THE VERY GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY
I THESSALONIANS 5:23-24
PART 2: THE STRONG FAMILY RESEMBLANCE
Introduction:
When the believer is truly separate from the world he bears a family resemblance to his Savior Jesus Christ. That should be our goal in each of our lives for His glory,
I. THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A MAN IS A STRONG FAMILY LIKENESS TO JESUS CHRIST
Psalms 17:15, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
A. Man was created in the likeness of God, Genesis 1:26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
B. God gave man and woman the ability to reproduce themselves in their own image, Genesis 1:27-28, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
1. Man disobeyed God and brought sin and death to mankind, Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
2. Death passed upon all men:
a. God had warned man, Genesis 2:17, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
b. Man failed to listen and died spiritually and began to die physically, Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
3. However, God did not leave man without hope, Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
a. By the First Adam came death, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
b. The Second Adam brought life, 1 Corinthians 15:47, “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”
C. Now in Christ man returns to the likeness in which God created him:
1. God has redeemed man, Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
2. God has made him a “new creature,” 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
II. THAT CHARACTERISTIC GIVES HIM FREEDOM FROM EVERYTHING THAT IS UNLIKE JESUS
Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
A. Christ has made us free, John 8:33-32, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
1. We are free from condemnation, John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
2. He is free from the law of sin and death, 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.”
B. Here SANCTIFICATION enters into the life of the Believer – “be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,” 2 Peter 2:19, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”
1. We are to walk in newness of life, Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
2. We are not to be the instruments of sin, Romans 6:13, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
3. We are to separate ourselves from sinners, 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”
III. THAT SETS US APART FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT’S MINISTRY IN US
Ephesians 3:16-19, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
A. Being FIRMLY Established in the LOVE of Christ, John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
B. Knowing the love of Christ that passes knowledge, Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
C. Being FILLED with the FULNESS OF GOD in Christ, Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
CONCLUSION