Our lesson today, when Brother Brad calls, I thought, well, what would the Lord want me to do? And the thought come to me, the purpose and need of sanctification. And I thought, you know, that is a good subject, but it's a difficult subject. Well, it is to me, it may not be to you. But I did feel like that's what the Lord wanted me to do. So we began studying on that. I was reading, and we're gonna take our text today from 2 Thessalonians 5, And what we'll take for test. Apostle Paul writing to the church at Thessalonica. And he says here, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I don't know where you caught that and I'm sure you did. I read that many times and I didn't catch it till lately. But I always thought this had reference to sanctification and sanctification of the flesh or the carnal man. But did you notice it says here, I pray that your whole, W-H-O-L-A, referring to all points of mankind as individuals. Now, I'm not going to get into doctrinal arguments today of whether we're a three-fold or two-fold being. If you believe in two-fold, that's fine. If you believe in three-fold, that's fine also. But we do know here that Paul has reference here to our whole body, soul, and spirit being preserved blameless. So that tells me that we have the element in our existence as mankind that would be classified by God as being sin. In other words, by nature, we're sinners. Now, Jesus told us during his personal ministry for us to love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our mind, and then in another place, with all of our strength. So what does God require of all of us here today as far as being holy toward him? Well, with what strength that we have within us, we are required to use every bit of it to love God our Father, to love Jesus, to love the Holy Spirit, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We're required to do that. And that's the reason that we have sanctification. Now, I looked up in the Bible, Webster's Dictionary, and I realize sometimes, because of this word called etymology, that words change meaning over years, you know. But I looked at Webster's Dictionary in 1828, and I've got newer ones, and they say basically the same thing, to see what the brethren believed in that time, what sanctification meant. And it says, number one, it's the act of making holy, in an evangelical sense, the act of God's grace by which the affections of men are purified and alienated from sin and the world and exalted to a supreme love of God. And Webster uses 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Peter 1 as reference points for his definition of that first definition. Definition number two, Webster says it's the act of consecrating or setting apart for a sacred purpose, consecration. I love a dictionary when it's giving me a definition and it throws at the end of it a bigger word that I have to look up to see what that means. But anyway, I went ahead and looked up consecration, which probably I shouldn't do it, but I looked it up anyway. It says, for consecration, the act or ceremony of separating from a common to a sacred use, or of devoting and dedicating a person or a thing to the service and worship of God by certain rites and solemnities. So sanctification is a setting apart of something for special work. And usually there is a ceremony or a rite in the separating that individual or that person or that thing. And it says consecration does not make a person or a thing really holy. So sanctification in this sense does not make that type holy in it. It says, but it declares it to be sacred. that is devoted to God or to divine service as the consecration of priest among the Gentiles, the consecration of vessels used in the temple, or the consecration of a bishop. And Brother Moran ably took care of that today on the qualification of bishops and all that. So I got to thinking, is there any documents in our history as Baptists that give us an idea of what our forefathers believed in sanctification. And I'm sure there's others in this, but what records I had at my house that I went through, the earliest that I could find was in 1689, the London Baptist Confession of Faith, and it says chapter 13. And what they say, what our forefathers believed in sanctification, in that day and time was, number one, they who are united to Christ, effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ, death and resurrection, are also further sanctified really and personally through the same virtue by his word and spirit dwelling in them. The dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all the true wholeness without which no man shall see God. And I didn't see anything myself in there that I disagreed with, even though the brethren that wrote this up were what we call particular Baptist or Calvinistic in their views. I actually agree with them on what they say here about sanctification. And he goes on to say, this sanctification is throughout the whole man. Now, what is the whole man? Body, soul, and spirit. So this is a process that works throughout the whole being of man from the time we're regenerated. Have you thought of that? From the time we're regenerated. This process of sanctification begins its work in regeneration and continues on the rest of our lives, folks. And