I want you to understand something that we’re going to be dealing with tonight. We’re going to be dealing with some basic doctrinal, theological things. I want you to understand that, and I’m not exaggerating when I say this. I believe the concepts that we’re going to be talking about tonight could change your life. It could change the direction of your life. For some of you, they could even might cause you to be saved.
I want you to listen to what we’re gonna talk about tonight. I want you to follow along, and I’ll try to help you in scripture as we go along. But as we begin this series on the victorious Christian life, I want you to understand that we can have victory. We have been destined to have victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s actually the title of this sermon is, Destined for Victory.
If you look at Romans 8 in verse 31, you’ll find one of the famous statements in regards to the victory that we can have through Christ. Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things?” Notice famous passage, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” If you look down at verse number 37, you find another famous passage in regards to the victory that we can have in Christ. Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”
See, the bible said that God has given us victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re gonna spend the next five weeks talking about how to live the victorious Christian life. I want to begin by just explaining to you that the victory has already been won. The victory is already available. Now, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to have it. We’re gonna have to learn to walk in certain Truths to be able to walk in that victory.
I want you to understand that through Christ, we have already destined for victory. God has already won the battle on our behalf. Then, there’s three specific areas I want you to understand in regards to this victory. For those of you taking notes, I encourage you to write down some notes when you’re at church. Don’t just come to hear preaching, you know? It’s great to hear preaching, but write down some notes. Learn the Bible with us and study the Bible. I’d like you to write this statement down.
Here’s point number one. I’d like you to notice, first of all, the victory in our justification. The victory in our justification. Now we have to define these terms. These are what are known as theological terms. Justification, and we’ll speak of other ones. You know, what is justification exactly?
Well, in Romans chapter 8 in verse 29, the bible says this, “For whom he.” Now the word he there, is referring to God. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the first born of many brethren.”
Today, there is a religious belief that is called Calvinism. Calvinists love to go to these verses, any verse that has the word predestinate. They like those terms, because they’ll teach that God has chosen. They’ll teach that God has decided who will be saved and who will not be saved. They will teach that salvation is not an option. You don’t get to chose whether you’d like to be saved. They like to go to passages like this to prove that. Now that’s a total heresy, and that’s false.
The bible does not say that. All over in scripture we’re told that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The bible says “For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” The bible says that, “If thall shoult confess with thy mouth.” It says “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thy heart that God has raised from the dead, then thou shalt be saved.” The word if there means that you get a choice whether or not you’d like to do it or not. Obviously, Calvinism is a lie.
It’s simple to refute, but I want you to understand. In Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow.” The word foreknow means to know beforehand. Here’s what I want you to understand: God in his omniscience. The word omniscience and omnipotent. They are theological terms. The word omnipotent is actually found in scripture. It’s a bible word. But, omniscience, the doctrine of omniscience is that God knows everything. The word omni means all. The word science means knowledge. The two words that make up the word omniscient, or omniscience. He’s all knowing. Here’s what I want you to understand. Because of God’s omniscience, because of his ability to be all knowing, he foreknew, or he foreknows, or he knows beforehand those who will be saved.
He’s what I want you to understand. Simply knowing who will be saved does not mean that he chose for him to be saved. Do you understand that? Because he knows, he gives everyone the option. He gives everyone the ability. He gives everybody the option to be saved. But because of his omniscience, he also knows who will actually take salvation, and who will actually take the gift of salvation by faith and call upon him.
When you see the word foreknow there, don’t think, “Oh no, this is Calvinism.” No. Simply because he knew beforehand, because of his omniscience, doesn’t mean that he chose for those to be saved.
Notice verse 29 again, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. Well, what about that, Pastor Jimenez? The word predestinate, you know? The word predestinate means to foreordain or to predetermine. Is that Calvinism? Notice what the bible says. “He,” that’s God, “also did predestinate.” What did he predestinate them? To be saved? No, to be conformed to the image of his Son. Did you see that?
The bible is teaching us here that because God knew who would be saved, then he predestinated, or foreordained, or predetermined that his will for that individual’s life is for them to be conformed to the image of his son. I want you to understand. There’s no Calvinism here. Doesn’t say that he predestinated them to be saved. It says that he foreknew. Because he foreknew who would be saved, he predestinated them to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be first born among many brothers.
Again, just because he knows doesn’t mean that he chose. Just because God predestinated does not mean that he predestinated them for salvation. It means that those that he knew would be saved were predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. Look at verse 30. “Moreover whom he,” that’s God, “did predestinate.” Notice what is says. “Them,” that’s us, “he also called.
