In the church I am finding that the word "Sanctification" seems like a bad word. Justification is the in word. So I decided to do a study of this bad word.
According to the dictionary:
Sanctification: Growing in holiness
According to my concordance: Hagiasmos
purification, the state of purity
comes from: Hagiazo
to make holy, to purify or consecrate, to venerate, to be holy, to sanctify
Who or what does this sanctification to us:
1 Thes 5:23 GOD:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Heb 2:11 CHRIST:
For both he that sanctifieth and them who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
1 Pet 1:2 HOLY SPRIT:
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
John 17:17 TRUTH
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Here is a sum up:
2 The 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
In the book of John, Chapter 17, I am going to write to you more of what is said there because it is one of the greatest words of Jesus prayer for His own:
1. Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son. That thy Son also may glorify thee.
2. As thou has given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast give him.
3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Then starting with verse 17:
17. Sanctify them through they truth: thy word is truth.
18. As though hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou has loved me.
Therefore my conclusion of the matter of sanctification is: It is a process that the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and truth bring in us that we grow in holiness to be like Jesus.
What is being like Jesus is? What does this sanctification do to us?
Jesus said it clearly: "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."
The work that Jesus did was the salvation of souls to the glory of the Father that they might have eternal life.
This is our work! Bringing souls to Jesus, so that they might have eternal life. The more we let Jesus grow in us the fruit of holiness, the more we become like him. And the more we become like him, the more we feel the burden to bring others to Christ. And
Christ words, truth, teaches them of the Father.
Let us remember the words again from 1 Peter 1:2,
"Through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience."
2 The 2:13,
"Chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and of the truth."
The Holy Spirit teaches us obedience through the process of sanctification, the growing process of holiness.
Those of us that have been chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and Truth, the growing process of holiness.
It is not something "we" do to ourselves, but something that is done by the Power of the Godhead and His words that causes us to grow in holiness. For without this growing into holiness our Christian walk is a sham.
What a wonderful word Sanctification. The very spirit of the word Evangelism. And evangelism is telling the world of Jesus. Whatever gifts that the Godhead has given us, we must use to tell the world of this wonderful experience known as SANCTIFICATION.
Now I am going to quote from the pen of inspiration, let us see if what has been said by Ellen G. White is consistent with and my understanding from the Bible:
Maranatha, page 89: Bible Sanctification Defined
"Here is Bible sanctification. It is not merely a show or outside work. It is sanctification received through the channel of truth. It is truth received in the heart, and practically carried out in the life."
The Faith I live By, page 116: God's Remedy for Sin
"There is no such thing as instantaneous sanctification. True sanctification is a daily work, continuing as long as life shall last."
Faith and Works, page 53: A warning Against Counterfeit Sanctification
True sanctification will be evidenced by a conscientious regard for all the commandments of God, by a careful improvement of every talent, by a circumspect conversation, by revealing in every act the meekness of Christ.
My Life Today, page 250: A Sanctified Life
"'The law of the Lord is perfect,' converting the soul, Through obedience comes sanctification of body, soul and spirit. This sanctification is a progressive work, and an advance from one stage of perfection to another."
S.D.A. Bible Commentary, Volume 7, page 947: 2 Peter
"There is no Bible sanctification for those who cast part of truth behind them. Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, or a day. It is a continual growth in grace. We know one day how strong will be our conflict the next. Satan lives, and is active, and every day we need to earnestly cry to God for help and strenth to resist him. As long as Satan reigns we shall have self to subdue, besetments to overcome, and there is no stopping place. There is no point to which we can come and say we have fully attained."
Now in closing, the most important words from inspiration is the clear understanding of Justification and Sanctification.
S.D.A. Bible Commentary, Volume 7, page 908: 1 Thessalonians
"Justification means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain sanctification, and through sanctification, the life of heaven. Justification means that the conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the blessings of sanctification.
Liane
[This message has been edited by liane (edited 03-17-2001).]
[This message has been edited by liane (edited 04-01-2001).]