Sanctification

I have been reading the first 8 chapters of First Corinthians lately in my effort to memorize Scripture and instead of reading all 8 chapters today, I read at a bit of a slower pace and only made it through the first chapter. I normally like to read 8 chapters or a block at a time because it really allows me to see Scripture in the context it belongs and not pick a verse and run with it as so many people like to do.

What has been sticking out to me lately is the issue of sanctification and how it plays a roll in our lives. I fully understand that sanctification is separate from justification. Our justification comes through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Similarly, people are not striving to hit a certain mark with their sanctification and then have earned salvation- this is not all what I am about to talk about.

The Apostle Paul addresses the Christians in Corinth in his first letter by saying, "to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints." Once we are saved, we will be sanctified in Christ Jesus. I take issue with those who say they are saved but continue to live life as they did before. We are called to be set apart, holy. Now, I'm not saying that a certain level of sanctification will save you- simply that it will be there as a result of being saved.

Verse 30 of chapter one goes on to say, "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Christ became sanctification for us. How can we have the imputed righteousness of Christ applied to us, but not the sanctification?

I write this post in the same manner Paul wrote First Corinthians- as a rebuke. So many people who call themselves saved don't live changed lives. Again, I understand that our sanctification doesn't save us, but one can't go to the other of extreme, either. Just because one can't quantify the amount of sanctification doesn't give you the right to write it off.

I often times feel as the Apostle Paul does in the opening verse of Chapter 3: "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ." Paul couldn't address people inside the church as "spiritual people." That still holds true today- many inside the church can't be addressed that way.

These would be your "fanatics" today. We are called such because there are so many people who profess the name of Christ but are lukewarm. We are the exception, not the norm.

Different things stick out to me at different times in Scripture, often in the same chapters of the same book. I'm not sure who I'm writing these for, but I wanted to pen my thoughts and publish them.

What I Used to Believe

I wanted to post the difference between what I used to believe and what I now know to be true. I believe a lot of people hold the same beliefs that I used to.

As many who read this blog know, I grew up Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic. Up until my teen years, this is what I believed. I'm not sure if this is the perception most people in the Catholic Church have, but I believed that as long as I went to confession before I died, I was going to heaven. It didn't matter what sins I committed or my attitude- as long as I made it to confession before I died, I would be going to heaven.

I was also taught that I didn't have to go to confession for venial sins- only mortal sins. The Eucharist also had the ability to abolish venial sins. I thought I could live anyway I wanted and as long as I made it to confession, I was given a clean slate.

Here is what the Bible teaches: While we are called to confess our sins (1 John 1:9), you must be born again (John 3:3) to inherit the kingdom of God. It isn't about living your life as you want to and then "checking in" to get a clean slate. God requires repentance (Luke 13:3) and complete surrender of your life to Him (Matthew 16:25-26, John 12:25-26).

Playing this confession game, I also was never sure of my salvation. The Bible tells us the exact opposite- that we can be sure of our salvation (1 John 5:13, Romans 8:16).

I fear I also believed in "easy believism"- that by only believing I would be saved. I know there are many out there who also fall into this camp. I want to leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul:

"We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20b).

2 Corinthians 5:21 describes the greatest thing that has ever happened for us: "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." Repent and trust Jesus today for your salvation!

On the Street Before Church - 10/24/10

Last Sunday, I had decided I was going to go out again before church. I ended up having a really hard time sleeping the night before and I was so tired and I didn't go out. I decided again that I would go out before church today and I had mentioned to my wife that something would probably happen to keep me up through the night again. It's amazing how many obstacles the devil will through your way when you try to share the Gospel.

My neighbor below me had turned on his exhaust fan in his bathroom around 2:00 AM and it was on for a solid hour before I finally went down to ask him to turn it off. I went outside to see if the lights were on in his apartment and they were, so I knocked on his door and asked him to turn it off. He apologized for leaving it on and then I went back upstairs and back to bed. At this point, though, I was awake.

I started listening to a sermon, hoping I would get tired and fall asleep. I ended up being up for another hour before finally falling asleep. I had trouble sleeping later in the morning again and I was again debating on whether or not to skip witnessing, but I knew it would be the same story next week if I didn't go out.

I ended up going to Rocky River High School, which is at the intersection of Wagar and Detroit. I stood on the north side of Detroit Road across from the track at the high school. Shortly after I arrived, someone who was jogging around the track said something to me, but I wasn't able to make out what he said. After he was done jogging, he came across the street and told me that no one respects extremists and that my sign sucked.

A little while later, Stephen pulled up to encourage me. He told me had he seen me about a year ago in Westlake and wanted to stop. He gave me some of his tracts and I gave him one of my Way of the Master tracts. He gave me his contact information and told me that he would stand with me if I wanted.

At the corner of Wagar and Detroit across from the high school is a Christian Science church, and there is also a church that meets inside the high school. I made sure to stand far enough away from the Christian Science church so as not to be associated with it. I think this was a good location because there are at least two churches on Detroit Road (including the one I previously stood near a few weeks ago).

My intention is not to compete with the churches, just to get people who are in those churches to think about their salvation. I know I used to be one of those who went to church but was not saved and I am sure there are some in those churches in the same situation.

