Contains excerpts from the book Victory in Christian Warfare
In seeking to know how to be saved, we must of necessity consult the Bible, for in the Bible, God gives a special revelation of Himself and His dealings with humanity.
The Bible is a collection of 66 books in the King James Version (KJV), where the KJV is the ONLY correct English translation from the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. To reference the Bible, we might say John 16:8. This means the book of John in the Bible, the 16th chapter of John, and the eight section of the 16th chapter, known as a verse. Similarly, the reference Exodus 25:10 means the book of Exodus in the Bible, the 25th chapter, and the 10th verse.
Who is God?
It turns out that on reading the Bible, you will find that “God” (Genesis 1:1) and “the Godhead” (Acts 17:29) are interchangeable names in the Bible for a divine Family made up of three Persons. So, God is indeed a Person or, rather, Persons, and not a thing or things.
God describes Himself in the Bible by saying that He is “God, that cannot lie” (Titus 1:2) and “God is love.” 1 John 4:8. That is to say, each of the three members of the Godhead has a character of love that is identical to the character of the others. In fact, the love in God’s heart is the only definition of true love in the universe.
And, No, there are not three Gods! Why? Because the members of the Godhead never contradict each other at any time, that is, we can say that they speak with one voice. For there has never been nor ever will be any disagreement or contention among them. Therefore, we can say, “there is one God.” Mark 12:32.
Furthermore, each Person in the Godhead, the divine Family, is “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.” Hebrews 7:3.
And the names of these three Persons in the Godhead are “the Father” (Matthew 11:27), “the Son” (Psalm 2:12) also called Christ (Matthew 1:1), and “the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 51:11.
Therefore, with this understanding of who God is, a related question is, Who is Jesus? The name Jesus was given to Christ when He was born as a baby boy on earth over 2,024 years ago. So, Jesus and Christ are one and the same divine Person.
Why We Need to be Saved
God created the first human pair, a man named Adam and a woman named Eve, with a character of perfect love just like God’s character. However, Adam and Eve both did evil, which is to commit sin.
But how did their sin come about? The answer is that the first human pair, Adam and Eve, fell into sin through temptation to sin from an angel called Satan.
Satan, whom God originally named “Lucifer” (Isaiah 14:12) and who was created holy by God, became sinful “without cause.” Job 2:3. Satan influenced some of the angels in heaven to sin and so, Satan and his “evil angels” (Psalm 78:49) were cast out of heaven pending God’s Judgment Day.
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, every human has inherited Adam and Eve’s disposition to sin, that is, every human being has been born with a sinful nature and so, they too have sinned. “For all [human beings] have sinned, and come short of the glory of God [failed to display God’s character of perfect love].” Romans 3:23.
The Gospel (Plan of Salvation/Redemption)
Now “the wages of sin is [eternal] death [which is to be annihilated by God]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. How so? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
That is, God was not content to see the human race become extinct at the annihilation of our first parents, Adam and Eve, because of their sin. Therefore, it was Christ “who his own self bare [bore] our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes [blows] ye were healed [from our sins].” 1 Peter 2:24. “For whom he [God] did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image [the perfect character of love] of his Son [Christ].” Romans 8:29.
Thus, “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive usour sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. For our sins are placed upon Christ our Sin Bearer, and Christ’s death for sins is accepted on our behalf so that we are forgiven our sins. Moreover, Christ’s perfect character of love, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5. Therefore, not only are we forgiven of our sins, but also we are enabled to stop sinning.
Steps to Being Saved
There is a science as to how God’s two provisions—the forgiveness of sins and the cleansing from sin—are made a reality in the lives of individuals. This is what we will now consider.
Repentance
The first work that God does in the individual to prepare them for “justification” (Romans 4:25), which means to be declared righteous by God, is to make them repentant, that is, to have deep sorrow for their own sins. Here “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. All that is necessary is for the individual to do is to cease from resisting the call of the Holy Spirit to behold the holiness of Christ. Those who cease resisting are led to repentance by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the individual must yield to the working of the Holy Spirit.
