Hebrews 13:12, Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His Own Blood, suffered without the gate.
15, By Him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God Continually.
I think most every Christian would agree that we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb (Christ).
Any time we approach a sinner about salvation, at some point we realize that sinner needs to understand that it was the Blood which was shed for the remission of his sin (Ephesians 1:7, In Whom we have Redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins,).
We would give no credence to the idea that a person could possibly be saved by his own self effort (or at least we shouldn’t). We simply can not good our way to Heaven.
However, we turn right around and tell Believers after they get saved that they can live this Christian life by virtue of there own ability to abstain from sin. Just don’t sin. It seems to be the consensus that after we are saved that we now have the will power required to sanctify ourselves (I believe that Gal. 3:3, should put a lid on this kind of thinking. It says, "having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh? Also, Heb. 10:10, says, “we are Sanctified through the Offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”).
Though the will is required in the sense that the Christian must be willing to be sanctified, just as the sinner must be willing to be justified.
The fact is, sanctification can not be accomplished by willpower any more than salvation can be accomplished by willpower. It takes The cleansing power of the Blood of Jesus Christ to save a person, and it takes the sanctifying power of The Blood to sanctify the Believer.
In other words, when I went to the alter to be saved, it was my will which got me to the alter, but it was the Blood of the Lamb of God, and His Grace which actually did the saving.
The same is true for the Christian who desires to be sanctified (which every Believer should desire). Just as the sinner goes to Christ to be saved, the Believer goes to Christ to be sanctified. (Heb. 9:12, by His Own Blood He entered into the Holy Place, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us. 13. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, Sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?)
The fact, I believe, is that in order to be saved we must go to Christ with a contrite heart (being conscious of our moral poverty) which is desirous of the Mercy of God. We must trust in Christ for the Redemption which he purchased with His Own Blood.
For sanctification, I believe we must go to Christ every day with a contrite heart, thanking God for His Mercy in Redeeming us from our sin. (Luke 9:23, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross DAILY, and follow me [I believe the denying of oneself must be done daily, just as the taking up of his Cross].)
The difference is in the daily part. When we thank the Lord daily for shedding His Blood and for His tender Mercies, we will find the Holy Spirit will start helping us shed those bad habits and sins which do so easily beset. (1 Cor. 6:11, but you are WASHED, but you are SANCTIFIED, but you are JUSTIFIED in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.)
May the Merciful Lord of all Blessings, Bless you Always
Dennis
wwwdotgeocities.com/itsallinchrist
