Long Road to Righteousness

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Sanctification is the lifelong process of God to conform you into the image of his Son. It is going through the winepress of life; changing the state you once were, a shell of a person, to revealing the core of itself. Sanctification is a painful process, for it is the removal of what is not needed, the elimination of what the grape thinks is necessary for survival. The grape thinks the beauty of it’s outer skin, the size of it, the color of it defines it. What lies within, once broken in half by a bite, or a winepress is the beauty that lies within. God uses his winepress of life to transform us; to make us realize it is not our shell visible to the world that matters, but our inner being that passes into eternity. When he begins to squeeze, it begins to hurt, and we wonder and want to sometimes just be the grape hanging around on the vine.

Vineyards were so prevalent, so important in Bible times, that Jesus’ analogy in John 15 was easily understood. 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Simply put, God takes care of the vine, the vine is Jesus, and if you are not attached to Jesus, you are cast aside. It is that simple; is there evidence that you are attached to Jesus? Look at your yesterday, your last week; how will you be judged if He returns today to reclaim his bride, or his church, or his Christians if you will? How will you give an account of those recent days in light of the One who asks that question of you? If you have failed, but he knows your heart for him, you are forgiven and enter into the joy of the Lord. If you have only paid lip service, returned to sin, and don’t live as his disciple, you will be cast aside.

Sanctification is the lifelong process of Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. We must look at Jesus’ life, how he came to serve, how much he suffered, how much he loved, and how he gave his life for us. A disciple is called to give their life for Jesus, to lay down their cross for him each day, seeking to be in the center of his will for each day, no matter if it be blessing or suffering. Only those that seek to abide will enter into the joy of the Lord for this life, before their eternal one with their crown of righteousness that they can lay at his feet.