Sanctification
And only a few find it
‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’ (Matt. 7:13-14, NIV) Have you found the narrow road that leads to life?
Whoever loses his life for My sake
Jesus says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24, NKJV) Will you lose your life for the sake of Christ?
If anyone desires to come after Me
Jesus says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV) Do you desire to go after Jesus Christ?
The message of the cross (3)
Jesus says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV) Have you taken up your cross to follow Jesus Christ?
The message of the cross (2)
‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29, NKJV) Are you being conformed to the image of Christ?
The message of the cross (1)
‘For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’ (1 Cor. 1:18, NKJV) What is the message of the cross?
Let no sin rule over me
‘Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.’ (Ps. 119:133, NIV) Are you being ruled by sin?
But if salt has lost its taste
Jesus says this to His disciples: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” (Matt. 5:13, ESV) Are you being the salt of the earth?
Abstain from fleshly lusts
‘Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.’ (1 Pet. 2:11, NKJV) What is the flesh?
In your struggle against sin
‘In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.’ (Heb. 12:4, ESV) Why does the born-again person have this struggle against sin?
Those who live like this
‘The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery . . . I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.’ (Gal. 5:19-21, NIV) Will you inherit the kingdom of God?
Go and sin no more
‘When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” . . . And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”’ (John 8:10-11, NKJV) Will you go and sin no more?
Therefore he who rejects this
‘For this is the will of God: your sanctification . . . For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.’ (1 Thess. 4:3; 7-8, NKJV) Have you rejected God?
For He knew what was in man
‘But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.’ (John 2:24-25, NKJV) What is it that Jesus knows is in you?
He who began a good work in you
‘I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy . . . being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 1:3-6, NIV) Are you confident of this?
He learned obedience
‘In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death . . . Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.’ (Heb. 5:7-8, NASB) Are you learning obedience?
When He has tested me
‘But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.’ (Job 23:10, NKJV) Why does God want His people to endure hardship and suffering?
Endure hardship as discipline
‘Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?’ (Heb. 12:7, NIV) What is your attitude towards hardship and suffering?
Yet He opened not His mouth
‘He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.’ (Isa. 53:7, NKJV) How do you respond when oppressed and afflicted?
And He was submissive to them
‘And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” . . . And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.’ (Luke 2:49; 51a, ESV) Are you submissive towards authority?
Have this attitude in yourselves
‘Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant . . .’ (Phil. 2:5-7a, NASB) Do you have this attitude in yourself?
The Spirit of Christ
‘However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.’ (Rom. 8:9, NASB) Do you have the Spirit of Christ?
Christ in you, the hope of glory
‘To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ (Col. 1:27, NKJV) Do you have this hope of glory?
When Christ, who is your life, appears
‘For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.’ (Col. 3:3-4, NIV) Is Christ your life?
By the washing of water with the word
‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word . . .’ (Eph. 5:25-26, NASB) Are you being cleansed by the washing of water with the word?
For if these qualities are yours
‘For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Pet. 1:8, NASB) What qualities are these?
Because they are not of the world
‘I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:14, NKJV) Do you live as one who is not of the world?
He who is holy, let him be holy still
‘And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”’ (Rev 22:10-11, NKJV) Which one are you?
You shall be holy, for I am holy
‘But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”’ (1 Pet. 1:15-16, ESV) Are you holy in all your conduct?
They disciplined us as they thought best
‘For what children are not disciplined by their father? . . . They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.’ (Heb. 12:7b; 10, NIV) What kind of discipline have you experienced from your earthly parents?
Whom He foreknew, He also predestined
‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29, NKJV) Are you being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ?
Even as a father corrects the son
‘My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.’ (Prov 3:11-12, NASB) Do you receive the discipline of God?
A scoffer does not listen to rebuke
‘A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.’ (Prov 13:1, NASB) Do you listen to rebuke?
For those who have been trained by it
‘No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.’ (Heb. 12:11, NIV) Is a harvest of righteousness and peace being produced in your life?
The axe is already laid at the root
‘Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance . . . The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’ (Matt. 3:8-10, NASB) Will you be cut down and thrown into the fire?
Every tree is known by its fruit
‘For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.’ (Luke 6:43-44a, NKJV) What fruit are you bearing?
Nor do we distort the word of God (3)
‘He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.’ (John 12:48, NKJV) Will you be judged in the last day by the word that Jesus Christ has spoken?
Nor do we distort the word of God (2)
‘My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death . . .’ (James 5:19-20, NASB) Why is a distorted message of righteousness prevalent in the church today?
Nor do we distort the word of God (1)
‘Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.’ (2 Cor. 4:1-2a, NIV) Have you been listening to a distorted message of righteousness?
Work out your own salvation (3)
‘Therefore, my beloved . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13, NKJV) How does one work out his own salvation? And how can one be sure it is God working in him both to will and to do?
Work out your own salvation (2)
‘But when the king heard about it, he was furious . . . Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.”’ (Matt. 22:7-8, NKJV) Will you be counted worthy for the marriage supper of the Lamb?
Work out your own salvation (1)
‘Therefore, my beloved . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13, NKJV) What does it mean to work out your own salvation?
Whoever loves and practices a lie
‘Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.’ (Rev 22:14-15, NKJV) Do you love and practice a lie?
I will keep you from the hour of trial
‘Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.’ (Rev 3:10, ESV) Will you be kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world?
If you do not wake up
‘Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.’ (Rev 3:3b, NASB) Will you keep awake and be sober?
For I am not ashamed of the gospel
‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ (Rom. 1:16, NASB) Is the power of God for salvation working in your life right now?
Until Christ is formed in you
‘My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!’ (Gal. 4:19-20, NIV) Is Christ being formed in you?
Those who are Christ’s
‘For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.’ (1 Cor. 15:22-23, NKJV) Are you among those who are Christ’s?
For all tables are full of vomit
‘The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink . . . they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth; no place is clean.’ (Isa. 28:7b-8, NKJV) Have you been taking in vomit and filth?
Even the demons believe
‘Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!’ (James 2:18b-19, NKJV) Are you able to show your faith by your works?
Then the tares also appeared
‘But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.’ (Matt. 13:26, NKJV) Which are you – the wheat, or the tares?
That those who see may be made blind
‘And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”’ (John 9:39, NKJV) Will you see, or will you be made blind?
A contrite heart, You will not despise
‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.’ (Ps. 51:17, NKJV) Do you have a broken and a contrite heart?
But the thing displeased the Lord
‘When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.’ (2 Sam. 11:26-27, NIV) Have you acted as David did?
Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry
These are the words of the prophet Samuel to Saul: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:23, NKJV) How stubborn are you?
A fool has no delight in understanding
‘A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.’ (Prov 18:2, NKJV) Do you delight in expressing your own heart?
The man has become like one of Us
‘Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil . . .”’ (Gen. 3:22a, NKJV) Do you recognise the nature of knowing good and evil in you?
But everything is naked and exposed
‘And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.’ (Heb. 4:13, NET) Are you truly aware of your nakedness before God?
For He knew what was in man
‘But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.’ (John 2:24-25, NKJV) What is it that Jesus knows is in you?
But he had leprosy
‘Now Naaman . . . was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.’ (2 Kings 5:1, NIV) Do you know what the leprosy is in you?
If we neglect so great a salvation
‘For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation . . .?’ (Heb. 2:2-3a, NKJV) Have you neglected so great a salvation?