Psalms 56:13 KJV
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
I see in this passage the complimentary doctrines of justification and sanctification.
Justification is a one time and immediate act
"For thou hast delivered my soul from death..."
The body will still, in most cases, experience death. But the soul of the justified is irrevocably saved. The soul will live on with God eternally.
Sanctification is a process that will not be completed until we finally reach our eternal home
"...wilt not thou deliver my feet from fall, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?"
Sanctification is that cleansing and purifying process the child of God goes through in this life. As it is not completed in a one step and immediate act, there are times when the believer may question whether it is happening at all. But, as Gill says, this phrase "wilt thou not" is not intended to question God's ultimate grace, but "strongly affirms" that God will in fact deliver our feet from falling.
And that purpose for sanctification is at least two-fold;
First, "that I may walk before God" our fellowship with the Lord is built first upon our relationship with Christ and then upon our holiness and separation from sin.
Second, "in the light of the living," as we become less like this world and walk more with the Lord, other will see. Other believers will see and be encouraged as well as draw near to have fellowship one with another. Others who are lost will see and become convicted. Either they will become believers themselves or else they will be repelled by the holiness and exposed as the unbelievers they are. But either way, the light of God's glory shines.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
I see in this passage the complimentary doctrines of justification and sanctification.
Justification is a one time and immediate act
"For thou hast delivered my soul from death..."
The body will still, in most cases, experience death. But the soul of the justified is irrevocably saved. The soul will live on with God eternally.
Sanctification is a process that will not be completed until we finally reach our eternal home
"...wilt not thou deliver my feet from fall, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?"
Sanctification is that cleansing and purifying process the child of God goes through in this life. As it is not completed in a one step and immediate act, there are times when the believer may question whether it is happening at all. But, as Gill says, this phrase "wilt thou not" is not intended to question God's ultimate grace, but "strongly affirms" that God will in fact deliver our feet from falling.
And that purpose for sanctification is at least two-fold;
First, "that I may walk before God" our fellowship with the Lord is built first upon our relationship with Christ and then upon our holiness and separation from sin.
Second, "in the light of the living," as we become less like this world and walk more with the Lord, other will see. Other believers will see and be encouraged as well as draw near to have fellowship one with another. Others who are lost will see and become convicted. Either they will become believers themselves or else they will be repelled by the holiness and exposed as the unbelievers they are. But either way, the light of God's glory shines.
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