Sanctified from Within
Ambrose.J. Chakre
I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and men. Acts 24:16
The acts of sin which we commit everyday will always be in our mind. The more we spend time meditating on the Word of God, the more we will be convicted of our guilt of sin. Whether we eat, drink or sleep, the conviction of the Spirit will always pierce the minds of the sinners who are struggling with their sins. The power of sin has reigned supreme in the lives of those who are imprisoned by Satan. If we are unaffected by Satan, we will have a reason to rejoice, but if we are affected by Satan, Satan will sneer at us. Believers have to be aware that Satan is like a man who hugs a woman with a knife on his hand. And when they intimately cuddle each other, Satan pierces the back of the woman he deceived. This illustration is somewhat harsh and tragic but this is the real nature of Satan. The moment the woman trusted Satan, that was when the human race fell from grace.The Word of God clearly tells us that everyone is guilty of sin, but it also tells us that there is a way to redemption. (Romans 3; 11-12,23Z) (Romans 6:23). As humans we err in so many ways but the truth always reminds us that our sins can still be forgiven. When the Spirit convicts us of our sins, we are morally responsible to make our own decisions. The truth is we tend to sin through our thoughts, actions and through our words. As long as the sin remains the spirit of guilt will strengthen its base in our lives. If we claim to be true Christians, our life should reflect the nature of Christ. In the book of wisdom it states “My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down you will not be afraid; when you lie down your sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:21-26 ).
The more we are conscious of our sins, the more our sins will grow. In view of this God tells us in His Word that we should shun evil and pursue righteousness. The writer of Hebrews writes “How much more, then. Will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living Go d ( Hebrews 9: 14). Christ made it possible for us to be reconciled to God through His sacrifice. If Christ had not died for us, we would have perished as sinners. The scripture states “As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who calls you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy because I am Holy 1st Peter 1:14-16) (Leviticus 11:44.45) (Leviticus 19: 2,20:7). To be made holy we need to be purified and sanctified first. It is written that if we confess we shall be purified from all unrighteousness and from everything that affects our relationship with God. It is important that we maintain a good relationship with God if we want t grow more in the spirit. Once we are cleansed by the blood, we become new creations in Christ. When we attain the new life, we have to renew our lives everyday that we can be prepared to rise with the dead on the day of the rapture. This is something we have to desire. Be purified, your time is on. Come join us, the Church of Christ as we await our savior.
