The Hard Work of Sanctification

Meditating on the Word this morning, I was reminded of the work involved in growing in Christ. He gives us salvation when we reach for Him, acknowledging that we cannot save ourselves, as Scott Dawson so well said Sunday as 6,000 worshipped with us at First Baptist Concord.


But sanctification is a partnership. It requires our effort. Let this passage instruct us, and let us use it to challenge and teach others.

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." -- Proverbs 2:1-6

Let's break this down.

"My son -- We belong to Him. Therefore, as His possession, bought with a steep price, we are expected to follow Him, to intentionally obey and grow

"if you accept my words and store up my commands within you" -- that is, if you willfully, volitionally, choose to believe (put trust in) His Word and make the effort to memorize Scripture

"turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding" -- If you did the previous, then you are choosing to turn to wisdom -- to actively listen -- and to turn your heart to comprehension and application of truth

"and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure" -- This accepting, storing, turning, applying sequence requires working. It means we look for truth within Scripture, not merely scan it, not merely systematically read it (nothing wrong with that, too), but we search out as we know our need. We look as if looking for hidden treasure. That clearly speaks of the value of what we find. You want treasure every day? Digging into the Word is fishing is a stocked pond! There is no reason not to catch if you just keep fishing. It just takes the perseverance and effort to stay with it.

"then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" -- Read: guaranteed success. You will find. Remember, we are His and He called us 'Sons,' and He says that He is "loving Father that desires to give good gifts to His children."

"For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." -- A-men and a-men. If we want our people to truly have wisdom, knowledge and understanding, we will challenge and instruct them with the truth that it takes work, it takes digging, it takes fishing. But how hard can that be when you are guaranteed a catch?