Justification by Grace "the down payment of a believer" is God's spoken pardon and declaration of righteousness... given to the believer in Christ. A just man is a man "made right in the eyes of God ...by Divine Grace". A just man is "freed" from the guilt of sin upon the human conscience! A just man is morally changed by the effectual power of the Grace of God! A just man is given a "divine nature" which is the believer's God given power to do and to live right!
"The believers "divine nature" is greater than the carnal nature because the divine nature is given and supported by the power of God's Grace in Salvation. The Bible says,"Where sin abounded...Grace now "abounds" much, much more." RR
God's Justification by Grace only deals with sins that man committed in the past life..."before salvation". After Justification takes place...God's pardon and forgiveness is granted to the believing soul as recognition of the person of Christ becomes prevalent by belief and trust! In a sinful man's first glimpse of Christ's redemptive work...the effectual power of Calvary is revealed to the heart of man by the Spirit of Holiness. The cleansed conscience and removal of the guilt of sin is known by man because of the "broken will"; and the very trust of that believer in the death of Christ for personal forgiveness from sin! Belief and trust in Christ's suffering and shed blood becomes the source of man's personal forgiveness and removal of the guilt of sin from the conscience. The Spirit of Holiness "comes upon" the heart... of the believer in Christ.
God's Justification and pardon "does not deal" with still existing fallen nature of man that tries to rule and rise in the life of a Justified man. Only God's Sanctification can remove the still existing Adamic life! Justification by Grace is therefore is the believer's path to God's Sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit! A just man still has an "inner struggle" with the Old Adam; and an "outer struggle" that gets easily consumed with the everyday problems of life. Justification by Grace allows the believer to experience initial harmony with the Spirit of God. The Spirit's witness reveals the person of Christ and the redemptive power of Christ from Calvary to that beleiving heart.
A just man knows God! A just man trusts God! A just man realizes he needs more of God through Christ! The Spirit of God reveals to just man that he must "die" to self. In another glimpse of Calvary (experienced by the justified man) Christ's crucifixion is revealed! Christ's crucifixion reveals to this believer...the crucifixion of the Old Adam (self). The Spirit of God shows the believer what he really is... in light of the personal effect of Calvary on thatbelieving soul. A just man sees himself (in light of Christ) as a man in need of more of God's Grace. A just man is a man in need of death to the Old Man that still conflicts with the new man! When this justified believer comes to a place of "nothingness" at the Saviours feet...Sanctification or a severing from the old life can take place. The Spirit of God can totally possess the heart and life of a believer in Christ! Justification's down payment makes the believer in Christ...eligible for the Indwelling Spirit to totally possess the heart and life of a believer.
In relation to the lost world...Conviction of the Spirit of God...is the sinful man's path to Justification.
In relation to the believer in Christ...Justification by Grace is the believers path to Sanctification by the Baptism with the Holy Ghost.
In relation to the full possession of the Indwelling Spirit that rids man of the "inner and outer conflicts of life"...Sanctification is the removal the Old Adam from the Justified man's heart.
Sanctification is the "final work" of the Holy Spirit in this life. Sanctification takes place when the spirit's of just men are made... perfect. This Biblical perfection is the "completed work" of the the Holy Spirit in this present life! Not to be taken as a future tense work beyond the grave! Present tense perfection is the final work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a justified man.
Heb 12:23-24...To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the "spirits of just men made perfect", And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
EXAMPLES OF JUST MEN IN THE BIBLE...Gen.6:9, Proverbs 9:9, 20:7, 24:16, Eccles. 7:15,20, Matt. 1:19; 27:19, Mark 6:20, Acts 10:22
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