Truth Matters from Pastor Dean Brdlik, June 16th 2023

We discover that it is simple to become “born again” because God has provided all that is required to be confident of that status by our faith in the cross of Christ.  But sanctification (living out our “born again” status) will be a struggle all of our lives.  I wrote about the reasons why a couple days ago (i.e. the world, the flesh, Satan).  But what Christians need to understand is sanctification will require dying to ourselves daily.  Jesus made it quite clear:  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate...even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple... 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14) 

Here’s the point...it is much easier to die for the cause of Christ and His kingdom than it is to “lay down our lives” (John 15:13).  “Laying down our lives” requires a constant mind-set of making God’s agenda our agenda...making His love our love...making His righteousness our righteousness.  See how today’s My Utmost for His Highest explains it:

 “If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “…I have called you friends….” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.”

There’s a reason why Oswald Chambers entitled his devotional series “My Utmost for His Highest.”  It’s because sanctification will require our “Utmost.”  “Utmost” in changing our language, “utmost” in how we look at people, “utmost” in our purpose, “utmost” in knowing Christ Jesus through the Word and prayer.  Anything less than “utmost” will hinder our sanctification process.  Hard words, maybe even harsh words, but this is what the Apostle Paul knew to be required:  7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.  10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. (Philippians 3:7-10)

My prayer for you and me this day is this:  Lord, it’s easy to say or even think our day is committed to You, but we know deep down we want to keep ourselves on the throne of our lives...and as long as we do, “sanctification” is just another theological word.  By Your Spirit, create a sense of dying to ourselves and conforming to our Lord Christ. Today’s Utmost reminds us:  “Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.”  Amen

Walk with the King today and be a blessing.