God's doing it. We're not doing it. If we could sanctify ourselves in any way like that, then bless your hearts, we could have saved ourselves. But regeneration, it comes from the Holy Spirit of God working His work in your heart through the gospel and through the belief of the truth. So therefore, sanctification does the same thing. This sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life, thereby there's still some remnants of corruption, and they said in every part. Now, I've pondered on that quite a bit. I'm not sure I completely agree with that point. But anyway, still some remnants occur in every part. When arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. I agree with that, don't you? On sanctification. Continual warfare. I remember the night the Lord saved me out there at home in bed. I'll tell you what, that burden of sin rolled away and that sweet peace come in, joy, and I was so happy. And I wanted to tell Mommy, and then right immediately there became a resistance. Right immediately. There at one point there when I got saved, did you know my body was as pure as my soul at that point when I was saved? I was completely cleaned up at that point. But because of the sin that still dwells in my carnality, it didn't take long for the flesh to start, you know, failing. And it goes on in the third point, it says, in which war, though the remaining corruption for a time may such prevail. And it does seem like sometimes in our life. Have you ever been cold and indifferent? I hope you don't say no on that. Sometimes it seems like it gets the upper hand of us. But because the Holy Spirit himself is the one purifying us and sanctifying us, even though it seems like it might prevail for a while, the Holy Spirit will eventually overcome, and his grace will be sufficient for us to lay aside every weight of sin that so easily besets us. It's because of the Holy Spirit. Anyway. Through the continuous supply of strength from the sanctification of the spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome. And so the saints grow in grace, perfection, wholeness, and fear of God, pressing after a heavenly life and evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as head and king in his word has prescribed to them. Now, basically, I agree with all of what our forefathers and our Baptist brethren in England believed in 1689. When our Baptists moved from England and Wales to America, we constituted an association called the Philadelphia Association, and I think it was 1707. They also adopted these articles of faith as their basic guideline for people to know what we believe in. However, in a few years, there was a group of Baptists called Free Will Baptists that believed actually that Jesus Christ tasted death for every man, where the Calvinists believe he only tasted death for the elect. They got together, the free will and the, I think called regulars at that time or particular, and they came together in New Hampshire. And they worked out a reconciliation between the two faiths, two Baptists. And then they laid aside this fellowship, and on the side of mercy, they chose to fellowship each other on the basis of an article of faith called the New Hampshire Declaration of Faith. And that is good, and that's what we still abide by today. So when you think about it, brethren, our doctrine goes back through the particular Baptist and the free will Baptist joining together. I tell you what, some of our brethren that's causing all this confusion over the country ought to be doing a little studying. But anyway, in the New Hampshire Declaration of Faith, 1833, we've got Article 10 of sanctification says this, we believe that sanctification is the process by which according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness. I agree with that, don't you? Did you ever stop and think, brethren, that why God created man? I'm sure you have, probably more so than I have. He created Adam for his own glory and for his own honor. He created Adam that he might have someone that he could have a relationship with and a fellowship with. He even created Adam in his own image and granted him eternity in life. He granted him wholeness in nature and intelligence above all other creations so that God could commune with him one-on-one and did so for a while. Because see, God wanted man to worship him. But Adam chose to transgress that, sin, come short of God's glory, and lose all that fellowship between God. So now, God still wants fellowship. As he wanted fellowship with Adam, he wants fellowship with each one of us here today. But because of sin, the fellowship part sometimes is kind of stagnant. The relationship's not. If you're born again, child of God, being regenerated, you're a child of God, and nothing can separate you from God on that. But sometimes because that the sin gets in our lives to the point that we're following and obeying those lusts, We kind of lose the fellowship, but God wants fellowship. And so that's the reason God, God himself instituted this process of sanctification so that he could clean this outward man up, that he could visit with us and have fellowship. That's what the Bible teaches on this. So this is what Abraham agreed to, that in the progress, that it is a progressive work. We have some