God's Will: Your Sanctification

For this is the will of God: your sanctification…

-Thessalonians 4:3a

One of the more comforting and assuring truths that I have been shown is that it is God’s will that we be sanctified. The believer is commanded to put to death that which does not please the Lord (Col. 3:5) and to work out his salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12); but how much more courage, determination, and bravery should we have for this task knowing that our heavenly Father “predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom 8:29)?

To put it in simple terms: God wants us to win in the battle against sin in our daily lives! It is part of His will for us that we grow in Christ-likeness. Should these thoughts not stir up our confidence in God, believing that he will complete this good work that He has begun in us? (Phil 1:6)

Many days the children of God are weary in the battle against sin and temptation. The verses from Romans 7 can be so true to our lives, where the evil that we don’t want to do, we keep on doing (Rom 7:19). This is a difficult truth knowing that the battles against indwelling sin will last till His return or our death. Yet we are told that our great high priest Jesus is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, as he has been tempted in every respect as we have been, yet without sin. Therefore, we are told to run to our Father’s throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). With humble, dependent confidence we fall before our Father for help! The God who redeemed us from the curse is now eager to conform us to the image of Jesus. He is now working in us for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13).

Our God is a God that saves; but He is also a God who is in the business of transforming sinners into the image of His glorious Son!

Christ himself intercedes for us that we might be sanctified in truth: God’s Word (John 17:17).

So then, let all of us who are weary, discouraged, or fearful in the battle take heart! For if God is for us who can be against us? (Rom 8:3) May our souls be encouraged to take strength and joy in the Lord as we seek to pursue God’s beautiful plan for His children. We are not a hopeless people, but rather our hope has been ignited by the light of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ that has shone in our hearts.

May our hearts be filled with hope as we see that God’s will for us is sanctification.