.22\00:16:05.17 that "The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God 00:16:05.20\00:16:08.98 with all of your heart, with all of your soul, 00:16:09.01\00:16:11.67 with all of your mind and with all of your strength." 00:16:11.70\00:16:15.49 And the second is this 00:16:15.52\00:16:17.43 that "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 00:16:17.46\00:16:20.52 He further explains 00:16:20.55\00:16:23.55 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." 00:16:23.58\00:16:28.84 Let me ask you something. 00:16:28.87\00:16:30.86 Can you do this? 00:16:30.89\00:16:32.29 I find the depth of love, 00:16:32.32\00:16:34.56 this depth of love impossible in my human limited capability. 00:16:34.59\00:16:40.34 How about you? 00:16:40.37\00:16:41.88 If it is true that God will cause us 00:16:41.91\00:16:44.59 to be all that He calls us to be, 00:16:44.62\00:16:47.33 then He must supply His divine love through His grace pipeline. 00:16:47.36\00:16:52.87 Guess what? 00:16:52.90\00:16:54.27 He does, to empower us to meet His requirement of love. 00:16:54.30\00:16:59.08 God pours out the sanctifying power of His love into us 00:16:59.11\00:17:04.02 through the Holy Spirit of love who indwells us. 00:17:04.05\00:17:08.14 The crowning grace for sanctification is love. 00:17:08.17\00:17:12.84 Paul explains how we receive this divine love in Romans 5:5 00:17:12.87\00:17:19.20 where he says, 00:17:19.23\00:17:20.60 "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts 00:17:20.63\00:17:25.11 by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." 00:17:25.14\00:17:29.62 Ah, the result of God pouring out His love 00:17:29.65\00:17:33.56 into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit 00:17:33.59\00:17:37.09 is not only that we know we are loved, 00:17:37.12\00:17:40.02 but to make us partakers of His divine nature of love. 00:17:40.05\00:17:45.29 And as we grow in the grace of love, 00:17:45.32\00:17:48.96 we grow in holiness 00:17:48.99\00:17:50.54 because God's image is being restored in us 00:17:50.57\00:17:53.97 by His Holy Spirit of love. 00:17:54.00\00:17:56.69 Paul prayed something beautiful in Thessalonians, 00:17:56.72\00:17:59.91 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13. Let's read it. 00:17:59.94\00:18:04.78 "May the Lord make you increase and abound in love." 00:18:04.81\00:18:08.70 First of all notice who's doing this. It's God. 00:18:08.73\00:18:11.33 "May the Lord make you increase 00:18:11.36\00:18:12.83 and abound in love to one another and to all, 00:18:12.86\00:18:15.88 just as we do to you," why? 00:18:15.91\00:18:19.29 "So that He may establish 00:18:19.32\00:18:22.70 your hearts blameless in holiness." 00:18:22.73\00:18:27.98 Can you see that? 00:18:28.01\00:18:29.38 As we grow in the grace of God's love imparted by the Spirit, 00:18:29.41\00:18:35.17 we grow in holiness. 00:18:35.20\00:18:37.93 The grace of love and holiness are inseparable. 00:18:37.96\00:18:42.04 The more we love, the more we become like God. 00:18:42.07\00:18:45.95 Love for Him and love for humanity sets us apart from sin. 00:18:45.98\00:18:51.51 Abiding in love, we abide in God and He establishes our hearts 00:18:51.54\00:18:57.81 to be blameless in sanctification. 00:18:57.84\00:19:01.28 Paul prayed again. 00:19:01.31\00:19:03.04 One of my favorite verses, 00:19:03.07\00:19:05.36 it's in Ephesians 3:16 through 21. 00:19:05.39\00:19:08.82 Let's read that. 00:19:08.85\00:19:10.76 "That He," God, "would grant you, 00:19:10.79\00:19:13.19 according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened 00:19:13.22\00:19:17.66 with might through His spirit in the inner man, 00:19:17.69\00:19:21.74 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, 00:19:21.77\00:19:25.97 that you being rooted and grounded in love, 00:19:26.00\00:19:30.50 may be able to comprehend with all the saints 00:19:30.53\00:19:33.89 what is the width and length and depth and height 00:19:33.92\00:19:37.70 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, 00:19:37.73\00:19:41.38 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:19:41.41\00:19:45.70 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly 00:19:45.73\00:19:49.80 abundantly above all that we ask or think, 00:19:49.83\00:19:53.40 according to the power," the power of that Holy Spirit, 00:19:53.43\00:19:57.20 "who works within us, to Him be glory in the church 00:19:57.23\00:20:01.39 by Christ Jesus to all generations." 