Holiness (part 2)

10/09/12 Holiness is a work that God begins inside of you. This work or process is often referred to as sanctification. Sanctification is the process that God does for us and with us to make us holy This work that God does goes to the deep recesses of our being. God takes His word and works in us down to the soul and spirit. (Heb.4:12). Generally speaking this work is a three-fold process – conviction, confession, and cleansing. Conviction is what the Holy Spirit does to persuade you that you have sinned. He may convict you while you are reading His word, or perhaps by what someone has said or done. Conviction may come as result of a circumstance or trail. But the point to be aware of is that conviction is a result of the Holy Spirit working in you so that you understand that you have sinned and offended God. As a result of the convicting work of the Spirit, confession takes place. Confession includes being sorry or regretful for what you did, but it is much more. Kenneth Wuest’s word studies says this about confession, “Confession of sin on the part of the saint means therefore to say the same thing that God does about that sin, to agree with God as to all the implication of that sin as it relates to the Christian who commits it and to a holy God against whom it is committed. That includes the saint's hatred of that sin, his sense of guilt because of it, his contrition because of it, the determination to put it out of his life and never to do that thing again.” God works in you to until you see the sin as God sees it. As a result we confess. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The word ‘confess’ means to say the same thing or agree with what someone else is saying. When you have true confession before the Lord you are in agreement with God about your sin. After conviction and confession take place our gracious Lord cleanses us and removes the filth and vileness of that sin that has broken our fellowship with God. All of this is possible because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ 1 John 1:7). (Lord willing I will write more about this tomorrow.) This work of sanctification (holiness) must never be separated from our new birth. God will sanctify those who are saved. Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb.12:14). When was the last time you were convicted and confessed your sin before the Lord? Can you name the sin(s)? Can you describe how you felt before, during, and after confession? Prayer: Father, help me to be still and allow You to penetrate my hard heart. Even if the process is painful it is worth it because I want to walk closer with You in sweet fellowship. I ask this because of Jesus and His shed blood. Amen.