The sanctified life goes beyond conviction; beyond the new birth; and beyond death to the Old man. It’s the fullness of the work of the Spirit of God experienced in the heart and life of a believer. (Conviction, Regeneration, Spirit Baptism, Justification, Sanctification, circumcision of the flesh, etc.*) The work of the Holy Spirit is experienced in the personal life, domestic life, social life, the workplace, and religious life. “The first work of the Spirit” reproves the heart of sinful man by making Christ known.
John 16: 8, 9…and when He (the Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, of sin because they believe not on me… (Christ)
*Other examples of the “work of the Holy Spirit” are shown in the life of a believer and can be viewed as: conviction in the heart of a sinner; a leading to repentance which causes men to change their minds; enlightenment that causes men to believe and accept Christ; exposure of the carnal nature; a compelled direction toward the crucifixion of the Old man; all leading to deliverance from indwelling sin; and the miraculous baptism with the Indwelling Spirit.
Inside the experience of the work of the Spirit… life can be seen as; (1.) a path to Justification by faith; (2.) Justification by faith can be seen as a path to crucifixion of self; (3.) crucifixion of self can be seen as a path to the fullness of Sanctification through the Spirit. Based on mans “belief in Christ” and “what God does” within this heart and life, Sanctification can be seen as the “perfect work of the Holy Spirit”. This perfect operation in the heart and life of man only comes from God and makes any believer complete in Salvation within the realm of Christ. (Present tense)
1Thessalonions 5: 23…and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (entirely); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless (present tense) unto the coming of our Lord…
Colossians 2: 9, 10…for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete (fully furnished) in Him…
As the heart of man is reproved in the presence of Christ, man sees himself as he really is. In light of Christ’s Divine presence secrets from the heart of man can be exposed and uprooted. The ministry of the Spirit thus teaches man accountability for his own actions and decisions in the sight of God. The sanctified life has always been Gods Divine will and purpose since the creation of man, even before the fall of Adam.
Ephesians 1:4-5….According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
2 Thess 2:13-14…because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
During the Old Testament times a sanctified vessel was set apart for God’s sacred use. Now, in New Testament time the believer (a sanctified vessel) is set apart from things such as sinful acts; lusts of the flesh; pleasures of the world; and /or devices of the Devil. Separated by the Spirit of Holiness and endued with power (for Gods sacred use) a sanctified man becomes a witness to Christ through the Holy Spirit’s influence in the cleansed heart and soul. This enduement of power, the baptism with the Holy Ghost is the “full sway of the Holy Spirit” within the cleansed heart and life of a believer that reflects Christ in both word and standard of living.
Luke 24: 49…and behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of
Acts 1: 8…but you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me….
After a
believer is filled with the Holy Ghost he thus becomes a witness for Christ to
a lost world because he has experienced
a newness of life the
world doesn’t have. This person will remember when he received
Christ … why he received Christ … and
how he received Christ. Testimony on behalf of Christ will be given because
of such change.
The enduement of power strengthens a believers witness because of the actual experience of deliverance from Adamic life; this deliverance will provide control over the lust of the flesh; also give endurance to escape temptation; helps to overcome worldly things; and removes doubt and produces immovable faith (in Christ) to resist the Devil. When a man is Sanctified Entire he will have something to testify about because he realizes the source from which it came. This witness for Christ will also be ashamed of the old life.
In light
of the human side of Sanctification, the truth of the Gospel message
effectually ministers to the human soul as it stirs; moves; and causes men to do right. Repentance,
belief in the truth, acceptance of the Word of God, and crucifixion to the old
man are various stages of the “Action of man” because of believers trust
in Christ.
Since
harmony between man and God has always been the will of God, the power and
truth of the Gospel is what places a natural man into communion with God. This
deliverance is from man’s fallen state of being. As the work of the Holy
Spirit ministers to the human soul, conviction the action of the Spirit of God sways the heart of man toward
acceptance of Christ. The Spirit’s conviction leads man to repentance and belief of the truth.
Repentance and belief of the truth thus become an action of a man who is swayed
by the ministry of the Spirit of God.
After man believes, the Spirit of God (on the positive side) teaches, guides, and reveals the person of Christ; (on the negative side) the Spirit’s ministration reproves the old man thus leading him toward the crucifixion of self into a life of obedience to God without an inner struggle.
Death to the Old man; putting off; emptying out; or crucifixion of self is what God requires of a believer to be “filled with the Spirit”. The delivering power of the Baptism with Holy Ghost and fire “destroys the body of sin” after!!! a believer is “dead to the old man”. As a believer does his part by faith and obedience, God does His part through the Sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit.
Note!!!
How both sides of sanctification are always Christ centered?
A comparison between the “Action of
man” and the “Action of God” is shown to illustrate a life in harmony between
man and God in Salvation by Grace, through man’s faith in Christ.
| Action of man • repentance • belief, faith • obedience • putting off the old man • crucifixion or death to self • subjection | Action of God • Grace • conviction • salvation • redemption • forgiveness of sins • baptism into the body • direction from the Spirit • justification • sanctification • baptism with the Holy Ghost • circumcision of the heart |
The
Action of God is the perfect
operation of God granted (inside
the sanctified life). The
often misunderstood word perfect relates to the operation of God.
Hebrews 13: 20, 21…Now the God of peace, that brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight…
Both the action of man and the action of God work together to fully furnish believers with the fullness of God thus making them complete in Christ. Being made complete or perfect is what makes man able to do things well pleasing in the sight of God.
Colossians 2: 9, 10…for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily and you are complete (fully furnished) in Him…
Carefully consider the Biblical
language and terminology used in the Bible concerning both the human side and God’s
side of a Sanctified life. It
will be more than enlightening for all who desire strong meat rather than milk,
concerning the Word of truth.
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