God Seeks and Saves the sinner,
God Sanctifies the saved,
God Sends the sanctified.
Remember, Christ directed the believers, the disciples, to wait in Jerusalem for the sanctifying fullness of the Holy Spirit before they were to go into all the world, preaching the gospel and making disciples and teaching faithfulness to converts.
Luke 24:46-49
(46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
(47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(48) And ye are witnesses of these things.
(49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:4-8
(4) And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
(5) For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
(6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
(7) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
(8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 15:7-9
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
This is because the saved are equipped to quit sinning, but they still need to have their hearts purified, they need to die to self.
The carnal Christian is not qualified to take the gospel to the lost.
A believer should be purified, and empowered by the Holy Spirit before engaging the devil on the battlefield, for the souls of men.
It is not...
How much we know about the Bible and Christian living, but
How much we grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, and
How much we show the power and purity of Christ in our daily lives, which qualifies us for service.
The old saying is,
I don't care how much you know, until I know how much you care.
Ministries are defeated before they get started, when the believers are not conformed to the image of Jesus.
God does not grade on the curve. He is looking for those who walk the walk and do not simply talk the talk.
PROGRESSIVE OR INSTANTANEOUS?
(The idea that sanctification is a life long process has a truth in it, but it is not true in and of itself, and in fact it is a great hindrance to a vital Bible truth concerning holiness of heart and life. Therefore I add this comment. I am going to add the comment as a post, since this is such a misunderstood and misleading concept that keeps millions of Christians from ever being purified, even as Christ is pure.)
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is both SET APART and MADE HOLY (cleansed).
Sanctification is INITIAL... ENTIRE... CONTINUOUS.
INITIAL... Converts are initially sanctified (set apart and cleansed from sins committed) at regeneration, which is essential.
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
ENTIRE... Believers are entirely, completely, instantaneously sanctified, in a moment of time. It is not a process but is a crises experience, subsequent to conversion, at which time the believer is purified 100%. Entire Sanctification is essential.
CONTINUOUS (process)... After conversion there is growth in grace until entire sanctification, then there is unfettered growth in grace that continues throughout the obedient life of the pure in heart. Growth in grace, based on walking in the light, is essential.
A person can never process into purity of heart (entire sanctification). Purity of heart is the Divine work of God's grace, not the result of our effort or endeavor. The process of sanctification (to progress in sanctification) is based upon a cleansing that takes place at the time of our salvation experience and the heart purification that takes place when a person dies to sin and surrenders everything, unreservedly to Christ. We cannot grow in a grace we do not possess. We cannot progress in a sanctification we have not obtained.
If we are satisfied with process sanctification after conversion, we will never be entirely sanctified, because heart purity is not attainable or obtainable by maturity. Maturity and Purity are not the same.
John Wesley stated it something like this...
Entire Sanctification is something we approach gradually,
Enter into suddenly,
And grow in forever.
Without...
initial sanctification (cleansing us from sins committed),
instantaneous entire sanctification (cleansing us from the sin nature), and
increasing sanctification (cleansing us in our daily walk with God),
we will not be saved.
Remember,
without THE SANCTIFICATION (He. 12:14), no man shall see the Lord.
God sanctifies us ENTIRELY, BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT, in a moment, which is intended to be, once for all (1 Th. 5:23-24).
No matter how much we grow, we can only be entirely sanctified in a moment.
Growth comes before entire sanctification and after entire sanctification.
If we come to the our own Kadesh Barnea, and refuse to enter the Promised Land of Entire Sanctification, Holiness, Purity of Heart, we will be die in the wilderness journey and be cut off from God and the land of the living.
