Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

I HAVE BEEN... - The apostle Paul speaks here of a personal experience he had, and continued to have all throughout his ministry.  Paul speaks here of an experience that we all must have, in order to have salvation, to continue in it, and to see the Work of the Lord prosper in our midst.

…CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST – Physically speaking, Jesus was nailed to a wooden structure, on which His arms were stretched out.  Such a position made it very difficult to breathe, eventually bringing physical death.  It was a painful method of execution, which the Romans used to execute the most notorious criminals.

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Leviticus 1:5 – “He is to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

This verse describes what they had to do with the blood when they brought a burnt offering – before the burning it, they would drain the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of God’s altar.  In the same way, we need the blood of Jesus to touch EVERY AREA of our lives – all sides.  Everything must be consecrated, every area of sin forgiven, every facet of our lives under its protection.  This is the opening passage of Leviticus, a book entirely about priestly sacrifices and other priestly duties – all of which foreshadow the work of Jesus, our Great High Priest.

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¹ Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

² Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

³ They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.

⁴ You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.

⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!

⁶ Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

⁸ I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

INTRODUCTION – Psalm 119 is unique.  It is the longest psalm, the longest chapter in the Bible, and is located in the middle of the Bible – like a “user manual” or operator instructions for the rest of the Scriptures.

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Zechariah 3:1-7 - “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’

“Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”  Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Then I said, ‘Put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.  The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here…’ ”

Joshua in his filthy garments represents man in his natural state (all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23). The filthy garments speak of our lives stained by sin and its consequences, causing man to live in disarray, without peace and without aim. Clothes refer to our testimony or overall lifestyle. Jesus said, “Be dressed and ready for service…” (Luke 12:35); see also Revelation 3:18, where he said, “Buy from me white garments for you to wear...”

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Zephaniah 1:7 – “Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited…”

Zephaniah prophesied about the destruction of Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel) that occurred in 586 B.C., but many of his prophecies also point forward to the final judgment that comes in the Last Days.

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3 John 1:11 – “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God.  Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

While the Bible is very clear that we cannot earn our salvation through good works (see Ephesians 2:8-9), it is also clear that true salvation will be evident through the transformed life of the believer.  Genuine salvation produces sanctification.

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1 Peter 1:16 – “…for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy….” 

How do we define sanctification?  Sanctification means “set apart for God’s purposes” or “separated from sin and spiritual uncleanness.”  In the original text of the Bible, “sanctification” is often the same word as “holiness.”  The definition of sanctification has two components – separation from sin and dedication for God’s purposes (that is, the will of God).  In practice, we experience sanctification in three general ways: past, present, and future.  As Christians, we can say that we were sanctified, that we are being sanctified, and that we will be sanctified.  

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Genesis 45:22 – “To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.”

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Exodus 27:9-10 – “Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. . .”

While the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, God told them to make a large portable temple that they could carry with them and set up wherever they encamped. This is how we define the “Tabernacle” now, although the word originally meant simply “a tent.” More than one-third of the book of Exodus focuses on God’s revelations about how to make the Tabernacle, and on the Israelites’ construction of it according to God’s plans.

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Deuteronomy 21:11-13 - “…if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.  Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails, and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured.  After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.“

This passage gives us a prophetic illustration of the salvation we have in Jesus Christ, that is, how the Spirit transforms our lives when we are born again.  It also shows the preparation of the Bride of Christ, the faithful church, for the Rapture.  Shaving the hair represents the complete change of mentality, attitudes, and opinions that must accompany our conversion experience and spiritual growth.  Trimming the nails refers to the “work of our hands,” as we devote our efforts to God’s Work instead of sinful things.  Clothes refer to our lifestyle, the testimony given by the way we live. continue