SANCTIFICATION
What is the meaning of sanctification? Let’s first see what the Strong’s Concordance of the bible says. In the Hebrew word [1](#6942), quadesh (Kaw-desh) it defines sanctification as: (1) to make, pronounce, or observe as clean, (2) to sanctify, hallow, dedicate, prepare, holy, consecrate, appointed, bid, purified (3) defile, keep, proclaim, wholly, represent being set apart or (4) to be holy, to sanctify. In the Greek word, [2](#37) hagiazo (hag-ee-ad-zo), it defines sanctification as: (1) to make holy (i.e. to purify or to consecrate) (2) to separate: sanctify, hallow, be holy, (3) to make holy (let him be made holy) or (4) to set apart for God.
Strong’s concordance shows the word sanctification used 5 times, sanctified used 62 times, sanctifieth used 4 times, and sanctify used 70 times. God uses these words 141 times in the King James Version of the bible according to Strong’s Concordance.
We must learn, understand, share knowledge of, and apply this sanctification to our life. With the Father using this word sanctification over 140 times in the bible, it tells me just how important sanctification is to Him. We had better study it to learn what our responsibilities are.
First, I’d like to break down the meaning a little deeper using scriptures. [3]2 Chronicles 29:5 says, “And said unto them (Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple) Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.” This verse in the Old Testament shows us sanctification before Christ, but, is just as applicable with Christ as believers. Four things are necessary for God’s people, followers of Christ, to experience genuine spiritual revival. First, confession of our specific sins is necessary. Secondly, we need to purify God’s house. (In the Old Testament times this means purifying the tabernacle/temple. Today, in the New Testament times, it is purifying ourself and church from the teachings, worship, or lifestyles that clearly offend God or is not in keeping with his word.) Refer to 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21-22, and 1 Timothy 3:15. Thirdly, we need to renew our devotion to God’s will and purpose for our life and obeyance to His word. Lastly, we must proclaim a blood sacrifice for atonement.
(In the Old Testament times, blood sacrifices for atonement were made by the Levitical priests. In New Testament times, our sacrifice is giving ourselves to Jesus by faith and belief in his redemptive work on the cross. (i.e. the shedding of Jesus’ blood to pay for our sins once and for all time and how His sacrifice provides forgiveness and a new, eternal life for us.) See Hebrews 9:11-14 and 1 Corinthians 10:16.
Dedication unto God is a major facet of sanctification. In 2 Chronicles 7:16, the Lord’s promise to Solomon is, “For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever, and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.” If we maintain an unclean spirit, and not dedicate ourselves to God, Jesus gives us the grave consequences of that choice. (See Matthew 12: 45)
Holiness is yet another facet of sanctification. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Peter defines holiness perfectly. Verse 15 says, “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Verse 16: Because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy. (See also Romans 6:11 and Titus 2:14)
When does sanctification take place? I understand the bible to teach me three ways sanctification takes place. First, I believe we are sanctified instantly upon salvation. 1 Corinthians 6:11 states. “And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.” (Refer to Romans 1:7 and Hebrews 10: 10, 14. Secondly, sanctification is progressive. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1 it says, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” (See also 2 Peter 3:18, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9-10). Lastly, we will have complete sanctification. 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 preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord. (See also 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 and Philippians 3: 12-14) Matthew 1:21 shows us that justification also produces sanctification. I believe that to mean that justification and sanctification are inseparable.
Paul writes in the Book of Romans of sanctification in Chapters 6, 7, and 8. In these Chapters, God’s work and development of righteousness in Christ’s believers is depicted. Chapter 6, verses 1 through 23, show us freedom from slavery to sin. We die with Christ to break the power of sin (Vs. 6: 1-14) and subsequently we live with Christ as servants of righteousness (Vs, 6: 15-23). In Chapter 7 Paul teaches us that we are free from condemnation under the law (7: 1-25). In Chapter 8 Paul teaches us about our freedom to live through the power of God’s spirit.
Peter also talks about sanctification. I bring your attention to 1 Peter 1:2 which says, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
In the foregoing, we see that sanctification is: to make holy, to consecrate, to separate evil of the world. It involves being set apart from sin and is an ongoing (daily) process of spiritual growth, development, and maturity by which God refines us and changes us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. We put on the mind of Christ so to speak.
