Product and Process
Philippians 1:3-11
"By that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ...because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."(HEBREWS 10:10, 14)
At first glance today's verses may look contradictory. First the author says we "have been made holy," and then he says we "are being made holy." Which is it? Past tense or present? In fact, it is both!
Holiness is a product and a process. We usually think of the product as "holiness" and call the process "sanctification." Holiness, the product, is being like Christ, God's ultimate goal for us (Romans 8:29). Sanctification, the process, begins the moment of our salvation and continues throughout our earthly life. We've no need to be discouraged that we haven't arrived once and for all as good and consistent Christ-followers. He is working on us day in and day out - through all our shortcomings and failures - just as surely as a teacher sticks with a student to the end of the coursework. He will never give up on us.
The triumphs we occasionally see in our lives are just pointers to the great triumph our Savior won for us. His faithfulness encourages and assures us that He will see the job through.
INSIGHT
"THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP ON ME. WORK YOUR PURPOSES IN ME, MAKING ME MORE LIKE YOU IN CHARACTER AND CONDUCT."
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
1 Chronicles 2-3
Proverbs 25
Revelation 3-5
Philippians 1:3-11
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God
WHAT DOES MARRIAGE MEAN [PART 1]
with Tim & Kathy Keller
Our culture tells us that everyone has a soul-mate, that romance is what matters most in marriage, and that remarriage is a good way to start over. There is just one problem ... God's Word disagrees.
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