But of Him you are in Christ
Jesus, who became for us…sanctification… —1 Corinthians 1:30
The Life Side. The mystery of
sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a
gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once I enter by faith into the
realization that He “became for [me]…sanctification….” Sanctification means
nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my
life.
The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in
imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit
themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you…” (Colossians
1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in
sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I
willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?
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 an imitation. Imitation
is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in Jesus
Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of
Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a
life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “…kept by the power of
God…” (1 Peter 1:5).
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