How do we sanctify ourselves? I’d like to break that down into the following areas:
1) In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 it says, “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.” How do we sanctify ourself? The Holy Spirit works within us once we are saved. It helps us to: Love the Lord our God (Matthew 22:37 and Deuteronomy 6:5), keeps us blameless in holiness, (1 Thessalonians 3:13 and 2 Corinthians 7:1), helps us to love from a pure heart, good conscience, and faith unfeigned (1 Timothy 3:15), helps us to be sincere and without offense (Philippians 1:10), makes us free from sin (Romans 6:18) and dead to sin (Romans 6:2), helps us to become servants to righteousness unto holiness (Romans 6:19), helps us to keep God’s commandments (1 John 3:22) and to overcome the world (1 John 5:4). That all causes us to be liberated from the power and slavery of sin (Romans 6:1-19) and we separate from the sin and sinful practices of the world. (Romans 12:1-2) The holy spirit also helps us to daily renew our character, our nature, our thoughts, to be like Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) and in turn begin producing the fruit of the spirit in our lives as shown in Galatians 5:16, 22-23. Even more importantly to me is our new way of life influences others to follow Christ. (John 17: 15-19, 23)
2) We live a daily life rightly to God and do right according to his principles. (Philippians 2: 14-15, Colossians 1:22, 1 Thessalonians 2:10 and Luke 1:6) In other words, we live with moral purity, godly obedience, with a blameless character, we are set free from sin’s power (Romans 6:18) and no longer are swayed by sin’s influences (Romans 6:11). Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to resist and overcome the temptation to defy God (1 John 2:1, 3:6) even though in this life we are never completely free from temptation and the possibility of sin.
3) Sanctification was God’s will and purpose for Israel in the Old Testament.
a) They were to live holy and sanctified lives, separated from the wicked and evil lifestyles of the nations around them. (Note Exodus 19:6, Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, and 2 Chronicles 19:5)
b) Sanctification in a way is also a requirement for all of Christ’s believers. We are to maintain a life of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14
4) Sanctification is not only a work of God but of His people as well. (Philippians 2: 12-13) In order for believers to accomplish God’s purposes of spiritual growth, development, and maturity as Christians, we must be involved in the Holy Spirit’s work by doing the following:
a) refraining from evil. (Romans 6: 1-2)
b) purifying ourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. (2Corinthians 7:1, Romans 6:12, Galatians 5: 16-25)
c) keeping ourself from being polluted/persuaded by the world morally and spiritually. (James 1:27, Romans 6: 13, 19, 8:13, 12: 1-2, 13-14, Ephesians 4:31, 5:18, Colossians 3: 5,10, Hebrews 6:1, and James 4:18.
5) The New Testament shows sanctification as a definite, decisive act by the believer, through God’s grace, and set free from the control of Satan and makes a clear break with sin, in order to live for God. (Romans 6:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:4-6, Colossians 3: 1-3) The New Testament also shows sanctification as a lifelong process where we are continually put to death the natural man’s impulse toward sin (Romans 8: 1-17), we are progressively transformed to be more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18), we continue to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18), we exercise a greater love for God and others (Matthew 22: 37-39), 1 John 4: 7-8, 11, 20-21, Mark 12:30) and we fulfill God’s purpose for our life.
6) We must also maintain a close, intimate relationship with Christ (John 15:14). We do this by:
a) Being in fellowship with other Christians (Ephesians 4: 15-16)
b) Devoting ourselves to prayer (Matthew 6: 5-13, Colossians 4:2)
c) Obeying God’s word (John 17:17)
d) Being sensitive to God’s presence and care (Matthew 6: 25-34)
e) Loving what is right and hating what is wicked and wrong (Hebrews 1:9)
f) Putting sin to death (Romans Chapter 6)
g) Submitting to God’s chastisement and discipline (Hebrews 12: 5-11, 1 John 1:9, John 8: 37-37.
h) Continually obeying and being filled by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14, Ephesians 5:18
7) Somehow, sanctification may involve a crisis or personal encounter with God after our initial experience of spiritual salvation. (Isaiah 6:1-8) We may receive a clear revelation of God’s holiness, purity, protection, and separation from evil, or perhaps an awareness of God’s calling us to a unique task.
8) Sanctification involves setting ourselves apart in a greater way from sin and worldliness in order to get closer to God and become prepared for his divine purposes. (2 Corinthians 6: 6-18)
In summary, when we present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), we receive from the Holy Spirit the needed grace, purity, power, and victory to live holy lives pleasing to our Father God. (Romans 6:19-22 and 12: 1-2)
It is God’s delight to transform sinners like us into saints, holy ones, so as to have a pure and blameless bride (the church) for His Son, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5: 25-27)
In closing, sanctification is the process of Christ filling our life and taking control of our will, our mind, and our desires so that we are transformed and become like Him. (Romans 12:2)
“But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
This paper is my understanding of God’s holy word and his desire for our sanctification. Praise be to God. Amen
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