brethren, a few years ago, I think in the probably late 1800s, early 1900s, they began what they called the second work of grace. Now you can check the history of something like that. And what they believed was this, you first went to the altar or made an altar and got regenerated, born again, but that wasn't enough. You had to go back later and go back to the altar, go back to Christ, and then you got what they called the second work of grace, which is sanctification. And that still wasn't enough, because then you had to go back the third time. I'm telling you what they believed, not me. And then you had to go back the third time and get sanctified. I mean, you get filled with the Holy Ghost. And then after that, you never did sin no more. Well, now the logic of that would be good. If you could do that and never sin no more, guess what you wouldn't have to do? You wouldn't have to die. I haven't seen any of those that started that religion around lately. It is a progressive work. That means that from the time that the Lord regeneration saves us, that work continues on all the way through our lifetime, folks. No way around it. And he goes on to say here, that it begun in regeneration and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the sealer and comforter. What does it mean by sealer? That means when he redeems you, he sealed your soul to the day of redemption. He said, you're mine now, regardless of what you do, you're gonna be mine. He sealed you and he becomes your comforter. And in the continued use of the appointed means, and here's the way he does it, especially through the word of God. I can give you several scriptures on that, but that's not necessary because y'all know those scriptures too about how precious the word of God is. Another way is by self-examination. Each one of us are required daily to examine ourselves and see if we are in faith. I'm telling you, that's a daily thing. Because see, sanctification is a daily progress and God's grace to clean us up is only sufficient for each day that we live, folks. Now, sometimes I get a little bit behind. Do y'all? But anyway, self-examination, self-denial, what does that mean? That means that when your old lusty flesh of yours is wanting to do something that God says don't do, you don't do it. That's what self-denial is. I'll tell you one of the things I'm having a problem with. I cannot deny my stomach of the sweets that my tongue wants. Do you all know what's happening to me because of that? I'm polluting my body, my britches are getting too small. But that's what it is, when you don't self-deny things, then you partake of them, and then you lose fellowship with God. So through self-denial, through watchfulness, If there ever was a time we as God's preachers and God's people should be paying attention to what's going on around us, it is today and the day that we're living in. My land sakes alive. I never even thought when I was growing up that you would have to tell your children that a young boy can't marry a young boy. or a young girl can't marry a young girl, or that a young boy cannot be a young girl, or a young girl cannot be a young boy, and son, you don't go to the women's locker rooms and take a shower, and daughter, you don't go to the men's locker room and take a shower, because God sets the sex when you was conceived in your mother's womb, and God set those orders. I'm still waiting for these transgenders to produce them a child, these male transgenders. They get maternity leave now, so I'm waiting to see the child that they produce out of that. That's how ridiculous, that's what we need to watch. And then last of all, it's through prayer. If we don't have a prayer life, folks, then we'll be a cold Christian. Cold Christian. And I mean that from the depths of my heart. I'm sure we can all be honest and say we don't pray like we ought to. But at the same time, that's what it takes to live close to the Lord. Now, so the definition and basically, and I've read you what our forefathers stood on, and here's the way I look at it. Now that is our doctrine as Baptists on sanctification. Some others may believe that, but we do believe these things in sanctification. It is our cardinal doctrines, period. We cannot compromise this, because it's a cardinal doctrine. There's things I can compromise with my brethren in argument, as long as it's not a cardinal doctrine involved. And you can compromise with me when we have unity. But anyway, the definition for sanctification basically means to set, number one, to set apart for sacred use. The scriptures on that would be in Exodus 2. Sanctify me, all the firstborn, whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both a man and a beast, it is mine. Now this is what God said. And then in verse 12 it says, that thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that opens the matrix, and every firstborn that cometh out of the beast which thou cast, the male shall be the Lord's. So if you notice here at one place it says cause it to be sanctified, the other cause it to be set apart. So therefore, the definition scripturally of sanctify is to be set apart. Simple, isn't it? And we see the sanctify in verse two and set apart in verse 12 are interchangeable, pointing to the deliverance of the