Christians Conquering Sin Part 2 / 06-02-2019 / John Skaggs

Having been set apart to God, justified by faith in Christ, we find ourselves with a new heart and mind, new loves, hates, and desires. We were dead to God, but now we are alive; we loved sin, but now we want rid of it declaring, with our brothers and sisters, “I don’t want anything in my life that God forbids! I want nothing to do with who I was; by grace, I will do everything in my power to separate myself from all that dishonors my Lord and Savior.” Everyone who has come to Christ for salvation has this experience. We immediately begin to turn away from the sin that once ruled their lives. At the point of our salvation, we begin to make war against sin, the flesh, and the Devil. This on-going battle is the meat and potatoes of “Progressive Sanctification,” which is both commanded and enabled by God. I Thessalonians 4 we find the command to be sanctified or to separate ourselves from all sin. Then, in chapter 5 we find that precious promise of enablement from God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you ABSTAIN from sexual immorality; {4} that each of you know how to POSSESS HIS OWN VESSEL (body) in sanctification and honor, {5} not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles (unbelievers) who do not know God." So, we are commanded to separate ourselves from every kind of sin. In the next reference, we have God’s promise to supply the grace and strength to accomplish this impossible task.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NASB, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. {24} Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." God calls His children to sanctify themselves and graciously gives both the desire to be holy and the strength to pursue it. So, as we concluded in lesson #1, our continuing sanctification separation from sin or growth in grace and holiness is accomplished by God-dependent effort.