Let's turn to James 4:8 where we left off Wednesday, and the admonition of the apostle to us that if we'd draw nigh unto God, He would draw nigh to us. We've been talking for weeks now about the sanctification process. It's not, as some denominations would try to teach us, a once-for-all type of action where you encounter God and you're sanctified and made sinless. Wouldn't that be great if it were true? But, in fact, the apostle says, "...in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing..." (Romans 7:18). So we're continually warring against not only the principalities and powers, but the sin that's in our members; but the good news is this. He said, "I've given you everything that pertains to life and godliness in Christ Jesus" (2 Peter 1:3). Can you say, "Praise God" for that? So it's been given to us. The victory has been won. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says that Jesus has been made our sanctification. "For this is the will of God, [1 Thessalonians 4:3 says] even your sanctification..." We're washed, as we saw on Wednesday, by the water of the Word so that He could present to Himself a chaste virgin without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

It's a process, and we've been talking about that process being one that carries with it a chastisement. We're going to be looking at that in John, chapter 15, this morning. There is no sanctification without purging. Many of us would like to be clean through our resolve. Many of us would like to be holy just through the mechanics of praying more and fasting more and studying more, but that's not what makes a man sanctified. What makes you sanctified are your Gethsemanes. I had to deal with that this morning, as I came to stand before you. Even battling with these last days, it's been rough. To come and stand before you is a tough thing; but as we shared last week, death is not pretty, but it's necessary. Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone (John 12:24). [Pastor is referring to battles surrounding recent loss of his wife.]...