What is Sanctification All About?

     The various words pertaining to the doctrine of salvation are like a jigsaw puzzle. In order for the picture to become clear, each piece must be interlocked with the appropriate pieces and turned in the right direction. Trying to match one piece with another that does not interlock, distorts the picture. Likewise, trying to interlock one piece with another fitting piece but that is turned the wrong way will also not work. But when all the pieces are turned in the right direction and matched with the corresponding pieces, a beautiful picture can be seen by all. This article examines the third piece of the salvation jigsaw puzzle. The interlocking pieces are the subjects of redemption and justification. Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, our sins are removed and we become the property of God. Justified, we gain a righteous standing with God. Sanctified, we become useful to God. Being sanctified. we become suited to accomplish the purposes of God.

     Redemption and justification are positional truths. That is, they are unobservable to anyone but God. Sanctification though, is an experiential truth. That means that a believer's sanctification can be observed by not only God, but man. Do not confuse observation with feeling, though. A believer can feel certain things such as a warm feeling all over, but the feeling may have nothing to do with biblical sanctification. On the other hand, a believer may not feel anything and yet they may be experiencing sanctification. By experience, we mean the results of sanctification are observable over time.

     There are a couple of different Greek words used to describe the subject of sanctification but all of these words are related. The noun form, hagiasmos is translated "sanctification" or "holiness". The verb hagiadzo means to sanctify, to hallow, or to make holy. The adjective, hagios is translated holy. When this word is in the nominative plural it is translated by the word "saints". The basic meaning of these words is to set apart. It is important that we understand the meaning of these words in their basic definitions for when interpreting the Scriptures, if we give variant meanings to them, we will greatly err in our walk with God. Again the basic meaning of sanctification is to set something apart to God for His from evil or even from ordinary uses to accomplish the purposes of God.

     A good example of sanctification is found in Exodus 20:11 concerning the Sabbath day. There we read that the Lord created the world in six day and rested the 7th. We then read that he hallowed the 7th day. This word, hallowed, is the Hebrew word for sanctification. The 7th day was sanctified. The other six days were by no means evil, in fact they were quite spectacular. On each of those days God even made a pronouncement that they were good, the sixth being very good. But the seventh day was set aside for a very special purpose, rest. This day was set apart to God from ordinary uses in order to accomplish God's purposes.

     Now the study of the subject of sanctification answers a very important question: What is the purpose of life? That is a question that philosophers have tangled with for generations and can only be answered by God. It is also a question that each and every one of us must know the answer to. What is our purpose in living? To answer that question we need to ask another question: Why did God create us?

     In eternity past, there was a perfect fellowship between the 3 members of the Godhead. There was no need for man. But God wanting to show forth His glory, His power, His majesty, decided to create a world where He could display these attributes. In response, His creation could return worship to Him. That I believe, is the purpose of our existence. God created us in order that He could demonstrate how great He is and in response creation would worship Him and fellowship with Him. Man would enjoy God and appreciate Him. Therefore, the purpose of our living is to recognize the attributes of God, to understand His being, to worship Him, to receive from Him all that is necessary for living, and to live in harmony with Him. With that in mind, we conclude this: The greatest joy that man will ever experience in life is a life that is characterized by holiness, for in that, man has accomplished what God created him for.

     What are the objects of sanctification? We see four areas of sanctification in the Scriptures. First, man can be sanctified by man. In Exodus 19:10, God spoke to Moses and told him to sanctify the people of Israel. In 1 Corinthians 7:14 there is a New Testament example of man being sanctified by man. The unbelieving spouse is sanctified by a believing spouse. It is important that we understand the right definition of sanctification here. If your definition of sanctification means to be saved, then an unbeliever is saved on the basis of being married to a believer. This can not be. In 1 Corinthians 7, what Paul is saying is that the children born to a couple where only one is saved still have the opportunity of hearing the gospel and seeing the glories of God demonstrated before them by the one saved spouse. They are set apart to the gospel because of that one believer. the children must make their own decision concerning receiving Jesus as their Savior, but have a great opportunity to do so because of the influence of the saved parent.