firstborn, son spared by the death angel on the night of the Passover. Genesis 2 and 3 says, and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. In Exodus 20, 11, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. As far as the other six days, there was no difference in them in the seventh. The sun rose, the sun set. Nothing changed in it. But God chose to sanctify the seventh or set it apart, and therefore, and worship, therefore, that became a hallowed day over the other six. As a matter of fact, it became so hallowed under the law, I think, wasn't it, a man was picking up sticks on the Sabbath day? And you know what it cost him? He just had to pick his sticks up. He disobeyed God. He defiled the Sabbath day. And God required his life for it. I'll tell you one thing, we were thinking a lot about how we're treating the Lord today now. Anyway, Exodus 19 and 23 says, and Moses said unto the Lord, the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for without charges, they'll say and set bounds about the Mount and sanctify it. Mount Sinai differed very little, if any, from the other mountains, but God set it aside for a sacred use in delivering the law to Israel. That was why it became sacred and holy. God chose that spot, that spot, for himself to descend from heaven or condescend from heaven and meet their Moses there on that mountain and give Israel those laws to separate them as a nation from all other nations. Also mentioned in sanctification of this type are the tabernacle in Exodus 29-44, the altar in Exodus 29-37, priest's garments, Leviticus 8 and 30, instruments and vessels, Numbers 7 and 1, and even a whole congregation in Joel 2-16. When something, either people or thing, is sanctified, they are recognized and set apart by God, by the good Lord, as well as by mankind. Sanctification does not necessarily require an inward change. You would think it would, didn't you? But it'd be hard for a mountain to have an inward change, wouldn't it? It'd be hard for the seventh day to have an inward change. So don't have to have that, but did require a ceremonial ritual of the law. Paul said in Hebrews 9, 18 through 21, whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, this is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoyed unto you. Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. This ceremonial ritual sanctified or set apart these from common use to sacred purposes." Now, the other design for for sanctification, it does mean to make holy. So sanctification does mean not only to set apart for work, but it means to make holy, to make pure in nature. And in Leviticus 19, one and two, the Bible said, and the Lord's speaking to Moses saying, speaking to all the congregation of the children of Israel and saying to them, ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. That wasn't an option. Did y'all catch that? It didn't say, y'all be holy if you want to. He said, be ye holy. Commandment. For I, Lord your God, am holy. Israel was a holy people in the national sense. Now y'all think about that a minute. In the national sense. In other words, out of all the other nations, God chose Israel to be his earthly kingdom down here as a nation. as a national. They were ceremonially separated from the other nations and set apart as the peculiar people of God. And that's all they were. While many were no doubt redeemed and circumcised in the heart, and that's what salvation is, the circumcision of the heart, and the Lord promised he would do that. He said, I will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy son, those that would repent and come to him, just like he circumcised my heart and your heart when we were lost and without God, when we came to him. He said, but the majority manifested only a ritual, formal saintship. And you know, that started in the very times that He made them as a nation, and it was still carrying on in the days of Christ, that just formality worship. The Lord dealt with that in his lifetime. In a few minutes, we'll probably get with that. Now, there was a day that God set aside called the Day of Atonement. I'm sure most of you brethren can get up here and preach on that and do a far, far better job than what I can do on it. But nevertheless, right now, it's failed my lot, it looks like. And we need to bring this Day of Atonement out for one reason. The Day of Atonement never purified anybody's souls, as some teach. Never did do that. All the Day of Atonement did was sanctify the flesh that God can use them. Now, listen to this. In Leviticus 16, 29 through 34. And this shall be a statue forever unto you. And this is Jesus talking to Israel. Or God talking to Israel. That in the seventh month, On the 10th day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls and do no work at all. You know what afflict your souls actually means? Mourn and weep. They couldn't come there in a joyful atmosphere. They had to humble themselves down to God. And they had to seek God's forgiveness. And for this sacrifice to be effectual to them. They had to afflict their souls. whether it be one of you or one of your own country or a stranger that sojourneth among you. So on the day of atonement, everybody had to do this, even those that were living in the country with