You see that word call there? The Calvinists like to take this passage and turn it into one of their favorite passages. I want you to understand. The word called there is again proving that salvation is a choice. The Greek word called is translated there. I’m not going to teach you Greek, or try to correct the King James by using Greek. Here’s what I want you to understand. That word, that Greek word that’s translated, called, in Romans 8:30. That same Greek word by our trusted King James translators was translated. It was also translated as the word: call, calleth, bid, bidden, bade.
I’m just sharing that with you because I just want you to understand. When the King James translators translated the Greek word into call there, they translated that same word into bid, bidden, or bade. I want you to understand. With that comes the idea that this is a request. This means that even by calling on them, he is giving them a choice. Even if you were to look up the definition of the word call in a modern dictionary, just form dictionary.com, the word called is translated, is defined as “To command or request to come, to ask or invite to come, to summon.”
Again, when the bible says that he called them, what is he doing? He’s inviting them to come. He’s requesting for them to come. He is summoning them to come. He is bidding them. He has bade them. He has bid them. Again, I just want you to understand. That reinforces the idea that salvation is a call that must be accepted. It’s a call that must be received.
There’s no Calvinism in this passage at all. He predestinated them, not for salvation, to be conformed into he image of the son. He called them, and that call has to be accepted. Notice verse 30. “Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called.” Notice what is says, “them.” That’s us. “… he also justified.” You see the word justified, there? The word justified is another theological term. Justification is scripture is just a reference to our salvation.
Again, I just want to underline the idea that if he justified them, it’s because they accepted the call. They received the call. Then, he tells us that he justified us. Keep your place there in Romans 8, but go to Romans chapter number 5. Let me show you just a couple if things that the bible teaches about justification.
I want you to put a bulletin, or a ribbon, or something in Romans. We’re going to leave it. We’re going to come back to Romans. Romans is our text for tonight. Go to Romans chapter 5 and look at verse number one. “Therefore,” notice what is says. “Therefore, being justified by faith.” Do you see that? So, how do we get justified? We’re justified by faith. What does it mean to be justified? We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The bible says that our sins have separated us from God. Our sins have put us win enmity with God. We were enemies with God, but when we were justified, when we receive the call by faith, when we accepted salvation, when we were justified by faith. The result, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Somebody said that justified … I grew up being told that justified means just as if I’d never sinned. That’s a good … I don’t have a problem with that. That’s a good term. But you know, a better term is not a justification, if you want to just be more theologically accurate. Justification is not necessarily just as if I’d never sinned. Justification is more accurately just as if I’d never been a sinner.
When I got saved, it’s not that he took my sins away, although, he did take my sins away. The bible says that I became a new creature. The bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away, behold all things have become new. ”
It’s not that he’s made it as I’d never sinned before. He made it as if I’d never been a sinner. He made me a new creature. I am a new man. You found that concept all throughout the scripture. See, justification is a new man having peace with God through faith.
What does that mean? What does that mean to be justified? Go back to Romans chapter 8. Notice verse number 33. We’re going to come back and deal with verses 32 and 31 here in a minute. Notice verse 33. What does it mean to be justified? Here’s what I want you to understand. You and I have victory through justification in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are already victorious if you have been justified, if you have received the justification.
Romans 8 in verse 33 says this, “Who shall lay anything to the charge.” You see that word charge? “To the charge of God’s elect.” That word charged means to be accused of. We use that term like someone has been charged for a crime. They’re been accused of a crime. Notice what the bible says. “When you’re justified,” it says … The question is asked, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” It is God that justified. I want you to understand that when you got saved, if you’ve been saved, when you were justified, you already received that victory in that justification, to the point where God says you cannot even be charged. You cannot even be accused. He says, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” It is God that justifies. If you’re justified, no one can even bring an accusation against you. No one can come back later and say, “Well, here’s why you’re not saved. Here’s why you’re not a sinner. Here’s …” No, no, no. Once you’ve been justified, Hey. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?
It is God that justified. By the way, I’m not preaching about this, but this is why independent baptists, a famous teaching they like to say is that, “One day, at the judgment seat of Christ, that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to bring up all of our sins to us, and we’re going to give an account for all those sins that we did in this life.”
Listen to me. The bible says, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? When you get to heaven, no one’s going to bring up your sins to you. No one’s going to charge you with sin. No one’s going to accuse you with sin. Why? It’s not that my sins have been done away with, although they have been done away with. Justification is just as if I’d never been a sinner.
