Sanctification the Work of a Lifetime

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. John 17:19.
The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven.
Many commit the error of trying to define minutely the fine points of distinction between justification and sanctification. Into the definitions of these two terms they often bring their own ideas and speculations. Why try to be more minute than is Inspiration on the vital question of righteousness by faith?
As the penitent sinner, contrite before God, discerns Christ’s atonement in his behalf, and accepts this atonement as his only hope in this life and the future life, his sins are pardoned. This is justification by faith.
Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but of a lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but is the result of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ. Wrongs cannot be righted nor reformations wrought in the character by feeble, intermittent efforts. It is only by long, persevering effort, sore discipline, and stern conflict, that we shall overcome.
It [sanctification] is not merely a theory, an emotion, or a form of words, but a living, active principle, entering into the everyday life. It requires that our habits of eating, drinking, and dressing be such as to secure the preservation of physical, mental, and moral health, that we may present to the Lord our bodies—not an offering corrupted by wrong habits but—“a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character…. If studied and obeyed, the Word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute.
There is no such thing as instantaneous sanctification. True sanctification is a daily work, continuing as long as life shall last.
The Faith I Live By p. 116
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Prayer Requests
—-My brother-in-law Roy is having surgery today. Please keep him and my sister in your prayers for a successful outcome. Rose
—-Please say prayers for Richard. He has pneumonia. Ernest
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Dear Friends,
From the time that my Grandfather, Edwin Harmon, came home from work until bedtime, I was his constant companion. Most evenings he would tell me wonderful stories from his own experiences; but sometimes he would tire of repeating them over and over. Then, he would ask me to sing to him, or we would play the drawing game I wrote about recently.
One winter evening, he thought of something that had delighted him when he was a child. Tipping the lampshade so the light shone brightly on the wall, he began making shadow pictures of butterflies, ducks, bunnies, and many other things. I was delighted! Patiently, he showed me how to make these shadow pictures just like he did. From that time, we added this activity to our list of favorite evening pastimes.
Our brief life is like those shadow pictures. The psalmist tells us, “LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.” “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.” Ps 144:3,4; 102:11,12 James asks, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14 Peter adds, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:24
How important it is, then, to make our “calling and election sure” while there is still time. 2 Peter 1:10 “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2 “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” but accept Jesus’ great gift of salvation while the door of mercy is still standing open. Very soon it will be too late. Very soon those who have put off this most important of decisions will cry, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer 8:20
Our Dear Saviour pleads, “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.” Matt 11:28-30 “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isa 55:1 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev 22:16
Peter warns us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ” 2 Peter 3:10-13
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that [we] look for such things, [let us] be diligent that [we] may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” vs 14 Let us “keep [our] heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov 4:23 Let us “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15
Rose