Here but not yet . . .

In theology classes, Christians are taught that the Kingdom of God arrived with Jesus Christ, so it is here, but not yet. In other words, His rule as King has begun, but is not yet fully accomplished. It will be, and that is a certainty, but not yet.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:11–14)

In the same “here and not yet here” concept, we who believe are set apart for God because we belong to Him, yet we are being set apart for God (sanctified) because we are not there yet. Parts of our lives are wholly dedicated, but I am continually being made aware of what I hold back even though I know that all of it already belongs to Jesus.

My first reaction to all of this is humility. How can it be that I love the Lord my God yet resist Him? How can it be that my sins are totally forgiven yet I continue to sin? How can it be that this life is perfected for all time, yet I am still “being sanctified”? 

God’s ways are definitely mysterious and this is one of them. Yet it works. First of all, it keeps me on my knees before Him. I’m continually asking for help, thankful for grace, and amazed at the wonder of Him.

It also keeps me in a place where I can relate to others and they can identify with me. The people around me cannot deal with me as a perfectly sinless person, even if that were possible. Look what they did to Jesus. While some believed later, they all cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him.” People around me can identify with my bumbling much easier than Christ’s perfections. I can also empathize with their sins and weaknesses. If God’s kingdom was complete in my life that would not happen.

As the above passage says, the offering of Jesus Christ for my sins was for all of them. No matter what I have done or will do in the future, His blood covers it. I am forgiven, even “perfected” — which means “without defect or blemish” in the sight of God, yet here on earth in this life, He is not done with me. He is at work that I might be fully dedicated to Him as He is to me, and that I might be totally pure in everything I think, say, or do.

Like the Kingdom, this is here for me and as sure as the promises and faithfulness of God. However, I’m not there yet. I’m on a journey with Christ to a certain destiny and because He lives in me, I will not only make it to the end, but also will be like Him when I get there.

Lest anyone think that the Christian life is restricting, boring, or without its challenges, my efforts to live up to what God has already accomplished for me is more than enough to make life exciting and challenging, but also filled with anticipation and the certainty that He will finish all that He has begun.

Being a saint

At least one denomination has a lofty definition for ‘saint’ and who is eligible to be one. However, the Bible uses ‘saint’ to describe every person who belongs to God. The Greek word is defined and used that way. Its definition also includes ‘holy’ which means ‘set apart for God.’ This word is used in the New Testament to describe all those who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul began many of his epistles or letters to the churches using this word in his greeting to all the people in that congregation . . .

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:2–3)

In these few words, the apostle tells us what God has and wants for His people. While his message eventually confronts the immaturity in this church, right from the beginning he clarifies that even immature Christians are not like others. We have a special place in Christ and in history.

Saints are sanctified. This is a great word. My Greek dictionary says this is about being dedicated to God. This word could be translated as, ‘those who have given themselves to God’ or ‘those who serve God with a whole heart.’ However, lest I start thinking that this is a choice that I did all by myself, the next line says . . .

Saints are called. This is about being “summoned or commissioned” and describes the calling of God on a person’s life. He calls sinners to Himself, to be set apart by Him and for Him. The more I know myself, the more I realize the marvel that God should call me. His grace enables me to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from His grace, I am fully aware of what and where I would be.

Saints are saved by grace. Grace is simply God’s favor. It is not deserved (all people sin and fall short) nor is it earned. No one can meet the standard. No matter how good I might think I am, or how anyone else thinks I am, my goodness falls short of God’s glory.

Saints are at peace. While most of us think this means absence of war or turmoil, God’s peace goes beyond that. It is first about peace with Him. Instead of being antagonistic toward God, church, religion, rules or whatever is associated with yielding to Him as Lord of my life, the gift of peace with Him makes an amazing difference in my life; I’m not anywhere near as feisty as I used to be and the desire of my heart is to be totally submitted to the will of God. I have peace with Him.

Added to that is the peace of God. This is peace that truly passes understanding. The world around can be falling apart but this peace from God is based on knowing He is God. He puts my heart at rest. This is not ignoring troublesome things, nor is it a nonchalant I-don’t-care attitude. It is a heart at rest, trusting the Lord. God gives this peace to His people.

All of these things are the blessings of being a saint. With them, I do not care if anyone puts me up on the top of a list (or on the bottom). Human recognition is okay, but it pales beside knowing that I am God’s child, called by grace to be His. I am blessed in a peace-filled relationship — all because of the One called Jesus who lived and died and lives again for His people, His saints.

Separated but not alone

Every person feels completely alone at times, physically without friends or companions, or in a struggle of being misunderstood, or alone with problems and sorrows. For a Christian, this sense of being isolated is heightened in a culture that does not understand matters of faith, is not interested, or mocks what we believe. This difficulty is heightened further by God’s instruction to take care that we do not unite ourselves with that culture.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14–18)

This separation began with Israel in a literal sense. God located His ancient people in an isolated place, walled by the mountains of Lebanon in the north, a desert on the east, wilderness to the south, and a sea without harbors and navigable rivers on the west. He told them also to be separate, as part of the above verses came from Isaiah, but not only that, they were to put out and even destroy the pagans living in their land.

