Sanctifying Power
Acts 14: 4
It pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to glorify Christ Jesus who perfected his children forever by his one offering. It pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to send forth his Spirit into the hearts of his children sanctifying them from everything that separated us from God to faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. And it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to keep us separated from the evil and stayed on Christ in whom we are complete. That is what is meant by, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1: 21; 2 Corinthians 1: 10.) Through the preaching of Christ, the sovereign Savior continued to keep these believers set apart in faith and holding with the apostles through whom they heard the gospel of their victorious Redeemer. This is the power the triune God effectually exercises when he takes dominion in the hearts of his saints (1 Pet 1: 3-5; Philippians 1: 6.)