Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Thursday, December 11, 2014

QT 11 Dec 14, 1 Thess 5:23, Saved, but also being saved

1 Thess 5:23 (ESV) Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Paul's final words to the Thessalonians, who are eagerly awaiting Jesus' return (arguably at the rapture), focus on the sanctification process. We are saved by faith, but we are being saved by obedience. In the first case, we are saved from Hell (justified when we place our faith in Jesus). In the second case, we are being saved from our sinful flesh--a sort of hell for some people. This process requires the surrender of our bodies, the renewal of our mind, an involvement in community (Christian fellowship), and life purpose (the witness of our lives to those who don't know Jesus). Too many people focus on only one aspect of our salvation, the justification by faith. But equally important is the sanctification of our whole spirit and soul and body. We are to grow to be like Jesus, that is why God does not take us home immediately upon justification. We have a purpose and we have a job. To ignore this aspect is to ignore the great salvation that has been given to us. Lord wake us up so that we do not remain lazy Christians.
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