One day, the great Church leader Augustine was walking down the street when one of the prostitutes from his past life spotted him and ran to him, calling out his name. He turned and looked at her straight in the eye and said, “That man you seek—has died!” That is the change of life Paul writes about.
As Paul sat to write to the Colossians, he wrote to a group of saints swimming each day against the strongest imaginable currents of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Colosse in Roman Asia was at the center of every type of sin. What was Paul’s answer to their need to grow in that environment? He challenged them to make daily choices to sanctify their attitudes and behavior.
As we read this passionate letter to the Colossian saints, we hear Paul plead with them to allow Christ’s work to be unleashed into their lives. It would be wise to ask ourselves the same questions.
Do you have a habit of crucified living?
Do you know what it means? Have you started a hit list?
Do you have targets that you want to give to Christ to put to death so they stop growing in your life?
Colossians lists target areas we must bring to the Great Physician, like pockets of pride, lust, selfishness, anger, untruthfulness, and uncleanness.
What are we consciously putting to death in our old life today?
Can we name the area we are holding out to Christ as our “oncologist”? It is an area affected by sin that we want Him to remove its deadly work from our lives.
Have we examined our lives against this Scripture and agreed with God to surrender specific areas of our lives to Him?
What comes to your mind as I say those words? If nothing springs to your mind, you will probably not be crucified. Paul said that every day I live, I live by faith that Christ is crucifying my old life.
This morning, we are examining the heart of Biblical sanctification. Sanctification requires our participation, our obedience, and our responses, and that is what Paul lays down before us in Colossians 3.
Just before we read what Paul wrote, may I again remind you of the two sides of the coin of salvation. We could call the two sides of faith and works as James does. Another way would be to use Paul’s words from Romans—justification and sanctification. To best understand what Paul is asking us to do in Colossians let me contrast and explain justification and sanctification.
Justification is what Christ did for me on the cross–sanctification is what Christ is doing in me because of the cross.
Justification is immediate and was completely finished in me the instant I was saved—sanctification is an ongoing process never completed on earth until I meet Jesus face to face at death or His coming.
Justification is activated the moment I trust in the Person of Christ Jesus and His finished sacrifice of the cross. Sanctification grows with each obedient choice I make, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Justification is my position declared right in God’s sight—sanctification is my practice made right by becoming more conformed to His image.
Listen to Paul say that because you are saved (justified) this is how you should live (sanctified), as we stand and read Colossians 3:5-17 and then pray.
Be careful what you read as a teen! I was given several books as a teenager about the lives of Hudson Taylor, C.T. Studd, and George Mueller—and they have become life long heroes in my life.
DSS-15 – Imperatives of the Crucified Life – 3 (060319AM)
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