1 Thess. 5:23-27, Heb. 13:10-16, Sanctification (2)

One way to understand sanctification is to see how it was used in the OT.

·        Ex 19:23: Mt Sinai roped off, sanctified to the Lord; it was sacred...no one could trespass. Only Moses.

·        Ex 20:8: keep the Sabbath holy ... i.e. make it sacred, use it for God's purposes.

·        Ex 28:3: Aaron was sacred, sanctified, set apart; indicated by his garments.

·        Ex 29:36: the altar sanctified through a daily offering ... cleansed, used ONLY for it's sacred purpose.

·        Ex 31:12-13: Sabbath a sign that God sanctified (consecrated) the people of Israel.

·        Ex 40:9: the tabernacle & all it's parts were sanctified.

In the NT it is not objects that are sanctified but people.  Believers in Christ are called saints which literally means holy ones.  They are to be holy as God is holy.  Look at the picture Paul paints in 2 Tim 2:20-21: In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  21.If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy (sanctified), useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 

Let us consider the God who sanctifies and keeps His people.

·        It is God Himself.  Paul emphasizes this: may the God of peace HIMSELF sanctify you completely.  No one else can do this.  Sanctification is an inner work done in our lives, a work that no one can do for another person.  We might see some success in reforming a person’s external behavior; but true holiness is from the inside and only God can bring about such a deep transformation.  Furthermore, we must be kept from evil and the Evil One.  Again, only God HIMSELF can do this.  Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4).

·        He is the God of peace.  Sanctification is based on the shedding of blood (Hb. 13:12; 9:13-14).  It is the God of peace who makes peace through the blood of the cross that we might be sanctified.

·        He calls us.  The God who called us to be His is Himself holy (1 Pt. 1:15) and He has called us with a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9).  That holy calling is that we might be holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:3).  In sanctification and preservation God is simply completing what He began.

·        He is faithful.  God can be counted on to do what He has said He would do.  He will honor the prayer of His Son.  He will honor His word.

Let us give thanks for our God whose great mercy and love has caused Him to make such a great promise.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.  Have you ever seen someone with a shirt on with the well-known logo, Just Do It?  God alone is the One who knows our need, and He Himself is the One who will do it!