Luke 14:24-27 NIVLarge crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
The above is a very hard word to take in and digest. What does it mean to hate father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters and your own life? I believe it has to do with sanctification and the first commandment; "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 NIV
Sanctification
Dictionary.com defines sanctification as:
1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.
2. to purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts.
3. to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding: to sanctify a vowSanctification is Jesus in me not something He puts into me but the perfections of Jesus Christ are given to me, not slowly but instantly when in faith we believe that Jesus gives us holiness or sanctification. It is the point where nothing is more important than Jesus Christ Himself and where we give all of us over to Him and allow Him to let His perfection shine in us. It is when we say hate, and Jesus relates hate to murder so, in essence, we are murdering our number one ties to our father, mother, husband, wife, children and self. Where nothing but Jesus Christ is number one in our lives and this is the first commandment
Matthew 22:37 NIV
"love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
Then, through the gift of Jesus in us, we will be equally yoked with Jesus walking along beside Him bearing our cross in life.
John 14:15-21 NIV
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
The impartation of the Holy qualities of Jesus Christ is His love, patience, holiness, faith and purity that is obvious in every sanctified soul. This is not taking from Jesus His power, but drawing from His power that is manifested in Him that He makes apparent in us. This is not an imitation of Jesus but Jesus in perfection in us. This is very wonderful news, knowing that the Holy Spirit living in us manifests in us the power of Jesus Christ if we keep His commands which Jesus tells us in
Matthew 22:37-39 NIV
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
Come to Jesus just as you are with all of your baggage and stuff. Believe He is God's Son given up for you and He will take you as is and change you into the person He created you to be. The Holy Spirit will come in and live in your heart and give you the qualities of Jesus.
Blessings,
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Come to Jesus just as you are with all of your baggage and stuff. Believe He is God's Son given up for you and He will take you as is and change you into the person He created you to be. The Holy Spirit will come in and live in your heart and give you the qualities of Jesus.
Blessings,
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