Sanctification

God doesn't live in hand-made temples, He wants to live in people. And He wants these people to be temples for His Presence. When I want to do something good, I endeavour to proceed conscientiously in accordance with a specific plan. When I want to prepare a good meal, I need to consider what and how to make it and what I need to prepare it well. To throw everything I have in a big pot and then cook it whilst stirring it now and then makes absolutely no sense and would taste and look horrible. As Christians we should not be a five-minute-meal, but a holy meal prepared with love and wisdom, something which speaks to body and soul and costs a bit more than 99 cents. We were anything but a pleasant, appetizing meal to God, rather something indigestable, repulsive and undefinable. We would rather not touch something like that, never mind going to the trouble of taking a closer look and trying to improve it. As believing Christians we know that God, in His mercy, was not repulsed by our miserable condition. The questions is, are we still repulsed when we see and recognize things in ourselves which would not please God? Or has it become irrelevant to us, as we are anyhow saved? I ask myself that as well. The Bible exhorts us to earnestly think about it and then to take a positive attitude towards sanctification. Each one of us needs sanctification in many ways – God is not finished with us and the LORD does not allow Himself (after we are allowed to become Christians) to be put off by our present unworthiness and filth. On the contrary. God took it upon Himself to cleanse us and transform us, to straighten us, to make us upright, to give us backbone, discipline, character and to transform our minds to a people who are found well-pleasing in His sight. Basically, we are already transformed through Jesus Christ, but it needs to become visible – that is what it is all about!

Faith has works and the sancfication ensures that we start with ourselves (with God's help). No-one would want anything from us or feel attracted to us, if we are bored, indifferent, unmotivated, suffer from chronic melancholy or are always irritable. This is a question of attitude. No-one expects us to be overly cheerful, bouncy, floating half a meter above groundlevel, and be in a good mood every day. However, a spiritual backbone is only acquired through learning how to cope with the worries, hardship, injustice, challenges and annoyances of life in a peaceful, calm manner. And to accept everything in a serene manner because we know that God is always present. In Proverbs 3:1-8 we read: “My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep My commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” When we accept sanctification and make an effort to take the advice of the Bible seriously, it will also assist our bodily health. Often we are much more predisposed to frustrating idleness than the early followers of Jesus, because we don't feel well in our bodies or souls. The Bible teaches us that it can be changed – with you and with me.

Jörg Bauer