Sanctification

Greg you Bibles and go to first Timothy chapter 4 there's an aspect of this text in first Timothy four that I intended to elaborate on and I didn't do it and I want to do that tonight as your preaching exposition. We need to remind ourselves that exposition is not the EN a healthy church is the end that requires exposition, but always remember that a healthy church is the goal. As far as I know, when the church is glorified and we are in the eternal state will be no exposition of Scripture, but there will be a mature glorified church. So while we are wholly committed to that.

Let's never make an idol of that I feel like I'm seeing some of that in reformed circles where some folks are holding the exposition like it's almost missed the call that if you got the eyes and cross of teasing your verse by verse exposition and that's all that matters know the process of discerning the spirit and following what God what you say to his church, always honoring the truce of proper exposition. If you doing that saying all that to say. Look at verse 16 of first Timothy chapter 4 and let's elaborate on the great theological truth that I'm convinced Paul is talking about here when he says this interesting statement. First Timothy chapter 4 the 16th. Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who pierce you. You will ensure salvation for yourself and for those who hear you not want to send me what is he talking about here. Well I would say first off I think he certainly talking about sanctification. We have three aspects to our salvation in the Scripture by the way they're interconnected and overlapping end. Our efforts in theology to some time to separate them out so clearly might be helpful for our understanding, but not be hurtful for actual grasping and living them out. For example, justification is one aspect of our salvation. That is your standing before God is not based on your merit or achievement.

You didn't change anything about you.

You didn't observe any law he did merit anything at all. God just the moment of your faith being placed in Christ and Christ alone. You stand justified in the eyes of God. It's a new spending a new position.

You all not based on any works whatsoever.

But justification is never, never, never separated from sanctification sanctification you articulate. Justification is saved from the power of sin, though it is more than that, but it certainly is that sanctification, our justification is being saved from from the penalty of sin, I should say then sanctification is being saved from the power of sin and ultimately glorification is being saved from the presence of sin. I think one of the things that's coming out here as Paul says this to Timothy, if you faithfully do these things to make. Timothy, you'll ensure salvation for yourself and in effect for your churches and your ministry is this sanctification is the only real assurance of justification that year that sanctification is the only real assurance of justification that we have to be careful they are and don't come up with some simplistic subjective definition of what signification looks like because it looks different for all of us. We all come from different propensities and tendencies in CNN certain difficulties I know as meta: as authorities and psychologist of the year except going to tell us that there seems to be certain people who are born with this bit to our this propensity to see and what they would use the word sin, but Haven this way become an alcoholic brat. Whatever it is I'm convinced that's true. I believe all of us came forth as depraved sinners, but all of us have different things that we struggle with in different way and done some people's sins are all out before them. Some of them come from behind and you find out about what Peter and so be careful that you define what signification looks like for everybody and some cookie-cutter fashion. This brother maybe fighting harder than you know.

He just got things that are tougher for him and you've got private since nobody else knows about you.

Not really doing as well in your syndication as the brother has a couple pub public things is wrestling with often used the example of smoking cigarettes you shouldn't smoke cigarettes. Nothing good about smoking cigarettes but I've known brothers and sisters who I know love Christ and honor Christ devoted themselves to the church and were blessings to the pastors of the church and they were not proud of that and they struggled with that addiction in their lives that I think they were humbled about it and even Rick Pinter stored it, but it was a burden in their lives the same time there been folks in our churches that the years have never had any of those outward see it. They didn't the upper smoker chew or drink or whatever else the ball. They had a tongue that was 12 foot long and they could destroy people right and left with that tone full of self right. Here's my point. Be careful with defining how syndication must slur look person-to-person that's hard to do well.