It’s literally, redemption is that Christ took my place. That’s why the bible said, “He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” We were created new. The victory has been given to us through our justification, to the point where no one can even lay an accusation. No one can come to you and say, “We’ll here’s why you’re not saved.”
By the way, the devil is the accuser. Did you know that? The devil is the great accuser. The brethren that will often come and whisper in your ear and remind you of your past, and remind you of your failures, and remind you … Listen to me. Once you’ve been saved, once you’ve been justified, there’s no one that can lay a charge to God’s elect. You’ve received the victory through justification.
Notice. Not only can we not be accused, but we also cannot be condemned. Notice also verse 34, “Who is he that condemneth?” “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that he is risen again, Who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” You cannot be accused. You cannot be charged. You cannot be condemned.
Notice another thing. You cannot be separated. Look at verse 35, “Who shall separate from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all theses things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” He loved us. We love to quote that verse when we’re going through adversity.
We love to quote that verse when we’re going through financial problems. Maybe marriage problems, or child rearing problems, or whatever it might be. We like to say, “Hey, we’re more than conquerors through him who loved us,” but that’s fine. There’s nothing with using that verse in that context, but understand that the context of the verse is in regards to eternal security.
Who shall separate us from the love of God? Who can separate us from God? We are more than conquerors through Him. Look at verse 38. “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Today, you have people running around saying,” You can lose your salvation. You can walk away from your salvation. You received Christ by faith, but if you don’t live right, and you start sinning, and you start doing wrong, then God can take away your sin. No. Understand something. You are justified. When you’re justified, no one can bring a charge. No one can bring condemnation. No one can bring separation.
You are eternally secured in Christ. You are secured in God. We have already received, when it comes to justification, we have already received the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot be separated. If you believe you can lose your salvation, you are not saved.
If you believe you can lose your salvation, you say, “Well, are you picking on me?” I’m not picking on you. I’m just trying to tell you, you don’t have to live your life like that. You don’t have to live your life worried or concerned. I’m I doing enough Am I living good enough? Today I messed up. Have I lost my salvation?
Hey, you can live in the victory of salvation knowing that you’ve been justified as if you’d never been a sinner, as if you’re not a sinner, as if you’re already saved. We’ve been given the victory in Christ through our justification. I want you to notice. We have victory in our justification.
For those of you taking notes, I’d like you write this statement down. Not only do we have victory in our justification, we also have victory in our glorification. Notice Romans chapter 8 in verse 30. We saw the theological term there, justified. I want you to notice another theological term. Romans chapter 8 verse 30 “Moreover did he whom he predestinate, them he also called: and whom called, them also justified, and whom he justified,” notice these words, “them he also glorified.”See not only have you and I already received our victory in justification, we have received victory in our glorification.
You say “What exactly does it mean? What does it mean to be glorified? What is a glorification? If you’re there in Romans 8 look at verse number 21. Here’s what I want you to understand. The term glorification has to do … Justification has to do with the redemption of our souls. Glorification has to do with the redemption of our bodies.
When you were saved, your spirit was [inaudible 00:17:58]. You became a new man, inwardly. You’re a new man, but you still live in this old flesh. Today you might be saved. Your soul is saved, but your flesh may be sinning. Your flesh may be doing wrong. Here’s what you need to understand. This body is never going to make it to heaven. This body has not been saved. This body has not been redeemed. Justification is the redemption of your soul, and of your spirit, of the inward could of the inward man. There is a redemption of the body that is referred to as glorification.
Notice Romans 8 in verse number 21. I understand that we’re talking a lot of theological words here. I want you to pay attention. I want you to grab this. Romans chapter 8 in verse 21. Notice what the bible says. “Because the creature.” You see the word creature there? When you and I use the word creature, we’re talking about like a spider, right? We’re talking about a little creature. We’re talking about an animal.The word creature here is referring to the creation of God. Anything that God created it’s referred to as creature. It’s specifically talking about people, human beings. We are the creatures. That’s why the bible says, “Go ye therefore and preach the gospel to every creature.” It’s not talking about giving the Gospel to the dogs. It’s talking about going to give the Gospel to every person, every creation of God.
Notice what is says, Romans 8:21. “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.” Notice what it says, “For the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious …” Notice the term glorification … ” “Glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creature …” Isn’t this how you and I live our lives today? “… groaneth and traevaileth and pain together until now.” That’s how you and I live our lives. That’s how man kind lives his life: groaning, and travailing, and paying together until now. “And not only they, but ourselves, also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves.”