In bringing us to repentance which is remorse for our sins, the Holy Spirit draws us to see the infinite love of God in giving Christ to die “for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2. Even one ray of light from God, revealing the purity of Christ and penetrating our understanding, makes every spot of our own defilement painfully distinct, and opens to our view the deformity and defects of the human character.
It makes apparent the unholy desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips. As we view the pure, spotless character of Christ, our acts of disloyalty in making void God’s law of love are exposed to our sight and we are deeply affected and afflicted. God says, “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe [loathe] yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities [for your wickedness] and for your abominations.” Ezekiel 36:31. Such individuals may say of themselves in truth, “The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.” Isaiah 50:5.
Confession
The heart of the individual who has received the gift of “repentance” (Acts 5:31) from God will be melted with tenderness and contrition as they comprehend the infinite sacrifice that Christ has made on behalf of mankind. Such an individual will “seek righteousness” (Zephaniah 2:3) through Christ. They will seek for the purity of heart that is in harmony with God’s law of love and the character of Christ.
“A broken and a contrite [remorseful] heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17. The humble and broken heart, subdued by genuine repentance, will in true penitence bring all their sins before God. Our acknowledgement to God that we have done wrong should include the confession of all the specific sins which the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance.
The confession that comes from the depths of our heart finds its way to the God of infinite pity. And we can say of God in truth, “The LORD is nigh [near] unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite [remorseful] spirit.” Psalm 34:18. In confession, our sins might be of a nature as to be brought before God only. Or they may be wrongs that should be confessed to those persons who have suffered injury through them. Or they may be public sins and should then be publicly confessed. But whatever our sins may be, confession should be definite and to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which we are guilty.
God says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. True repentance will lead us to confess our sins to God and to turn away from our sins, thus meeting God’s requirements. True repentance will lead us to bear our own guilt ourselves and to acknowledge our guilt without deception or hypocrisy. There will be no excuse for sin or attempt at self-justification. The first step then whereby God will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9) is to repent so that we acknowledge that we have done wrong.
If we have not humbled ourselves before God in acknowledging our guilt, we have not yet fulfilled the first condition of acceptance by God. If we have not with true humbleness and brokenness of spirit because of our remorse confessed our sins, despising our wickedness, we have never truly sought God for the forgiveness of our sins. And if we have never sought, we have never found the peace of God. Thus, the only reason why we do not have the pardon of our past sins is that we are not willing to comply with conditions which God has laid out in the Bible.
Our confession will not be acceptable to God unless it is accompanied by sincere repentance and reformation. We must decisively make the necessary changes in our life, putting away from us everything that is offensive to God. This will be the sure result of genuine repentance, genuine sorrow, for our sins. For God says to all humanity, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for [defend] the widow.” Isaiah 1:16, 17. “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
Surrender
By nature, all humanity is “alienated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18) for we are “dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying [dripping] sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified [soothed] with ointment.” Isaiah 1:5, 6. We are caught in “the snare of the devil,” who is Satan, “taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:26.
Our healing from the corruption of sin requires an entire transformation, a “renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2) and, hence, we must yield ourselves completely to God. Not only are we to confess our sins, but we are also “with purpose of heart” (Acts 11:23) to turn away from them by choosing not to sin anymore, thus yielding ourselves to God.
God says to all humanity, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” Proverbs 23:26. So, God declares that the whole heart must be yielded to God, or the change by which we are restored to the likeness of Christ’s character of love can never be accomplished in us.
“For the flesh” (Galatians 5:17), the sinful nature “with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24), “lusteth” (Galatians 5:17), that is, wars, “against the [Holy] Spirit, and the [Holy] Spirit [wars] against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17), against the sinful nature, “and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17.
The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, the surrendering all to the will of God, requires of us a struggle. But God says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16), practice the truths brought to light by the Holy Spirit, “and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh [the sinful nature].” Galatians 5:16.
In other words, God says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. The individual must submit to God before they can be renewed such that they become holy. We must be willing to be made willing to do the will of God. Praise God that we are not left to struggle on our own against our sinful nature but the Holy Spirit helps us in our warfare against self!