We might say that's impossible to do so. Paul I think is he's writing to Timothy says XES you persevere in these things, what things he's talking about will several things, but the primary and central factor is his public teaching and preaching of the word verses 13 and 14 until I come give attention to the public reading of Scripture to exultation and teaching do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was the gift, the preaching of the gift of teaching which was foldout bestowed on you. The prophetic utterance of the leg of the hands of the Presbytery. So I think primarily Timothy as you persevere. First of all, making sure you live the truth. He talked about Timothy's character and conduct in purity and faith and love we should make sure you're living right. Don't bid the tracks into the messenger preaching and faithfully studying read the word exhort and teach in sound doctrine and when you persevere in that over time you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

I think part of what God is saying here is, should I say the not just one of the primary means of you growing in sanctification is the faithful Spirit empowered preaching of the word of God, and I thought about that.

I've been meditating on this on this. This last couple weeks and I thought, isn't that just like God that your growth in sanctification illicit and your assurances sanctification depends upon a fellow sinner that God gifts and calls to preach his word to help you continue and maintain some progress in sanctification so that you can be assured that you indeed are one of God's justified ones. One, he is now sanctifying and when he is going to just glorify later in our efforts. I think to help the Holy Spirit with you. Think about that is an absurd blasphemous concept in our efforts to help the Holy Spirit Baptists and evangelicals have dumbed down these glorious and I might say complex and I might say be on the human capacity to comprehend without the spirit help.

We try to take those truths and dumbed them down to a little simple once saved always saved formula our eternal security. I believe those things. But you can't just grab that without grabbing the totality of what God teaches in salvation. I think if you studied early Baptist in the early theologians and in let's say Protestantism and in general you'd find much more of a teaching that your progression in sanctification is essential to know you have the assurance of salvation is not based on works but the works proven the evidence of true spiritual regeneration. So let me talk just a little bit about this doctrine of sanctification that I think he talked about.

I don't think he's talking about justification though I think he is talking about proof of your justification. He's not talking about obtaining justification. He's talking about growing in sanctification of switching God's eyes, and in God's heart is as valued as your justification for God's not interested in just justifying you if he justifies you he wants to sanctify you and everyone that glorify you. It's all one package in God my though you do need to understand in the context of each verse know what aspect of salvation is God talking about here. Yes me that question. I'm going to say this part of this chapter.

Verse 16 we talks about. You will ensure salvation for yourself and for those under you guys talking about sanctification, that sanctification has two basic ideas and that is I'm set apart for a special purpose, and I am set apart to be made holy.

We are set apart by God to be holy and honor in our lives.

His holy purposes.

That's a very important thought to be holy and honor in our lives. His holy purposes.

You see regeneration plants the seed of holiness in our hearts. Sanctification is the germination of that seed it in in regeneration and then the coming sanctification. The rule of sin is broken and we begin to learn how to live under the rule of King Jesus. That's what were talking about here. The old phrase made.

We first evangelist said that if Jesus isn't Lord, then you're not say to you, there's no debate going around a decade or two ago about Lordship salvation.

To me that's the most foreign thing possible. If there is not at least the German your heart that says I hate my sin that I hate my waywardness by spiritual laziness or propensity to love things that God dislikes and there is in me a desire to honor my King Jesus. That's not fair.

Regeneration is not there. I will have strong and weak. It may be time to time. We tweak month-to-month, but you can't go long term, without something in your heart this is. I love and want to honor my new team. Though I fail him off no such thing as being saved and not knowing him as the as least not knowing a desire to honor him as Lord, I will know who was the first person to ever verbalize this to me, but it's a beautiful truth that I love it dearly. And that is this heaven is heaven because I will finally serve Jesus perfectly. I'm so tired of me, not my brother is not the sister is me oh Lord, we are where we are learning to listen to last visit were learning to treasure and live out the honor of King Jesus. From the moment were converted. Why are you here is pretty good Sunday not crowd.

Why are you here on Super Bowl Sunday. I'm here because when I was regenerated and justified what I did. When the church meets was settled in to settle for me. I went to some pretty dead church services bad boring week.

I will name the church names but for me I will say I go to church debate that discuss that whatever number not legalistic about that here, but I would say those who don't come on Sunday not are probably 50% more likely to not never had to not have ever experienced regeneration than those who do come on Sunday not a pastor should you say that okay 40%.

