“Those who have been justified by the blood of the Son of God that was shed for us, need only to be sanctified of the pervasive effects of sin and self.” C. S. Lewis

A recent study plan of C. S. Lewis on Death & Resurrection brought to light an issue about cause and effect that I have experienced but never really put into words.

We know without a doubt about the sanctification effects of our salvation as it is related to sin.

Psalm 103:12 English Standard Version (ESV) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 1:18 English Standard Version (ESV) “Come now, let us reason^{[correct errors in thinking]} together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

The issues of removing sin and separating it from the consequences seems easy to understand but to separate self from our identity seems a step too far for the rational mind to comprehend. We might tell ourselves “Get over yourself.” That is a concept of ideology which sounds like “I am no longer myself.” That term belong to those having psychological problems.

Yet the world accuses us of that very thing, that we have lost our minds. They believe that we have lost all rational thought. Perhaps they are right because rationalization is a justification of self-interest. We have been justified by God which is the exact opposite of self-interest.

Faith in Christ is void of all self-interest. All that can be done for self has already been accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is nothing left for self to accomplish.

The world’s idea of faith is nothing more than a justification of self-interest.

2 Corinthians 4:16 English Standard Version (ESV) So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

Ephesians 3:16 English Standard Version (ESV) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

We left off yesterday discussing how Jesus knows how we feel.

We have learned recently that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith and as such we should trust that He protects His temple, our heart. Our renewal each day is a way of cleaning up our mess so that we can start afresh every morning. Over time, as His presence becomes known to us, that awareness will strengthen our resolve. We will gain confidence in Him even if we fail to believe in ourselves.

Feelings of worthiness are common. We are not worthy, that has already been established. Because we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, God the Father has declared us worthy. That is a spiritual distinction rendered by an eternal God who cannot lie and who does not make mistakes.

Romans 3:24-26 English Standard Version

²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Passover was a witness of God’s purpose and plan, that at the sight of the Lamb’s blood, we would not see death because of our sins. This death being a spiritual death, one in which we will never be separated from God again.

That is a declarative state where the promise can only be kept by the One True God who can keep that promise.

We need to believe that and get over these feelings of being unworthy.