Topic
Sanctification
1,682 sermons · All topics
Paul's Intercessory Prayer for the Colossians
Paul's intercessory prayer for the Colossians (Colossians 1:9–14) defines what a worthy walk before God actually looks like, tracing four participles that mark genuine Christian discipleship: fruitfulness in good works, growth in the knowledge of God, divine strengthening for patient endurance, and thankfulness to the Father. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone — not by works, but unto works — so that every lawful act, whether in the home, the workplace, or the church, is rendered as sacred service to the Lord. The sermon moves from these four marks of discipleship into the theological ground of thanksgiving: God has qualified the believer for an inheritance, delivered him from the dominion of darkness, transferred him into the kingdom of the Son, and redeemed him through Christ's blood. The hearer is urged to examine whether these four characteristics genuinely identify his own walk, resting the assurance of that examination on the sovereign, irresistible grace of God.
Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God
Paul's charge in 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 to 'perfect holiness in the fear of God' rests on three covenant promises: the nearness of God, the favor of God, and the fatherhood of God. Because God has already fulfilled these promises in Christ, the imperatives to cleanse from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to press on toward complete sanctification follow as the fitting response of those already redeemed, not as conditions for receiving grace. The sermon traces the biblical-theological root of these promises from Exodus and Leviticus through Jeremiah and Ezekiel to their fulfillment in Christ, and applies the call to corporate ecclesial fidelity and to individual decisions — especially the prohibition of marriage to unbelievers — governed by the fear of God rather than emotion.