I just don't understand the capacity to say the church is meeting a nonexempt who told you that well it's a decubitus you know this is what I'm saying is the desire not there. The desire that says not little put my dog on flesh in line. I'm not in the flesh is not my master Jesus is my master and his children. A meeting together 90 to be there and I need to be there on the Sunday nights when I least want to be there and typically you get more out of those Sunday not, then the other Sunday night. Well we start out as babes when were converted and born-again were these little infants spiritually speak in first Corinthians 31 and I brother and could not speak to you as to spiritual man, but as the men of flesh as to babes in Christ and noticed that as newborn babes in Christ.

He said you're like me in the flesh that is so good because I remember the early Christian days I was I love Jesus, but I was so ignorant of what that meant and how that ought to look and I was so there was such an intermingling of old flash, selfish pride motives with the new me.

That's was to be a spiritual man. It took sanctification the kind of start sorting that out.

So were brand-new babes and work as pulse of the printed you're like me in the flesh. Ephesians 413 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ were increasing in sanctification to we get to that mature man not in reality.

Ultimately, the mature man doesn't appear until the day of glorification you thought about something just sweet to my soul. While we were singing while ago what what what was the lyric. I'm sorry it's been a long day of travel a lot today. The lyric was about Tom, the lover of my soul.

I thought, for the most of us, you're going to be in a place one day where your lungs are not working well your kidneys are shutting down your hearts growing very weak. Your cognitive mental capacities are dwindling in the dearest dearest loved one on this earth might not even be discernible to you that their present are speaking to you. But Jesus who communes with me through the person of the Spirit, who lives in me could be just as powerful and real to me as any other time. I never lose his reality and his nearness and his love no matter how weak my emotional, physical being may become I will take a sweet thought right there is the lover of my soul. Matter fact, at the risk of almost sending morbid. It's kind of a, it's kind of an enticing thought to be at the end of all of this and be wrapped up in the greatness of all of him or something alluring to that absent from the body present with the Lord. Could it be, we can't commune really with those people who get in that position but could it be as were in those final stages that there is a communion with Jesus.

That's beyond comprehension. Just wrapped in his love. I don't know just just came to my heart that music. Well, back to sanctification now.

Everything from the moment your regenerated and you have the staining of justification until the day that you're the true final spiritual man, mature man, which is glorification everything in between is sanctification and there needs to be some of that there now. Originally, there was only one we all in the universe, but this was marred in the fall of man. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden. Sanctification is God's work in us and through us, conforming us more and more back to the will of God and to his rule in our hearts and lives in ultimately his rule in everything you say everything's going to be restored back to God's rule through his son Jesus Christ.

Everything everything everything that's happening in the universe and everything is marching toward that final ultimatum of Jesus being King and Lord of all.

As a child of God.

When you begin to treasure and seek. I want to live under it and I want to walk under his Lordship, you're just getting a head start on the rest of the universe. You're just getting a head start aware of things God Christian child of God.

You're not getting behind by letting Jesus lad rest of the world just can't see it unless you're born again. Jesus told Nick they miss you cannot see the kingdom of heaven. You don't know what's up you don't know what's right you don't know where things are going to you get born-again picture gets clear and clear and clear through the process of sanctification, and Paul tells Timothy Timothy the best means God's given us to get you down that road of being sanctified, set apart to God loving God, treasuring God walking under King Jesus Lordship is with you will persevere faithfully in all of your pastoral duties, but primarily your pastoral duty of preaching the word of God. That's what I've said many times I drive two hours one way to get my family under the faithful spirit and wanted preaching the word of God.

It's that important when were reborn. When we are reborn were reborn to begin walking in the works pleasing to the will of God. The listen before your born-again no matter what you don't care how much good you think you do. How you give yourself to serve mankind and help others.

But before your born-again you can do nothing to honor and serve the will of God. Only three games That grant privilege because hard moaning to God is everything. Before your saved you can only have one heart motive that sprout himself. You may be religious in.the eyes across the tease Debbie Morley up writing, keep the 10 Commandments or whatever it may be, but at the end of the day. The only motive you really can have is that God did not do enough.