them. For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, that you may be cleaned from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, ye shall afflict your soul. That's twice now in this passage, it's telling you how important it was that you had to get your heart right first. See, you can't clean the outside of nothing up if the inside ain't cleaned up. And that's what they was teaching here. You get the heart right first. let's see and the priest whom he shall anoint and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest office in his father's stead shall make the atonement and shall put on the linen clothes even the holy garments and he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle Does that mean they didn't have to atone for any sins through the year? No, it didn't mean that at all. Through the year, you still had to bring your daily sacrifices when you realize you've done something that's wrong. I get tickled some of my Baptist friends and they say, well, if we don't know that the Bible says that, then we won't be responsible having to do it. I've heard that silly argument. Better to be ignorant. The more ignorant you are, the more old-fashioned Baptist you are. That was their attitude on that. But see here under the law, God didn't excuse nobody. Under the law, he gave, I think, 617 laws for Israel to keep, which governed, I believe, it was the dietary, the moral, and the ceremonial. Something to that effect there. I grant you, I would have broke one every day. because I don't even know all of them. So God made a sacrifice for ignorance and that is as you was reading the Bible and reading the law, you see where you had transgressed the law on some point, there was a special sacrifice that God designated that you had to bring to the priest and offer for atonement for your sin. That was a daily thing. But I tell you, around my household, the priest would have been awful busy. While this symbolically cleansed them and sanctified them to be used in the service of God each year, this annual repetition served as a reminder that the perfect atonement was yet to come. Think about that. The Apostle Paul made it very clear in Hebrews 9, 11 through 12 that this offering could only affect the cleansing of the flesh, but it could not bring about the inward cleansing required to have fellowship with God and the purity of heart. Now, what about the inward holiness? I think that's what we're concerned with too, aren't we? When I was lost in doubt, God, my heart wasn't fixed. Was yours? I could do no good. I was morally depraved. There was nothing about God in my body, soul, or spirit. I was totally deprived of his righteousness in all forms of my body. I had nothing to offer God that could even begin to be satisfactory for him to take and atone for my sins. That's just as plain as I know how to make it. The night the Lord saved me, I got to the point of repentance that I was helpless and hopeless. That trouble got worse and worse and worse and it didn't get no little bit better. Till I put all my trust in Jesus and he saved my soul. That is the inward holiness. The Bible teaches that inward holiness or wholeness of the heart begins in regeneration. That's when Rodney Carter began to have holiness about me when the Lord saved my soul. Before that, the time I became a counter, I was a filthy, wretched, miserable person. Or being born again from above. Jesus taught the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes the necessity of first being regenerated or born from above before you can clean up the outward man. They tried by their traditions to clean the sins outwardly up, hoping it would be sufficient to clean the sins inwardly. Jesus taught them that tried to justify themselves before God, that by their vain tradition, that sanctification begins in regeneration, and wholeness of the heart leads to wholeness of life. Matthew 23, 25, and 26. Worldly scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, "'For ye may clean the outside of the cup and platter, "'but within they are full of extortion and excess. "'Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is "'within the cup and platter, "'that the outside may be clean also.'" What's Jesus saying? Soul, regeneration. Clean the soul up, the inward man, and then the outside will be clean. You know, the good part about this, it doesn't say the outside may be clean or might be clean. You know, that's a positive. You know why I know it's positive? Because the Holy Spirit does it. In our life, that is a positive thing. The Pharisees and Sadducees observed and kept the moral law and ordinances that governed the sanctifying of the flesh, but it was never sufficient to purify the soul. Never sufficient. Paul explained in Romans 2, 28 and 29 this issue. