PERSONAL SPIRITUAL LIFE 3 - SALVATION & SPIRITUAL LIFE
The spiritual life is all about progressing from being a worldly Christian to a spiritual Christian.
In the previous post, we looked at the elements you need to progress.
https://steemit.com/christian-trail/@forgodsglory/personal-spiritual-life-2-introduction
@stevenmosoes said in the comments of the previous post that you get 3 types of Christians namely:
- Baby Christian
- Carnal Christian
- Spiritual Christian
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
It is important that every Christian should progress from baby Christian to Spiritual Christian.
The relationship between spiritual life and salvation.
It is important at the start to distinguish salvation from spiritual life although one flows naturally out of the other and both involve the concept of sanctification.
Salvation is a one-time event.
That is the point in the sinner's life when he placed his faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, he is born again, saved and receive eternal life. At salvation, the believer was sanctified positionally for the next life.
Spiritual life is a life-long process.
A process by which a believer lives a life that is pleasing to God and grows into spiritual maturity. In the spiritual life
the believer is progressively and practically sanctified in daily living.
What is sanctification?
There are 2 aspects to sanctification which means:
- to be set apart to God in holiness.
- to be separated from sin and unrighteousness.
Sanctification is used with regard to both salvation and the spiritual life.
Please study the diagram above to see the difference between Positional Sanctification and Practical Sanctification.
TEXTS - Positional Sanctification - Jesus Christ's work in your life.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Romans 3:21-23 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[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
TEXTS - Practical Sanctification - whereby you with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit live a life pleasing to God and become daily more and more like Jesus.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 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[a] us His Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-5 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
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;
God saved you and and you received positional sanctification through the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made for you on the cross.
In answer to the free gift of salvation we received, we through the power of the Holy Spirit try to live in obedience to God.
1 John 2:3-6 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
So the spiritual life is really the process of making TRUE IN PRACTICE what is already TRUE IN POSITION.
1 Peter 1:14-19 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.”[c]
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Phillipians 2:12-14 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
NEXT POST: RESULTS OF SALVATION.
Thank you for reading and studying.
Source: Personal spiritual life, Dr. Dennis J. Mock
Scripture: New King James Version
Salvation of our souls continues till we reach the fullness of Christ.
Great post! To this I say, Amen!
Saved, being saved and will be saved!
Saved
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Being saved.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Will be saved
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
It is also noteworthy that the truly righteous do what is right. There is a difference between being given over to sin and sinning. One is continual and habitual with knowledge of the wrong. The true believer will always abhor sin. Sinning is different! You hit your thumb, or my dad used to Say, the wrong nail with the hammer. You say something you shouldn’t. This is sin, but not habitual. There are really two categories of people, those who overcome and those who are overcome. The overcomes are given the right to eat from the Tree.
I had a friend years ago who was a homosexual. His Name was Glenn. He came to Christ and really loved the Lord. He fought almost daily this temptation even though he was born again. I told Glenn he could call me Day or night and I would pray for him or even come to town and have coffee if he ever was losing the struggle. He truly endured, fought the good fight and now I believe he is with the Lord. He eventually died of aids that he contracted before Christ. A person who is truly saved will offer up fruit meet for repentance. Like the demoniac. Clothed, in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus!
We are in error if we let people falsely think, they can stay in their old sin and lifestyle and still be part of the kingdom in this first category only of salvation.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.