Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sharing in Faith 101-Part IV

Ive been Justified, Redeemed, and Sanctified!

In the first 3-parts of this devotional series on sharing the faith, weve learned;

1.Were qualified to share the Gospel Message.
2.Weve learned what the Gospel Message is.
3.Weve learned what Gods Grace is.

In this devotional, we will look at what it means to be Redeemed, Justified, and Sanctified.

1.The biblical meaning of the word Redeemed is:
"To pay for the sins of humanity with death on the Cross.

We are told in the scriptures, God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13-14). And in Ephesians 1:7, we are told In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of Gods grace.

In the Old Testament, atonement for sin was attained through the sacrificed blood of animals. But it was only temporary, because it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin (Heb 10:4). Only Jesus blood could take away the sin of the world.

God paid for our sins with the blood of Christ, simply because of His unmerited favor upon us. And because of this, we have been justified before God.


2.The biblical meaning of the word Justified is:
"To free somebody from sinfulness through faith in Jesus Christ or by the grace of Jesus Christ. In other words, Not guilty!

The Scriptures tell us everyone is guilty of sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

But then the very next verse gives us the great news, as it says, and are Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24). Jesus Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our Justification (Rom 4:25). The result of this Justification is we have peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 (NKJV)

And because we have been redeemed and justified, we have also been sanctified.

3.The biblical meaning of the word Sanctified is:
"To be Made Holy.

The word sanctified comes from a root word, which is hagios, which is also translated saint, the root word.
It means one who is set apart for exclusive purposes. God has set apart your life for His use now that you have been saved. We have been set apart from the world and the things of the world as well. Our life should reflect Gods ways, and this process will continue until we see God. God wants to use us to further the Kingdom. He wants to use us in the lives of other believers as well; to build up, and strengthen those who are going through hardships.
This is exactly what God did with the Apostles in the early church. He sent them out to share the Gospel message with the unsaved world to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus (see Acts 26:18).

And because we have been sanctified as Christians, we are to sanctify the Lord in our heartsWe need to make a place for God especially within our hearts
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

We have been saved by Gods grace (His unmerited favor), and we have been redeemed (paid for). And as a result of this redemption of Jesus blood, we have been justified (declared, not guilty), and we have been sanctified (Set apart for Gods purpose). Understanding the biblical truths of these facts, enables us to share the Gospel message in faith and love.

I want to encourage you today to share this message with those whom God lays upon your heart, and those He brings into your life.

STUDY QUESTION: What do the words, Redeemed, Justified, and Sanctified, mean?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Can you see the importance of knowing the meaning of these words as well as how they affect your life?

APPLICATION: Allow God to help you share the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. It will be the best blessing you could possibly receive.

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