ReNEWed COVENANT Ministry

SABBATH BIBLE STUDY

3-22

(2019)

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Compiled by JS LOWTHER
renewedcovenantministry.com
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

Pt. 3 

Progressing into Sanctification

(Study notes from sermon below)

Rom_5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Joh_3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
ABP Joh 3:18 The one trusting in him is not condemned: but the one not trusting has already been judged, for he trusts not in the only born Son of God.

Joh 3:19 And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Last Sabbath we had discussed what is called definitive Sanctification by theological terms and I wish to build upon this foundation a bit more before we progress into the discussion of progressive sanctification that our introductory verse has lead us to considering, starting with the love of God by sending his Son, speaking t the one who has a continued trusting relationship within the son, and how this believer will draw into the light exposing himself to God, but the unbeliever, the condemned, will continue in darkness…this is the life of Sanctification in Christ definitively started by God’s love and our faith in him and that faith progressing in that love.

Definitive Sanctification, is the reality in a person’s life where they after having been given the gift of Faith in the blood of Christ for their offences or sins against God and a united Faith in the resurrection of Christ for justification (right standing or innocents before the thrown of Almighty God the Judge who knows the intents and hearts of men), Within this Faith, at the moment of regeneration a reality of The LORD God’s sovereignty has occurred and has been believed from the heart and mind with a strength ready to be applied to the Lord’s service, because you have been persuaded by the king and his power, his majesty and his Glory in a way not seen prior, yet it’s affect is a definitive moment of prior life in sin recognized and revealed, prior because the eyes and heart had been darkened in spiritual slumber, and death, but now at this day of salvation :
Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Being born again, John 3 speaks of it has become a buzz phrase in Christianity, as is ‘being or getting saved’, it’s association with a happy moment in once life where they did something for themselves (sin prayer, or demand Jesus into their heart or even get baptized in water, speaking in a non-intelligible tough, hold a rattle snake or whatever that moment is that some do, if the proclamation starts with “I…” rather than “God…” there is a staggering possibility that nothing of value had happened, If in your experience you believe, ‘I got saved’ rather than ‘God saved me’, that is He preserved you and healed you of Self glorification.
Identifying the wrong moment but have true faith in Christ’s blood as the free gift which alone may Justify you before God it is just a subversion of the flesh concerning your regeneration of Spirit, but at worst, if the faith you have is in anything else, or anyone else, but this free Gift of Grace offered by Faith in the pity, the mercy given by the blood of Christ for you, sadly this birth has not happened yet, and perhaps never will if you have not been given the ability to be fully persuaded that Faith in Jesus work Justifies and will glorify.
There is no special formula as to how long this may take, what verse will finaly convince you, how this will happen, but if any one tells you are not Justified Sanctified in the spirit be cause you haven’t done (X) even though you trusted in Christ:
Eph_1:13-14 In whom also after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy sanctifying, purifying, cleansing Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It is important that before ever consider progressing into sanctification (holiness, cleanness, purity of life) in relationship to things you do, that one has fully identified the definitive nature of sanctification, that is the way faith in Christ’s blood defines your Sanctification by total trust in Christ’s Atonement work alone, because this is where Righteousness starts and ends before the Father and the Son, in Faith imputed to you as righteousness by the holy spirit of truth.
Your urge to be born is the Contraction of the born again experience, the struggle past the comfort of your own self is the spiritual womb.
In your exit you spiritual eyes will first see the kingdom, the king in glory and the justice of his majesty and condemnation of his law, in short the power of His might which will cause you to cry out for comfort, which will only be imparted by Faith through that Spirit of promise. Cleansing you and Comforting you by faith imputed as righteousness to you for this new life in Christ, it is only by the Comfort of the spirit you will know where you’ve come from and to where you will go, and that movement will determine how real that Spirit is in your life.

Consider this day of salvation( Isa_49:8, 2Co_6:2) and day of imputed faith very literally; so often this is not done with ‘spiritual’ concept, and it is to the one who spiritualizes a spiritual reality that they often time get lost in the wind not having anything to consider or understand or see in the thoughts.

But in speaking of this birth and this seeing thereafter consider the first time you have seen a thing of might for the first time and considered it’s power, let’s say a consuming fire, a house fire and we realize that this will devour whatever is in it and perhaps spread, therefore we truly believe and have faith, trusting that setting the house on fire is a bad idea and further that it truly is bad, and we will try our hardest not to do this thing.

Children must be taught not to expect fire to obey them, because they don’t understand or fear the power of it, rather they play with matches not knowing the consuming nature of fire and how it respects no person or thing. To child fire is interesting and neat, the idea that it can burn is undesirable to the hand or skin but what a consuming fire does is another level of faith all the more. A child must develop faith in the form of consideration to understand the possibility and but more so the reality of the fire being set and what that fire will do when not respected, that is truly what IT is AND truly believe that IS so.