He said, not only does the world live their lives groaning and travailing, but he says that even we ourselves. He says that we ourselves. It says those of us that have been saved. Those of us that have the first fruits of the spirit. He said even those of us that are saved spiritually, even we. It says even we ourselves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to … Notice the redemption of our body.
Even if you’re saved, you know your body still aches. Even if you’re saved, you know your body still gets disease. Even if you’re saved, you know you still go through hurt. You still go through pain. Your body, our souls have been saved. But one day, one day our bodies will be glorified. Hear what I saying. We’ve already received the victory in our justification, and we’ve even received the victory in our glorification.
If they destroy this body, it doesn’t matter. I’m not planning on living in this body for all eternity. One day, my body will be redeemed. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter, number 15. You’re there in Romans. Keep your place in Romans. Go to 1 Corinthians. You got Romans,, 1 Corinthians, chapter, number 15. 1 Corinthians, chapter, number 15 look at verse number 51. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse number 51.
1 Corinthians 15:51, notice what the bible says. You got Romans, 1 Corinthians 15:51, “Behold I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep.” The word sleep there is referring to death. He’s saying we’re not all going to die. He’s talking to believers here. “But we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. At the last trump,” he’s talking about the rapture. “For the trumpet shall sound and the dead” those are the ones who are sleeping. “And the dead shall be raised.” Notice this word, “incorruptible and we shall be changed.”
Notice verse 53, “For this corruptible.” Do you understand what he’s saying? Your body is corrupt. Your body is decaying. Your body is dying. Your body’s not going to make it more than 80 years, or 90 years, or 100 years, if you’re healthy. Here’s what he says. He says, “For this corruptible must put on incorruption” That’s talking about our glorified bodies. Do you understand that one day you’re going to receive a new body that doesn’t decay? That doesn’t hurt? That doesn’t get sick? That doesn’t have pain?
He says, “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortaL must put on immortality, so then this corruptibility should have put on incorruption, and that this mortal shall put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written. Here’s a quote from Isaiah, “Death is swallowed up in … ” What? “Victory.”
See the word victory there? Do you know what he’s telling you? He’s telling you, not have you already received the victory, not only are we already conquerors of our justification. He says we’re already conquerors. We’re already victors. We’re already winners in our glorification. He says you are going to beat death. Not by science, but through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice verse 55 “Oh death, where is thy sting. Oh grave where is thy victory” Isn’t that our key word? The sting of death is sin. The strength of sin is the law. Thank be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You say “Well, wait a minute, pastor Jimenez. I’m still in this body. How can he say that he has given us? He hath giveth us? How can he say that, that he giveth us our victory? Here’s what you need to understand about God that’s a little interesting.
You’re in 1 Corinthians. Go with me to the book of Ephesians. You got first and second Corinthians. You got Galatians and Ephesians. Here’s what you need to understand about God. I’m going to show it to you in Romans. Your glorification is as good as done. When God makes a promise, you can go to the bank with that promise. Dd you know that?
By the way, how is it that when I got saved, he said I’ve already received my glorification? How can he make those terms? I want you to notice what he says in Ephesians chapter 2. Do me a favor. When you get to Ephesians, put a ribbon or a bookmark, or something there, because we’re going to come back to it.
Here’s what you should have. You should have your place in Romans, and you should have your place in Ephesians. We’re going to leave Ephesians, and we’re going to come right back to it. Ephesians chapter 2. Look at verse 6. I want you to notice. Everybody get to Ephesians 2, because I want you to look at this verse.
Notice what it says Ephesians, chapter 2, in verse 6, “And have”. Do you see the word have there? That’s present tense. It’s like it already happened. Same way that the bible says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” Meaning, you have it. Meaning, you possess it. You say, when I got saved, I have. I have everlasting life. Present tense. not something I’m going to get in the future. I have it in the moment that I believe. And he [inaudible 00:25:01] and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
You have it. You possess it. About salvation, notice what he says about glorification. “And hath,” present tense, “raised us up together.” That’s talking about the resurrection. That’s talking about the rapture. “And made,” you see the word made there? “Made us” that’s present tense.
I want you to understand. He’s not saying “and I will raise them up together. And I will make them to sit together.” He doesn’t say that. He says “and have raise us up together, And made,” present tense, “and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Do you understand what the verse just said? Here’s what God is saying. You are sitting in heaven now with Christ Jesus. Now, are you sitting heaven now with Jesus.? The answer is, no. He says, you’re already been raised up. Now, have you already been raised up? No. You say, why is he speaking in present tense? Why is he speaking like it’s already happened?
