A Closer Walk
"for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work His good pleasure," Philippians 2:13 NASB. Our God is at work in us? In the eloquent words of a western movie hero, "Yep." Why? Why would the Lord God Almighty give even a thought to us? Well let's back up a little to Philippians 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." At the moment of our salvation, when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, our God began a good work in us; you and I both. God works on us all the time to make us more like Christ. And God doesn't stop working on us. And He never gives up on us. No matter how many times we stumble. No matter how many times we fall. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Isn't it encouraging to know that?
The Bible speaks of justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification happens at the point of salvation. Because of Jesus' work on the cross we can be forgiven of all our sins. Then since our sins are removed the Lord imputes to us, or credits to our account, the righteousness of Christ. 2 Corinthians gives us a good illustration of this: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB. This “justifies” us in the sight of God. “Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies,” Romans 8:33 NASB.
Glorification happens after our Lord calls us to our heavenly home. “Glorification is the completion, the consummation, the perfection, and the full realization of salvation.” (Source: Wikipedia) “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” Titus 2:13 NASB. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is,” 1 John 3:2 NASB.
Sanctification is what happens between justification and glorification. “...aye, there's the rub,” as William Shakespeare says in his play, Hamlet. “for it is God who is at work in you... ,” Every day, every single day, our God is at work in us. Why? To mold us and make us into the image of God. “Then God said let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness... ,” Genesis 1:26 NASB. “But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and Thou our potter; And all of us are the work of Thy hand,” Isaiah 64:8 NASB.
As we live in this world we have a tendency to become more worldly. When in Rome do as the Romans do, right? So sanctification is a continual and ongoing process. Daily; day after day, after day. An ongoing process. Aye, there's the rub. Our Lord sends events and people into our lives to help with this process. We all know we have sorrows and sufferings. We have unpleasant situations and circumstances. Sometimes even unpleasant people. And we must deal with and live through all these life events, because ultimately they will make us more like Christ.
Our gracious, loving, compassionate, and merciful God is the final answer on the who, what, where, and when of these events. And all of them are temporary. That is why James, the half brother of our Lord and Savior says in his book, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing,” James 1:2-4 NASB.
“God sent His Son, they called Him, Jesus; He came to love, heal, and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone, Because I know he holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!” Words and music by Bill and Gloria Gaither.