Here we need to understand the true force of the will. It is the governing power in the nature of mankind, the power of decision, the power of choice, which God has given to all humanity, and it is theirs to exercise. Everything, even our salvation, depends on the right action of the will.
In choosing not to sin anymore, you can give God your will. That is, you can choose to serve God in living according to God’s law of love. If you do so, it will be true of you that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. Your whole nature will be brought under the control of “the Spirit of Christ” (Romans 8:9) and your affections will be centred upon Christ, your thoughts will be in harmony with Christ.
How is this so? The answer is that having brought conviction of our sinfulness, and presented before our mind, Christ, the standard of righteousness, the Holy Spirit withdraws the affections from “the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15) and fills us with a desire for holiness, a desire to be like Christ in character.
Through a right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life. For we cannot change our heart, neither can we of ourselves give to God the affections of our heart. The only thing that lies within our power is the power of choice in that we can choose to serve God. For all humanity is “without strength” (Romans 5:6) to do that which is right.
By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with His power which is above all the “principalities and powers” (Colossians 2:15) of Satan. Hence, you will have strength from God to hold you steadfast in doing God’s will. This is true surrender to the will of God.
Faith and Acceptance
You cannot atone, which is to say, make amends or give satisfaction to God, for your past sins. You cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this, to forgive your sins and cleanse you, through Christ.
Now there are those of whom God says, “ye…repented not…that ye might believe.” Matthew 21:32. Unless we repent, we cannot believe the gospel of Christ. Why? The reason is that without conviction of sin which leads to repentance, we will not feel the need of a Saviour. If we do not feel a need, we will not believe in Christ as our Saviour from the bondage of sin and its penalty. For the pride of “the carnal mind” (Romans 8:7) feels no need of salvation. Those who feel a need for Christ will humble themselves and repent.
Now, “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3) and, therefore, God says, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him” (John 6:29), that you believe in Christ. So, the ability to believe God, our faith in God, is a gift from God. And this faith, this gift from God, is yours if you yield to the Holy Spirit. For “this is the word of the LORD [God]…saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6. “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit].” 1 Corinthians 12:3.
Therefore, take God at His word, in other words, believe His promise. So then, you have confessed your sins, and in your heart put them away from you. You have resolved to give yourself to God. You will to serve God. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill his word to you. “For he [God] is faithful that promised.” Hebrews 10:23. The important thing to grasp here is that you must believe God’s promise. If you believe God’s promise—believe that you are forgiven and cleansed—God supplies the fact and you are healed from your sins. It is so if you believe it.
God says, “I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.“ Mark 11:24. There is a condition to this promise—that we pray according to the will of God. But it is the will of God to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and to enable us to live a holy life. So we may ask for these blessings, and believe that we receive them, and thank God that we have received them.
It is our God-given privilege to go to Jesus and be cleansed, and to stand before God’s law of love without shame or remorse. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh [the sinful nature], but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.
Do not wait to feel that you have been forgiven and cleansed. Faith and feeling are two very different things. But say, I believe it because God’s promises can never fail of being fulfilled. What God promises, He will certainly do.
By exercising such faith, you believe in Christ, that He can do for you what you cannot do for yourself, that through Christ you have been forgiven and cleansed of every sin. To disbelieve God is to make God out to be a liar and, hence, God cannot work in us to make effective that in which we do not have any faith. “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace [by God’s unmerited favour and power].” Romans 4:16.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10.
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26. It is by giving ourselves to God and believing His promises, that we become His children, “the children of God.” Galatians 3:26.
Through the simple act of giving ourselves to God and believing His promises, the Holy Spirit has created a new life in your heart and you are “born again.” John 3:3. You are now as a child born into the family of God, and Christ says of the Father, “thou…hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:23.
You have now received “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17), the gift of the righteousness of Christ, for Christ is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6. The moment you as a penitent sinner believe in Christ, you stand without any condemnation in the sight of God because at that instant the righteousness of Christ is yours. In other words, Christ’s perfect love and obedience has been implanted in you for you have now received “a new heart” (Ezekiel 36:26), you have been “renewed in…your mind.” Ephesians 4:23.