Go back to Romans. Go back to chapter 4. Look at verse 17. Romans chapter 4 in verse 17. Here’s what I want you to understand. When God makes us promises, it’s as good as done. In fact, it’s so good, he ever speaks to it as if it’s already happened. Romans 4:17 notice what the bible says. Romans chapter 4 in verse 17 “As is written, I have made thee a father of many nations.” This is referring to Abraham, and the many promises that God make to Abraham. “Before in whom he believed even God who [inaudible 00:26:43] Notice what it says. I want you to notice the last part of verse 17 “and calleth those things, which be not as though they were.”
You see that? You know what that just said? God says, he’s telling Abraham, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t had the Son yet. As soon as I make the promise, it’s as good as done. In fact, God says that he calleth those things, which be not as though they were. He said that the things that are happening haven’t happened yet. The resurrection in the glorification, he says, I speak of those things like they already happened. I speak of you as if you’re already sitting in heaven in your glorified body.
How can he say that? Here’s how he can say that. God has given you the victory already. You’ve been predestinated. Not for salvation, but once you receive the call, he justified you. No one can condemn you. No one can charge you. No one can separate you. Then, he’s already glorified you.
Listen. For those of you that believe that you can lose your salvation, how does that work? God says you’re sitting in heavenly places with me already.It’s as good as done. I mean, do you disappear when you sin? “Oops, so and so just lost their salvation. They were just sitting there.” That’s not how it works.
You see, once you’re saved, you’re saved. Once you’ve been justified, you’ve been justified. It has nothing to do with you. Go back to Romans. You’re in Romans chapter 4. Go back to Romans chapter 3. Let me give you a couple more things on this idea, and then we’ll get to our third point. Romans chapter 3. Look at verse number 20.
See, today you have people who think that they are saved based on the way they live their lives. They’re saved based on the things they do. They think they will be justified by how good of a person they are. I’m here to tell you friend, that’s not what the bible’s teaches.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 1: I’m not trying to hurt you’re feelings, but we talked about this morning. We need to dispute with false beliefs. We need to disagree with false doctrine. Look, if you believe that you’re saved based on the way you live your life, or that you can lose your salvation based on the way you live your life … I’m not trying to make you an enemy. I’m trying to help you out. You’re wrong.
That’s not justification. In fact, God says when you got saved, you’re already sitting in heavenly places. You’re already there. Romans chapter 3, verse 20. Notice what he says. Romans chapter 3, verse 20, “Therefore…” Notice what he says. Don’t miss this. “Therefore by the deeds of the law …” What does that mean? What’s a deed? Something you do. “By the deeds of the law, by the keeping of the law, by the doing” That’s where the word deeds come from. “By the doing of the law, there shall no flesh be, there’s our word, justified in his sight. You cannot be justified by the deeds of the law.
Please understand this. You cannot, you cannot, you cannot be justified by the deeds. You say, why not? Because there’s none that doeth good, no not one. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. You’re not good enough. “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified on this side, for the the law is the knowledge of sin.
The purpose of the law is to show you that you’re a sinner that needs salvation, that needs to receive the call, that needs to accept the call. Look at verse 28 Romans, chapter 3, verse 28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith.”
You find that all throughout the bible. Notice “without, without the deeds of the law. Could it be any more clear? You’re not saved by keeping the law, friend. You’re not saved by living a good life. You’re not saved by trying to do right. I’m thankful you’re trying to do right. I’m thankful you’re trying to live right. Praise the Lord for that, but that’s not what salvation is. When you are justified, it is because you are made a new creature. See, you can’t reform the old man. It’s not reformation. It’s redemption.
We see our victory in our justification. Not only do we see our victory in justification, we also see our victory in our glorification. It’s like we’ve already ready received, it’s like we’ve already been raised. We’re already sitting in heavenly places according to scriptures.
Here’s what I want you to understand. Not only is there victory in justification, and not only is there victory in glorification. I want you to understand something. There is victory in sanctification. That’s another theological word.
What is sanctification? Here’s what I want you to understand, and please understand this. Justification, which is our salvation, and glorification, which is the redemption of our body, are two different things. Two different events. Whenever you are saved, you are justified. At the rapture, whether you are asleep or alive, you will be glorified. But between justification and between glorification, there is a process called sanctification.
