Confused?

I don't want to confuse anyone about Justification and Sanctification, so am going to quote a pastor's thoughts on it and it seems to be a very wise way to put it.

"At times, there seems to be confusion about justification and sanctification and how they relate to each other and our salvation.  Some promote justification to the exclusion of sanctification and arrive at "Cheap Grace".  Others focus almost exclusively on sanctification and arrive at "perfectionism" or legalistic salvation by works.  But God's all encompassing righteousness involves the completeness of both justification and sanctification  It's His plan, not ours.  It's His way of bringing us into an immediate and long-term relationship with Him in preparation for spending eternity with Him.

Paul declares in Ephesians 2:8-10 that we owe everything to Christ: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone would boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  God declares us righteous through the sacrifice of Christ.  When we accept this gift, we are declared perfect in the eyes of God.  As we humbly submit to Christ's control over our lives, His power then begins to sanctify us.  This entire change is the all-encompassing righteousness of Christ.

This is not a call for self-centered legalism but a direct call for righteousness by faith in God. Drawn by the Holy Spirit, we accept Jesus into our lives, and Christ begins changing us into His likeness so that we become more and more like Him.  This is why drunkards become sober; loose-living people become moral; mean-spirited individuals become peacemakers; self-centered people become selfless, generous benefactors.  This is why the unconverted become converted--all due to the power of God which begins producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

The provision for this right relationship is described in one of the most powerful verses of th Bible:  "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21.  God, the Father, provided His perfect Son as a sacrifice for our sins that we would be able to be covered by the perfect righteousness of Christ  This is the "born again" experience Jesus proclaimed in John 3:3, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God."  Quoted from an article by Pastor Ted Wilson.

(Grandma Joan's remarks)  I hope this has helped a lot to clear our minds on this very important subject.  I know it can be confusing, it has been in the past for me, but this article clears it up quite well and is backed by Scripture, which is very important.  Tomorrow we will talk about being 'Born Again".
May God bless you as you turn to the Scriptures for Truth and don''t forget to pray to be filled with the fullness of God, as we have been promised if we ask.  Your joy in the Lord will be full.  Grandma Joan.