SANCTIFICATION

INTRODUCTION

This is a very important subject, for Heb. 12:14 says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord"
Our nature changes in regeneration. Our standing changes in justification. Our position changes in adoption. our character changes in sanctification
So sanctification shows the fruit of a justified life: we need to be sanctified for our Savior was sanctified:

1. by His Father. John 10:36, "Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sancti¬fied ... 2. by Himself. John 17:l9, "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself."
2. By His people 1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Sanctification is the will of God for every believer. I Thess. 4:3, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification'' The subject of holiness and sanctification is mentioned 1066 times in the Bible

I. THE MEANING OF SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit: sanctification and holiness are the same in essence. The basic meaning of sanctification is separation Psa. 4:3, "But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself. * Believers have been set apart by God for the Lord to use as He desires.
The Bible meaning of sanctification is to be set apart (1) by God (2) for God (3) from sin (4) unto a holy life. Heb. 12:14.
II Tim. 2:21, "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work."
The Bible speaks of sanctifying the Tabernacle and its contents: men, buildings, fields, firstborn, temple, priests and a nation—Ex. 40:9-11; Lev. 27:14-16: Num. 8:17.
However, for believers it carried a twofold meaning:
(1) separation from evil (H Chr. 29:5, 15-18)
(2) Separation unto God (Lev. 27:16).

II. THE AUTHOR OF SANCTIFICATION (the Trinity)

1. by God the Father. I Thess. 5:23,24, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"
2. by God the Son. Eph. 5:26, "That He (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (the Church of which believers are a part) with the washing of water by the Word.
3. by God the Holy Spirit. II Thess. 2:13, ". . . because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit". "holiness is not an achievement to be accomplished, but a gift to be accepted (Dr Griffith Thomas said). The constant use of this gift will increase our sanctifi¬cation.

iii. THE MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION

How are we sanctified?

1. By the Word of God. John 17:17, "Sanctify them (the believers) through Thy Word." To be sanctified spend much time with the Word of God; it purifies and cleanses. it is the Word that reveals sin; in the New Testament there are 21 lists of sins with a total of 202 sins of which 103 are different.
2. By Blood Heb. 13:12, "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own Blood, suffered without the gate." His Word reveals the sin; the Blood cleanses it away; Result is sanctification.
3. By chastisement. Heb. 12:10,11, "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness . . . afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness."
4. By yielding to God. Rom. 6:19, iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." (holiness—sanctification)
5. By ourselves, II Cor. 7:1, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness to the fear of God. We, too, have a part in sanctification; our part is seeking out the sin: judging it; casting it away; praying for cleansing; praying for strength to live a holy life.
   Daily we must appropriate Christ as our sanctification; daily we must claim His holiness, His faith, His love and His grace.
   The secret of a holy life is the continuous appropriation of the Savior’s holy life.
   Our degree of sanctification is in relation to our appropriation of the Lord.

IV. TIME OF OUR SANCTIFICATION

There are great diversities of opinion here. Some say that it was completed the moment we believed, being synonymous with conversion. Others stress the need of a second work of grace; an experience quite separate from conversion; some treat it as a crisis experience that eradicates the old nature. Others teach that sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive. Personally, I believe from a study of Scripture that a combination of those is true:

1. instantaneous with sanctification.

I Cor. 6:11, "But such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord," It speaks of sanctification as a past experience with washing and justification,

2. Progressive sanctification.

Jas. 1:22-25, is the illustration of a man looking into a mirror and seeing a spot of dirt, goes and washes it away.
The mirror is the Word of God which reveals sin and then we ought to confess it. The Holy Spirit does not reveal all of our unchristian- likeness at one time, that would be too discouraging and would lead to despair. The moment that something is revealed we should seek cleansing and continuously pursue a path of progressive sanctification.

3. Complete and final.

I Thess. 5:23, ". . . sanctify you wholly . , . unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Completely holy in every part of the body, soul, and spirit.
Some day we will be completely holy without one grace missing; mature and perfect This wonderful experience will be ours when Christ comes and our bodies are changed. Then we shall be like Him, I John 3:2, perfect and holy! O marvelous day! il in Phil. 3:12-14, was pressing on unto that, future perfection, while daily per¬fecting his earthly progressive sanctification.

V. THE REASON FOR OUR SANCTIFICATION

John 17 -.39, "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified" If Jesus Christ needed to be sanctified then I certainly need to be sanctified, too. ^v could He, the holy Son of God be made more holy? A possible answer is found in Rom. 15:3, *For even Christ pleased not Himself."—always pressing for something better. It behooves us as disciples to press on, ever on, ever upward, to be more like Him.

VI THE RESULTS OF SANCTIFICATION

1. Perfection through Christ.

Heb. 10:14, "For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

2. The Fruit of Holiness,

Rom. 6:22. * But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness." s there a longing in your soul for holiness? for sanctification? for purity? For Christianlikeness? for a greater conformance to the image of God's Son? Confess your sin; your need to Him and He will satisfy the deepest longings of your soul; the price is to be willing to part with sin and uncleanness.

VII. HOW TO RETAIN A SANCTIFIED WALK

Live a life of implicit obedience to the Light given to you by the Holy Ghost. If you fail, immediately confess it to God and He will instantly restore you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you, Jas. 4:7.
Be faithful in regular seasons of Bible rending, prayer, witnessing, and living for others.

CONCLUSION

Sanctification guarantees us an inheritance beyond the grave. Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified." Do not look within and be discouraged. But look up and be encouraged. I Thess. 5:24, "Faithful is He that called you, who also will DO IT."

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