To be Sanctified. To be Christian.

     If there is one thing God has been putting on my heart to write about, it is how to be a "Christian." There will be no such talk of denominations; Protestant, Methodist or Baptist. There will be no political or worldwide secularism or sugarcoating. This is about being a reflection of Christ. To be CHRIST LIKE. To be Christian. 

      When we first pray God into our lives, we are saved. Our sins have been made white as snow, we are one of God's children. 

     But it doesn't end there. When Jesus said "It is Finished," He was talking about HIS part of the deal. He got us saved. Now it is time to be Sanctified. When we begin the The Process of Sanctification, we have to remove the sin and the darkness from our lives, and be as Jesus was, pure, and holy (sanctified.)  No one but Jesus will ever truly become so on this earth, but to be a Christian, is to live as one within this process of becoming as He was. It means to stand for righteousness within the world, and in your own home. It means to live your life as an act of love, hating evil, and serving Him. It means to speak with calm and wisdom, so "that none might have bad things against you" (so said Paul.) It means to rid yourself of fortification, gluttony, lies, hatred, greed, lust, envy, and all these things we so often follow our flesh into. You have to really think about every choice you make, be it the people you associate with, the music you listen to, the movies you watch, the things you say, the jokes you tell, the comments you make, the thoughts you think, the actions you take, and pray and focus on what God would have you do in every situation. 

    It takes work. It takes effort. It takes time. But like all things, if you reap, you will sow. If you make progress towards living a saved and sanctified life through God and Jesus Christ, you will see the benefits of His Presence in your life, and His Peace in knowing you are living the way you should be. 

    Sanctification starts the moment you repent for your past, and ends the moment you rest in His Presence, but right now, for you, while you read this, it can begin anew. You can live as a CHRISTIAN. You have been granted this minute, this hour, this day, by God, and should treat it as a gift. We need to USE it. If you want to see your life change, make the effort and the sacrifice needed. God sees your efforts, and by following Him, you are in His Protection, and you are 'setting yourself up for' all the blessings He has placed aside for you.

2nd Thess. 2:13 “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth.”