The God who justifies us

SUMMARY: Sanctification is a difficult and lifelong process, and it's important to be patient with ourselves and others as we navigate through it. Even biblical characters who passionately loved God, like Jehoshaphat, Abraham, David, and Peter, had moments of sin and inconsistency. God understands our human nature and is patient with us. We should also be patient with ourselves and others, and not condemn ourselves or others for failures. This will allow us to focus on pleasing God and following His Word.

Sanctification is not for cowards. It's agonizing, and it's the effort of a lifetime. It is not a black and white, all or nothing issue. By remembering the accidents and vicissitudes of our own growth journey, we can identify with those who struggle with addictions, emotional deformations, and attachments of various kinds. When we recognize how complex, arduous, and subtle the believer's sanctification process is, it enables us to be more understanding and patient with those who experience failures and failures on their own spiritual journey.

Contradiction and inconsistency are an inevitable part of the Christian experience. The formation of a son or daughter of God will inevitably involve painful falls and inconsistencies that must contradict the noblest aspirations of the soul. This is not necessarily an indication of a personal evil, but a product of our genetic condition as fallen and imperfect beings. There is no doubt that biblical characters such as Jehoshaphat, Abraham, David, and Peter passionately loved God. Throughout their lives, they showed that they were willing to take great risks and confront great dangers to defend the interests of the Kingdom of God. However, their condition as fallen men, prone to sin and disobedience despite their best intentions, led them to sin and err on more than one occasion.