Are you pleased with me. What is the focus of that you are but in regeneration you know what it is.

It's on a bankrupt rich. How could you save me and change me and I'm so grateful that you save such a rich, will you help me learn to love embrace treasure honor and serve you, King Jesus of the two totally different things. Only the reborn. Only the regenerative God can can desire and walk in this sanctification, and it's all God is the force behind all of it.

Ephesians 210 for we are his workmanship. You might remember when I preach the Ephesians we get Ephesians 210. This something up like a crescendo and an orchestra. Things are building and building them the climactic point comes out in the original language.

It should say this workmanship. We are it's all God. He justified me. Now he's working through the spirit and the ordained means he's given us centered and preaching the word to continue justifying a river sanctifying me ask you a question. As we sit here on the Sunday night go back two years go back five go back seven.

Do you desire Jesus more now than you did the you treasure him more now than you do the does he mean more to you now than he did them and just generally speaking unfortunately our site to the case is not like this you don't your site. Thanks a lot gets. But this all to be better than this you out to see a projection here. This workmanship we are. Ephesians 210, created in Christ Jesus. Listen for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. God ordained beforehand before he put into action. His sovereign plan of sovereign grace to say for himself a people for his old glory for his own pleasure your site because your place or God.

To say people like you, for his own pleasure.

It is all glorify God put it in the works of sovereign grace and actual fruition… I would have saved them. I'm saving them that they might begin. I sanctification process to walk in works is if God said finally. Not just this is anthropomorphic lease speaking God's not like this was on the flight, God said they paid the 10 Commandments that had the law of Moses that had the prophets that had the light in the trees come through Israel, though not come through very well and none of them have gotten anything so I better stepping in and the person of my son and bring about a change to park in the so that they Bob changed heart I create in them can begin process a process of honoring me and walking in my wheels and learning to treasure me and serve me as their king. My workmanship they are I will. I don't care I don't care I don't care. You can get a better preacher.

I know that he can preach a better gospel flip is 164. I'm confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfected until the day of Christ Jesus, but but but first Timothy 416 but that perfection greatly depends upon God's ordained means of local church membership in sitting under the faithful spirit apart preaching the word of God, do you not like do you like that. Are you okay with that. What you see God why would you do it that way there's always these independent spiritual elites.

The modern Gnostic's so they don't need the local church preaching is good with about here preach we don't need preaching were so godly were so holy were so elite and superior. We don't even need God's revealed means we can have our own home Bible studies with 45 couples that are like us and will just learn to love Jesus within God's full effect. If you can do it that way than what God give us all these instructions on how this ought to be done.

I think there's something wonderfully mysteriously wise and beautiful that God makes your salvation. The assurance of salvation depended upon this preacher, not in the ultimate sense because any good that comes the preacher comes from God. But he's ordained that not a priest and a Catholic system. But God called preacher of the Scriptures is that I'm Italian that's humbling and it shows the spirit of God, enabling you to honor God's beauty and wisdom to say, I submit to that I receive that is not Jeff not flipped it could be met Valerie to be Steve McAllister B Tim sale could be any of our brothers who are excellent preachers and teachers that the instrument can change God's means is primarily the preaching of his work Timothy persevere in these things. So these people can continue and sanctification, which is the only real assurance of salvation that we pass this some gate years ago the assurance of salvation is not did you pray that prayer the search. Salvation is not. Did you mean it. The search salvation is not did you walk to the front.

Did you fill out the card did you raise your hand when the event to sit asked to receive Christ that is absolute error to teach that the Scriptures teach look for the evidence of progressive sanctification in your life that is the assurance of salvation, and that this might encourage the Sunday night Super Bowl crown. What about, say, if you sit under my preaching and are drawn to it. I think that's pretty good evidence of God's done something in coming that you know why because I am doing the best I know how to pray and humble myself and give you the truth of God's word and if you're drawn to that to me that's a pretty good evidence.