In addition, all your past sins are now forgiven, just as a man named Abraham “he believed in the LORD [God]; and he [God] counted it to him [Abraham] for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. How is this so? Well, because of your repentance and faith in God’s promises, God has accepted Christ’s death for your sins in the place of your death for the sins you have committed. And God now treats you as if you had never sinned.
You are now “accepted [by God] in” (Ephesians 1:6), Christ, “the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6) for you are now among those individuals who have become “partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4. Now God’s decree for you, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith [such] that ye…[are] rooted and grounded in love.” (Ephesians 3:17), has come to pass. For now “the love of God is shed abroad” (Romans 5:5), supernaturally poured, “in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5.
God’s promise that “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people” (Hebrews 8:10) has become true in your life. For “he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law…Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10.
Thus God has written His law of love in your heart thus enabling you to have a character of love just like God’s own character. Now you may say, in truth, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8.
Now when Christ dwells in your heart by faith, you will be so filled with His love, with the joy of communion with Him, that you will cleave to Him. Moreover, in the contemplation of Christ, self will be forgotten. For you may now say, in truth, “all my springs are in thee” (Psalm 87:7), O God. In other words, love for Christ will be the spring from which flows all our actions.
It is your faith in God’s promises, that is the crowning step to be taken in order to be accepted by God. Repentance is essential, “but without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
For God has “given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by [believing] these [promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1. Our faith causes us to be “justified” (Romans 5:1), which is to be declared righteous by God and to be in right standing before God. This is known as “justification by faith.”
Now you have met both conditions required for justification, which are “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21. One or the other is not sufficient for justification; both steps must be taken. And genuine faith is only possible when there is a prior repentance.
As one who has been justified, you have now become a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. You are now among those “whose names are in the book of [eternal] life.” Philippians 4:3.
With respect to our salvation, including “our justification” (Romans 4:25), “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18) and “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11) for those who “have faith in God.” Mark 11:22. Let us, therefore, say with our whole heart, “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory” (1 Corinthians 15:57), over sin, “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57.
Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do not take yourself away from Him, but each day say, “I am Christ’s; I have given myself to Him,” and ask Him to give you His Holy Spirit and keep you by His grace. As it is by giving yourself to God, and believing Him, that you become His child, so you are to live in Him. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6.
Baptism
A man called John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. John called the nation of Israel to repentance in preparation for the soon coming public ministry of Christ, when Christ was on earth. It was John who began the rite of baptism of individuals which signified the individual’s repentance of their sins and their hope in the Messiah (Christ) who was to come to the earth. Christ Himself was baptised by John only in order to set an example for the human race, for Christ had no sins of His own of which He needed to repent.
God says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16. The individual who is found in their heart to “believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15) and who is baptized will be saved to eternal life.
Baptism then is a rite of the Christian church, the church Jesus Christ Himself established. Baptism means to be completely submerged under water, just as Jesus Christ was, and then to emerge from the water just like Jesus Christ, for “Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.” Matthew 3:16.
The act of baptism itself has great significance. For God says, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death” (Romans 6:3-5), if we have like Christ overcome all temptations to sin, “we shall be also [planted together] in the likeness of his resurrection.” Romans 6:5.
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is [spiritually] dead [to all temptations to sin] is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” Romans 6:6-8. Thus, figuratively, in baptism we die to sin and rise to live a new life free from sin.
The Godhead—the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit—are all present at our baptism which is a public declaration that we have left the service of Satan and have instead entered into the service of God.
Baptism is the pledge of the individual that they will henceforth so order their life that, when the work of God is complete in their life, they may be able to say in truth, as Christ Himself said, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” John 17:4. Christ glorified God by living in accordance with God’s law of love while He was on earth and, in so doing, Christ accomplished His mission to the world which was to “save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.
This is not to say, however, that everyone who is physically baptised will be saved, for there is a difference between baptism by water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit when Christ “shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit].” Matthew 3:11. The physical act is meant to signify the spiritual reality of one’s justification by faith, when one is “born again” (John 3:3) by the Holy Spirit.
