Within The Struggle: Real Repentance: Cleansing, Freedom and Sanctification

 By Gracie

By The Grace Of God M/M

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Ephesians 1:6-8 "So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Acknowledgment & confession brings repentance. Repentance brings brokenness & forgiveness. And forgiveness brings cleansing, freedom and begins the process of sanctification.

Before we came to Christ we stood as sinners condemned, after we come to Christ we stand as sinners saved by grace. Our positional standing before God is one of perfection, we stand completely righteous, not on our merits, but on the merits of Christ’s perfection. Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory."

Yet the practical or actual state of our being is that we are still sinners. How can these truths co-exist? Doesn’t one invalidate the other? No! The practical or actual reality is that we stand imperfect, but when we put on Christ, he steps in front of us in His holy righteousness, as a garment of perfection and this is what our Heavenly Father sees. Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Don’t get me wrong - this does not mean that God does not see the state of our actual reality, this is not a veil of denial for God, for He is truth. What this does is give us access to Him where we had none before. We can now come before God having put on Christ and we are received into His Holy presence. Ephesians 3:11-12 "This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome."

Forgiveness cleanses us from our sin and gives us back the ability to chose to not sin. Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Even though freedom is about having choice, is it not without boundaries nor is it without responsibility. God’s desire is that we not continue to sin. Our positional standing, having been cleansed gives us access to a Holy God, our practical standing demands that we go through the sanctification process of continually being cleansed. Sanctification is the process of being made holy. It is the process of being molded into the image of Christ. It begins the process of bringing our positional standing into the reality of our practical standing by application. Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

The Holy Spirit is the agent of sanctification and involved in convicting us of sin. Sanctification is an on-going process; it separates us from sin, dedicates us to God, and cleanses and purifies us from the defilement of sin. Even though we are saved by grace, we are still sinners and sin has the power to separate us from having a right relationship with God. God’s word is our mirror, it gives us a true and clear image of ourselves as we are, as God sees us. Ephesians 5:26 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." We may not like what we see but we must not ignore the truth. We must allow the Holy Spirit to do inventory on us. Our sin is revealed thus bringing us once again to the place of acknowledgment. This process not only saves us but keeps us in the process of being sanctified and will continue throughout our lives as believers, it ensures that we are continually in right relationship with the Holy, Living God and that we finish the race we have started. Hebrews 12:1-4 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin...."