When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are;
Saved
Romans 10:8-9 (NKJV)8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Justified
Romans 3:30 (NKJV)30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Redeemed
Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV)23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Sanctified
Hebrews 10:10 (NKJV)10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Yes, we are all those things but we're not perfect.
There is a misconception among non-believers, and many believers that once you become a Christian you will be perfect. Nothing is further from the truth. Yes the ideal is perfection and that will come through the process of sanctification but that process will not end until Jesus returns to call His church to be with Him for eternity.
John 17:16-19 (NKJV)16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Saved
Romans 10:8-9 (NKJV)8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Justified
Romans 3:30 (NKJV)30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Redeemed
Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV)23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Sanctified
Hebrews 10:10 (NKJV)10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Yes, we are all those things but we're not perfect.
There is a misconception among non-believers, and many believers that once you become a Christian you will be perfect. Nothing is further from the truth. Yes the ideal is perfection and that will come through the process of sanctification but that process will not end until Jesus returns to call His church to be with Him for eternity.
John 17:16-19 (NKJV)16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
From Calvary Church Sanctification Series
Sanctification
Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, and what we think, and in what we desire. This is God’s will for the believer.
The Hebrew word for sanctify is qādash, which is also the root for holy.
Leviticus 11:44 (NKJV)44 For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NKJV)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;6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.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 us His Holy Spirit.
Stop Pretending to be Perfect
In pretending to have our lives in order, we wear phony smiles and say the Christian things that sound acceptable. We are ashamed to admit shortcomings as if they don’t exist. We are often judgmental to others who don’t measure up to the standards that we think show that they are Christians and therefore perfect like us. That turns off non-believers because they can see that we’re not perfect.
Many believe that to be perfect is to be sinless.
Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
However if we say that we are sinless then we are calling God a liar.
Romans 3:21-23 (NKJV)21 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 who believe. For there is no difference;23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:8-10 (NKJV)8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Jesus is the only perfect person. Mankind will never measure up to the perfection expected from God except through Jesus. He is our mediator;
1 Timothy 2:5-7 (NKJV)5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
When we accept the sacrifice of Jesus and payment for our past, present and future sin, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. That doesn’t change the fact that sin is all around us and that we may sin. Even if we are not living a life of sin we will still sin often without realizing it. Our battle with sin will continue until we go to be with the Lord or Jesus returns.
Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, and what we think, and in what we desire. This is God’s will for the believer.
The Hebrew word for sanctify is qādash, which is also the root for holy.
Leviticus 11:44 (NKJV)44 For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NKJV)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;6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.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 us His Holy Spirit.
Stop Pretending to be Perfect
In pretending to have our lives in order, we wear phony smiles and say the Christian things that sound acceptable. We are ashamed to admit shortcomings as if they don’t exist. We are often judgmental to others who don’t measure up to the standards that we think show that they are Christians and therefore perfect like us. That turns off non-believers because they can see that we’re not perfect.
Many believe that to be perfect is to be sinless.
Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
However if we say that we are sinless then we are calling God a liar.
Romans 3:21-23 (NKJV)21 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 who believe. For there is no difference;23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:8-10 (NKJV)8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Jesus is the only perfect person. Mankind will never measure up to the perfection expected from God except through Jesus. He is our mediator;
1 Timothy 2:5-7 (NKJV)5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
When we accept the sacrifice of Jesus and payment for our past, present and future sin, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. That doesn’t change the fact that sin is all around us and that we may sin. Even if we are not living a life of sin we will still sin often without realizing it. Our battle with sin will continue until we go to be with the Lord or Jesus returns.
The Dangers of You Striving for Perfection
God requires that we be holy so that is our ultimate goal.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NKJV)13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14 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."
The problem is when we strive to be holy in our own strength. That’s impossible and can be a trap. Jesus knows that we aren’t perfect and that we can’t become perfect on our own.
Mark 2:17 (NKJV)17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
When we realize that we need Him we can yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit who dwells in all believers.
John 14:16-17 (NKJV)16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit opens your mind to the things of God through His Word allowing you to understand and apply it to your life. He Holy Spirit gives you the power to say no to things that are against the will of God and to change your thinking from being all about you to becoming Christ-centered.
The Holy Spirit produces His fruit in you which makes you look more like Jesus who is the only perfect One.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
No you’re not perfect but you are saved and forgiven. The Greek word for sanctification is hagiasmos, which means “holiness” or a “separation”. He has justified, a permanent positional holiness in Jesus, He matures us toward a progressive holiness, and when Jesus returns, He will glorify us giving us permanent holiness That’s when we will become perfect!
Do You Want Perfection?
You can get it only by God’s grace through Jesus.
If you're ready to start the process pray;
“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
If you have just prayed this prayer, in all sincerity, call, text, email, Tweet, change your Facebook status and tell somebody, leave me a comment here or send me an email me Here. Then find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers. Welcome to the family of God.
God requires that we be holy so that is our ultimate goal.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (NKJV)13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14 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."
The problem is when we strive to be holy in our own strength. That’s impossible and can be a trap. Jesus knows that we aren’t perfect and that we can’t become perfect on our own.
Mark 2:17 (NKJV)17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
When we realize that we need Him we can yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit who dwells in all believers.
John 14:16-17 (NKJV)16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit opens your mind to the things of God through His Word allowing you to understand and apply it to your life. He Holy Spirit gives you the power to say no to things that are against the will of God and to change your thinking from being all about you to becoming Christ-centered.
The Holy Spirit produces His fruit in you which makes you look more like Jesus who is the only perfect One.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
No you’re not perfect but you are saved and forgiven. The Greek word for sanctification is hagiasmos, which means “holiness” or a “separation”. He has justified, a permanent positional holiness in Jesus, He matures us toward a progressive holiness, and when Jesus returns, He will glorify us giving us permanent holiness That’s when we will become perfect!
Do You Want Perfection?
You can get it only by God’s grace through Jesus.
If you're ready to start the process pray;
“God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
If you have just prayed this prayer, in all sincerity, call, text, email, Tweet, change your Facebook status and tell somebody, leave me a comment here or send me an email me Here. Then find a bible believing church and start to fellowship with other believers. Welcome to the family of God.
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