00:20:01.42\00:20:06.23 The fullness of love and deity is in Christ. 00:20:06.26\00:20:10.26 And as He dwells in our hearts by faith through the Spirit, 00:20:10.29\00:20:14.62 we are filled with the fullness of God. 00:20:14.65\00:20:17.87 What unspeakable joy is ours 00:20:17.90\00:20:21.54 when we possess the life of the Holy Spirit within, 00:20:21.57\00:20:25.18 we begin to experience the power of God's love. 00:20:25.21\00:20:28.99 And strengthened by the Spirit 00:20:29.02\00:20:31.02 we can respond in obedience to God's righteous requirements, 00:20:31.05\00:20:35.50 expressing reverential love to Him 00:20:35.53\00:20:38.87 and a practical love toward humanity. 00:20:38.90\00:20:41.85 Jesus said in John 14:15 00:20:41.88\00:20:44.39 "If you love me keep my commandments." 00:20:44.42\00:20:47.15 And then He goes on to say in John 15:10 00:20:47.18\00:20:50.08 "If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love 00:20:50.11\00:20:53.74 just as I have kept my Father's commandments 00:20:53.77\00:20:56.60 and abide in His love." 00:20:56.63\00:20:58.86 Christ learned obedience through His sufferings. 00:20:58.89\00:21:02.27 And He became the author of eternal salvation 00:21:02.30\00:21:05.97 to all who obey Him. 00:21:06.00\00:21:08.15 Now those are not my words 00:21:08.18\00:21:09.55 but rather they are found in Hebrews 5:8 and 9. 00:21:09.58\00:21:14.56 Let's look at that. 00:21:14.59\00:21:16.47 "Though He was a Son, 00:21:16.50\00:21:18.67 yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 00:21:18.70\00:21:23.19 And having been perfected, 00:21:23.22\00:21:25.60 He became the author of eternal salvation 00:21:25.63\00:21:29.66 to all who obey Him." 00:21:29.69\00:21:34.85 What do you mean that He became 00:21:34.88\00:21:36.86 the author of eternal salvation 00:21:36.89\00:21:39.25 for all who obey Him? 00:21:39.28\00:21:41.57 Isn't that contradictory to Ephesians 2:8 that says, 00:21:41.60\00:21:45.02 "We are saved by grace." Not at all. 00:21:45.05\00:21:48.53 When we tap into the grace pipeline for the power of God, 00:21:48.56\00:21:53.63 it is God who works in us 00:21:53.66\00:21:55.48 both through will and to do His good pleasure. 00:21:55.51\00:21:59.09 Grace works obedience into our hearts 00:21:59.12\00:22:02.83 which becomes our expression of appreciation for salvation. 00:22:02.86\00:22:08.02 We obey only by the power of grace 00:22:08.05\00:22:11.97 motivated by love for the Lord. 00:22:12.00\00:22:14.76 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work to recreate 00:22:14.79\00:22:20.49 God's righteous and holy image within us, 00:22:20.52\00:22:24.07 sanctifying us by supernatural assistance 00:22:24.10\00:22:27.75 and divine power for salvation. 00:22:27.78\00:22:30.91 Christ did not keep God's commandments to become His Son. 00:22:30.94\00:22:35.98 He kept them because He was God's Son. 00:22:36.01\00:22:39.12 And in the very same manner, 00:22:39.15\00:22:40.70 commandment keeping does not make us God's child. 00:22:40.73\00:22:45.01 Commandment keeping doesn't save us. 00:22:45.04\00:22:47.56 We obey because we are His child. 00:22:47.59\00:22:51.81 Obedience evidences our overflowing gratitude 00:22:51.84\00:22:56.87 and our personal indebtedness 00:22:56.90\00:22:58.92 for the unspeakable gifts of God's grace, 00:22:58.95\00:23:03.65 the Spirit, the Son, and the Word and the living power. 00:23:03.68\00:23:09.36 Grace is the living power of God's love. 00:23:09.39\00:23:12.71 In its strength it produces holiness 00:23:12.74\00:23:16.20 and a willingness to acknowledge the Lord with reverential love. 00:23:16.23\00:23:21.21 And God's loving response will be to us 00:23:21.24\00:23:24.40 the same as Psalms 91:14 through 15. Listen, 00:23:24.43\00:23:29.91 He said, "Because He has set His love upon me 00:23:29.94\00:23:33.32 therefore I will deliver him, I will set him on high 00:23:33.35\00:23:37.37 because he has known My name. 00:23:37.40\00:23:39.49 He shall call upon Me and I will answer him. 00:23:39.52\00:23:42.94 I will be with him in trouble and I will honor him." 00:23:42.97\00:23:47.24 The Holy Spirit comprehends 00:23:47.27\00:23:49.86 the depths of God's thoughts and plans. 