The Existence of God, Heaven and Hell

I have never doubted the existence of God. I remember going to church for as long as I can remember, even if it was in Ukrainian and I couldn't understand it. When I entered my teen years, I started asking some questions about God and found myself drifting away from the Catholic church. Toward the end of my teen years, I had completely severed from the Catholic church and frequented a Baptist church, but I still wasn't saved.

In my early twenties, I didn't even go to church. It wasn't until I was 24 that the Lord saved me. Through all this, I never doubted the existence of God, but I never really seemed concerned about my eternal fate. Looking back, I know I should have been terrified had anything happened to me, but through this, I never doubted the existence of God. I wonder today how many people in the world are in this same situation. I know it is the entire population that isn't saved.

I have heard countless atheists deny the existence of God, but Romans 1:19-20a clearly tells us: "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made."

Take the human eye, for example- it has 137 million light sensitive cells and that just happened to "evolve" as so many would tell you. God has clearly proven his existence to all human beings- some just "suppress the truth" as Romans 1:18 says.

Romans 1:20b-22: "So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

This leads me to the existence of Heaven and Hell. As well as I know that God exists, I know that both Heaven and Hell exist. At some point in 2008 this reality became amazingly clear to me for some reason. I knew I was headed for one or the other, and if you don't know you are going to heaven, then your eternity is going to spent in the only other option there is- Hell.

You may say this is an arrogant thing to say, but it is the truth. The Apostle John writes in his first letter, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

I have also started to look at this life differently. James said in James 4:14, "You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." I know it may seem like your life is long, but compare that to eternity and see how long it really is. It indeed is just a vapor. Not only that, think about an eternity in Hell.

God, Heaven and Hell are all real. If you don't know that you will spend eternity in Heaven, please read "The Message of the Cross." Also, please remember that people aren't going to Hell because of their disbelief in Jesus. Romans 10:5 says "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them." The problem is none of us have been able to keep the law perfectly.

God demands a payment for your sins. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." If you have never repented (turn from) of your sins and by faith have placed your trust in Jesus, please do so today.

A Mistake in Evangelism

About a week and a half ago, I went out on a Sunday morning and stood near a church in Rocky River. I didn't stand on the sidewalk that was on their property, but I stood on the other side of a street facing the church to have all the people coming to church see my cross. This was the second Sunday morning I had gone out on the street.

The first time I stood at this corner, I was engaged in conversation by some young men and one who seemed to know parts well, but knowledge doesn't always save. I'm glad I had the chance to have this conversation, but I wonder at what cost. The second time I stood at this location, someone came out of the church and asked if I was affiliated with their church. I said I was not, and she told me it was interesting that I picked this location and that I should go somewhere else.

I reverted back to my rights as a U.S. citizen and said I stand in various place and I was standing on a side walk. Just because I have the right to do something doesn't always make it the right thing to do. While I won't be standing at this location again, I am grateful for the people's paths God brought me into. I had the conversation with the young men the first time and someone driving by on the second time asked about my cross. He said he was curious about it, and I directed him to my blog. I'm not sure whether or not he ever looked it up.

I know there are going to be a lot of people in the church who think they are saved and aren't. Jesus said in Matthew 7 21-23, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' "

My intention was to hopefully reach some of these people. Then I thought about how I would feel if someone stood outside my church holding a cross. The words of the Apostle Paul also stood out to me in my reading: "I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation" (Romans 15:20). I had never been inside this church and wasn't sure of what was being preached inside its walls.

I had picked my spot because of its strategic location- it was at the top of a dead end street which had the church's parking lot in it. The spot was the most appealing because I would hit traffic traveling from both east and west of the church instead of just one direction. Looking back, there was also the sidewalk across the street a block or so away. If I go back to this location, I will stand far enough away so as not to be associated with the church.

Whatever the outcome from being there, it is in God's hands. I hope He will use it to His glory.

A Key Point for Witnessing

I was sharing the Gospel with someone at my work place today and I have a key point I wanted to share that I think is essential in witnessing. One thing that I feel is essential is telling people why they need Jesus. I think so many people are told to believe in Jesus but have no idea why they should.

First, imagine you are in a court of law with a million dollar fine in front of you. There is nothing you can do to pay the fine and the judge is about to send you to jail for the rest of your life. You plead with the judge that you are a good person, that you have done many good deeds.

"That may be so," says the judge, "but you have broken the law, and there must be payment for your actions." The judge is about to pass sentence on you when at the last second, someone comes in and places a million dollars in front of the judge.

The judge looks at you and says, "You are free to go. Not because you are a good person, not because you deserve it, but because your fine has been paid." That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. He lived a perfect, sinless life and died in our place. At His death on the cross, our sins were placed on Him and He paid the fine in our place.

After explaining substitutionary atonement, explain that people are not going to hell for their disbelief of Jesus. People are going to hell because they have sinned against God and God demands payment for their sins. There are two options for that payment- your soul in hell for eternity or the blood of Jesus on the cross.

