Tag: Christian Living

Duck Sanctification

There was an artist who lived in Virginia whose name was Herbert G. Phipps.  Part of his art was sculpting and his work was exquisite. 

Someone asked him once how he made such beautiful sculptures.  He said, “It’s easy.  If I am trying to sculpt a duck out of a piece of wood, I look at the wood and I remove all the parts that do not look like a duck.”

Oh if it were that easy, right?

In our last visit together, we considered how as believers we are perfect.  It does not come by our personal performance but our perfection is being in Christ and his perfection becomes our perfection. 

But there is this thing called sanctification.

What is sanctification? It is being set aside for holy use.  For the believer it both instant and ongoing. 

1 Corinthians 6 shows that sanctification is instant in that as soon as you are a believer, you are sanctified and justified.

It is also an ongoing thing and this truth is all through Scripture but specifically in Hebrews 10:14  it says Christ has perfected us for all time and we are being sanctified.

What does this mean?  Like Herbert Phipps, we are being shaped.  Shaped into the image of Christ.  Becoming like Him.  As we grow in Christ, the things that do not look like Christ are removed.  We work this out as God works in us. 

So, yes, on our own we are not perfect, but we are both perfect and being perfected. 

S.D.G

No Regrets?

First: No regrets?

Years ago, a statement made by a pastor one Sunday morning really stood out.  He said, “To the guests here, we are not a gathering of a people who have it all together.  We do not live perfectly.  This is the point for why we gather.  To praise the one who did live perfect and through Him we are made perfect.”

This is often missed by both, those who are Christians and those who are not.   It is quite easy for those who are outside the faith, to look at those in the faith, and accuse them of hypocrisy.  Because we are not perfect.  We sin, and Scripture confirms this very thing.

The New Testament writer Paul said, “The grace of our Lord overflowed for me with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” 1 Tim 1:14-15

I have felt those words.  Some say, “I have no regrets.”  This is not me.  There are actions in my past that I hate.  There are things that I have done that I despise and at times still weep over them when they come to mind.  Paul’s words that he was the chief of sinners were only true because I had not yet been born.

Then there is that beautiful phrase, but Christ!  There is a gracious, patient and merciful love in Christ which cannot be described by words. 

For you those of us who are in the faith, we are perfect.  Not by our doing but because we are IN CHRIST.  It is your position in Christ.  He is the source of your perfection.  And He is worthy of our praise.

Until Next time S, D, G