The spiritual life is all about progressing from being a worldly Christian to a spiritual Christian.
In the previous post, we looked at the elements you need to progress.
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- Baby Christian
- Carnal Christian
- Spiritual Christian
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
It is important that every Christian should progress from baby Christian to Spiritual Christian.
The relationship between spiritual life and salvation.
It is important at the start to distinguish salvation from spiritual life although one flows naturally out of the other and both involve the concept of sanctification.
Salvation is a one-time event.
That is the point in the sinner's life when he placed his faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, he is born again, saved and receive eternal life. At salvation, the believer was sanctified positionally for the next life.
Spiritual life is a life-long process.
A process by which a believer lives a life that is pleasing to God and grows into spiritual maturity. In the spiritual life
the believer is progressively and practically sanctified in daily living.
What is sanctification?
There are 2 aspects to sanctification which means:
- to be set apart to God in holiness.
- to be separated from sin and unrighteousness.
Sanctification is used with regard to both salvation and the spiritual life.
Please study the diagram above to see the difference between Positional Sanctification and Practical Sanctification.
TEXTS - Positional Sanctification - Jesus Christ's work in your life.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Romans 3:21-23 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
TEXTS - Practical Sanctification - whereby you with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit live a life pleasing to God and become daily more and more like Jesus.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given[a] us His Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-5 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
God saved you and and you received positional sanctification through the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made for you on the cross.
In answer to the free gift of salvation we received, we through the power of the Holy Spirit try to live in obedience to God.
1 John 2:3-6 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
So the spiritual life is really the process of making TRUE IN PRACTICE what is already TRUE IN POSITION.
1 Peter 1:14-19 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”[c]
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Phillipians 2:12-14 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
NEXT POST: RESULTS OF SALVATION.
Thank you for reading and studying.
Source: Personal spiritual life, Dr. Dennis J. Mock
Scripture: New King James Version
