3rd Part of the Journey - Holiness (cont.)

From John Stott’s Message of Romans page 222

The moral law has not been abolished for us; it is to be fulfilled in us. Although law-obedience is not the ground of our justification (it is in this sense that we are ‘not under law but under grace’), it is the fruit of it and the very meaning of sanctification. Holiness is Christlikeness, and Christlikeness is fulfilling the righteousness of the law. . . .  holiness is the work of the Holy Spirit. Romans 7 insists that we cannot keep the law because of our indwelling ‘flesh’; Romans 8:4 insists that we can and must because of the indwelling Spirit.

     . . . Our freedom from the law (proclaimed for instance in 7:4, 6 and 8:2) is not freedom to disobey it. On the contrary the law-obedience of the people of God is so important to God that he sent his Son to die for us and his Spirit to live in us, in order to secure it. Holiness is the fruit of trinitarian grace, of the Father sending his Son into the world and his Spirit into our hearts.

1st Part of the Journey - Holiness

This week in my study of the Word and reading, I was taken on a journey which I will be sharing over the next few posts. It is interesting when I pick up and read different devotionals and weekly writings such as My Utmost For His Highest (MUfHH) by Oswald Chambers (http://utmost.org/) or by T. Austin Sparks (http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/openwindows/003303.html) sometimes I will read a couple of days and not be “moved” and other times the words leap off the page at me. I was impacted this week by a few writings.

First part of the journey:

I was reading MufHH from July 23^rd (I was doing some catch up on ones I had not read) and his writing on Sanctification moved me.

His referrence was - But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . sanctification . . .—1 Corinthians 1:30

“The mystery of sanctification – perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, . . . instantly . . . nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life.

- Sanctification is “Christ in you” Col. 1:27

- Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul.

- Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy— it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me.

- Sanctification is an impartation not and imitation"

Let this be included in our thoughts this week as we live our life in the now. How can we let His holiness permeate our every NOW?