Be good and do good. What is the alternative? Why fight the Bible? For those that believe in our Savior is speaking against being good and doing good actually fighting yourself? Or fighting God? Who would want us not to be good and do good? Who would teach others not to be good and do good? Whether it is in words or action the entirety of the New Testament tells us to be good and do good. Not that being good saves us, but the true believers in Christ strive to do so...that they are the light of world...to be an example to others.
What is the biblical meaning of sanctification?
1 : to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : consecrate. 2 : to free from sin : purify.
To be set apart – from those around you. To follow Christ's example. God wants to save us from the stain of sin; this is known as justification. When God justifies people, He puts a “righteous” stamp on them; He takes away their “sinful” label and replaces it with a “righteous” one. He cleanses them of their sin and puts a new label on them. To justify is to change something’s label from “wrong” to “right.” This is a one-time event; once God justifies a person, the “sinful” label is thrown away forever.
God also wants to save us from the power of sin; this is sanctification. Sanctification is not a one-time event. It is something that takes place over the rest of a Christian’s life. Even though God cleanses us of our sin and takes away our “wrong” label, this does not mean that we are perfect. Sin is still present, and we still sometimes listen to it and make wrong choices. God wants us to stop listening to sin and doing what it wants us to do. God wants us to do what He tells us to do through the Bible and through His Spirit. He wants to save us from the power of sin, so that sin no longer has control over us. Sanctification is the power to say “yes” to God and “no” to sin.
2nd Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
1st Thessalonians 4: 1-8
1. As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
1st Peter 1:2 According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
2nd Peter 1:2-4 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2nd Peter 2:20-22 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
Peter the directors cut...2nd Peter 1:3-11
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
1st John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
1st John 3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Now I give these scriptures to those that are reading this. It is a waste to give them to the OSAS crowd because they represent the true definition of obdurate....totally resistant to the Word of God. Instead believing you can live a sinful life and still go to heaven. That sin is rewarded with heaven. That heaven will not be fit for good people and God, because it will be filled with evildoers and all manner of poor character. So read and heed, the true followers of Christ strive to be good and do good....the Bible...through and through says to be good and do good. Lies do not stand up against the Word of God.