Scripture: Ephesians 2 v 7 - 8: "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."
G.R.A.C.E. = God's Riches At Christ's Expense
The true meaning of the word 'sanctified' is 'to be made into a saint'. The moment you become sinless through the Blood of Jesus and lose your 'sinful man' through baptism in water, the whole nature of Jesus Christ is the gift you receive. This is gift-wrapped and opens slowly over time as we grow in grace.
Under the water we experience burial with Jesus Christ and a spiritual exchange is made. We were born in sin and our spirits were already dead. In the exchange our dead spirits are made alive in Christ Jesus and placed in Him in heavenly places. Our spirits are saved, made alive, citizens of Heaven.
By God's grace, the living Spirit of Jesus enters us while we are being baptised. We receive His sinless nature in place of our spirit. Our sinful self, called our old man, is dead and buried. We rise out of the water a new creature in Christ. Now we have to deal with our souls, an uphill battle at times. This process needs the power of the Holy Spirit and His gifts which we receive when we are baptized or immersed in the Holy Spirit.
You are not only saved by grace but His righteous nature becomes part of you too. You have been made into a saint, a holy person, and all you need do to please your Heavenly Father is allow that holiness to keep on shining through.
Holiness is exhibited through right living and right being. It changes you on the inside instantly but there can be obstacles in your soul or flesh that warp the full expression from being visible to others. We all carry some emotional and mental baggage that Jesus wants to deal with. He has come in to work with us from the inside. He feels what we feel and knows us through and through.
Holiness through grace sets us apart from who we were when we were still sinners. We must walk in newness of life having discarded the habits of our old nature which lead to death. When we are completely free of those old habits and worldly lifestyle, the fullness of Christ in us the hope of glory becomes visible.
Jesus said to John over and over in Revelations - "To him that overcomes I will give the tree of life; a crown of glory; a secret new name etc." But we need to do the overcoming and put our sinful worldly past behind us.
Revelation 3 v 5: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels."
Jesus expects us to do the overcoming because if we don't allow Him to change us we are in danger of having our name blotted out of the book of life. On the Day of Judgment when the books are opened and our final destination decided, we do not want to hear Jesus say "I never knew you!"
The whole salvation rescue plan not only saves us out of satan's clutches and eternal hellfire, but must change us to be forever secure from falling back into sin and death. If we resist the holiness of the sanctified life we live in jeopardy. We may be in a church or group that has lost its true calling. We may have to "come out and be separate unto the Father" to overcome false doctrines.
Christians are an endangered species on this planet. Our holiness shows up the fear in those who don't have Jesus in their hearts. They hate that light and are determined to destroy it. It is up to us to keep it shining so that those who want to be saved can see the way home.
John 15 v 16 - 19: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
The fruit growing on our tree is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit working within us. Our God does not want this fruit to become bruised, rotten or infested by bugs. It is the nature of Jesus being formed within us. When we maintain our fruit in righteousness then we can ask what we will of God and we will receive it. If we compromise our standing we need to repent and be cleansed to receive our blessings.
Hebrews 4 v 14 - 16: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
There are some preachers who preach about super Grace. That we are so completely covered by God's mercy and forgiveness that even if we keep on sinning its not a problem.
Romans 6 v 1 - 2: " What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
We are to follow the example of Jesus who was born in the flesh to experience what temptation was and He overcame it as a human to show us that we can live sinless lives. It is required of us to do so. Hebrews 6 says that if we keep on sinning wilfully after salvation expecting grace to keep saving us then we are flirting with disaster.
We are sanctified and need to remain clean and pure as Jesus was and is. It takes effort, commitment, determination and following the will of God. Conquer the flesh that you may walk in the power of the Holy Spirit which is given freely by our living Father.
Prayer: Heavenly Father by the gift of grace we are saved, not by any works can we earn it. You see the longing for salvation in our hearts and prepare a way for us to know You through Jesus. There is no other way, or name, by which we can be saved. We thank You that You sanctified us by Grace. In Jesus' name. Amen.