Participants: Shelley Quinn
Series Code: GPL
Program Code: GPL000013S
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00:01 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
00:02 Are you aware that God promises to make you complete 00:05 in every way to do His will through Christ Jesus? 00:09 Join us now on "The Grace Pipeline" 00:11 as we study Christ, our sanctification. 00:35 Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline." 00:37 This is a series based on a Bible study 00:39 book by the same title. 00:41 You know, it's a great privilege 00:44 to write something for the glory of the Lord. 00:47 At the same time, it's a great responsibility 00:50 and it's important that it is a well-balanced teaching. 00:55 Because something that God wants 00:57 is for us to know the balance of truth. 01:00 It results in great personal growth, 01:03 because as you write, 01:05 you must necessarily restudy and dig deeper into scripture. 01:10 And as you begin to mind the depth of God's word, 01:15 He teaches you more and more. 01:17 His word is inexhaustible. 01:19 I don't pretend to know all there is to know about grace, 01:23 but what God has taught me has been life-changing. 01:27 And day by day, He is teaching me 01:29 how to make this more of a personal experience 01:33 rather than merely an intellectual understanding. 01:37 My hope is that you too will be transformed 01:41 as we study God's word together. 01:44 Today, if you're following along 01:46 in the series companion book "The Grace Pipeline," 01:49 we will begin our study in chapter 7 and that's page 106, 01:54 as we consider how Christ is our sanctification. 01:59 Because we are dividing this study on grace 02:02 into bite size pieces, it seems it would be 02:06 a good thing for us to take just a few minutes 02:08 to quickly review some of the Bible principles 02:11 we have already established. 02:14 We have identified it is God's love 02:17 that is the compelling force behind His grace. 02:21 This unending well of love, 02:23 overflows with every good and perfect gift 02:26 from our Heavenly Father and grace is the pipeline 02:30 through which all blessings flow from heaven to earth. 02:33 Faith we've identified as the faucet. 02:36 It's how we tap into God's grace pipeline. 02:39 And our faith regulates the release of blessings 02:42 from His great reservoir. 02:45 Now prayer is the handle that opens the faith faucet. 02:50 Trust is the foundation for the prayer of faith, 02:53 and relationship is the foundation for trust. 02:57 What's the foundation for relationship? Love. 03:01 And the more we love and understand His love for us, 03:06 the more we love Him in return. 03:08 We develop a more intimate relationship with Him 03:12 and the more intimate the relationship, 03:14 the greater our trust grows in God. 03:16 The more we trust Him, 03:18 the more we bring all things to Him in prayer. 03:22 And the more we pray in faith, 03:24 the more blessings God releases on us. 03:27 We have also identified 03:29 the three greatest gifts of God's grace 03:33 as being His son Jesus Christ, 03:36 the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Scriptures. 03:39 When we understand these gifts and we are beginning 03:43 to understand His gifts of grace, 03:46 then we understand the effects of grace. 03:49 And because of this, we've arrived at this definition 03:54 that divine grace is the unearned, 03:57 undeserved gifts bestowed by a God of infinite love 04:01 which provide His divine assistance 04:05 and supernatural power unto salvation. 04:09 Now sometime ago in this series, 04:11 we studied how we receive justification by faith, 04:16 through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ 04:19 which means nothing less than the righteousness of Christ 04:22 that is credited to our account. 04:25 We know the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death. 04:29 We're all sinners and we all deserved to die. 04:32 But when we confess our sins and repent 04:35 accepting Christ as our Savior, 04:37 the record of His perfect life is credited to us. 04:42 Moreover, He stood in as our substitute 04:46 and died the death we deserved. 04:49 And His blood covers our sins. 04:52 The demands for divine justice are satisfied 04:55 and there are no longer legal grounds 04:57 to justly inflict the penalty of sin. 05:01 God justifies us, which means He pronounces 05:06 an acquittal of the charges against us 05:08 making an official declaration 05:11 that we the accused are innocent. 