Friday, 19 June 2020

God's heart's desire for us to be sanctified

This is to respond to message five in ITEROS-HWMR
Topic: The Will of God—Our Sanctification

In this message, I got some reminders that both God and human need this mutual cooperation in order to make the sanctification to take place in us. 

 (1 Thes. 5:23-24)
“The God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it". 

In these two verses, it is quite clear that it is really God's heart's desire to sanctify us completely, and from the message throughout the week, we also see God's multifold procedure to sanctify us and make us as holy as He is. And once He calls us, He "ALSO WILL DO IT". However, I am reminded that although God is faithful in His work to sanctify us, we also have to play a part in this process, that is, our cooperation. 

I think a lot of times I simply cast the responsibility to the Lord for Him to renew and sanctify me. Well, it is true that He will do it as He is faithful in His Word. But I realise I also have a role to play so that the Lord can gain my tripartite being. 

(1 Tim 4:7) But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse, and exercise yourself unto
godliness
.

I have to cooperate with the Lord by keeping my spirit in a living condition. In order to do it, I have to exercise my spirit in order to preserve my spirit. 

(Jer 15:16) Your words were found and I ate them, / And Your word became to me / The
gladness and joy of my heart, / For I am called by Your name, / O Jehovah, God
of hosts.

I also need to exercise my soul to be filled with Him. I can contact the Word and muse upon Him. This will create a way for Him to permeate my soul. Then I will find joy in Him and my soul will be able to praise Him and worship Him.

(1 Thes 4:4) That each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and
honor
,

I also need to exercise to live a holy life for the church life. Sometimes, I am quite careless in taking care of my physical environment, and I might be defiled by many things passively instead of exercising myself to run away from the worldly things. Then this can affect the enjoyment of the Lord in my soul and even stop me exercising my spirit to touch the Lord. 

So, it's a good reminder to me again. The Lord is faithful to sanctify us, and this is also His heart's desire to do so. But without my cooperation, whatever He tries to do in me will be in vain. I shouldn't be passive in preserving myself but to be proactive and exercise my entire being to live a life that can let the Lord sanctify us wholly.