Living the Sanctified Life

Have you every wondered what it means to live a sanctified life?  Recently, I had been reading Deut 10:12-11:32 and all that God laid out as his will for the life of a typical Jew.  James E. Smith notes the following commands given through Moses:

1.  “Fear the Lord your God” (10:12, 20).
2.  “Walk in all his ways” (10:12; 11:22).
3.  “Love him” (11:1, 13, 22).
4.  “Serve the Lord your God” (10:20; 11:13).
5.  “Keep the commandments of the Lord” (11:1, 8, 13, 22).¹

This unambiguous list gives clear direction for the individual.  Each of these is a by-product of the Holy Spirit's sanctifying and enabling work.  Each was within the grasp and ability of an Israelite walking by faith.  As well, the commands were not given without purpose.  The following table illustrates the reasoning and application for obedience:

Commandment	Purpose	Application
Fear the Lord your God	God is sovereign. (10:14)	Walk in daily attitude of worship (10:20-22).
Walk in all his ways	God chose you. (10:15)	Participate in the life of sanctification given to you (10:16).
Love him	God is mighty. (11:2-7)	Obedience provides strength, so act in that strength. (11:18-25)
Serve the Lord your God	God supplies every need. (11:14-15)	Enjoy the fruit of life, but do not become arrogant in it. (11:16-17)
Keep the commandments of the Lord	God blesses abundantly. (11:10-12)	Enter into the fullness of what the Lord has promised. (11:8-9)

At this point it is quite possible someone may be thinking, "But we're not under the Law."  Do you realize that every summary point in the above table is taught by Christ or one of the apostles as applying directly to Christians?  That surprises many, because the liberal and evangelical church groups have bought into the notion that everything before Christ is better left alone as if one might become infected with legalistic tendencies.  Certainly, the possibility exists, but the overriding theme being promoted here is that the God of Moses is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, and you.  The difference is that the finished work of Christ has dealt with the issue of sin, and we can walk with freedom in Christ.

There is a consistent recurring theme in the Deuteronomy passage that deserves observation—know God intimately and act accordingly, or as Augustine put it, "Love God and do as you please."  The trick is being filled with the true knowledge of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as revealed in the fullness of the scriptures.  The more we are in God's word and acting on it by faith (i.e. abiding in it), the more we grow in Christ and exemplify the sanctified life.

One might ask, "How much work is involved?"  Actually, there is none.  The Lord promised a life of abundance for those who believed on him.  We are simply abiding in the realm of that promise.  For certain, effort is involved.  Spiritual battles are to be fought.  We are to toil in prayer and the study of scripture.  The Lord does not simply hand us our daily needs.  He has created us for good works that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10), thus working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12).

How does one live the sanctified life?  Know the giver of life better through his revealed word, and just live it out.


¹  James E. Smith, The Pentateuch, 2nd ed.  (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1993).  Dt 10:12-11:32.