Jesus’ faith in us to hold on to and hold out the truth of the gospel is not misplaced when we are willing to maintain the love of Christ among us. From Pentecost to the present day, the Father takes the long view of showing forth the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in kindness to us in Christ Jesus. In my life, I desire to see how I am like Jesus in this world.
JESUS WAS AND IS THE LIVING SANCTIFIER BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.
While addressing the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul recognized that they were “sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2).
The word sanctification has a defining quality when Jesus embodies it. For He can die to Himself so that He may live for the fulfillment of the Word of God implanted in Him. The pattern represents His intention to mortify (put to death) the flesh in order to vivify (quicken, animate, make alive) in the Spirit the Word of God as a living sacrifice. As a result, Jesus does not show His love for dutiful law-keeping written on tablets of stone; rather, He seeks the law written on the Father’s heart that can find fulfillment by embracing those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, and the persecuted.
Jesus is a person who has something to do with another significant other in His life. Therefore, knowing God the Father is not optional to Him, as He intimately knows the way to the Father. As a result, Jesus is on earth what He is in heaven, having learned obedience through the things He suffered (Heb. 5:8). Jesus understands the trauma caused by sin. By His prayer for sanctification (John 17:19), Jesus shows us how to submit to God and shares with us a spiritual principle of how to seek Him with the right motives to release us from our chains. “The benefit that we reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life” (Rom. 6:22).
PAUL’S LIFE IS A MARVELOUS EXAMPLE OF MINISTRY THAT MODELS MATURE UNITY.
In Christ, the Apostle Paul became a man alive in living out the gospel, and God gave the increase. He urged them to, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). In his ministry, Paul recognized a problem within the Corinthian churches: they were not perfectly united in mind and thought in bearing the name of Christ (1 Cor. 1:10). His approach was Christ-like in that he simply preached God’s wisdom found in Christ and made himself available to minister to them as a loving father can do with his children. Paul’s work among the Corinthians is an example of how we can examine ourselves to discern holy actions from unholy ones. He was prepared to enter this work with humility and even accept ridicule at times, yet he was bold in showing why the bar is set high.
Paul understood that being sanctified by Christ would demand maturity in discerning the mind of Christ. He related to them that there was no wisdom in measuring and comparing themselves to themselves (2 Cor. 10:12). He reminded them of his work among them by stating, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm” (2 Cor. 1:24). He admonished them, using his ministry as an example that “we put no stumbling block in anyone’s path so that our ministry will not be discredited” (2 Cor. 6:3). There is no good reason for exalting oneself over another child of God who receives the holy, cleansing blood of Christ Jesus.
As a natural consequence of division amongst the churches, Paul often went without. Not that he coveted their material possessions. Instead, he hoped for equity in sharing the blessings of the gospel which would have been evident if they would have joyfully “open[ed] wide [their] hearts” to him (2 Cor. 6:11). This is necessary instruction so that they could participate in the “grace of giving” (2 Cor. 8:7). Paul doesn’t appear to be asking for their pity, but he is saying that he is their example in living the gospel, and he desires to share in its blessing with them. Therefore, by holding on and holding out the gospel of Jesus Christ, he made it free to all “so not make use of my rights in preaching it” (1 Cor. 9:18).
HOW GOD COMPLETES HIS PERFECT WORK OF UNITY WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST
These brief examples are meant to lead us to examine ourselves in the faith so that God the Father may complete His work within us. As an example, for us today, reaching unity within the body of Christ is a present reality that should give us pause and reflection on how the Lord will accomplish His work through us. As Paul said, “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for it. We are glad when we are weak, but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection” (2 Cor. 13:8-9).
In the case where you are tempted to doubt this claim due to previous experiences within the church you attend, consider the prayer of Jesus’ intercession for His disciples. Asking the Father to “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified” (John 17:17-19). As Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matt. 16:25). We have faith that we will see Him as he is when we empty ourselves to be filled by His Spirit. It is a matter of keeping our eyes on Jesus to discover and deliver the hope of Jesus.
Scott Corner serves as a School Psychologist for Joplin Schools (Joplin, MO). He is a member of Mt. Hope Church of Christ (Webb City, MO). Scott also serves as a board member for Peace On Earth Ministries, the publisher of One Body magazine.