     Man can also sanctify God. 1 Peter 3:15 instructs believers to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. Again, we have a real problem if the word sanctify means to save, or to make holy. God is already infinitely holy and does not need to be saved. What Peter is instructing us to do is to set aside a place in our hearts so that in the daily concourse of life, there is a special place of priority for the person of the Lord so that when an unbeliever comes along and notices that we have a "unique" lifestyle and inquires why, we are ready to give an answer of the glory of Jesus Christ.

     God can also sanctify God. John 10:36 states that the Father sanctified the Son. In John 17 Jesus said that He sanctified Himself. Again, we see that to sanctify means to set apart for God's purposes.

     But what is most important to us is the fourth area of sanctification. God can sanctify man. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be persevered blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." An interesting play on words- Christians are to be wholly holy.

     How does God sanctify believers? We can see this in, what are called, tenses of sanctification. There is a sanctification that leads to salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says, "We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." Peter says basically the same in his first epistle (1:2). Here God sets apart those who will hear the gospel and be saved (the study of election is the next article). It is the sanctifying ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict those of sin, righteousness, and judgment, (John 16:8) bringing them to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that they may be saved.

     A second tense of sanctification is concurrent with salvation. This is also called positional sanctification. 1 Corinthians 1:30 states when a person trusts Christ, Jesus becomes their sanctification. In Hebrews 3:1 the writer of the epistle calls his readers holy brethren. What is interesting here is that the folks are teetering on the possibility of returning to Judaism. In other words, these were not the most spiritually mature people in the body of Christ, yet they were sanctified brethren. Likewise in 1 Corinthians 6:11 we find that the Corinthians, another spiritually immature group of people, were nonetheless sanctified. This sanctification does not remove believers from temptation but sets them apart from the sphere of sin and its penalty and apart to God for His purposes, being identified with the person of Jesus Christ. It happens the very moment they trust him for salvation.

     The third tense of sanctification is continual or progressive sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 states, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." Paul is writing to Christians, people who are sanctified, and telling them to be sanctified. What he desires, better, what God desires for the believer is that their experience in life would match their position in Christ. As God is holy, so too are believers to be holy in their everyday living. This is clearly detailed in 2 Corinthians 5:17 were old things pass away in the believer's life and all things become new.

     Is it possible for a person to become so sanctified that they will become perfect or sinless? To answer that question, I must ask another question: When? In this life, the answer is no. But when Jesus Christ comes for His church, every believer will then be sinlessly perfect. This is seen in Ephesians 5:25-27 where Jesus is sanctifying His church that He might present it to Himself without spot or wrinkle and that it should be holy. John also states that when we see Christ we will be like Him, that is perfectly holy. In the meantime though, everyone who has this hope in him should purify himself (that is continually be sanctified).

     The most important question now for the believer is how can I be sanctified? Sanctification begins with trusting Jesus as your Savior. Secondly, sanctification continues by recognizing your position in Christ. There is a hymn in many hymnals that says, "I'm only a sinner saved by grace..." I have no problem with the fact that God saves sinners by grace, but once a person comes to faith in Christ, they are called to be saints not sinners (1 Corinthians 1:2). As a saint, the believer can live like a saint. If all I know is that I am a sinner, I will act like a sinner, but if I recognize that in the sight of God I have been sanctified and declared righteous and am called a saint, I might act like one. The believer is not a slave to sin. Thirdly, the intake of the Word of God is essential to sanctification. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth" (John 17:17). The only way to know and appreciate God is to find Him as He reveals Himself through His Word. By reading the Word of God I come to know His person and understand His will for my life. The next step is then simply to be about those things found in His will. According to Romans 6:19 we are to yield our members unto holiness. The key word is yield. On the entrance ramps to interstate highways there are yield signs. As you approach the highway, drivers who are on it have the right of way and one must yield to them before entering the highway. If nothing is coming, you can enter the highway at no consequence. However, if someone is approaching the entrance ramp, you must yield or suffer consequence. And so it is with the will of God for the believer. There may be things that you desire to do that are consistent with God's will for your life and you can enter into them without yielding to anything else. However, there may be times that something captures your attention that you may desire but God's will has the right of way and you must yield to it or suffer consequence. What you desire may not necessarily be evil, it may even be good in and of itself, but God has something greater in mind for you. And yielding to the will of God will not only prevent me from suffering consequence but will enable me to enjoy the greatest joy in living.