I want to make one final point about the principles we’ve looked at of adoption and HAGIOS, or sanctification.

Remember, under adoption, we are confirmed as adult children of God. Under the principle of saints, God sees us as holy saints.

Because of our baptism (that just means identification) with Jesus Christ, we have a fabulous life available to us:

Romans 6:3-4

3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? (that’s US!)

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

That newness of life simply means a new state of life. It’s living in the realization of eternal life while we are here on earth. It’s knowing that all of the sin, all the problems, all of our shortcomings, have been buried with Christ, and we can live our lives based on the realization of how God now sees us.

We can live now in that appreciation of all that God has done for us, and that should motivate us to live a certain way:

Romans 6:13

13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Romans 12:1-2

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Christian way of life is not just about sitting around and learning, and having a private relationship with God. That is certainly important, but understanding your relationship with God will motivate you to live as an example of what a Christian should be.

John 15:13

13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 3:16

16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Remember, it’s not a question of living for others to have a better relationship with God, it’s about understanding your position and relationship with God motivating you to live for others!