At this point, you can also explain why all other religions do not provide for salvation. There is no payment for their sins- only Christianity provides a complete removal of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I believe a big stumbling block preventing people from accepting the gospel is all the other "options" world religions offer to them. If you eliminate disbelief in Jesus, you have leveled the playing field. Once people understand Jesus is the payment for their sins, the gospel makes complete sense. This is the reason they need to repent and trust in Jesus.

God's Hand in My Job Situation

The past few months have been pretty trying on me. In August, I took a position at a call center. There was a 3 week introductory training period and there was one other person training with me. On the first or second day, my new co-worker asked me what kind of movies or TV shows I like, and I said I really don't watch either. He asked what I do like to do, and I said I like to read- the Bible.

This was my swing from the natural realm to the spiritual realm. My co-worker had told me that he grew up with a Christian background but didn't currently go to church. He told me he was looking for something in between Christianity and either Buddhism or Hinduism (I can't remember exactly).

I'm not sure exactly what I shared with him about (it was over 2 months ago), but I do remember giving him a gospel tract and telling him to check out this blog and read the message of the cross on this blog (which has a gospel presentation). He told me he would, and no more than a day or two later, he was terminated because he showed up late twice.

Later on that week or early the next week, I gave my supervisor a gospel tract. She told me she knew God existed and that He loved her. After reading the tract, she told me what it said was scary. At this point, I clearly explained the gospel to her, including substitutionary atonement. She then told me she would like to talk about God daily.

On my third week at this job, I had to quit this job because they wanted me to violate my ethics. I don't want to go into detail about this, but I wasn't going to say what they wanted me to say. I decided on Wednesday, in my third week at this job, that I was going to quit. I called the attendance line on Thursday to report I was coming in and I sent my supervisor an email explaining why. I told her I hoped she would take to heart what I had explained to her about the gospel.

I quit this job without having anything else lined up, but I just knew I couldn't stay at this job and violate my ethics and conscience. My wife said she understood why I made the decision I made, but she was also frustrated. She told me if I didn't have a new job by the end of the week (and it was already Thursday) that I had to go to a temp agency. I was hoping to find a permanent, full time job, but if I had to, as a last resort, I told my wife I would go to a temp agency. Well, I was at my last resort.

I prayed a lot about the situation Thursday and I hadn't a clue what was going to happen next. Then on Friday, I saw a job posting for a marketing/sales job. I was offered an interview and went in that day. The president of the company asked me if I was working, and I told him that I had been, but I had to quit and why.

I knew this interview was my last chance and wasn't sure what was going to happen. The president of the company had me take a typing test, and after talking a bit more, offered me the job on the spot. After leaving, I called my wife, told her I got a job and I knew it was God that orchestrated it.

I started the following Monday, and after talking to the person I was taking over for, found out he was a Christian. I told him that I briefly had thoughts about going into ministry, and he told me he had had the same thoughts. More than that, he was leaving in a week to start a job at a call center. I couldn't believe the coincidences. He was taking this job as an entry point into a company and hopes to move up quickly.

He told me that he had tried sharing his faith with his co-workers previously. I didn't get into specifics about his method of sharing, but I did tell him I really liked Way of the Master. I felt a real urgency to share at my previous job and as it turns out for a good reason- my stay there was short.

I haven't been as up-front about my faith at this job and I'm not sure why. Perhaps this is the reason: I seem to have sparked someone if not multiple people's curiosity where I work about my evangelism. I know at least one person, if not multiple people where I work have viewed my blog, read the message of the cross, and have even read the extended version at my church's website (or at least clicked the link to go there).

Not only that, but there are a lot of return visits. My hope is that they will continue to visit this blog and one day ask me about it. I also have the foundation laid before me. For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps" (John 4:37).

I also hope I am not written off as fanatical- for, "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:14). It may seem like we have a long time to live here on earth, but it will only be vapor compared to eternity. I hope those reading this will be spending eternity with our Lord. Eternity is a long time to spend in hell.

A co-worker asked me last week what I like to do (since I don't watch much TV) and I again said read the Bible. I'm not sure whether the fact that I am the "cross guy" is the 800 pound gorilla in the room that no one talks about or not. I do know this, though, I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

I am entering my fourth week at this job, and God-willing, I will be able to stay at this job. I had a temporary job in July at a marketing company that I hoped would turn into full time employment. No matter how hard I seemed to try at that job, I just could not seem to do what they expected of me. I prayed constantly about it and asked God to help me achieve success, but I ended up being released from the temporary job shortly after I started.

It was difficult for me at the time when I was let go, but looking back, I know had I stayed there I wouldn't have been able to share the gospel with the others that I have. The gospel is more important than any job I will ever have. At each job I have had, I try to do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

I felt like my last job was a test to see if I was going to be obedient to God. Things seem to be clicking for me at this job. I only had a week to learn from my fore-runner what he learned in about 3 months. I've had to ask for some help along the way until I fully get a hold of things, but things look bright.

You most likely won't see me on the street during the week anymore, but I hope to set aside time on the weekends- if nothing else, Sunday mornings before service. Perhaps next year when it stays light until 9 I will be out on weeknights. It was pouring rain this morning and I wasn't out there, but hopefully next Sunday I will be.