We can view our spiritual journey as a simplified three-phase process. First, the Christian has been saved from the penalty of sin because of Jesus’s willing sacrifice of his life on the cross. This is justification. We have been justified; it is just as if you never sinned when you accept Jesus has your Lord and Savior. So when you stand before the Lord on the day of judgment and he looks at you, he won't see you, but instead he'll see his perfect son, Jesus Christ, because of justification. We are also going through the process of sanctification throughout our lives as Christ followers. We are being sanctified on a regular basis because of the Holy Spirit working in our lives as long as we give him that control.
After we die or Jesus returns to earth for his second coming, we will be glorified. We will be glorified beings. We will be changed in an instant according to the Bible, in the twinkling of an eye. Somehow, we will be different, and yet we'll still be the same.
This is the way that Jesus wants to reframe our actions. As God does work in us through obedience, he does a work through our actions, where we filter every one of our actions and try to align them to match the same life of obedience that Jesus displayed.
Romans 8:11 tells us just how powerful the Holy Spirit is. This verse says, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
Reflection/Discussion Question: Which of these processes is the hardest for you to understand or grasp? Spend some times today looking at Scripture referring to this process to learn more.
Comments