Proverbs 9:9 English Standard Version (ESV) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

When given a new role in the church what do we know about that role? Sure we were chosen to do a new thing but what do we actually know about that role before we take it on? Observation of how others take on a role may hint at what is accomplished and give us an idea of what should be accomplished but what does it take to be successful?

Some years ago I was blessed with the role of leading a life group for a season. I chose to lead us in reading Ephesians. The previous leader was a teacher. Watching his approach was interesting and we could see those skills blessing the group. What could not be seen was the preparation that went into every session. He would study the scriptures beforehand and come up with a plan.

When I took over I had no teaching skills. I did not prepare beforehand. I went into every meetings just as I went into every bible study, relying on the Holy Spirit to lead me in truth. Being that kind of student of the Word was right for me but it did not translate into group study because not everyone approaches bible study in the same way. I did not know that at the time. I had much to learn about other people’s methods of bible study. I had an expectation that the Holy Spirit would show others what He was showing me and that was short sighted of me as a leader.

We need to learn from new experiences. The take away needs to be growth in the role and to accept our shortcomings and learn how to adapt to our new surroundings. We cannot do that alone. We need the feedback of the group. How can we learn how to best serve others without discovering how they receive and understand our efforts? We can all grow together if we share not only what we see and understand but to be honest in how we feel about the effort being put to us.

Ephesians 5:25-27 English Standard Version

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^[a]

Footnotes ^[a] Or holy and blameless

While this verse encourages husbands to love their wives it is Christ who sanctifies His bride not eh husband sanctifying his own wife. We must remember now earlier lessons about eh movement of water being a sign being a movement of the Holy Spirit. We are cleansed by the movement of the Holy Spirit within God’s Holy Word.

Sanctify here is hagiazo in the Greek meaning “to hallow, sanctify,” in the Passive Voice, “to be made holy, be sanctified,” is translated “let him be made holy” in Rev 22:11, the aorist or point tense expressing the definiteness and completeness of the Divine act; elsewhere it is rendered by the verb “to sanctify.” Ref. Vine’s Expository Dictionary

That is a divine act of God and not just a declarative state. This is different from a declarative state in which there is no change in the recipient such as justification. Justification is a judicial decree which recognizes the Judge’s declaration without regard to the condition of the defendant. The guilty is set free whereas sanctification in this case is an alteration of the configuration of the subject.

The big picture looks like this. What you did without Jesus in your life does not matter but what you do with Jesus in your life does matter. A sinner cannot cast any dispersion upon Jesus. A saint on the other hand will always be judged by the world in connection to their declared faith in Christ. How we act says to the world of lost sinners what Jesus can do to change their lives. If He hasn’t changed our lives then there is no hope for the lost sinner.