GOD'S DISPOSAL SYSTEM (Part II)

GOD’S DISPOSAL SYSTEM (Part II)

The grace of God is continuously operative, both in and around us.  GOD does not throw people away.  Graciously and mercifully, HE transforms us.  How so?  Love is God’s essence and the modus operandi by which He graciously and mercifully liberates us from the shameful and destructive forces of sin.  However, divine love also has the necessary component of justice, so sins are remedied and sinners redeemed by the CREATOR who hates sin (UNQUESTIONABLY) but loves people (uNCONDITIONALLY). 

Therefore, it is a practical necessity that GOD would provide us 1) the means to be saved from the power and penalty of sin, and 2) the means to be delivered from the dominant sinful influences of the world system in which we live.  These two salvation operations are commonly called conversion and sanctification.  Both operate through grace AND faith, which “work by love.” (Galatians 5:6)

We understand that Grace is God’s unmerited favor.  We could never deserve salvation, neither could we labor to attain it, but it was freely afforded to us as a loving act of human redemption. 

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Grace is a divine operation that can only be initiated by GOD; nevertheless, it requires a human response, which is fully and ably assisted by God.  God’s post-conversion activity within the lives of believers is the process known as sanctification.  It is an operation that is largely divine, but simultaneously human.  That is, life is imparted to the believer by the Holy Spirit and s/he is released from the compulsive power of sin and guilt and thus enabled to love God, to strive to please Him, and to commence Kingdom service. It is GOD that purifies and sets believers apart for service, but WE must be cooperating partners in this divine process.

The Apostle Paul offers a practical admonition to young Timothy, his protégé.  “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (II Timothy 2:4) This is a direct echo of Christ’s claim that believers must be “IN the world,” yet not OF the world. (John 17:11) Indeed, this is a paradox.  We are commissioned as the “salt” and “light” of the world. (Matthew 5:13-14) Yet, despite our close proximity to the world system, we are strongly admonished to avoid adopting worldly practices.  To wit, we have been divinely dispatched as human transformers.  This is our mission, but it is also our greatest challenge – that we be IN…but not OF…the world.

Utilizing the metaphor of Christians being part of a noble or “great house,” Paul instructs us Winner-Believers to “depart from iniquity.”  He contends that even noble houses contain both vessels of “honor” and “dishonor.”  Our task, via the divine purging process, is to identify with (and assimilate the characteristics of) honorable vessels that are “sanctified” and “meet” [fit] “for the master’s use.”  (II Timothy 2:20-21) In effect, “the husbandman” (God) continuously prunes and purges “every branch…that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2) This is the process of sanctification by which believers are divinely prepared and divinely pOSITIONed for Kingdom service.  In the words of Jesus Christ…

John 15:1-8

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

This process of sanctification is accomplished through our ongoing exposure and submission to the Word of God.  That is, Jesus Christ not only saves us from our sin (its penalty and power), but He divinely disposes of our sin (its practice) through the ongoing operations of the Holy Spirit.  This does not mean that Christians are perfect.  Any realistic self-examination would preclude such an unrealistic conclusion.  Although we are called to “be perfect,” i.e. to emulate Christ and strive toward His perfection, we recognize that Heaven’s treasure resides within frail and fallible human vessels. (Matthew 5:48 and II Corinthians 4:7) Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!