“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Let … Continue reading The new self
sanctification
Not only what you do, but what you don’t do
We’ve been talking about Colossians 3:15. That’s where Paul told his readers to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” One of the ways we welcome and cooperate with that rule is to imitate Jesus. Paul gave some great wisdom about how to do that in verses 12-17. Not only did he tell … Continue reading Not only what you do, but what you don’t do
Holy, holy, holy
We’ve been thinking about holiness. That word makes some people think about strongly scented candles, fancy cathedrals, or even a certain kind of religious snobbery. But that’s off the mark. Holiness is about being set apart for a special, godly purpose. We need to reclaim (and be humbly confident about) that understanding. After all, if … Continue reading Holy, holy, holy
Salvation and sanctification
Salvation and sanctification are central to Christianity. But if we get them mixed up, it can mess with our thinking. Salvation is being made right with God, both in this life and the next. When you believe in Jesus and what he has done for you on the cross (dying in your place and paying … Continue reading Salvation and sanctification
Hello Glow Stick
When I was young we would go camping. I loved it. We would set up tents, ride our bikes, go waterskiing and cook marshmallows around the fire. When it got dark my parents would bring out some glow sticks. They were plastic tubes with liquid in them. When you bent them something broke inside. That … Continue reading Hello Glow Stick
Pruning
In John 15, Jesus provides a metaphor: He is the true vine, his heavenly Father is the gardener, and we are the branches. As the branches we are to “bear fruit.” This means that our lives are to show evidence of our faithfulness and discipleship. In verse 2 he says this: “Every branch in me … Continue reading Pruning
Incremental, not accidental
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). A few years ago I was walking through the mall. Someone called my name. “Matthew?” I turned around and the other person said, “It’s Luke.” It was someone I used to play hockey with twenty years ago. We grabbed … Continue reading Incremental, not accidental
Being Christlike to one another
The great Reformer Martin Luther, wrote: “each person ought to become to the other a kind of Christ, so that we may be Christs to one another…“* One of our goals in life is sanctification. I know, I know, big word. But all it means is to become holy, or to become more like Christ. … Continue reading Being Christlike to one another
What Jesus prayed for you
Do you know that Jesus prayed for you while he was still on earth? In John 17, he prayed these words for his disciples, and also for those who would come to believe in him through their message. If you are a believer, that means you! Here is a small sample of what he prayed: … Continue reading What Jesus prayed for you
Who you’re becoming
Hebrews 10:14 says: “For by one sacrifice [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” What I’d like to focus on from that verse is the fact that Jesus’ people are “being made holy.” This refers to the work God himself is doing in and through us. This manifests in our daily … Continue reading Who you’re becoming