Unfortunately, some persons undergo the physical act of baptism without any corresponding baptism of the Holy Spirit. Such persons will not be saved unless they come to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21. In other words, in some cases, baptism testifies to a prior conversion to Christ. Sadly, however, in the remaining cases of baptism, there has been no change in the natural condition of the sinful heart. In such cases, without repentance on their part they will be lost in that they will not be saved by God.
You who are justified by God ought to be baptised according to the word of God, the Bible. Typically, one becomes a member of a Christian denomination by means of baptism. The question then is, “Which of the tens of thousands of Christian denominations should I choose to join by baptism?” The answer is that, most importantly, you want to join a church that teaches true Christianity and not counterfeit Christianity.
You may then ask, “How can I discern between true and counterfeit Christianity?” This book and the subsequent books that I will release in the future will answer this question by giving you discernment to know the difference.
For now, though, I recommend the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of which I myself am a member. However, you should not just accept my recommendation without any rationale for your choice other than that it is the church that I have recommended to you. For God says, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Romans 14:5.
You must yourself go to God who promises that “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8. Therefore, join the church to which God leads you. I am convinced though that God will lead you to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
You can find the Seventh-day Adventist Church on the Internet www.adventist.org. It is a worldwide church and is to be found in over 215 countries across the world. If you cannot find a church near you through the church’s website, try a Google search at www.google.com. Otherwise, contact the General Conference using the contact information on the church’s website.
Sanctification
There is yet another step, another battle to fight, after our justification by faith, in order to reach God’s ideal for humanity. You must be, like Jesus Christ was, “in all points tempted” (Hebrews 4:15) and be found “yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15. Why this testing? God says, “That I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law [of love], or no.” Exodus 16:4.
God had placed all the angels on probation to test them, “That I [God] may prove them, whether they will walk in my law [of love], or no.” Exodus 16:4. However, angelic perfection failed in heaven when some of the angels in heaven fell into sin. Now God designs that all His created intelligences, including the angels and humanity, shall be tested and tried in order to make them secure against all temptations to sin and so ensure the future happiness of the universe.
Therefore, the next phase of our salvation is known as “sanctification” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and it is only accomplished by our faith in Christ and, just like the example of Jesus Christ, by our “striving according to his working” (Colossians 1:29), the Holy Spirit’s working, “which worketh in…[us] mightily.” Colossians 1:29.
This means that from now on you must cooperate with divine power by putting forth your human effort to subdue sin. For, having been justified, you now have two natures which are in constant conflict with each other—the sinful nature with which we were born and the new divine nature—just as Christ had two natures.
God says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12. It is up to you to decide which of your two natures shall have supremacy.
Sanctification requires that “as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6. As you have been enabled by “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) you are to “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2), which is to live in harmony with Christ’s character of love. Only then can you stand complete in Christ, “holy and without blame before him [God] in love.” Ephesians 1:4.
Prayer
Prayer is the means of communication between our finite minds and the mind of God, the Infinite One. By prayer, we come into the audience chamber of God and receive God’s undivided attention as if there were not any other beings in the whole universe. Prayer helps to mend the broken relationship between God and all humanity by re-establishing our communion with God. Prayer is absolutely essential to our salvation. It cannot be dispensed with and we still be saved.
Now having perceived the defects of our sinful nature, we may pray, in accordance with the word of God, the Bible, saying, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting [sitting down] and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest [discern] my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4.
Praying, we should say, you are God who “knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for…[you] knew what was in man.” John 2:24, 25. Therefore, in response to God’s revealing of our character flaws, we should pray to God saying, in truth, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity [wickedness] have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5.
Self-Denial
Christ says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23. This statement of Christ means that the formation of a right character, a character of love, is first and foremost, achieved by self-denial, by denying the natural inclinations of the sinful nature. This is the goal of our sanctification.
By revealing our character flaws to us, God causes the conscientious individual to deny self and to “flee these things; and [to] follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 1 Timothy 6:11. Such a justified individual, guided by “a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:5) which was fashioned by the “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) implanted in them by God, will pray earnestly to God for help.