05:14 Justification is an act of God 05:18 and that is the first stage of salvation. 05:21 Justification changes our record. 05:24 In our last several programs of this series, 05:28 we have been studying sanctification, 05:31 which is the second stage of salvation 05:33 and it changes not just the record, 05:36 but it changes our character. 05:39 Sanctification is ours 05:42 through the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ, 05:45 that righteousness He pours into our heart. 05:48 And this is how the process of consecrating us 05:52 or setting us apart from the world to live for God. 05:57 This is how it happens. 05:58 Sanctification is a synonym for holiness. 06:03 They both simply mean to be set apart from sin 06:07 that we might live the abundant life 06:10 Christ Jesus came to give us. 06:13 Sanctification is a progressive work of God in our lives 06:18 that requires our complete cooperation. 06:22 It is a continuous process of consecration 06:27 or dedicating our lives to do God's will. 06:31 Sanctification is a work of God to recreate His image in us. 06:39 And to prove it is God's work, 06:42 The Bible tells us that we are sanctified 06:45 by the Heavenly Father, by the gift of our 06:48 Lord Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, 06:52 the gift of God's love operating within our hearts, 06:56 the gift of the Holy Scriptures, 06:58 the gift of faith and the privilege 07:01 of obedience empowered by God. 07:05 His work is a continual, 07:08 day-by-day development that transforms 07:12 our physical, mental, and spiritual powers 07:16 if we will only cooperate with Him. 07:19 Now we have previously studied what it means 07:23 to be a sanctification seeker which means we pursue holiness 07:28 or in other words it means that we cooperate with God 07:32 to be set apart from sin. 07:35 The Apostle Paul tells us that we should devote our lives 07:40 to this process and experience of transformation. 07:44 Many Christians do not fully recognize 07:47 the work of God, the Father 07:49 and God, the Son in the process of sanctification. 07:52 In our last program, we reviewed 07:55 the Father's action in this critical work. 07:58 Now, today, let us more closely 08:01 consider Christ's intimate involvement. 08:05 Sanctification seekers pursue holiness 08:09 by believing in and receiving Christ as Savior, 08:14 developing a personal and abiding relationship 08:17 with Him and by following the leading of the Holy Spirit. 08:23 This identifies us as the children of God. 08:27 As John 1:12 proclaims that, 08:30 "As many as have received Him, 08:33 to them He gave the right to become the children of God," 08:38 to those who believe in Christ, in His name, in His work. 08:44 The sacred bonds of this privileged relationship 08:48 being a child of God is our means 08:52 of sanctification by grace. 08:55 Let's look at 1 Corinthians 1:30 were the Bible says, 09:01 "But of Him, speaking of God, you are in Christ Jesus, 09:07 who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness 09:13 and sanctification and redemption." 09:18 Now let's unpack this scripture. 09:21 First, it tells us it is of Him 09:25 the Father that we are in Christ. 09:28 God's all embracing and matchless love 09:31 was manifested in the sacrifice of His sinless Son, 09:36 for those who were yet impure sinners. 09:40 It is by our Heavenly Father's will 09:42 that we have identified with Christ crucified. 09:47 Secondly, because of this, Christ has become our wisdom. 09:54 He possesses the fullness of God's treasury 09:58 of wisdom and knowledge 09:59 and He reveals God's purposes to us. 10:03 Making Christ our wisdom and possessing Him, 10:07 we possess His wisdom that causes us 10:10 to understand God's will for our lives. 10:13 Now the third point of this scripture 10:16 is that Christ becomes our righteousness. 10:20 In that by faith, His imputed righteousness 10:24 provides justification putting us 10:27 in right standing with the Heavenly Father. 10:31 Now the first point-- or the fourth point 10:33 I should say of 1 Corinthians 1:30 is that 10:37 Christ's imparted righteousness becomes our sanctification. 10:43 This fits us to press into the presence of a Holy God. 10:50 In Christ, we are recreated 10:53 to enjoy a new life of righteousness 10:57 and we should devote our lives fully 10:59 to practicing righteousness by the power of God 11:03 rather than practicing sin 11:05 through the influence of our old carnal nature. 