Marie’s Verse Psalms 34:14 NLT Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

DAILY DEVOTION, December 7, 2022

God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, God planned how he would redeem us. He planned to bring us salvation by involving two procedures. Paul expresses these in reverse order from the way we usually experience them. To receive God’s salvation, we begin by believing the truth. The truth revealed in the writings of the apostles is that Jesus is the Son of God who provided for our salvation through his death on the cross. Faith in Jesus brings us into the Kingdom of God.

Paul then mentions sanctification by the spirit. Sanctification is another way of saying “making us into faithful followers of Jesus.” Sanctification by the Holy Spirit leads to a new life. God saves us by faith and then gives us the power to live a new life. Both elements are present in the lives of the redeemed. There is no such thing as salvation that does not result in sanctification by the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to have true faith in Jesus and not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. While our obedience to Jesus is never perfect, Christians are always striving to follow him.

Father, I thank you for the simplicity of the gospel. I thank you that I have heard the truth and believed in Jesus. I thank you that the Holy Spirit is leading me ever increasingly to a life of obedience. May my daily life bring praise and glory and honor to you and to Jesus. In his name, I pray. Amen.