They will pray to God saying, in accordance with the word of God, the Bible, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression [sin].” Psalm 19:12, 13.
Moreover, by denying self, the language of our hearts will be, “I esteem all thy precepts” (Psalm 119:128), all your moral principles, “concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:128. “Lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:24. “Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts” (Psalm 119:173), I have chosen your moral principles.
“I have chosen the way of truth.” Psalm 119:30. “Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live” (Psalm 119:116), eternally: “and let me not be ashamed of my hope.” Psalm 119:116. “Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Psalm 17:5.
You can never be successful in elevating yourself in God’s sight, unless your will is on the side of Christ, cooperating with the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. Do not feel that you cannot, but say, “I can overcome sin, I will overcome sin.” In this way, you deny self, you deny your evil inclinations. God has pledged His Holy Spirit to help you in every decided effort on your part.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. God cannot save any person against his will, from the power of Satan devices. Each person must work with his human power, aided by Christ’s divine power, to resist Satan and to conquer at any cost to themselves. In short, each person must overcome sin in the same way that Christ overcame sin.
In other words, each person must do their part. They must be a victor over Satan on their own account, through the strength and grace that Christ gives them. Each person must be a co-worker with Christ in the labour of overcoming sin.
Those among humanity, who are the victims of evil habits and who are held tightly in Satan’s grasp, must be aroused to the necessity of making an effort for themselves. Other persons may put forth the most earnest endeavour to uplift them, the grace of God may be freely offered, Christ may entreat, His angels may minister, but all will be in vain unless they themselves are roused to fight the battle on their own behalf.
To every child of humanity, a candidate for eternal life, are these words of God spoken, “Be strong, and quit [conduct] yourselves like men, O ye…[people], that ye be not servants unto” (1 Samuel 4:9), Satan: “quit [conduct] yourselves like men, and fight.” 1 Samuel 4:9. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit [conduct] you like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13. “Be thou strong…and shew [show] thyself a man.” 1 Kings 2:2.
Let this then be the prayer of your heart, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10.
Faith
You then, as an individual who has prayed to God for help in overcoming sin, will be found among those “who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” Hebrews 6:18. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast [steadfast]” (Hebrews 6:19) in that God “is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:21), even to “subdue our iniquities.” Micah 7:19.
Therefore, if you have “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but…[were] strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20), giving all praise and honour to God; “and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:20, 21), then this faith of yours causes God’s promises to be a reality in your life. “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure.” Romans 4:16.
Taking hold of God’s promises by faith, you will say, in accordance with the word of God, the Bible, “It is God that girdeth [secures] me with [moral] strength, and maketh my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32. For God says, “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” Psalm 37:31.
You may then say in truth, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.
The key then to success in attaining to true sanctification is our faith in Christ. For God says you are to be such “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; [such] that ye…[are] rooted and grounded in love.” Ephesians 3:17. This means that, by exercising faith in Christ, we have come to love Christ with our whole heart and, by extension, to love the Father and the Holy Spirit, and to love all God’s created intelligences, including, your fellow human beings.
Christ says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4, 5. Using the illustration of a grapevine, Christ says that in order to be sanctified we must, by faith, have a relation to Him like that of a branch to the parent stock.
The branch, in order to grow and bear fruit, must remain in constant connection with the parent stock and thereby receive lifegiving nutrients, otherwise the branch will wither and die. So, in order to be sanctified we must, at all times, retain our connection with Christ in that our faith in Christ is to be steadfast for as Christ says, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5), that is, do nothing good.
“The just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38), or in other words, shall have eternal life by their faith. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6. We are to continue walking in the steps which were already taken by us in order to be justified by God.
Thus, sanctification is God’s test to see if we who are justified will remain “stedfast [steadfast], unmoveable” (1 Corinthians 15:58) in our faith in Christ such that we do not resist the working of God’s “divine power.” 2 Peter 1:3. It is by our consent that we allow God’s power to “subdue our iniquities” (Micah 7:19), to subdue the sinful nature.
Then God says of us, “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9) for “the old man…is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.” Ephesians 4:22. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6.