11:09 And the final point is that His death paid our ransom 11:15 to escape the penalty of sin, making Christ our redemption. 11:20 Through our redeemer Christ, we are saved. 11:25 Now our study today is on sanctification, 11:28 so let's hone in on that particular aspect. 11:32 Christ's continual imparted righteousness, 11:37 His purity, and His holiness living in our hearts 11:39 through faith makes us pure and holy. 11:44 By His life within, He separates those who abide in Him. 11:49 He separates them from sin 11:51 for God's special purity and holy purposes. 11:55 This makes Christ our sanctification. 11:59 John 1:16-17 says that "Of His fullness 12:05 we have all received and grace for grace. 12:09 For the law was given through Moses, 12:12 but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." 12:16 Through the revelation of the mystery 12:19 of the Lord's plan of salvation, 12:21 God's greater grace replaced the grace contained 12:27 in the ceremonial law, grace for grace. 12:32 The temporary sacrificial system 12:36 pointed to the perfect sacrifice of Christ 12:40 who would offer His body once for all. 12:44 The continual animal offerings of the old covenant 12:47 were a constant reminder that Christ had not yet come. 12:52 1 John 3:8 reveals that Christ came 12:56 to destroy the works of the devil. 12:59 Let's read from Hebrews 10:5-10. 13:05 That says, "Therefore, when He came into the world, 13:09 He said, sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, 13:13 and offering for sin you did not desire, 13:17 nor had pleasure in them 13:19 which are offered according to the law. 13:21 Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God. 13:27 He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 13:31 By that will we have been sanctified 13:34 through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." 13:41 God had no pleasure in animal sacrifices 13:45 because for most people they became nothing more than 13:48 a ritual requirement of insincere worshipers. 13:52 In verse 10, we have just read that-- 13:57 and the Greek emphasizes sanctification 14:00 in terms of our original change from sin to holiness 14:06 and as a continuation in that state. 14:10 We are sanctified through the body of Jesus Christ 14:14 and through His blood as further explained in Hebrews 13:12, 14:21 which says, "Therefore Jesus also, 14:25 that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, 14:29 suffered outside the gate." 14:32 It was the will of God to sanctify humanity 14:37 by the crucified body of His son. 14:39 It was God's will that Christ's precious blood 14:44 be shed to cover our sins 14:47 and to separate us from sin's influence, 14:52 leading to holiness, to sanctification. 14:57 Well, I certainly consider 15:00 the experience of sanctification joyful. 15:03 There is a very serious and related aspect 15:07 that must be presented to those who would 15:10 receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 15:15 Let us consider Hebrews 9:13, 14 15:22 and here the writer says, 15:25 "For if the blood of bulls and goats 15:28 and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, 15:31 sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 15:35 how much more shall the blood of Christ, 15:39 who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself 15:44 without spot to God, cleanse your conscience 15:48 from dead works to serve the living God?" 15:52 Now going right into Hebrews 10:28, 29, 15:56 we receive the warning, 15:59 "Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy 16:04 on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 16:08 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, 16:12 will he be thought worthy 16:13 who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, 16:17 counted the blood of the covenant 16:19 by which he was sanctified a common thing, 16:23 and insulted the Spirit of grace?" 16:27 Sanctified people should serve the living God in holiness 16:33 using extreme caution not to count 16:37 the blood of Christ as a common thing. 16:40 His precious blood of sanctification 16:43 should not be profaned by our sinful conduct. 16:47 You know, Paul tells us in Roman 5:20, 21. 16:52 He said, "The law entered, that the offense might abound. 