Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. We must be extremely careful
in our criticism of the understanding of other brethren, ever keeping
in mind that we know nothing as we ought to know, and that
every one of God's children are given the measure of understanding
which he is pleased to grant to each one. Having said that,
we must also earnestly contend for the faith which has been
given to us, knowing that we could be mistaken to some degree,
but willing to stand firm in what we believe to be true, until,
as those Bereans, we are shown otherwise, receiving our correction
with gladness. We are not of the opinion that
we can change the mind of others by the things which we say, but
we are also convinced that we must say those things which we
have been caused to believe to be true in such fashion that
we would change their minds if we could. This is called testifying
of those things which we have seen and heard. Jude's epistle
is not general in nature, but is addressed to a specific people
which he describes as sanctified, preserved, and called. This narrows
his address down to a smaller number than the whole population
of the earth. It is very much akin to Peter's address of his
first epistle to the strangers, which he then describes as elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ. He then goes on to further manifest their peculiarity
by saying, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of darkness, into his
marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are
now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy." When the terms sanctify, sanctified, or
sanctification are mentioned, most folks immediately think
of this activity as a present work which is being performed
in each one of the children of God. We are certain that there
is indeed an ongoing work which the Spirit of God is performing
in the sons of God. However, we do not find that
this work is described in the scriptures by those terms. A
very popular concept among many is that God's people are being
cleansed in some daily ongoing fashion. The Lord Jesus, speaking
to his disciples, said, Now ye are clean through the word which
I have spoken unto you. John says of the bride, And to
her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.
The saints of God are perfectly clean, or clean every whit. What
God hath cleansed, that call not thou common, that is unclean. That which is unclean cannot
be found in the presence of God, nor vice versa. The concept of
progressive sanctification is nowhere taught in the scriptures.
The Spirit does indeed subdue the flesh through warfare and
restraint, but sanctification is not referring to a work performed
in the mortal bodies of the saints, but rather a setting apart of
them in Christ Jesus as the sons of God. This is the sanctification
which Jude and Peter speak of. Jude speaks of being sanctified
as something that is already done, rather than something that
is continuing to be done. A man cannot continually be sanctified
any more than he can be continually justified. The sanctification
of the saints is describing the position which they have gained
by the decree of a most merciful Father. But of Him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. Jude says the saints are preserved. This is a glorious consideration,
which again is a statement of a condition in which they presently
dwell, and not one which shall occur at some time in the future.
When my dear mother took vegetables from our garden and through an
arduous process canned them in glass jars, that produce was
preserved. She did not continue that process,
and one could see the fruit of her labor in the jars on the
shelf. Such are those whom the Lord has preserved. For in that
he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth
unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed
unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
He shall indeed keep them from falling, because they are preserved,
even as the vegetables which my mother canned were kept from
spoiling, because she preserved them in jars. We are preserved
in Christ. Finite men are unable to grasp
that which is without beginning and without ending. His calling
of his people precedes their belief of that which he has called
them unto. And when the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed, who has saved
us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Have you known
the hope of His calling? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.