Sanctified through suffering
Colossians 1:24 “ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church...” Justification for the church is a done deal: It was finished for us at the point when Jesus said so on the cross (John19:28-30). It was done at His death. However... Sanctification for the Church is an ongoing process: see Romans 6:4; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:11-15 . It began at His resurrection…because, just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too are born again into a new life, and are being changed - sanctified daily. Sanctification means separation from this world and all that belongs to it…which means that the world will hate us (John 15:18-19) …and will persecute us (John 15:20). And Christ’s sufferings for his Church continues through us, His Body (Colossians 1:24) We, like the Apostle Paul, must follow Him through death, burial and finally, into resurrection (1Peter2:21-23) . B