Sanctification does not save you, because we just by the deeds of the law, that shall no flesh be justified in this life, for by the laws and all of your sin. We conclude that you’re not justified by the law. There is a process that God is trying to do in your life. When God save you, he did not save you to sit. He saved you, but now he wants to work with you and work on you. He wants you to live the victorious christian life.
Are you there in Romans 8? Look at verse 29. Notice what he says Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he als did predestinate.” For salvation? No. He predestinated them. Notice, what? What did he predestinate them for? To be conformed to the image of his Son.
You say, what is sanctification? Sanctification is a process of not being conformed, or of stopping the confirmation that we have to the world, and begin to conform our image to the image of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
You’re there in Romans 8. Go there to Romans chapter 12. Look at verse 1. We could quote it, you know it, but let’s look at it together. Romans chapter 12 verse 1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Notice verse 2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed.” That’s sanctification “but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
See, God says “be not conformed to this world.” Then he says that he predestinated you, and he predestinated me to be conformed to the image of the son. He says I want you to be less like the world, and I want you to be more like my son. I want you to be less like the world, and I want you to be more like Christ. And you say, what is that?
That’s sanctification. It’s a process that God begins in your life at the day of salvation. It comes to completion on the day of the rapture.
Go to Ephesians Chapter 2. Did you keep your place there? Ephesians chapter 2. Remember what we say in verse 6? We’re already sitting in heavenly places. We’ve already receive the victory through our glorification. Verse 8, famous verses, you know them.
“For by grace you are saved through faith.” If you’re still on the fence about whether or not you’re saved, based on the way you live your life. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,” look. Salvation is not of yourselves. It’s not something you produce. It’s not something you do. It’s not something that comes from you, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves…” You say, why?
It is a gift. “… it is a gift of God.” A Gift is free. Guess what the word grace means? Notice verse 9, “not of works, lest any man should boast.” You can’t pay for a gift, and you can’t earn a gift. That’s why he says it’s not of works. Look, if you can earn,it it’s not a gift. He says it’s a gift.
He says “not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” You say, if we’re saved, we’re not saved by our works. Do works matter? Look at verse 10. “For we are his workmenship, created in Christ Jesus created unto good works.” “Well, I thought you said … ” Listen.
This is the problem that people have. They confuse justification and sanctification. They think that the things that you have to do to be sanctified are the things that you have to do to be justified. Listen to me. When it comes to sanctification, we are his workmanship. He’s working on us, “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”
We’re not saying to live a bad life. The bible says, “What shall we sin then, that grace may abound?” God forbid. We shouldn’t live a sinful life just because we’re saved, just because we can. He says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”
Notice. Does this sound like Romans 8, “… that God hath foreordained that we should walk in them?” That we should walk in one? In what? In the good works. This is not teaching Calvinism. It’s not saying that you were foreordained to be saved. No, no no. You’re saved by grace through faith, not of works. He covered that in verse 8 and verse 9.Then he says, “… because God knew those that would be saved, he predestinated them, or be foreordained that they should walk in good works.”
Go to Philippians chapter 1. Philippians Chapter 1. You’re there in Ephesians. The next book over is Ephesians. Philippians chapter 1. This is a process that God is putting us through. Philippians chapter 1, look at verse 6. Philippians chapter 1, verse 6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work.” We’re his workmanship, right? “That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” What’s the day of Jesus Christ? That’s the rapture, when the trumpet sounds.
Here’s what I want you to understand. God has already given us a victory in our justification. God has already given us a victory in our glorification. Between justification, and between glorification, there is a time. There is a life called sanctification.
God desires to give you the victory in that also. God desires that you live the victorious Christian life. God doesn’t want you to live in bondage. God doesn’t want you to live in failure. God doesn’t want you to fail in marriage. God doesn’t want you to fail you with your children. God doesn’t want you to fail with your finances. God doesn’t want you to fail in your morality. God wants you walk in victory and he’s made that available.
Just quickly, as we end here tonight, I want to give you just a few thoughts. Go back to Romans 8. This is meant to be an introductory sermon to this idea of victorious Christian life. We’re going to get into some very practical things starting next week. I want you to understand. When it comes to victory, it means that you can overcome. I want you to understand that you can overcome because of salvation, your environment.
People will often blame their environment. They say, “Well, if you grew up in the home I grew up in, if you grew up with the parents I grew up with, if you were married to the individual that I’m married to, if you grew up in the culture that I grew up in, if you grew up in the social structure or the economic structure, or in the neighborhood, or in the the whatever, if you understand the environment and the things that happened to me … Listen to me. I am not minimizing the things that have happened to you. Some of you have had terrible things happen to you. I’m not minimizing that at all. We have this idea that we can just blame our environment for our failures in life, but listen to me.
