May 27, 2022

God’s Grand Plan

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

God’s plan for us is greater than we can imagine. But not many people realize that. We usually get so preoccupied with the demands of life that few of us give much thought to what it will mean to be sanctified.

Sanctification is a process. When we get saved, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our life, He works to conform us to the image of His Son Jesus. We all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we’ll see Jesus as He truly is, and we won’t struggle with “all that is in the world” (1 John 2:16).

However, as great as this will be, it’s not the final step. Someday Jesus will descend from heaven and bring the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete—spirit, soul, and body.

Then, spotless and without blame, we will walk in the Lord’s presence for eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn’t meant just to give hope, but to encourage us to live a holy life.

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