THE WORKS OF GRACE lll
MEMORISE: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11
READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:2 -7
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
MESSAGE
We looked at the first two works of grace over the past two days and would be discussing the third work of grace today. The third work of grace happens after we have become children of God through the blood of Jesus cleansing us of all sins. The Lord at this stage, brings closer to Himself a se,eat group. Matthew 22:14 says: "For many are called, but few are chosen". This chosen few become what l would like to call the favorites of the Almighty God.
In the olden days, a king could have as many wives as he wanted, but there would still be one who would be his favorite. After salvation, there is always a select group of people who are just closer to God than everyone else. They are not like every else- they love God more; they serve Him more committedly. These are the ones who don't come for what they can get; they serve Him whatever the cost. We call these people the Sanctified - people who are set apart for God.
Now, these people who are given a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26 says "A new heart also will l give you, and a new spirit will l,put within you: and l will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and l will give you an heart of flesh". Many Christians never get to this level before they die and that is a pity. This is why we have so many Christians, yet, only a few are actually living holy.
The one that the Almighty God is going to set apart for Himself must be completely dead to the world. He must be put to sleep so soundly that there is nothing anybody can do that will distract his attention from God. These are the ones who will say like Paul in Galatians m2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless l live; yet not l, but Christ LIVETH in me: and the life which l now live in the flesh l live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
In the past, one of the ways by which we identified these sanctified people is that they are difficult to annoy. They are so occupied with their Groom - the Lord Jesus Christ, that there is very little you can do to offend them. Sanctified people are those who will suffer any wrong calmly, rather than allow an unbeliever to say, "And you call yourself a child of God".
PRAYER POINT
Pray to God to sanctify you , your household and every member of your local assembly.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 44-46
HY MN 7: I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Chorus
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3 O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!
4 There are depths of love that I yet may know
Ere Thee face to face I see;
There are heights of joy that I yet may reach
Ere I rest in peace with Thee.
