DRAWING NEAR
July 16
Set Apart for God
"You are . . . a holy nation" (1 Pet. 2:9).
Holiness involves the decreasing frequency of sin and the increasing
frequency of righteousness.
Christians are a holy nation--a people set apart from sin and hell to
an intimate relationship with God. Originally Israel was God's holy
nation, but by unbelief she forfeited that privilege. Now the church,
which consists of both Jew and Gentile, is His unique people, and
will remain so until the nation of Israel repents and receives her
Messiah at His return (Zech. 12:10).
Biblical holiness (sanctification) is often misunderstood, but it
needn't be. When the Holy Spirit delivered you from the domain of
darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of Christ, you became
His special possession. That doesn't mean you're sinlessly perfect,
but it does mean you're no longer a slave to sin, the devil, and
death. That's positional sanctification. Practical sanctification is
the decreasing frequency of sin and the increasing frequency of
righteousness as you progress in your Christian walk.
Sanctification should not be confused with false standards of
holiness, adopted by those who, like the Pharisees, attempt to be
holy through external means; or, like the Stoics, have a passionless
devotion to duty; or, like monks, isolate themselves from the world;
or, like the quasi-Christian psychologists, replace sanctification
with introspection, self-analysis, and improvement of one's
self-image.
True holiness begins with a love for Christ Himself. That's what
compels you toward greater sanctification. Peter said that you were
"chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the
sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ" (1
Pet. 1:1-2). Christ Himself became to you "wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30). In
Him you were saved, which is the beginning of sanctification, and in
Him you have every resource necessary for progressing in holiness.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for your positional holiness in Christ, for by it you
are perfect in His sight. Thank Him for the Spirit's power in
your life, which enables you to live in a manner pleasing to
Him.
For Further Study:
What do these passages say about sanctification: Acts 15:7-9, 1
Thessalonians 4:3, Hebrews 10:14, and 1 Peter 1:15-16?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Zechariah 12:10
10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of
Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look
on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns
for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
Acts 15:7-9
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to
them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose
among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the
gospel and believe.
8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the
Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their
hearts by faith.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should
abstain from sexual immorality
Hebrews 10:14
14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being
sanctified.
1 Peter 1:15-16
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."
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus Is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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