When you got saved, I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, I’m trying to help you out. When you got saved, God did not only give you the victory over sin, and God did not only give you the victory in your body. God gave you the victory in life.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 1: You can overcome. You know, you can overcome your environment? Say, what are you talking about? Go to our passage, Romans 8, verse 28. “We know …” Don’t you love those words, we know? We know that we have eternal life. “We know …” notice what it says, “that all things…” It doesn’t say most things. It doesn’t say most things. It says, all things. “We know that all things work together for good.” Please understand what the verse is saying. It’s not saying that all things are good.
Not everything that happened in your life is good, but we know that all things work together for your good. Not for everybody. Notice, before you get all Calvinist on me. It’s to them that love God. To them who are the called. Doesn’t that mean that they’re saved? According to his purpose, that means they’re walking. They’re being conformed to the image of his son.
Here’s what we know. The world can claim this, but if you’re called, meaning you’re save, you’ve received Christ as savior, you’re accepted the call of salvation. You’ve been justified. If you’re called, if you love God, if you are walking according to his purpose, you can claim this promise. That, no matter what environment you grew up in, no matter what you’ve gone through, no matter what’s been down to you, God says that “we know that all things work together for good.”
How can that be? It can be because God has already given us the victory. In verse 36, he gives us an example. What if you get persecuted? Romans 8:36 says, “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, and all these things we are more than conquerors to he who loved us.”
So what if they try to kill us? We’re still conquerors. Please understand this, and you don’t have to turn to theses passages. I’m just going to read these verses to you quickly. In fact, you go with me 1 John, chapter 5. If you go to the end of the bible, you have the book of Revelation, you head back, you got Jude, first, second, and third John. You go there, and let me read just a few verses for you.
God has given us the victory in our trials. 1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, be much more precious than of gold that perishes.” God says that your trials are precious. “… though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” God says that your trials can be precious at the appearing of Jesus Christ. You say, how can that be? He’s already given you victory over all trials.
Please understand. I wish people would get this. There is no trial that you can go through in life that should knock you out of the christian life. “You don’t understand pastor, I got sued. My name was [inaudible 00:41:15], that’s why I had to quit on God.”
You didn’t have to quit on God for that. God says that he can turn any trial into a victory. God says that he can turn any trial into a victory that you can look back at at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and say “I got the victory.”
There’s no trial, there’s no tribulation. John 16:33 “These things that have been spoken to you, that it me ye might have peace.” That’s the Lord Jesus Christ speaking. “In the world he shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
You know there’s no tribulation that has to knock you out of the Christian life? You know there’s no trial that has to knock you out of the Christian life? You know there’s no temptation that has to knock you out of the Christian life? 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as a common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you.” That means allow. He will not allow you. He “… will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, hat ye may be able to bear it.”
There is no trial that has to knock you out of the Christian life. There is no tribulation that can knock you out of the Christian life. There is no trial that can knock you out of the christian life. Here’s what I’m trying to get you to understand.
If you lose as a Christian, i you fail to live the victorious christian life, it will be because you chose to. Because, God has already given you the victory. Not just in justification, not just in glorification, but also in sanctification, Are you there in 1 John 5? Not only, does he give us the victory in our environment. Listen to me. Not only does he give us the victory in our environment, he also gives us the victory over our enemies.
You say, who are the enemies? We have three major enemies. Here we go: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Three people are against you: the world, the flesh, the devil. You know that God has already given you victory over all three?
1 John 5:4, are you there? “For whatsoever is born from God overcometh the world: this is the victory, that ovecometh the world.” When you get saved, God gave you victory over the world. “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God?”
The world is against. The world is fighting us. The world is attacking us. Hey, be of good cheer. He’s already given you victory over the world. He’s already given you victory over your flesh. Turn to Galatians 5:16. It says this, “This I say then, Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
We’re going to talk about this later on in the series, but understand this: you can live in victory over the flesh. You can live in victory over the world.
Lastly, you can live in victory over the devil. If you’re there in 1 John 5, just go a couple of chapters over. 1 John, chapter two, in verse 13. Notice what the bible says. 1 John 2:13, “I write unto you, fathers, is because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.”
