C. Sanctification

SANCTIFICATION – GOD’S WILL

The apostle Paul makes it very clear to us that Sanctification is God’s will for our lives when he writes,

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)

Paul writes again about Sanctification and lets us know how important this is when he explains that Sanctification is vitally linked to a person’s salvation,

“…God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

And the writer of the book of Hebrews is even more emphatic about the importance of Sanctification saying that apart from it no one will “see the Lord”.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

We believe that we should understand this statement as meaning that a person will not be a part of God’s eternal kingdom in heaven if they did not believe in Jesus, repent of sin and embrace that process of purification of sin through sanctification here on earth.

The word “sanctification” in the preceding verses is used to translate the Greek word “hagiosmos” which conveys the thought of consecration and purification. In reference to the Christian life we are to understand that God has called us to be set apart from the world, purified from sin and consecrated or dedicated for service to Him.

The bible views sanctification in two ways. In the first sense sanctification is past tense having, in part, already taken place. When a person believes in Jesus Christ and receives Him as Savior and Lord they are forgiven their sins, sealed with the Holy Spirit, set apart from the world and placed in God’s kingdom. Responding to the call to repent the new believer ceases to practice the sins previously indulged in and begins a new life in Christ. In this regard sanctification is considered a past tense event that has already occurred (I Corinthians 6:11; Colossians 1:13-14).

.…do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, {10} nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. {11} And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Sanctification is also presented in scripture as something future, not yet fully realized, which needs to be pursued daily as God’s will for our life. Our purification from sin and continued separation from the world is an ongoing process which should be at the heart of the Christian life. This can be seen from the first three scriptures offered for consideration as well as the following important passage found in the book of Romans:

For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. {20} For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. {21} Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. {22} But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Romans 6:19-22)

Here Paul points out that the believer is to present himself to God NOW as a slave to righteousness with the future result being sanctification and the outcome eternal life. While we have a tendency to focus on sin mainly in terms of our own forgiveness, we must go a step further and see the priority that God has for our lives in terms of our ongoing purification from sin. While we all are eager to lay hold of those scriptures which offer assurance that we have been forgiven and saved from the penalty of sin we need to ask ourselves if we are we equally concerned with those scriptures which explain God’s will regarding the continual purification of our lives from the presence of sin.

Perhaps we can find additional motivation to focus more intently on our sanctification by remembering that one of the main reasons that Jesus went to the cross of Calvary to suffer an agonizing death on our behalf was to then be able to purify our lives from sin. If we truly love the Lord Jesus and want to please Him in all things then we will give our sanctification, the purification of our lives from all sin, the top priority that it deserves.

“…Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:13-14)

SANCTIFICATION – THE NEED

Our focus on the website up until this topic on Sanctification has been on being saved from the penalty of sin. We have broken God’s laws and there is a penalty to pay, that being, death and separation from God. Because Jesus paid the debt of sin we can overcome death and be reconciled to God!

But the penalty of sin the only thing we need to be saved from. The power of sin to enslave and corrupt our hearts and lives is very real, and God wants to deliver us from that as well!

Jesus compared sinners who need to repent, to those who are sick and need a physician!

And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. {32} “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)

Jesus went further in His diagnosis of the human heart when He explained the sad reality of the what can be found there.

And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. {21} “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, {22} deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. {23} “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” (Mark 7:20-23)

But not only does sin corrupt and defile the heart but it enslaves it as well.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. (John 8:34)

How many lives have been ruined by enslavement to alcohol, drugs, pornography, the love of money and many, many other things.

So then, the need for sanctification begins to become apparent as we understand the true nature of the human heart. Sin is present in the heart of every person. Our thoughts, desires, and attitudes of heart have been corrupted to some degree, with the result that we are defiled and have become unrighteous inside and out.

Before we are too harsh on ourselves however let us remember that one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, the apostle Paul, came to the same conclusion regarding his own heart condition! Consider carefully the honest testimony of the Apostle Paul regarding his own struggle with sin:

For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. {15} For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. {16} But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. {17} So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. {18} For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. {19} For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. {20} But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. {21} I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. {22} For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, {23} but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. {24} Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? {25} Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Rom 7:14-25)

This issue of our purification from sin is not one to be treated lightly. As we look around us in our world today we see the devastating results of sin in the lives of those where sin has gone unchecked. Individual lives, families and Nations are being ruined by the subtle but deadly progressive cancer of sin. God sent Jesus into this world to save us from both the penalty and corrupting power of sin. God wants to spare us the pain and misery that sin will bring and to bless us with life abundant, and He will do that if we will be obedient and faithful in following His will for our lives in the matter of sanctification.

The Apostle Peter gives us great hope when he says of Jesus,

“For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” (Acts 3:26)

Let us also remember Jesus own words when He said,

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

SANCTIFICATION – THE GOAL

We have learned that sanctification is the lifelong process of purifying our lives from sin. But there is another dimension to sanctification that we need to understand. As we put off the old sinful person we once were, we are also called to put on the new man, a new man that is conformed to the image of Jesus.

In the book of Romans Paul points out that believers have been predestined to become conformed to the image of Gods’ Son.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; (Romans 8:29)

A little later Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). And in another place Paul describes the process in this way:

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. {18} But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

So then, once saved, the goal of the new believer is to purify their life from sin and to became more and more like Jesus Christ every day through the daily process of sanctification!

