My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. These words of Charles Wesley’s iconic hymn “And can it be” remind us of the immaculate and unwavering love that God has for Humanity. Accordingly, despite our fallen state, and separation as a result of sin, God will do all he can to bring forth reconciliation. Moreover, this offer of reconciling love is based on His ever-present magnanimous grace. In describing the extent of God’s heartfelt compassion for us, Philip Tallon surmises that just as the great artist Leonardo da Vinci kept the iconic Mona Lisa with him, repeatedly working on it for years, even when he moved from Italy to France because he wanted the painting to great. Similarly, God won’t stop working on us because we are His prized masterpiece.[1]
Therefore, if we in faith accept God’s saving grace and believe that His son Jesus Christ died for our sins, then we shall be Justified, and hence begin the transformation process into God’s precious Gem. Aptly, John Wesley defines Justification as another word for pardon. It represents the forgiveness of all our sins and our acceptance with God.[2] The beauty of Justification is that in an instant we become ‘born again’, of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the spirit becomes enabled to begin the process of crucifying our immoral flesh, and hidden sins which led to our initial separation from God.
Moreover, the process of cleansing our mortal bodies of sin can be defined as Sanctification, where the Holy Spirit is busy doing its part, but there is also a requirement for each one of us to actively participate in the cleaning process. Accordingly, it would be prudent that we engage in various spiritual disciplines such as prayer, meditation, and Bible study among others that will help in the removal of old corrupted habits. Eventually, if we remain intentional and consistent in the sanctification process, our sin, pride, anger, and unbelief will diminish as we become spiritually transformed.
Therefore, my friends, the acceptance of God’s offer of mercy and grace, initiates the Justification and Sanctification process which will release the chains of sin’s bondage and set our hearts free. All because of God’s unrelenting amazing love.
Source:
[1] Philip Tallon, “What Happens When We Live Out Our Salvation in Christ?,” Seedbed, June 22, 2018, https://www.seedbed.com/what-happens-when-we-live-out-our-salvation-in-christ/.
2 John Wesley, The Sermons of John Wesley : A Collection for the Christian Journey, ed. Kenneth Collins and Jason Vickers (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013), 584
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