Sunday, blessed Sunday

It's been a pretty good day; I managed to get to sleep at a reasonable hour last night, though I missed my nap. All the Christoph kids were in town save Lydia, so I was able to talk to them for most of the afternoon instead.

The adult class moved on the the next chapter in Ryle, titled Holiness. We began with a quote. "Sound Protestant and even Evangelical doctrine is worse than useless without a holy life; it does active harm." Casey began at Hebrews 12:14 and I Peter 1:15-16, and moved on to Jesus' denunciation of the Pharisee's attention to outward religiosity while making no effort to address their own hearts.

Holiness is an inside-out process. Outward morality can be achieved without the grace of God, so that everyone you see would assume one to be a follower of Christ, but only the indwelling Spirit can affect a climactic breaking of the power of reigning sin in the heart. A holy life won't earn you squat with God, but the Spirit-implanted faith that _does_ impute Christ's righteousness will not sit idle.

Sanctification does not save, only justification, but the two are married; you will never find one without the other. The God who justifies by faith alone effects a sanctification that, while it is only possible by His strength, demands our constant conscious effort.

"Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth." --Jesus

Sanctification effects a change that makes its objects resemble Christ in all aspects of His perfect humanity. "And beholding Him as in a mirror, we are being transformed into His likeness." Acts 4:13 - apostles are recognized "as having been with Jesus." There was something in their words and behavior that was reminiscent of the behavior of Jesus. Those who are becoming like him will increasingly love what He loves and hate what He hates.

I didn't really take decent notes from the morning message [from Colossians 1:10] and the evening message [from James 4:11-12], though they were both excellent messages. Perhaps I'll remember somethings to jot down as I recollect them during the week.