Once I understood more of God’s unconditional love, I could start to understand how sanctification actually works. In researching for this post, I came across a really cool connection that I’d not seen before. Looking into scripture on sanctification led me to Hebrews 10:4-10, 14-18.
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Wherefore when he [God] cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.
He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord,
I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
As I read through that, I recognized the teaching of sanctification as being God’s work with our cooperation; God asks not for sacrifice and burnt offering but for us to allow him to write his law on our hearts. The interesting connection came when I read the part indented above. It looked like Paul was quoting the old testament, and it sounded familiar. Then it hit me – Psalm 40!
Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done,
and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:
if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened:
burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation:
lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness & thy salvation:
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD:
let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:5-10)
Once when I was struggling with the concept of grace, God’s love, works, liberty, etc. one of my therapists brought up Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” They explained that “when we truly understand the love of God, the grace he gives us (both unmerited favor and power to overcome), and how much he wants us to draw near to him in relationship, the absolute last thing on our minds is to go out and sin! We’re ready to fall down before him and worship.”
I know at the time I heard this, I wanted so badly to believe it! Over time it became more real, AND I really struggle to hold onto it and believe it every day. Another result of believing God’s love and grace means I have to give up my idea of who I am and see myself through God’s eyes. That’s both scary, as I know I have a lot of sanctification left, and awesome, as I can seek rest in the knowledge that I don’t have to earn his love.