00:23:49.89\00:23:52.80 And He acts as the one who translates 00:23:52.83\00:23:55.26 these things to humanity 00:23:55.29\00:23:57.57 in such a way that we might understand. 00:23:57.60\00:24:01.01 In John 16:13 the Bible tells us 00:24:01.04\00:24:04.67 that "The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth." 00:24:04.70\00:24:08.52 In John 16:8 we learn 00:24:08.55\00:24:10.53 that "It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin 00:24:10.56\00:24:15.08 and convinces us of righteousness." 00:24:15.11\00:24:18.12 You know, in this age of complacency 00:24:18.15\00:24:21.42 and self seeking pleasure 00:24:21.45\00:24:23.82 and pride of intellectual superiority, 00:24:23.85\00:24:27.27 we need the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to show us 00:24:27.30\00:24:31.39 where we miss the mark of God's standards 00:24:31.42\00:24:34.02 and to cause us to yearn for the righteousness of Christ 00:24:34.05\00:24:38.89 which is from God by faith. 00:24:38.92\00:24:41.89 Let's look at three scriptures that identify the Spirit's work 00:24:41.92\00:24:45.27 as an agent of sanctification in our lives. 00:24:45.30\00:24:48.88 Beginning with 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 00:24:48.91\00:24:53.55 "God from the beginning chose you for salvation 00:24:53.58\00:24:58.47 through sanctification by the Spirit 00:24:58.50\00:25:02.81 and belief in the truth." 00:25:02.84\00:25:06.50 And then 1 Peter 1:2 again confirms 00:25:06.53\00:25:10.30 that it is the Spirit who is sanctifying us. 00:25:10.33\00:25:13.95 Peter writes "You who were chosen, 00:25:13.98\00:25:16.98 consecrated, sanctified, made holy 00:25:17.01\00:25:20.98 by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ the Messiah." 00:25:21.01\00:25:27.97 And then Paul picks up the same thing in Romans 8:13 00:25:28.00\00:25:33.14 through 14 where he says, 00:25:33.17\00:25:35.98 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, 00:25:36.01\00:25:40.79 but if by the Spirit you put to death 00:25:40.82\00:25:44.35 the deeds of the body, you will live. 00:25:44.38\00:25:47.40 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, 00:25:47.43\00:25:51.42 these are the sons of God." 00:25:51.45\00:25:55.34 Through obedience by the grace of the Holy Spirit 00:25:55.37\00:25:58.99 we are sanctified by His power, 00:25:59.02\00:26:01.57 set apart from sin and made holy. 00:26:01.60\00:26:05.16 I hope you noticed in Romans 8:13 00:26:05.19\00:26:07.89 which we just read that it reveals, 00:26:07.92\00:26:11.31 it takes the cooperation of our individual effort 00:26:11.34\00:26:16.19 and the Holy Spirit to put to death the misdeeds of our flesh. 00:26:16.22\00:26:21.46 It says, "if by the Holy Spirit 00:26:21.49\00:26:25.77 you put to death the misdeeds of the body, 00:26:25.80\00:26:28.93 then you will live." 00:26:28.96\00:26:30.95 Only the Holy Spirit can put to death the carnal nature, 00:26:30.98\00:26:37.31 but He can't do it without our cooperation. 00:26:37.34\00:26:41.14 We on the other hand 00:26:41.17\00:26:42.70 cannot achieve sanctification on our own. 00:26:42.73\00:26:46.52 The Spirit can't accomplish it without our partnership. 00:26:46.55\00:26:50.88 So we must work together being yoked with Christ, 00:26:50.91\00:26:56.13 working with the Holy Spirit, 00:26:56.16\00:26:58.57 giving Him permission in our lives to sanctify us by grace. 00:26:58.60\00:27:05.99 Oh, our time has flown. 00:27:06.02\00:27:08.50 And I've been just talking so fast 00:27:08.53\00:27:10.76 but I hope that you're seeing how God-- 00:27:10.79\00:27:15.12 His work of sanctification. 00:27:15.15\00:27:17.51 It's Him who is working in us. 00:27:17.54\00:27:20.41 The Father, the Son, the Spirit. 00:27:20.44\00:27:22.94 And if you will join us next time, 00:27:22.97\00:27:25.82 we're going to learn 00:27:25.85\00:27:27.90 why we need to become sanctification seekers. 00:27:27.93\00:27:32.42 We want this joy to be in our lives. 00:27:32.45\00:27:37.65 And I tell you that sanctification, 00:27:37.68\00:27:41.18 going through this process will bring you 00:27:41.21\00:27:44.42 the greatest joy of your life. 00:27:44.45\00:27:47.27 And it will bring you peace that transcends all understanding. 00:27:47.30\00:27:52.29 Until next time please grow in the grace 00:27:52.32\00:27:55.59 and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:27:55.62\00:27:58.34 See you again soon. 00:27:58.37\00:27:59.81