I will deliver you from
the Jewish people,
as well as from the Gentiles,
to whom I now send you,
to open their eyes,
in order to turn them from
darkness to light,
and from the power
of Satan to God,
that they may receive
forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance among
those who are sanctified
by faith in Me.
Acts 26:17-18
By faith we are sanctified, our hearts are renewed and by love purified as these words above state to Paul on the road to Damascus when he was approached by Jesus and set aside to become an Apostle. Paul would be delivered from the Jews, those to whom he was compelled to protect from this growing new religion. Further he was to be protected from the Gentiles for Paul was set aside to minister the Word of God as the Holy Spirit would reveal to him. The principle for us in this narrative is that Christians are set aside to be ministers for Jesus Christ, and, we have the protection and guidance of God Himself as we labor in His work. We are justified, but more, we are sanctified in the sight of God. Yes, we must work sanctification into our daily lives, and this sanctification comes by being in His Word, praying and intentionally being an ambassador for Him. Both Galatians 5:6 and Acts 15:9 instruct us that it is faith that works in us by love and that our hearts are purified.
Prior to the coming of the Son of God into this world, in the old covenant made with Israel, justification came by keeping the law and all the sacrifices and festivals that were required. Now in the new covenant made with the coming of Jesus Christ as the One who would redeem God's people by His death on the cross, we are justified, justified by means of that propitiation death for the true Church. The law brought forth fruit unto death, that is all that the law could bring forth for if you did not keep all the law death was the fruit. We are freed from the law and its curses by the death of Jesus Christ. This is not to say that we are to become antinomian, for there is no antinomy between the old and new covenant, only that the requirements of the old covenant were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself stated: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). There are those who preach and teach the abolishment of the Law, and others hold fast to the Old Testament Covenant and attempt to keep the Law, the Law that was fulfilled in Jesus with all its rules and requirements, but the Law, the Ten Commandments are not abolished and it is that Law that has it fulfillment in us as Christians, there is no room for antinomianism: "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another, for all the law is fulfill in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), (Galatians 5:13-14). The writer of Hebrews adds: Previously saying, 'Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them' (Which are offered according tot he law), then He said, 'Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.' he takes away the first that he may establish the second. by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ one for all" (Hebrews 10:8-10).
It is in the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, that we are freed from the condemnation of the Law, we then live free by the death of Jesus Christ. We live holy lives, and until we do live in that manner, until we have been delivered from that wrath there can be no love of God in our hearts. We receive the favor of God, the release from what the Law could never do, we are restored, to the favor of God. This is so clearly taught in Romans chapter 6:1-6 and in the seventh chapter. It is by faith that we pass over from death unto life, this judicial death, required by the justice of God, a just God, and a merciful God who paid our debt Himself through the Son of God. We are justified, sanctified and is the most indispensable step of faith. Sanctification in this life is revealed to our consciousness, to the consciousness of the believer.
Eternity began the day we were knit together in our mother's womb. There is an eternity for all people, whether we live for God now is determined if we are living for eternity or for the moment, this secular life. Are our treasures laid up in Christ? Or as some who will be rejected by Christ even though they shout all that they have done for Christ. It is not what we do for Christ, it is what Christ has done for us. We live in love, love for God, in all our being, body, soul, and spirit, and we love our neighbor as we should be loving ourselves as being children of God.
Therefore do not
cast away
your confidence,
which has
great reward.
Hebrews 10:35
May God Continue to Bless You
Richard L. Crumb
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