PRACTICAL SANCTIFICATION

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ challenged his sleeping companions to muster a little fortitude as the time of trial had finally come and they were languishing behind their weakened and corrupted flesh. 

In this moment, Jesus said to them:

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

(Matthew 26:40-41 NIV)

The Spirit is willing, but the body is weak. 

For the disciples of Jesus Christ who want to escape from their habitual sins and constant sources of trial and temptation, Jesus’ words will ring true. The spirit of the disciple of Jesus is often stronger than the flesh. Meaning that the disciple wants to honor the Lord and follow his command, but his body, his mind, and his flesh simply fail to cooperate. 

In this state of frustration, most followers of Jesus Christ sit. We long for the day that we are free from our temptations and sins, but not so much that we will get up and do something about these areas of weakness.

So we live in a state of spiritual envy, longing for the righteousness and strength of the Lord while still willingly bearing the weight of our rebellious natures. 

It was into this state that the Lord gave his disciples another teaching. 

In the following passage we can hear a call to take action. Let’s listen:

29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

(Matthew 5:29-30 NIV11)

Caution

I pause to make sure we all know that Jesus was using hyperbole here. The Lord is not calling you to cut out your eye or chop off your hand to escape temptation. Instead, he is using extreme language to get your attention and to help you see a way to apply his teaching. 

And what is his teaching? 

There are several assumptions being made here:

•  That the disciple of Christ is already living in and through saving faith in Jesus. 
•  That the disciple of Christ desires to be free from habitual sin. 
•  That the follower of Christ is motivated to act on their sin. 

Action

If these assumptions are true, then the follower of Jesus needs to listen to the call of Christ in this teaching. Jesus is calling his followers to see that they need to take action on those areas of habitual or ongoing temptation. 

It is essential that we hear the call of the Lord to get up and take action to help yourself move away from whatever the source of your temptation might be. 

Practical Sanctification

I would like to offer you an example of this kind of practical sanctification. 

In our church, we assume that every true follower of Jesus wants sexual temptation removed from their lives. We also know that in order for the believer in Jesus to follow this calling of practical sanctification, we must do more than hope that we do not suffer temptation; we must take action.  

Since most ministry leaders today must use multiple forms of technology that all provide access to sexual temptation, our church lovingly requires that all who use this equipment in the line of their ministry work must also use software that helps provide protection from some temptations and accountability for many others. 

Covenant Eyes

We use a program called Covenant Eyes to help our team follow Christ’s call to cut these areas of temptation out of our lives. I use it personally and have a family account available for anyone in my family who would like to join me in this process of practical sanctification. If you want to see this software for yourself, simply click on this link… Covenant Eyes.

Not Passive

Temptation and sin are never passive. They do not take days off, and they are never satisfied. We must take action and prayerfully, carefully, and collectively seek accountability with one another and with the Lord in all of these areas. Join me in this journey. 

It is worth it!

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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