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is the circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and the circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. Paul was basically saying, clean up the inward man, so the outward man might be clean. That's all it boils down to. King David, I love this, but I think Brother Miller, I thought that day, I said, oh no, he's getting on my lesson. And he's done an excellent job too. But in King David in Psalms 51, concerning this very issue. Now I agree with Brother Miller, King David had committed adultery and murder, and he had lost fellowship with God and lost the joy of his salvation. But I'm going to tell you something, a backslidden Christian, a cold Christian, or a Christian in doubt, he has to do the same process as far as getting back in fellowship with God as a lost sinner does when they're lost. What does that mean by that? He has to repent with a broken heart and contrite spirit. It's the same process in order to be restored back into the fellowship of God. You're still a child of God, but if you want the joy and the peace and happiness, it's the same process as repentance with a broken heart. King David teaches in Psalms 51 concerning this issue of inward and outward sanctification. He refers to the strengthening of the water of separation for the purification of sin found in Numbers 19. Now y'all remember what that is, don't you? God told Israel, take a red heifer, solid red, firstly, and to slay it and to burn it, and they had to burn it with cedar wood, which is red, hyssop, and scarlet, all that red pointing to the blood of Christ. Then they would, after it was burnt, they would take the ashes that was left over, and then they would take pure running water, put the ashes in the water, and they would call that the water of separation. And then if somebody became defiled, if a priest became defiled by touching a dead body or something to that effect, He would then have to go through a process, a ritual of cleaning himself up. And then he would have to have this water of separation sprinkled on him, I think, on the third day. And if he'd done that, then on the seventh day he would be cleansed, and then he would be able to go back and have fellowship with the people. So it was a ritual process. And all that pointed to Jesus' vicarious death on the cross, and how he suffered there on the cross for sins of mankind. And that's what it pointed down to. And here's what David said. Also, if you can find the same example in Hebrews 9 and 12 and in Titus 3 and 5, if you want to, and also it's in Ezekiel 36, I think. David said in Psalms 51, behold, thou desires the truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part, thou shalt make me to know wisdom, purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Are you seeing what David's talking about there? The outward man and the inward man, both are involved in this. The outward man gets forgiven, yes. but then God has to create within the man and his soul the right kind of spirit also. You know why that is? If God had only saved me that night when I was in the bed, when I was 14 years old, and washed my filth off of my flesh, and did not put his Holy Spirit in my heart and give me joy, peace, and long-suffering, I would turn right around to sin again. You see the point there? It took God putting his spirit within the heart of man after he cleans them up in order for them to remain cleaned up. David knew that and all that David very well understood the law. He had read that, supposed to read that every day of his life. I'm hoping he did and he missed a few points. I do too. But anyway, David said that, you know, wash me and I'll be white as snow. I'll be pure, but then please, please create in me the right kind of heart that I need. Jesus taught now I realize when I get into this there may be some of you disagree and that's okay I believe in just being disagree being able to disagree about brethren on these points and and not having animosity over it if you don't agree on this point, that's fine But I really believe that what Jesus teaches Nicodemus in the third chapter is a reference to this very same point If you don't see it that way, that's okay. That's the way I'm on I can't teach it the way you believe it. I I have to teach you the way I believe it on this. Now, if you see that I'm wrong and can help me to see the right way, I want you to do that. Because I don't want to be wrong on anything. But anyway, Jesus taught Nicodemus about this doctrine of regeneration in John 3, 1 through 8. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, saying to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, they except a man be born of water. Now what kind of water? Water of separation. unless the man's cleaned up first. And then of the spirit, what's that mean? Created in me a new heart. Since Jesus is actually just talking about one birth here that consists of both the soul and outward and inward man being participating in it. Anyway, it cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Moreover, that it says to you, you must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor where it goeth. So is every one born of the spirit. I love that. Is that not teaching a no-soul salvation? These people say, well, you can be saved and not know it. Baloney. Jesus said, I know it. And when I met the Lord Satan, I knew it. I can't tell you where the spirit come from. I can't tell you where it went to, but I can tell you this. There's a portion of it locked that it had been there ever since. And I ain't had nobody had to tell me about it either. I know, I know my heart is fixed on God. My heart is fixed. See, that's what Jesus taught. You know what Nicodemus said? Well, how can these things