You belong to him. I'm not the only one there's other good brothers around that that that that preach the word at least faithful enough spirit in you will be drawn to that.

I'm not saying just me. Ephesians 213 for a just God who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. One of the glorious joyous assurances of salvation is that God has commanded this thing. You just think you can decide to not come to church. You just think you can decide to quit treasuring Christ and enjoy your sin, you just think you can decide to begin to love this world and diminish your love for God and the things of God. No, it's God who is it working. You both to will and to work for his good pleasure. It looks it gives God immense pleasure to see his children progressive sanctification until he gets a ballboy on the glorification I'm telling you, you can't not for what God has fun doing go out there and suggest decide right now to go out there and say I'm a little time get away from that knob and embrace live charge you they will look at my W-2 anyway and see what I Galvan taken all this crazy stuff there will tell you what God put a ring in your nose and drag you back in under the word of God may not be me, but you can't go without that.

If you belong to him. Bill Stafford you say I'm saved is pitiful. Colossians 110 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

That's like vacation increasing in the knowledge of God, and I don't just mean the intellectual knowledge. It means a knowledge of understanding what he is our what he's like and how he works and enjoying the wisdom in him saving me through his son and all that he's about in his purposes in the universe and it's all about his glory and the centerpiece of his glory is always his local churches, the church is the centerpiece of God's purposes and God's glory for both time and eternity, but it does require in the balance in the mystery of things it does require our choice to work at it. Our true decide I'm going to serve God today you get up in the morning so I'm not going to see you in this way. Today I'm not going let my mind go there today.

Another let my temper do that today. I will honor Christ today Chatham got I think some of us have grown lazy and grace. Recently, something he needs that I'm doing better I miss church too much last year at this time is not doing it next year. Whatever it is I want to serve mode it requires us choosing to be diligent on our king. Small groups helps us a lot there, done that brothers and sisters we check on each other, challenge each other and encourage each other.

I don't have churches grow in strength gets much of that small groups are so essential. I'll close down this so that my beloved just this is Philippians 212 and 13 so that my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation. He didn't say work for your salvation work out your salvation what God's already given you now in the processing to the case and let's get it working in our lives, work out your salvation.

Notice the statement here with fear and trembling.

I tell you that the doctrine of once saved always saved while true is very misleading. Our forefathers so many of them would've talked.

Yes, once God regenerates us so there secure forever, but you should strive to prove to yourself you're one of his in the way you repent of sins and the way you commit together with God's people in the way you give yourself to promote God's purposes in the world. That's how you prove to yourself I'm one of his course you a person can get in the flesh and do everything Jeff knob tells them to do.the Isaac processes and never be God's stand that well. But on the flipside of the coin. Those who know the Lord need to have a determined commitment to please him and honor him and be a continual repent or continue or re-yielding ourselves to his kingship and his Lordship, work out your salvation. Philippians 212 and 13 with fear and trembling. Here it is again for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work is pleasure one little girl who came to genuine salvation and begin to grow some somebody asked about what's different in your life now. She said, with the difference now is I'm a sinner running from sin think that I'm a sinner running from sin. I used to be a sinner running to sin. Now, José forgiven Clint sinner striving to run from sin pulses Timothy persevering these things because as a pastor of this church. If you persevere to Facebook if you live the, life is not a distraction to the message and you read the word of God study the word of God.

Read it for the people exhort them and teach them sound doctrine. If the Spirit empowers that, then they will continue on in site navigation and you will to. And that will be assuring your salvation.

And there's so just some thoughts this evening on the doctrine of sanctification.

Those three golden links always always always linked together. Justification, sanctification, and hallelujah to his name. One day glorification and just on a tender note again if you're his. He said I will never leave you nor forsake your eyes may blacken in blindness your physical heart may come to one deed a minute your lung capacity may be diminished almost nothing, your cognitive abilities may be blank Jesus. He communes with youth of the spirit. I promise you, child of God will be mighty strong and real to you and those hours. What a Savior. What a salvation. Why wouldn't we want to serve key Jesus we have something the world can't even begin to comprehend a minute