16:56 But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more 17:01 and even that as sin reigned in death, 17:04 even so grace might reign through righteousness 17:08 in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 17:12 The moral law of God revealed His perfect standards 17:17 of righteousness as well as the true condition of sin 17:21 which reigns in human hearts hostile to all things holy. 17:26 The mere formal recording of God's moral requirements 17:32 stirred an even greater resistance 17:34 in those rebellious ones who refuse to enter 17:37 into relationship with Him. 17:40 Transgressions were multiplied 17:43 and God permitted this demonstration of sin's influence 17:47 preparing the way to prove His perfect love 17:51 toward humanity by sending His Son 17:54 to rescue us from unrighteousness. 17:57 Thus He prevailed as both the just and the justifier. 18:02 Only Christ's imputed righteousness 18:05 can cover our sin debt. 18:07 Only Christ's imparted righteousness 18:10 can continually subdue sin's influence 18:14 and restore us to the purity of His image. 18:19 God's generous plan makes it possible 18:22 for grace to reign in our hearts. 18:28 His grace teaches us His plan as revealed in Titus 2:11-14. 18:35 Let's read that together. 18:37 It says, "The grace of God that brings salvation 18:41 has appeared to all men, teaching us that, 18:46 denying ungodliness and worldly lust, 18:49 we should live soberly, righteously, 18:52 and godly in the present age, 18:55 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing 18:59 of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 19:02 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us 19:06 from every lawless deed and purify for Himself 19:12 His own special people, zealous for good works." 19:17 Let us learn the lesson that grace teaches us. 19:21 Colossians 3:3 explains by saying, 19:24 "For you have died, and your life 19:26 is hidden with Christ in God." 19:30 By faith Christians are dead to the things of this world 19:34 and to the lure of the lust of the flesh, 19:36 and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 19:40 The advantage of our relationship with Jesus 19:44 is that we live with Him in righteousness, 19:47 preparing for a better world. 19:49 At the same time, Christ's protection encompasses us 19:54 like the heat resistant crucible during fiery trials. 19:59 Our new life is concealed in Christ 20:04 with the abiding companionship of God as our refuge. 20:07 And Christ is more than our example to be imitated. 20:11 He is the supernatural power of God into salvation. 20:16 You know, Jesus said in John 10:30 that, 20:19 "He and the Father are one and He is in the Father 20:24 and the Father is in Him." 20:26 So through His purifying grace of sanctification, 20:31 He makes us one Spirit with Him, 20:34 one in thought, one in purpose and action. 20:37 We live in Him and He lives in us. 20:40 He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 20:44 So too it is critical that we stay closely connected to Him. 20:49 Christ explained why in John 15:4, 6. 20:56 He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. 21:00 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 21:03 unless it abides in the vine, 21:05 neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 21:09 I am the vine, you are the branches. 21:13 He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, 21:17 for without Me you can do nothing. 21:20 If anyone does not abide in Me, 21:23 he is cast out as a branch and is withered 21:27 and they gather them and throw them 21:29 into the fire and they are burned." 21:33 To abide means to dwell or to live and never to depart. 21:38 To grow in grace we must maintain a vital union 21:43 with Christ our true vine. 21:45 Any branch that is pinched off from the sap 21:48 that brings the water and nutrients of the vine 21:51 will wither and eventually break away. 21:54 Without the divine sap which I consider 21:58 an acronym for the Spirit's anointing power, 22:01 without that divine sap flowing through the living vine, 22:05 Christ Jesus, we will likewise wither and die spiritually. 22:10 It is imperative that we abide in Him 22:14 until the end or our connection to the Savior will be severed. 22:19 The only way possible for us to produce 22:21 the fruits of righteousness required by our Holy God 22:25 is as a result of living in Christ and He in us. 22:29 1 John 2:6 is crucial advice to the Christian. 22:33 It says, "He who abides in Him 22:36 ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 22:40 Those who profess Christ 22:42 are obligated to copy His conduct. 