SANCTIFICATION – THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD

We now want to give consideration to how the process of sanctification works and there are two very important elements that we will discuss: The Spirit of God and the Word of God. As we will see, in reference to sanctification, the scriptures make reference to the old man and the new man, the old self and the new self. It may be helpful to better understand this by reading the account of the visit which Jesus had with a man named Nicodemus.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8)

Jesus explained to Nicodemus that those who believed in Him would undergo a new spiritual birth by means of the Spirit of God. This is not the only place in the New Testament that we learn about this. The apostle Peter in one of his very first sermons told those listening that they should repent and believe in Jesus in order to be forgiven and doing so they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

The apostle Paul taught the same thing when he wrote,

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

The apostle Paul also echoes the words of Jesus regarding a new spiritual rebirth when he writes,

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When discussing the Word of God, the Bible, in earlier topics we learned that the Spirit of God was working in and through the prophets and the apostles so that the scriptures were inspired by God or more literally, they were God-breathed. We learn from Peter in his first epistle that the Word of God is the means by which this new spiritual rebirth takes place.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, {23} for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. {24} For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, {25} BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:22-25)

Peter goes on to tell these believers that not only have they been born again by God’s Word but this is also the way they will grow in their new spiritual life.

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, {2} like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2)

SANCTIFICATION – WASHING AND RENEWING BY THE WORD

When writing to the Ephesian church Paul tells them two very important things about sanctification. One, that Jesus wants to purify the people who have believed in Him so that He might one day present them to Himself as a bride to the bridegroom, to be united forever in His Eternal Kingdom. And two, that this cleansing will take place by the washing of water with the word. The “word” being the Word of God.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also 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} that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

In this same letter, just a short time later, Paul uses the metaphor of the armor of a Roman soldier to explain the God’s Word is like a sword, “the sword of the Spirit”, given to us by God for the Christian life. (Ephesians 6:17) While still keeping in mind that the Word of God was given to us by the Spirit of God we will learn that it is the same Word of God that will be instrumental in our cleansing and renewal of heart and mind.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. (Psalm 119:9)

A good place to begin to understand this better is in the book of James where we see the written word of God is to be an integral part of our sanctification. James writes:

Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. {22} But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; {24} for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. {25} But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (James 1:21-25)

Notice the instruction to put aside all filthiness (washing) by becoming a doer of the word. The one who is not a DOER but is only a HEARER of the word is compared to a man who looks at his face in the mirror, he sees that he is dirty, but ignoring the dirt walks away, not taking any action to wash! The scriptures then are a mirror by which we can see not only our outward appearance (our present conduct in life) but also our inner selves (our thoughts and attitudes of heart). When we learn from God’s Word where our lives have become “unclean”, whether outwardly or inwardly, we are called to action by cleansing ourselves from these things. Take note of the responsibility that individual believers have to CLEANSE THEMSELVES from sin:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, {17} Learn to do good; (Isaiah 1:16-17)

SANCTIFICATION – A CALL TO ACTION!

We have been making an important link between the Spirit of God and the Word of God. Both we have learned are vital in the new spiritual rebirth and in the washing and renewing of our hearts and minds. But this is not a passive mystical experience that a new believer hopes to experience through prayer and meditation! Each person is called to action and we learn in God’s Word of a number of ways this action is described for us.

1. Walk by the Spirit: The apostle Paul tells of the internal battle that will take place in the life of the new believer where the old sinful man of flesh will oppose the new spiritual man that has been created in Christ. He then explains the way one is to find victory in this battle.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. {17} For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. {18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. {19} Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, {20} idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, {21} envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. {22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. {24} Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. {25} If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. {2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. {3} For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, {4} in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– {13} for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. {14} For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:12-14)

Paul tells the new believer to be led by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit. This happens when one reads the Word of God and learns from the Spirit of God what one must do, then being led by this instruction, the individual begins to live this out in their daily walk in life.

2. Lay aside the Old and Put on the New: Here the apostle Paul uses the metaphor of laying aside an old set of garments and putting on new ones. Once again, we learn from the Word of God what old sinful ways should be set aside, and in their place, what new ones should be taken up as we proceed in the process of sanctification. This learning of the good and the bad from the Word of God is the renewal of the mind of which the apostle speaks.

But you did not learn Christ in this way, {21} if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, {22} that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, {23} and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, {24} and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:20-24)

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, {10} and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him {11} –a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:9-11)

While this method of putting off the old and putting on the new may seem quite simple in theory, the one who attempts to be obedient to God in this way will find that the old man and the old sinful flesh can be quite obstinate and not quickly put to death! Yet those who are persistent in doing good in this way will find God faithful in providing victory over old sinful ways.

3. Discipline Yourself for the Purpose of Godliness:

When Paul wrote to Timothy, his young companion and fellow-worker, he gave him these practical instructions regarding living out the Christian life and his sanctification:

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; {8} for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Paul tells Timothy that he must discipline himself for the purpose of Godliness. He contrasts this to bodily discipline which he says has little profit since it is of benefit in this life only. Many today have regular routines by which they train and discipline themselves to remain physically fit. This requires a significant amount of planning, time and effort coupled with a long-term commitment to be faithful and consistent. Those who want to make progress in their sanctification and spiritual growth must do no less! The godliness and sanctification that can result from this type of spiritual discipline will have, as Paul said, great profit in this life and the life to come!

The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that discipline in the spiritual realm is no different than that in the physical world in that it takes hard work which often is not pleasant, yet afterwards offers a great reward.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. {12} Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, {13} and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. {14} Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:11-14)

As we conclude the topic of sanctification let’s take a look at one final instruction given to us by the apostle Paul.

I urge you therefore, 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, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

Sanctification takes place when our minds are renewed by the Word of God, and our lives are transformed as we apply what we learn to our daily life and walk with God. The end result is that we prove what the Will of God is for our life, becoming more like Jesus each and every day.

Psalm 1

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

4 The wicked are not so,

But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 19

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

Please continue on the to learn about the third part of God’s will for our lives, Service to God and others!