WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9
Philippians 2:1-14
1 Peter 1:22

"…ye have purified your souls
in obeying the truth through the Spirit…"

SANCTIFIED BY OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND HIS TRUTH

Through God’s Word we know that we are sanctified by the Triune God, by God’s Word/Truth, by Christ’s precious blood, cross, and life, etc. All such knowledge is precious, but it is only effectual when we truly believe and live out our faith in obedience to the Triune God and His Word/ Truth. Disobeying God and His Word is sin. We must not be deceived by popular speakers and writers who may preach, speak and write very well but whose lives do not show true obedience and submission to God and His Word and Truth.

Sanctification includes separation (from sins, sinful flesh, wrong doctrines, unbelievers, worldliness, etc), dedication to God, and submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Without any of these, true holiness will not result. Are we willing to separate ourselves from sins, worldliness, and whatever that does not suit God’s Truth and His holy presence? Do we turn to the Lord, trust in Him, rely on Him, live by Him and submit to Him and His Word daily? If we do, we are walking in the narrow way of sanctification, leading to life. It is by God’s grace alone that He works in us and moves us to do His will, so we must willingly obey God to work out our salvation or to produce the fruit of our salvation through a sanctified Christian life! "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil 2:12-13). "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…" (1 Pet 1:22).

We must bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal 5:22-23), as well as the "fruit unto holiness" (Rom 6:22). Thus, "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor 7:1). What about you?

THOUGHT: Without obedience, there is no true sanctification!
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for working in me to do Thy will.