be? Now here, well, watch this. He is a ruler of the Jews. He's teaching the Jews every Sunday what the law means. And yet he don't even understand the spiritual application of what those laws had reference to. Are we faced with the same problems today? Jesus is teaching Nicodemus the very same doctrine on regeneration and sanctification as David taught in Psalms 51. Jesus refers to the process as being one birth, the outward carnal fleshly man as being sanctified, set apart, and the inward spiritual soul as being regenerated or born in the family of God. Let's talk about the new man. Regeneration. Does that mean I got three minutes and 47 seconds? and I thought I didn't have enough. New man, regeneration or being born again changes the state of man from being lost to being saved, from being evil to being holy, from being a child of the devil to being a child of God. The analogy of this doctrine refers to a first being born from above compares this birth as being created in Christ Jesus. In other words, when we were born again, we were created in Christ Jesus. It's a creation. And Jesus created us in him. Had I get in this world, oh, I was born in this world of earthly parents. God created me in the womb of my mother. I became an individual when my dad and mother's seeds came together. In that womb, I was an individual. As a birth, not of blood, nor the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. As being born again, not of a corruptible seed, but of the incorruptible. First Peter 1.23, as being newborn babes. That's what the Bible refers to a child of God as, a newborn babe. A baby in Christ, children tossed to and fro. Look here at how the Bible teaches us. We first are children, babies. We're babies in our mama's arms. Then we become children tossed to and fro with everyone not to be that. And then Paul said in Ephesians, unto a perfect man, that means a mature man. Don't mean perfect without sin. It means he matured into a full grown man. Comparing this physical birth to a spiritual birth we can conclude that as a baby is born into this life It is in possession of all the members of the body those these parts are weakened people Well when I was born, I had my legs I had my arms and my fingers I had my nose my eyes my ears my heart my lungs had every part at the very moment I was born I didn't have to gradually over the years obtain a leg or a foot or arm or nose or ear. But I was completely born as an individual in Adam's family. But I was weak and frail. I couldn't feed myself. I couldn't take care of myself. Couldn't even walk. Matter of fact, couldn't even hold my head up. I was so weak and feeble. But see, my mom and daddy, they took me and they took care of me and they raised me. Now that, in that analogy then, we'd have to say that, and when they're born, we first start them with milk, don't we? Mama's milk, or the formulas now. Then we feed them soft foods so they can grow. Then we, as they develop, we make sure they eat vegetables and fruits so they'll be healthy. And then as they keep growing, we'll give them some meat to eat as they keep growing for strength. Well, it's the same way with a newborn baby in the family of God. At the birth, they possess all the parts of the new man. We don't get our salvation in parts or a new man in parts. It's complete. And the new man is in need of a spiritual diet, exercise, and development. Now, that's what sanctification does. It gives us a spiritual diet and it nourishes us and helps us to grow. Sanctification is the process that enables the newborn babe to mature and to be restored to the image of God. Sanctification nourishes that baby and promotes its growth to spiritual maturity. It is progressive. It is finally accomplished. Baby says my time's up, so I will say this. I won't get into the spiritual warfare. I figured, brother, that y'all put me on today because I read over the last time and y'all figured if it was gonna run over, I wouldn't hand it to nobody else. But I will say this on this sanctification. It begins at the moment of regeneration. It's a process in our entire life. And it will be completed on resurrection morning. That's when sanctification is gonna be complete. When Jesus come back in that cloud of glory, and all the saints that's gone on, and all the angels with us, the Bible said the dead in Christ shall rise first. That's all about our loved ones went on without us, but they're gonna rise in a glorified body. You ain't have to worry about something you might have done wrong in this life on that day, because before the judgment takes place, you're raised in your glorified body. All the things are past that you did in life. You done paid for that in death. We that are living, the Bible said, will be changed into a moment of a 20th of July. Our vile bodies will be changed in fashion like in his glory body, and then we'll be carried up together to meet the Lord in there. That is the final, final consummation of sanctification. I'm sorry I didn't get through all of that. I guess I, I guess I, what do you call it, rambled too much. I've enjoyed being with y'all. Thank you very much. I will, I will get to the rest of this and to Brother David and he put it on the internet and y'all can read it if it makes any sense to you. God bless you.