Who’s the wicked one? That’s Satan. He’s says “…ye have overcome the wicked one.” He says, “I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I write unto you fathers because you have known him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong within the word of God abideth in you.”
What’s the God that would describe the young men of [inaudible 00:44:28] Baptist Church? You are strong in the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. God has already given you victory over the devil. 1 John 4:4, turn to it real quickly. 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them.” Why? Why have you overcome them? “…because greater is he.” Who is he? That’s God. “…greater is he that is in you, that he,” that’s the devil, “that is in the world.”
God’s like, I gave you victory over your environment, for I know all things work together for your good. I gave you the victory over your enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil. James 4:7 says “Submit yourselves upward to God; resist he devil and he will flee from you.”
Here’s the question I have: If he’s given us the victory in justification, if he’s given us the victory in glorification, if it’s already like we’re sitting up in heavenly places, and he’s given us a victory in our sanctification, why is there so much failure in Christianity? Why are there so many people dropping out? Why are there so many people getting backsliding and quitting on God? Why is there such few Christians actually living the victorious christian life that God that given them?
Here’s what I want you to understand over the next several weeks. We’re going to begin to study the Truths that the bible gives us as to how to live the Christian life. The sermon today was entitled this “Destined for Victory.’ I want to begin by explaining to you that you can be victorious. In fact, you’ve been destined to be victorious. You’ve been predestinated to be victorious, but we have to follow those truths found in scripture.
I want to encourage you to be here every week on Sunday night, every week for the next five weeks starting tonight, and that’s four weeks after tonight so we can learn how to live the Christian life. This was a theological type sermon. Next week I’m going to give you a very practical sermon. The sermon next week part two of this series is “Defining Victory.”
What dos it mean to win? What does it mean to live at the Christian life? Is sinning at Star Bucks every Sunday morning living the Christian life? What is the victory? What does it even mean to win? We’re going to study that next week. We’re going to study what the bible says about defining victory, what does it mean to win.
On the third part of this series we’re going to preach a sermon entitled, “Denying self for victory.” We’re going to learn about why we must die to self and why we must walk in the spirit of God an be filled with the spirit of God. I’m convinced that the problem with the Christianity today, and the problem with our movement today … I’m not down on our movement. I love our movement … The problem with our movement is we have a lot of rule keepers. We have a lot of list takers. WE want to follow all of the little list and how all this is all fundamental.
Listen to me. I’m all for lists. I’m all for standards. You want to compare fundamentalism, I’d be happy to compare with you, and I’m being sarcastic. Please understand this. Here’s what I’ve realized. If we could just teach people to deny self and walk in the spirit, you don’t have to worry too much about lists, because when you walk in the spirit you shall not feel the loss of the flesh. When you walk in the spirit you’re not going to be walking in the flesh.
We’re going to talk about denying self for victory and why we must die to self. In the fourth part of this series, I’m going to teach a sermon entitled, “Disciplined for victory.” We’re going to talk about the need for daily disciplines in life. Why being a disciple means you live a discipline life.
Lastly, we’re going to talk about directed for victory. The truth of the matter is, form time to time, we take detours. Don’t we? From time to time we get distracted. We’re going to talk about how to return when you’ve taken a detour an how to make sure that you are directed properly to be successful in the christian life. Here’s what I want you to understand, and all I want you to take from tonight’s sermon: God has already given you the victory. If you fail, it will not be because of God. He’s already given you all of the tools. He’s put it all in the scripture. He’s given you the Holy Spirit, but it is our job to make sure we live the christian life. Let’s bow our heads in a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for these truths. I know these theological terms and their scriptural terms can sometime be a little heavy and maybe we even think redundant. We’ve talked about these thing Lord. Every once and a while, it’s good for us to remember we’ve been justified. It’s not just as I’d never sinned, but just as if I’d never been a sinner. I’ve been given the victory in my justification, and I’ve been given the glory in my glorification. It’s like I’ve already been raised up, like I’m already siting in heavenly places.
Lord, I pray you help us to be people that are learning to conform ourselves to the image of Christ, that are attempting to not be conformed to the image fo the world, and that are trying to live the victorious Christian life in this process that we call sanctification. Lord I pray for the dear people in this church, the dear people in this room tonight. If there’s somebody here who’s not saved, who’s trusting in their works, Lord that they would realize that salvation is a gift that simply must be received. Lord I pray for those tat are are save. That they would not be content to be saved, that we would all desire to walk a victorious Christian.
We love you father. We thank you for our salvation. Thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for our sins.
In the name of Christ, we pray these things, Amen.