“The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of their Father’s loving hand, which can only be designed to correct their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection for themselves.”, Hodge’s Outlines.

The question for each of us is this; did we achieve kingdom status by ourselves?

Are we careful about our prayers?

The Intercessor is a book that influenced my prayer life intensely, perhaps too much. In it there was one harsh line that cut me to the quick. God is weary of selfish prayer.

The author Norman Grubb knew Rees Howell and one of my church elders knew Norman. At the time it appeared that grace  passed down from Rees, to Norman, to Frank. My hope was that grace would pass down to me.

I was wrong because the example of life was one of how the grace of God works in us independent of self-interest. I had wanted to be like a man rather than Christ because I misunderstood how the grace of God changes the inner man to be more Christlike.

Over the years many learned men have been gifted to study and relate God’s Word in ways that have found followers greatly influenced by those writings. God’s Word, Jesus Christ should be our greatest influence and not talented authors.

I found myself attracted to a writer that had a harsh judgmental style of writing. It took years of being influenced by his writing before the Lord showed me I was attracted to his style of writing because of my own judgmental nature.

Sooner or later God’s Word, the Spirit of Truth, will convict us of those things in us that need correction.

It takes longer to get through to a mind that needs correction when it thinks it is right about everything.

If we are truly His, He will chasten us of our imperfections. He does it in a way that will be lasting and effective.

Ezekiel 20:12 English Standard Version (ESV)Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Sanctification:

involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom 6:13; 2Cr 4:6; Col 3:10; 1Jo 4:7; 1Cr 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1Cr 6:11; 2Th 2:13). Faith is instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it (1) secures union to Christ (Gal 2:20), and (2) brings the believer into living contact with the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience “to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.”

Perfect sanctification is not attainable in this life (1Ki 8:46; Pro 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Jam 3:2; 1Jo 1:8). See Paul’s account of himself in Rom 7:14-25; Phl 3:12-14; and 1 Tim. 1:15; also the confessions of David (Psa 19:12,13; 51), of Moses (90:8), of Job (Job 42:5,6), and of Daniel (Dan 9:3-20). “The more holy a man is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome. Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of their Father’s loving hand, which can only be designed to correct their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection for themselves.”, Hodge’s Outlines.

I offered up the statement that it is God who sanctifies and not we ourselves. To show that I have studied the subject and do not just offer up my own opinion, here Easton’s commentary on the subject.

When we are born again we need not know these gracious principles in order for them to work in our lives. As we mature in Christ we will come to understand these principles as they play out in our walk of faith. Being born is just the beginning and translation is the end of the process.

God is in charge of all that is done in and through us. We have a role to play by faith but as in all things concerning the Spirit, our cooperation, right choices and right actions, brings God’s will into focus. God wants us to know His will. It is not just a set of rules to follow.

It is a life that is lived to love as the Lord loves.