Sanctified

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

SANCTIFIED

1 Cor 1:1-3

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — their Lord and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

NIV

The fact is that we are sanctified, which means we are made holy in Christ Jesus, and we are called to be holy. So how can we have been made holy in Christ Jesus and still be called to be holy? Are we not already holy because of Christ Jesus? If that is so then what is this call to be holy all about? Perhaps we are called to Christ Jesus, or it could be that we are called to live an upright life after being made holy in Christ Jesus. Now the definition or use of which applies in the context is to be set apart for God, as it were to be exclusively his. So then we have been made holy in Christ Jesus we are called to be set apart to God, to be exclusively his, and no longer service our own interests, but solely service his.  Truly it would be a better way of life, for in service of our God and Lord Jesus Christ we would find the greatest satisfaction, as well as the most extreme reward, eternal life. Yet it would also be a far better life here on this earth as well. It has been said that we cannot out give God, although we may not be sure who said it. Yet that statement seems to bear truth, for if we live to solely service God, he will in turn bless us beyond our wildest imagination. If we think we have the ability or resources to live a good life, he has so much more ability and resources to empower us for a really good life, but we cannot focus on the reward, we must focus on him.  There could be times when it may not seem we are living the really good life. There may be times when is seems trouble follows us wherever we go. There may be times when our health or wealth is not exactly what we think they should be. All this could be either from an attack of the evil one, or maybe a test from the Holy one. We cannot allow anything to distract us from service to our God. We have been set apart for him, and exclusively for him, so that is who we are, his. This is why we accept all the grace and peace he has to offer, and we know that grace is his divine influence upon our hearts and the reflection of that in our lives, and peace is the spiritual prosperity of our being. So why would we even want to service our own interests when we have God to serve, for we are sanctified.