Resting in Christ: Justification and Sanctification Explained

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On the one hand, the New Testament is wonderfully clear that our permanent and full acceptance into God's eternal fellowship of joy is based on the blood and righteousness of Jesus whose death on the cross is counted as our punishment and whose obedience is counted as our righteousness. [00:01:48]

So when God looks at us in union with Jesus Christ by faith, he reckons us to be free of guilt and full of righteousness. That's amazing. So, for example, Paul says in Romans 8:3, by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh. [00:02:17]

Through faith, I say it again, through faith, not through works, God creates faith in us and unites us to Christ through that faith so that what he endured on the cross counts for us. Here's the way Paul said it in Ephesians 2:8, by grace you have been saved through faith. [00:03:27]

Even though we are put in a right relationship with God not as a result of good works, nevertheless we are in a right relationship with God for good works, in order to do good works. And these good works, this new way of life in love and holiness, is not just an opportunity, it is a necessity. [00:04:34]

Our new transformed life of obedience is not the ground of our justification; it is the result of it. Obedience is not the root of faith and salvation, but the fruit of faith and our regeneration, our justification. Jesus said you can know the tree by its fruit. [00:05:29]

Holiness, sanctification is necessary to see the Lord. Or Second Peter chapter 1 verse 10 says, be diligent to confirm your calling and election. You don't create your calling by your diligence; you confirm your calling by your diligence in good deeds. [00:06:23]

Our security, the certainty that we're going to get there, is achieved not only by the infallible work of Christ's sacrifice but also by the infallible work of his Spirit in us to make us holy. That's an infallible work bought by Jesus. [00:08:23]

The promise of the new covenant is not only, I will remember their sin no more, but also I will put my spirit within them and cause them to walk in my ways. Christ's blood bought and secured and guaranteed that. [00:09:19]

When we think about resting in the work of Jesus to save us, we should think about what it means to rest not only in his past work of justification but also his daily and future work of sanctification. [00:09:41]

God's commitment to sanctify his elect is just as sure as his commitment to justify his elect. That's why Paul says in Romans 8:30, those whom he justified, he glorified, because glorification is the completion of our sanctification. [00:10:37]

Christ died to make my justification absolutely certain and Christ died to make my sanctification absolutely certain. Therefore, my resting in Christ and his work is not just a past-oriented resting in tension with my work but rather it is a past and present and future oriented resting. [00:11:29]

It is a glorious thing that the past grace of blood-bought justification is the guarantee of the future grace that will get us home to heaven through sanctification. [00:12:25]

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