What happened in their history illustrates the spiritual struggle in the Body of Christ. Christians are set apart by God to declare His praises in a sinful world. We live in it, but are not to have the world’s attitude toward temporal things, nor desire them.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

Perhaps this necessity of separation from the world is part of the reason we are told to “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). 

Besides many reasons for needing encouragement from other Christians, I also need like-minded companionship lest this isolation from the world drives me to despair, or worse, to go back and renew my former partnership with the world and its darkness.

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Lord, You promise to never leave me or forsake me, and I know that is true. However, there are times when every Christian needs the support and even the mere presence of others who know and understand this idea of being in the world but not of the world. Help me to be that support and presence, but also to rely on You to supply it for me when I am feeling isolated.

Sanctification

The Christian faith uses some long words. One of them is sanctification. While it sounds complex, the meaning is fairly simple. It means “set apart.” In most cases, this is about being set apart by God or for God, and to be used for His holy purposes.

The vessels in the Old Testament temple were sanctified. They were not allowed in common use. That place of worship was also sanctified or set apart in the hearts of the people. It was a place of worship, not a place to buy T-shirts or casually visit with friends.

In the New Testament, sanctification becomes personal. Instead of objects and places, we who believe in Him are set apart. For this, Jesus prayed toward the end of His life here: 

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:16–19)

These verses indicate that truth is the sanctifying agent. That is, the more I am exposed to the Word of God, the more this “set apart” condition will happen to me. Of course, I’m not worried that Jesus’ prayer will be unanswered. The process of sanctification is already happening.

This long word is an important part of Christian living. While truth from the Word of God is used, all of God is involved in the process. The following verses show how sanctification is also about all of me, about all Christians everywhere, and about what it produces in each of us who are sanctified.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:2–3)

(To those who are elect . . .)  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Peter 1:2)

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Oh Lord God, how incredible is Your grace that desires to make me holy and blameless, totally devoted to You in my entire being. Thank You for including me in the vast number of those who call upon Your name. Thank You that this calling and sanctification produce obedience, but also grace and peace, even multiplied grace and peace in my heart. You made me a “lover of words” so that I enjoy word puzzles, word meanings, reading and study. Yet even more exciting is that this word makes me also a lover of God! Because of sanctification, I deeply enjoy You and the unveiling mystery of Who You are and what You are doing.

I need to be in shape for this. . .

We have literally dozens of mugs in our kitchen cupboard. When someone visits and happens to get a mug from the cupboard themselves, they might pick one that is set apart. You know, the mug that ‘belongs’ to one person in the household and no one else uses it. My husband has his with writing that says, “Born to golf, forced to work.” Mine is a double-sized burnt orange, and our granddaughter has one with Homer Simpson on it. Set apart mugs, just for us.

In Scripture, the idea of being set apart uses a religious-sounding word. Those set apart for God are called “sanctified.” In some cases, people becomes sanctified by offering themselves to God, but most of the time this term is used for those God sets apart for Himself. He does that so He can use them to accomplish His will on earth.

This sounds a bit like slavery to those inexperienced. Just like a cup in the cupboard, are the people whom God has sanctified merely sitting around waiting until He tells them what to do? Are they unable to do anything else?

My study Bible says that all believers in Christ are set apart for God and His purposes, doing only what He wants, hating all that He hates. This is an initial event in our lives, but also progressive. We belong to God and live for God, but it takes awhile for us to learn how to act like it. It also says “sanctification is accomplished by means of the truth.”

I wrote about that yesterday. Truth does not enslave people. It sets us free. Without it, we are slaves to all sorts of things, slaves to sin, to selfishness, to fear and worry. When we believe lies, those lies motivate us to negative thinking and behavior. Truth is freedom, and truth sets us apart for God.

Jesus prayed, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. . . . Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

Jesus never did anything other than the will of God. He was actively engaged in the world, healing the sick, blessing and loving people. That His life was not spent on a shelf clearly proves that sanctification is never boring. He also ate, drank, slept, enjoyed His friends, and did all the things people do. Sanctification is not a pious, I’m-too-holy-to-be real kind of existence either.

Jesus knows total truth and in that knowledge is totally free from bondage. Sanctification is that—knowing truth and being free to talk, live, do truth. And this is a most joyful thing.

Yesterday I woke up thinking “He is risen” and even though it was only Easter Saturday, the truth of the resurrection filled me with such joy that I even told God, “I don’t think I can be this happy all day—it takes too much energy!”

Just before we ate, being sanctified meant God gave me a job to do. Our family sat down to the dinner table and I read Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15 about the reality and significance of the resurrection. As he said, if Jesus did not rise, then we who believe in Him are pitiful, but He did rise and because of that, we glorify God.

I knew God wanted me to read this, even though there were several present who do not believe in Him. Never mind. The joy of doing His will overwhelmed me. Sanctification is not a ‘grit your teeth and do it’ sacrifice, but an incredibly wonderful privilege.

I don’t think I could handle such a privilege every moment of every day though. After everyone went home, I fell sound asleep on the sofa—totally exhausted (odd for a person who hardly ever take a nap). However, now I understand why God gives me those days now and then of being a bit like mug sitting on the shelf. I’m simply not in shape for the rigors of being set apart!