”They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
The
earthly dimension of our holiness is a work in progress (Hebrews 10:14). Being
a work in progress means that there is still some work to be done. Hence, Peter
reminds us about this fact by calling us to be holy (1Peter 1:15).
In
theological language, this work in progress is referred to as “sanctification.”
We explored last Sunday the meaning of the word sanctification and learned a
definition of the process.
I
presented a connection between our sanctification and Jesus’ call for
discipleship. “Then he said to them all: “If
anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
This
sentence describes a process: a beginning:
“if anyone would come”; “must deny himself”; “take up
his cross”; and it is ongoing:
“daily”; and “follow me”. When we become Christians, we are
at the very beginning of this process…it is a life time process.
I
also mentioned briefly that (Acts 2:42) reveals the necessary (and sufficient I
would say) elements for our sanctification. We are being sanctified/ we are
growing spiritually as we dedicate ourselves to the practice of Acts 2:42.
In
other words, the elements of the early believers’ daily life, described in Acts
2:42, are our “daily cross”.
The
daily life described in described in Acts 2:42 resonates with Paul’s warning.
He wrote, “Do not let anyone who delights
in false humility (asceticism, ESV) and the worship of angels disqualify you
for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and
his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions” (Colossians 2:18).
Sanctification
doesn’t necessitate our retreat from the world; or mystic experiences; or
extreme religious practices. Our sanctification is a matter of living daily as
God’s children in this world, yet not of it, carrying our cross, following
Jesus. Be holy!