Follow Me - Part 2

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

The word ‘sanctify’ and its related terms ‘sanctified’, ‘sanctification’, and ‘sanctifying’ describes the process whereby the Holy Spirit progressively distances a Christian away from sin and toward righteousness. When a person is saved, God declares the person saved, justified, holy (sanctified) and righteous. The work of the Holy Spirit is to make these truths a reality in the Christian’s life. In other words, God declares a Christian righteous before Him and the Holy Spirit makes the Christian righteous before the world.

(2 Corinthians 3:7-18) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. In other words, as we continue to follow Jesus through the study of His Word and through the leadership of His Holy Spirit, we are progressively becoming more and more like Him, from one level of spiritual glory to the next higher level of spiritual glory. It’s the same thing Paul said in Romans 8:29, For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son . . . .

Following Jesus in obedience in faith is an important part of salvation and of progressing in spiritual maturity. In John 12:26 Jesus said, If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. Following Jesus is necessary for salvation and for the on-going work of sanctification in a Christian’s life. This is the true mark of a genuine Christian’s life.

“Thank You, Lord, for making these truths clear and understandable to us. Thank You for not keeping us in the dark regarding the steps to salvation and spiritual growth and maturity. Thank You for Your patience with us as we continue to struggle against worldliness, the flesh, and the devil. Continue to bless us with grace and mercy so that we may rise above what we were in sin to what You desire us to be in salvation. To Your praise and glory I ask, Amen.”

Pastor