Tag: Offering

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Firm Foundation, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Sanctification

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For a thing to be sanctified means it is set apart for a special use. 

based on the Love God Greatly Study, Firm Foundation, w5d2

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8(SOAP vs 3); Hebrews 10:14-18 (SOAP vs 10)

God’s will is for you to be holy(sanctified-KJV), so stay away from all sexual sin. 

1 Thessalonians 4:3

 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy(sanctified-KJV).

Hebrews 10:14
Observations from the Journey

Because today’s passages focus on the believer being holy/sanctified, let us understand holiness/sanctification as God’s Word defines it. To be holy/sanctified is to be set apart for God (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15). Yesterday’s journey revealed or reminded us that we can not be made right with God (declared righteous) apart from faith in Jesus Christ. The same is true of God’s call for believers to be holy/sanctified – it is not possible apart from faith in Jesus Christ.

It is helpful to start with the passage from Hebrews and the message about the “one offering” perfecting – those who are “made holy.” Remember, it used to be animal sacrifices repeated again and again that would temporarily cover the sins of the people.1 However, the blood of the animal never truly removed the sin. But God, in His loving mercy, made a way! Through the blood of Jesus, the sacrificial system was made complete. For the perfect, spotless blood of Jesus is sufficient to wipe away sins – not just temporarily but forever! Hallelujah and amen!

What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Oh precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow –
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Application: Living Out the Journey

When Paul closes out his instructions to the Thessalonians, he reminds them that God’s will is for them, as believers, to be sanctified, meaning to be “set apart for a special use2.” The example he gives with this instruction is for them to stay away from “sexual immorality,” a sin that undoubtedly was rampant in Thessalonica, a pagan culture steeped in sexual sin. However, we know from the totality of Scripture that sin of any kind, accepted or unaccepted by the culture we live in, is wrong and unacceptable in the eyes of our Holy God. To be set apart for God requires the believer to “keep away.” as Paul wrote, from all sins. Should we find ourselves wanting to make excuses for certain sins – let us understand that John explained sin to be anything that is contrary to God’s Word,3 and Paul was clear that the wages of sin is death,4 but he finished that statement with the clear and present promise that the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus – the perfected – solitary and all-sufficient offering – the spotless, sinless, Son of God – through whom (by faith) we are made holy and acceptable in God’s sight! – All glory and praise to God!

To be sanctified is to be “set apart.” Synonyms for sanctified are holy, consecrated, and hallowed. The Bible speaks of things being “sanctified,” such as Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:23) and gifts to the temple (Matthew 23:17); days, such as the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8); names, such as God’s (Matthew 6:9); and people, such as the Israelites (Leviticus 20:7–8) and Christians (Ephesians 5:26).

Gotquestions.org
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – Thank You that through You I am made holy and set apart for You. Thank You for the reminder to walk faithfully in Your ways and stay away from all sin. Thank You for the blood that washed away my sins, the indwelling of Your Spirit that alerts me to sin and temptations and empowers me to turn away from them – even showing me the way of escape, as Paul wrote.5 Thank You, God, for the one offering that has perfected for all time those who are made holy, and for putting Your laws on my heart and inscribing them on my mind and remembering my sins against me no more! – I am most blessed and forever grateful! 💜

The More We Know

For a thing to be sanctified means it is set apart for a special use. 

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Set Apart - Living a Life for God's Glor

A Fragrant Offering

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based on the LGG Study, Set Apart, w4d3

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-5 / SOAP verses 1-3

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

Ephesians 5:1-3 NLT

“Imitate God in everything you do” can be an overwhelming command because God is the giver of all givers. He gave the most extravagant gift ever given, His only begotten Son. He gave His son so that a world full of sinners – His enemies, to be more precise – could forego their deserved punishment of death and obtain not only freedom from sin but eternal life with Him in a Kingdom unlike anything we can imagine. We are called to imitate God not just because of His extravagant gift of love but because He also chose us as His own children. God’s love obviously runs deep, and we are to live a life that matches that love by following the example of Christ.

“Follow the example of Christ, who loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God,” can also be an overwhelming command. Paul makes a clear connection not to the time Jesus spent with the disciples or to the miracles He performed or the lessons He taught – but specifically to the fact that He offered Himself up as a sacrifice for the undeserving sinners – and He did it, not because He would gain anything, but rather to do what pleased God.

So, exactly how do we imitate God in His giving or Christ in His dying? How do we imitate such an impossible love? Clearly, from Paul’s examples of ‘what not to do’ in chapter five verse three, we must follow the more holy and righteous acts the Father and Son have done and walk in the empowerment of the Spirit God has given us. Paul gives the answer this time by teaching that we must live pure and holy lives which can be equally daunting because it demands that we put off what is natural to the sinful man by sacrificing selfish attitudes, sinful desires, and the temptations of this life. Paul gave an example of this in his last words of chapter four – when He said “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” (Eph 4:32) – Forgiveness and compassion can be costly when they come at the expense of our pride or the anger we long to hang on to, or the love and compassion we just aren’t feeling. The good news is as we exercise our faith, we will grow in our faith and the holiness of our Father and the righteousness of our Savior will begin to rub off on us and shine through for others to see. As this happens we will find ourselves desiring to please God rather than join in the behavior and customs of this world.

Being set apart is a beautiful thing! It means that we’re living out our purpose, showing the world what it looks like to walk hand in hand with our Father. When we embrace who we are in Christ, as dearly loved children, we won’t want to reflect anything that is not a reflection of our Father. Instead, we will want to live sexually pure, kind, and generous lives because, in love, we want to reflect the One who so generously sacrificed so much for us.

LGG Journal Entry / Set Apart Journal, p127
Wisdom From the Journey

We must live differently from the world – because the ways of the world are not fitting for a child of God.

The acts described in verses three through five are not born out of love that comes from God but rather of sin and ungodly desires born out of a love for self and the world.

Paul reminds us that we are dearly loved children of God and that Christ’s love moved Him to sacrifice His life for ours and for the pleasure of God – so LOVE is definitely the dominating factor to be imitated. To do so requires that we understand and know the qualities of love … what it is and what it isn’t. The best answer to this is found in 1 Corinthians 13 where we read that Love …

  • is patient
  • is kind
  • i not envious
  • is not boastful
  • is not conceited
  • does not behave inappropriately
  • is not selfish
  • is not easily angered
  • is not a keeper of wrongs
  • is long-suffering
  • rejoices in truth
  • does not find joy in unrighteousness
Reflections From the Journey

In what ways can you be an imitator of God, demonstrating His love and grace to others?

The More We Know

Don’t forget to read today’s LGG Blog Post at https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/