Getting Close to God

The word sanctification can be stated as sanctify, saint, holy, and consecrate all come from the same Greek root and all have to do with being “set apart.” It is God's method of eliminating sin so that we become more Jesus Christ like in our lifetime.

Jesus Christ lived according to historical writing some thirty-two to thirty-three years and changed the world with his Words and actions like no other person in the history of the world. What He did and left behind continue to change our world today.

The Holy Ghost, which God Almighty gave us when Jesus went to Heaven, still calls people to faith in Christ. When they give their life to Him they are sanctified—they are formally designated as belonging to God's family.

They are a holy people (1 Peter 2:9). Even the Corinthian church, could be referred to as a group of “saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2) because they were children of God through faith in Christ.

I am afraid that the majority of so-called Christians have never given control of their lives to Jesus Christ and instead they go back to the same old life and way of doing things.

This path I am proposing is for the genuine Christian who is looking for more depth in their Spiritual life.

When one studies the Bible it appeals one to turn to turn their entire life over to the living God. It is entirely Biblical by the way and not a man made eight step program which in most cases fails to satisfy the longing that each has within them.

Please at your time and place read the following:"Proverbs 1.22-25" where the God who has made everything we see and know will upon His reproof and our submitting to His correction will pour out His Spirit on us!

What a amazing verse and a good start to really knowing Him; you have to turn from your evil ways:

“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge? If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you. Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,……"

1. Our God is embodied into the imago Dei. Check out Genesis 1.26 where God’s determination to create man “in our image ("tselem," the Hebrew word for “likeness”), after our likeness ("demut." similar but not identical to the thing it represents or is an “image” of).”

Please read Isaiah 31.6.where we find that we all have deeply defected from God and this hurts Him. Isaiah 59.20-21 states the Redeemer will come to those who turn from their wicked ways. Then he will give them His Spirit and put His very words in your mouth.

Lets review:

1. We must know in our hearts that He is who He said He was and submit to His correction.

2. We must understand we have deeply defected from the Lord and this hurts our Creator.

3. The Lord Jesus Christ, here called the Redeemer, will come to those who turn from their wicked ways and He will give them His Spirit. In other words we turn, He gives.

We see from above we need first to recognize our wickedness and then repent. Just what is repentance? Repentance is a knowingly change of mind taking God's Word in a deep sense. This portion of “being saved” cannot be skipped. From the Old Testament all the way to John the Baptist preached repentance of sin.

God's washboard goes in a logical sequence that anyone can understand. Let's review the three aspects that one's change of mind contains.

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." (1 Thessalonians 5.23-28)

Lets now review three aspects of our being that we must turn over to our Lord. I hope they will be useful in your continuing path to becoming more and more like our Father.

1. The Intelligent Aspect of Thinking.

The first is the intelligence aspect of our thinking. There is a noticeable change about the thinking of sin, God, and self. We feel personal guilt when we sin and in our Spirit He gave us freely an understanding of God demands of being righteousness.

We are left feeling defiled and helpless. This knowledge of our sin spoken of are in the New Testament and Old Testament as well. (Romans 3.20; cf. Job 42.5; Psalms 51.3; Luke 15.15-18; Romans 1.32)

The change in our way of thinking also involves the person of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He is not just a person, an impostor as some have suggested, or a blasphemer, as He was insulted by those who should have known Him, He is our Lord and only way to God. It was Peter in Acts 2.14-40 who called the nation of God's choosing Israel to worship Jesus as the promised Messiah and our Savior.

2. The Emotional Element of our Being.

The second aspect is our emotional element. Our feelings, which are normal, change when we are saved. Our sorrow for our sin and desire for the Lord's pardon are consuming feelings.

David's words contain the extreme feelings which he felt about God, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” (Psalms 51.1)

Next, Paul says it succinctly, “As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7.9-10)

3. The Volitional Process of Will.

The third element is the volitional aspect of our being. This is a tough one in today's environment. But being sanctified involves a change of will, disposition, purpose, and desire for repentance in an inward process in turning from sin.

It is important to remember a Christian has "free will." That free will gives the growing Christian the ability to do what is right. Someone we can all love is Peter the Apostle who states, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2.38)

Paul eludes, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2.4) Obviously, volatility is a critical part of both verses.

Confession of our sins goes against the unbeliever's will tainted quite unknowingly by the Humanist Manifesto. A Christian must give his will to God as much as his praise to the Lord. The sorrow according to the will of God produces a repentance without regrets.

You feel clean as opposed to those without repentance. Sin costs and it piles up over time. There is only one way for a sinner to feel clean. Come to the cross of Jesus Christ, admit they are a sinner, repent and ask him to save their soul.

We all need to think more about giving God everything which he owns means. I mean everything. There should be nothing between your relationship with God. We must give Him everything and put nothing ahead of what we have ahead of God.

Anything short of this you cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything cannot be my disciples.” (Luke 14.33) He said this, not me.

Put nothing before God. Jesus took nothing to cross except His massive love for each of us and every sin ever made past, present, and future until the Holy Ghost stops taking those God called to accept Jesus Christ. (Romans 11.25) This may be the most important words I have written here at Hubpages.

There are articles that say the trinity is not in the Bible. But it was Jesus Christ that gave the order of the trinity, along with Paul,, John, Peter, and others. So the debate over the trinity is one of one hermeneutics not and not one of salvation. So if Jesus said it and someone does believe it they have a bigger problem than whether the trinity is in the Bible or not.

It is now as it has always been, Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and our only hope to go to heaven. (John 1.1; 14.6) Amen.