Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Effective prayer”
Our Bible verse for today: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified …”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “God wants you to develop a godly character that honors Him.”
“Sanctification” is a fifty-cent theological word which simply means “set apart”. It means that something or someone has been set apart from common use and common standards and is reserved instead for divine use and to the glory of God.
In the Old Testament we read of how all the furnishings and the implements used in Temple worship were “sanctified”, they were set apart for special use and therefore not available for common everyday use.
As the people of God we are set apart for His special use and to bring Him honor and glory. Our sanctification takes two forms, “positional sanctification” and “progressive sanctification”. Positional sanctification takes place at the moment of salvation. Because of our position in Christ we are in that moment set apart for God and sanctified.
But then there is progressive sanctification. This refers to the ongoing process whereby our character is slowly transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus. It’s a lifelong process which will never be fully completed until the day we arrive in heaven.
It’s God’s desire that we continually progress in the process of sanctification, becoming increasingly more like Jesus. This is the development of a godly character and it’s the subject of numerous passages and lessons in both the Old and New Testaments. It’s something we must desire and it’s something we have to work at. Although the change itself is brought about by the Holy Spirit working in us, we have to make the effort and participate in the spiritual disciplines which God uses to facilitate the transformation.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:3, after Paul said that it is God’s will for us to be sanctified, he immediately launched into a discussion about our responsibility to avoid sexual immorality. That is part of our responsibility in the ongoing process of sanctification.
Colossians chapter 3 has often been titled “Rules for Holy Living”. The entire chapter addresses our responsibility in living a sanctified life that brings about the development of godly character in us. In that passage Paul writes about our responsibility to rid our lives of such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, lies, and more. He then tells us that we must intentionally put on the character traits of Christ and clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, peace, and love.
All of this is a process of learning and growing and it takes time. But it also takes effort on our parts. Again, the Holy Spirit produces the change in us, but only if we do our part too.
So, how does this apply to our subject this month of effective prayer? As was noted yesterday, the most effective prayer you will ever pray is the one in which you ask God for something that He already wants you to have. And as Paul noted in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, God wants you to be sanctified – He wants you to be set apart in Christ and then growing in Christlikeness.
So pray for a godly character. Study those passages which list the character traits God wants you to have. Memorize them. Strive to practice them. And ask the Holy Spirit to develop them in you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 