Now then “being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17) you are now “renewed in…your mind” (Ephesians 4:23), such “that ye put on the new man, which after God” (Ephesians 4:24), according to the likeness of God’s character of love, “is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24.
Through constant surrender to God and steadfast faith in God’s promises, you will be enabled to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), enabled to live the new life in harmony with Christ’s character of love, even the life of faith.
Obedience
“Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:5. In response to God, we should say with our “whole heart” (Psalm 9:1), “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:59), which is the word of God, the Bible. “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.” Psalm 119:60.
There is danger in delaying to obey any commandment of God of which we are aware. For God says, “Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither [where] he goeth.” John 12:35. That is, God says that we are to practice the truth, which is to walk in the light, lest the darkness of sinful ways settles upon our minds such that we cannot “discern between good and evil.” 2 Samuel 19:35.
So, God says, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20.
How do we walk in the light of truth? We do so when “we all, with open face” (2 Corinthians 3:18), with unveiled faces, “beholding as in a glass” (2 Corinthians 3:18), as in a mirror, “the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18), the perfect character of Christ, “are changed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18), from one degree of goodness to another, “even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.
It is by loving Christ, by copying Christ, by depending completely upon Christ, that we are “transformed” (Romans 12:2) into the likeness of Christ’s perfect character of love.
You then, are to be such as have “purposed in…[your] heart” (Daniel 1:8) to obey God’s law of love. Thus, by faith, we will “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2) and say “the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” Isaiah 50:7.
By turning our feet into the path of obedience with fixedness of purpose, we will be such that we “labour, striving according to his working” (Colossians 1:29), the working of the Holy Spirit, “which worketh in…[us] mightily.” Colossians 1:29.
We are to be found “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), seeing Jesus Christ our Example with the spiritual eye. For when the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, who is our source of strength and spiritual life. Therefore, we should be mindful “lest Satan should get an advantage of us” (2 Corinthians 2:11), and we should be such that “we are not ignorant of his [Satan’s] devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:11.
It is Satan’s constant effort to keep our attention diverted from Christ, our Saviour, and thus prevent our union and communion with Christ. The pleasures of the world, life’s cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or our own faults and imperfections—to any or all of these—Satan will seek to divert the mind. Be careful then that you are not misled by Satan’s devices, for by separating us from Christ, Satan hopes to gain the victory over us.
Believe in Christ, believe that “he is able…to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. Let self be lost sight of in the contemplation of Christ.
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness” (James 1:21), lay aside all moral defilement and the abundance of depravity, “and receive with meekness the engrafted word” (James 1:21), the implanted word of God, “which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21.
The word of God is implanted in our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit as a guide for us in our daily lives such that “the Lord direct…[our] hearts into the love of God” (2 Thessalonians 3:5), into the same love that resides in God’s heart. “Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4), moral strength to overcome sin.
So, God says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1. “For if ye live after the flesh,” (Romans 8:13) according to the sinful nature, “ye shall die” (Romans 8:13) “the second death [which is eternal]” (Revelation 20:6), “but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13) eternally.
You are free from the condemnation of God’s law of love if you do not now live according to the sinful nature, but instead live according to the new life born in you through the Holy Spirit, according to the righteousness of Christ that is in you.
Glorification
God says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12.
So, God says that those who have won a victory over sin and Satan can says of themselves in truth, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption [a corruptible body] inherit incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:50), which is incorruptibility of the body and, hence, an unending existence. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51.
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump [trumpet]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [who are yet alive] shall be changed. For this corruptible [this corruptible body] must put on incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:52, 53), which is incorruptibility of the body and, hence, an unending existence, “and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:53.
“So when this corruptible [this corruptible body] shall have put on incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:54), which is incorruptibility of the body and, hence, an unending existence, “and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54.
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55. “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57.
For “the Lord Jesus Christ…shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:20, 21.
This then is what is called glorification when those who have successfully completed the process of sanctification, those who are “sanctified” (Exodus 19:14), are changed and receive a new kind of body. They have won the prize of paradise and eternal life.