This is the seed bed of Sanctification as well, simple Faith, but not so simply received to our mind or developed to our thinking, our reasoning as easily attainable even as fire.
The consequences of fire are impressive and fairly well communicated by faith, trusting because we see or hear of the house divested by flame we believe. Yet in regards to God we know him by living in his world, and acknowledging him as creator, but that we need his free gift of grace moving through this same reality of faith to be justified when that Glorious God judges us is so much harder to define one’s self by, because it is a trust so great is no different than being born again by the spirit from above.

Like reciting stop, drop and roll to a child to memorize how to deal with clothing set afire, so is the statement ‘Jesus save me, or Lord come into my heart’, is statement in the mouth or the words of a hymnal but not a reality of the heart who understands irresistible grace for a sinful state, because the fire of selfishness burns in the heart and mind and works by your strength in all that you do to Sanctify yourself by your own means, jump in to the baptismal to extinguish the burn, but without faith to know the fires potential all water is but fuel for self glorification, a fire which knows but one cure…Glorifying God as God with thankfulness to Him for his free gift of un-deserved grace given in faith of Christ’s Justification and Sanctification, because Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Rom_3:19)

This is a kingdom, not a democracy…a kingdom ruled by a king, and you have been born again to see it and born again to enter into it.

When we talk about having faith in this context we are speaking of… believing or trusting that there is truly a Kingdom of God, which truly exists and that this earth is part of God’s Kingdom which he rules as king from, a kingdom above and a kingdom within, truly

The King is Mighty, he is Glorious, so is God in his separation or sanctification from man by virtue of himself, and nothing else. God’s sanctification or holiness has everything to do with his Glorious nature being the infinite height of perfection beyond understanding of man , therefore by All he is to be feared and to be praised fearfully(Exo_15:11).

Exo_15:13 describes that: …In God’s mercy he brings forth his people which He has redeemed: and God guides them in His strength unto thy holy habitation.
This both shows the nature of Sanctification and the progression of it as all part of God’s redemption of his people.

Definitive sanctification is a reality for the Elect, and cannot be only a possibility for the Elect, this is the sure test of Election for the Called: That is namely ” Sanctification come through the truth, that God’s word is that truth, and there by, they … might be sanctified through the truth by Faith” .

The full persuasion is that this house will burn and all of the elements with it!

But this reality does not cause the pure fear of God in every one who hears it because they don’t really believe, they don’t have the wisdom which comes by trusting faith and some cannot because they can’t realize the Glory of God and the pit in not knowing God, buy not Glorify him as God or give thanks to him, but rather they enjoy empty thinking, and fool-hearted darkeness.

The whole of one recognizing the need of sanctification happens after this point where God in his mercy separates you and brings you forth unto himself because you knew God and now glorify him as God in thankfulness that he has called you, justified you and cleansed you with his word of truth… this is the development of saving Faith, which is a defining moment in our life of definitive sanctification where faith in Christ’s perfectly holy life meets Christ’s Perfect sacrificial death for our offences there by showing us His Sanctification, the end result or the holistic result rather is the culmination of these two definitive realities concerning our faith in Jesus life and death where in justification is accomplished in His resurrection from death and sanctification or cleansing is succored by a sprinkling of Christ’s blood upon the one who believes.

This is definitive, because this Faith is the mechanism by which the free gift is communicate to the unworthy and sinful dark hearted recipient though born in to the Election he knows not his Election till he stand at the judgment seat justified in glory.

Some might say, that a cleansing work such as the sinners prayer, or asking Jesus you’re your heart or even water baptism as a child, or of baptism as an adult should need to occur to sanctify or cleanse the person before such a Gift could be imparted to an unclean vessel, and if another cleanse you it is a passive work you’ve simply been talked into and understand in your human reasoning.
But this purification is imputed by Jesus sanctification through believing the truth, and it was for this Justified people Joh 17:19-20 Christ says And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word…
Placing our baptism before faith, as good as faith, or as faith is an unscriptural use of baptism which limits Jesus’ ability and right to Sanctify all of His Justified ones as high priest by His Atonement or propitiation, his ‘pity for’ us. Atonement and propitiation is a work of pity done on you by Jesus when you were without strength this is done on your behalf if you are Elect and Called according to His purpose (2Ti 1:9).