22:45 Accepting the gift of sanctification 22:47 is accepting His yoke 22:49 and staying in school with our Christ. 22:52 Our very qualified teacher speaks 22:54 in the language of heaven's love. 22:57 Lowly in heart, He humbles himself 22:59 to take on human form and learn total dependence upon God. 23:04 Jesus didn't demand His own way. 23:07 And addressing His Father it was always, 23:09 "not my will but yours be done." 23:13 And we injure our relationship with our Heavenly Father 23:16 when we demand our own way. 23:18 We need to put to death our pride 23:20 and learn the humility of Christ. 23:23 Learn total dependence on God. 23:26 Let's read from Colossians 1:26-28 23:30 which says, "The mystery which has been hidden 23:33 from ages and from generations, 23:35 but now has been revealed to His saints 23:38 which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 23:41 Him we preach, warning every man 23:44 and teaching every man in all wisdom, 23:47 that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." 23:53 Recreated with the character of Christ, 23:55 we enjoy a personal dimension of His divine holiness 24:01 and the natural outgrowth of receiving Christ 24:04 into our hearts is to live like Him in the power of God's grace, 24:09 His love, His truth, His goodness and purity of heart 24:14 should be evidenced in our daily walk and conversation. 24:18 Christ in you your hope of glory. 24:21 His refining fire dwells in your heart by faith 24:25 and you can draw on all of His perfect character traits 24:29 if you abide in Him and He abides in you. 24:34 Acknowledge Christ as your sanctification 24:37 and His holy qualities will instantly be made yours 24:41 by grace through your faith put into action. 24:45 His sanctified life within you will separate you from sin 24:50 and daily conquer any unholy passions or desires that linger. 24:56 1 John 4:4 assures you that Christ in you 25:00 is a greater power than the enemy, 25:03 the devil and his fallen angels in this fallen word. 25:06 Further you are promised in Revelation 12:11 25:10 that growing in the grace of sanctification, 25:13 you can overcome evil by the blood of the Lamb 25:17 and the word of your testimony. 25:18 The gospel of grace is a religion of total dependence 25:23 upon God through Christ 25:25 and in the light of the eternal privileges of being His child 25:29 and with the refining fire of His presence in you, 25:33 you have great hope. 25:34 Please disregard your own weaknesses 25:39 and depend upon His power. 25:41 Philippians 4:13 delivers the promise that you can do 25:44 all things through Christ who strengthens you. 25:47 Take notice of Christ's promise from 2 Corinthians 12:9 25:52 and set your heart at ease. 25:54 Jesus says, "My grace is sufficient for you, 25:57 for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 26:01 You know, most of us are naturally inclined 26:04 to try to tough things out on our own in self-reliance. 26:09 God will not force control over us. 26:12 We must admit our weaknesses. 26:15 We must admit our limited human understanding 26:18 and our limited power and surrender control to Him. 26:22 Then by grace, Christ will infuse us 26:26 with His power and strengthen us 26:28 to overcome every temptation, 26:31 every challenge that we meet daily. 26:34 It is God who works in you 26:37 to will and to do His good pleasure 26:39 and it is God who will complete His work in you 26:43 to empower you to do His will. 26:45 This is His will and His promise according to Hebrews 13:20, 21 26:53 which says, "Now may the God of peace 26:56 who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, 26:59 that great Shepherd of the sheep, 27:01 through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 27:04 make you complete in every good work to do His will, 27:07 working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, 27:10 through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever." 27:15 With a watchful eye, He sits as the refiner of His people. 27:20 He who called you is faithful. 27:22 And He will do His good pleasure in the purifying grace 27:26 of sanctification at work within you. 27:31 Amen, so be it, Lord. 27:34 We are only to cooperate, to surrender control, 27:41 and to depend totally upon our Lord. 27:44 I hope that this is getting deep within your soul. 27:50 I hope that you understand that you can grow in grace 27:55 and the knowledge of our Lord 27:56 Jesus Christ by His power, god bless. |
Revised 2024-08-15