In this way we also see all righteousness able to be transferred definitely and assertively by our High Priest as well, in any and all regards to the one who believes, in perfect union with Gen_15:6 for the believer: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Even so, by Faith in Christ’s Sanctification of life we have the privilege of Sanctification as well by Christ’s Baptism given by this saving Faith’s imputation immediately after pure saving faith has occurred:
This is among the ways the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptism was said to be “to fulfil all righteousness. ”
Mat_3:13-17 Then cometh Jesus … Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mat 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mat 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Nicodemus of John 3 heard that he would come and speak with our Lord, that after that statement of Christ, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”, he goes on to say,
Joh_3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

In Chapter 1 and 2 of John Christ’s Baptism is the focus of the record, an act done to be for the fulfilling all righteousness, and so the pattern of Kingdom entrance is shown as well in Baptism and obedience to this fundamental work of God’s holy and righteous law, for the people to enter into the kingdom in the first synergistic action, that is there will now united to God’s will of Sanctification in progression, moving from spirit of God, upon the flesh of dead man dead in sin and offences, to awaken him to an irresistible reality revealed by God’s Grace, a free gift of Faith willing life to that unthankful offender as good as dead by God’s righteous judgment of his law, we realize our state of judgment our time is fulfilled and we repent for the Kingdom of God is to us at hand, and we believe the Good news / the gospel.
It is only a foolish assertion that says Water Baptism is a work of the Holy Spirit entirely and not a work of man’s will moving with God’s will for his life. Many who would believe this contrary to logic and scriptures wording.
It is important to consider what this likeness and figure is as the first act of progressive sanctification we yield our body to after being convinced of the need for water baptism by the word of Truth, a washing of water which indeed comes by the Word (Eph_5:26) .
1Pe_3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
And notice Peter makes the special note concerning Baptism as an answer of a good conscience not the receiving of a good conscience, not the bath of it self that cleans our body, but salvation by the resurrection of Jesus, just like the unfaith who are killed in the flood who had not faith to board the boat, so those who have not faith to be baptized when they see it in the word of truth hand have faith…
Mar_16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Ther is by this verses omission those who will not be baptized who will have enough saving faith to not be damned, but it is a abundantly clear that those who have living faith and is baptized shall be saved, both are true and neither able to be denied.
When a believer teaches concerning the Gospel, and Christ’s sanctified life for sinners, his death for their offences and sins and Christ’s resurrection from death for justification, this reality should be fully confessed before ever offering baptism, such a reality needs not be preached directly as the doctrine of Baptism, rather it should only be preached as the doctrine of Faith.
Biblical example only gives us this preaching of the Gospel, and not one do we see Jesus the apostles or John preaching baptism, rather they preach the Gospel of repentance:
In Act_2:37-38 we do not have Peter preaching Baptism but Christ’s work prior when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said ” Men and brethren, what shall we do? ”
This is a confirmation of faith in preaching Christ’s work, Faith which will not sit idle but will progress… to which Peter said, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
41-43 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…
and was that all, did faith get baptized and stop or did it progress further and perservere?
…They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, that is they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers, And fear came upon every soul…
Notice the receiving of fear is the period of this devotion started in fear of what to do, the holy spirit gave a gift of faith to believe in Christ reality and the receiving of that reality was ‘gladly receiving the word’, taking the word of faith preached and receiving it inside and out, a reality to the one who believes that spirit and body affected and must progress, and then must preserver, not the comfort of an action but the comfort found in the fear of God.
Psa_119:74-75 They that fear the LORD will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. for we know, the LORD’s, judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness he afflicted us… with this fear
This is the confession of the heart of faith, justifying God and Glorifying him, and yet progressing and persevering as his servant.
Strengthening the soul, encouraging a continuance in the faith, and knowing that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Even here after Baptism Act_14:22
So how does this Elect and Called Christian begin to enter the kingdom?

Joh_3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
There is only one way to arrange all of this sin remission in the blood of Christ and keep God as the Just and justifier by Faith through the free gift of God’s work and not your own in salvation, and that is to that See Christ’s justification power able to justify before the believer does a thing to ‘receive it’.
When this reality is fully come to life in you the path of Scripture is not a burden, but the yoke is light:
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mat_11:26-30)

If this is the perspective you have the progress has already begun in learning from the Son. While not realizing it, this thing that has happened when it happens, the first time, then time and again, is a match of the will of God definitively to the match of the will of God progressively. That is what has been handed to the son, your burden and yoke by the father and learning from him allows for rest in regardless of the exercise or struggle we face in our personal service to God as living sacrifices patterning our life after the son’s perfect life, or our ministry of the Gospel to those who yet glorify not God as God and need this Gospel.

This is a marvelous thing that happens in a life chosen to see the kingdom power of God revealed, the transfer of wills, the first reality of progressive sanctification in Christ.