SANCTIFICATION

SANCTIFICATION

                Sanctification is a word that is largely avoided by Christians today. In fact there seems to be a mass evacuation from it, especially as it has to do with the meaning of grace. People love the word grace as defined as unmerited favor (Which the Bible doesn’t actually say in so many words) but they avoid its true meaning which is the power of God to overcome sin and to walk in sanctification.  Romans 12:1-21 gives us the results of grace in the life of the believer.

                There can be no doubt that sanctification is a necessary part of the salvation package, for as it says in Hebrews 12:14: “Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”

                That gets my attention, because I very much want to see the Lord and to reign with Him and so I am not about to skip something as important as sanctification.

                Sanctification is closely related to sanctuary. To Moses God said, “Let them build Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” Ex. 25:8 and then in the New Covenant Paul informs us that we have become His sanctuary saying:

                “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are.”

                We take far too lightly what this means, for the implications of our bodies as temples of the living God, or that we are holy because of His presence and set apart for His purposes cannot be overstated.

                So when so called Christians tell you that you don’t need to overcome sin, because Jesus did it for us, they are telling you one of the lies of the devil, and the devil is seeking to prevent your salvation. To every one of the seven churches Jesus made His promises only to those who overcome. And we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. Rev. 12:11

                In speaking about grace Paul concludes by saying: “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” Romans 6:14-16.

                Right here we can quickly see that we have misused and abused what Paul has said by taking parts of his argument while avoiding his conclusion. It is true that we are no longer under Law, for through the Law I died to the law in order that I might live unto Christ. But if we are honest with ourselves, we must realize and acknowledge that Jesus did not just cut us loose from the Law to do our own thing. He came to do what the Law could not do. He came not only to change our outward actions, but to change our hearts. Now we not only resist committing adultery, but we no longer lust after others. This represents a complete change of heart and the Law couldn’t do that.

                But if we are set apart for service and we have become a dwelling place of God, then obviously we no longer belong to ourselves. As the Scripture says:

                “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.

                As a living temple of God, do you, for instance consider this when you, say, go to the movies to please your own flesh? Do you consider that you may grieve the Holy Spirit that is in you? He doesn’t really want to participate in your lust for murder and mayhem, sex and violence. He is Holy and pure and righteous and good and He says to you:  “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Do we really want to ignore and trample over that which God has given us as a seal of our redemption?

                This, as always is a huge subject on which an entire book could be written, but we need to take our sanctification much more seriously than we do. The tabernacle of Moses tells us the whole story. The outer court represents justification. There we are saved by the blood of the Lamb. Then beyond the first veil is the Holy Place. This represents our sanctification through the Word and the Holy Spirit and prayer. This is our relationship with Jesus through His Holy Spirit and this is the compartment representing sanctification. And according to Hebrews 12:14 we cannot see God if we refuse to enter into a sanctified relationship with Jesus through His Holy Spirit.

                Now the Most Holy Place represents our glorification at the resurrection and catching away of the church and we must pay particular attention to this, because you cannot move on to the Most Holy Place without going through the Holy Place. We can‘t expect glorification without being sanctified and this is the true meaning of Revelation 11:1, 2.

                John was given a measuring rod and told to measure the temple of God. And he was told to leave out the outer court because it had been given over to the nations to be trampled underfoot for 3 ½ years.  In other words, if you “Get saved”, and then hang around the outer court and never move into the Holy Place of sanctification to grow in your relationship with Jesus through His Word and His Holy Spirit, you will not be ready for the rapture, or whatever comes next and you will most likely become a part of those who fall away according to 2 Thess. 2: 3, 4

                Lastly, Jesus summed this whole truth up in His prayer to the Father on our behalf saying:

                “Sanctify them in truth; Thy word is truth.” John 17:17. Here Jesus takes us from the outer court of justification and asks the Father to sanctify us in truth and that truth is found in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle for it is the very Word of God, as illuminated by the Holy Spirit and made intimate through praying in the Spirit. Jude 20, 21

                If you don’t believe the whole Word of God, then you cannot be sanctified, because God’s word has been given to us for that very purpose. His Word is TRUTH.  We can rationalize our way around it and side with man’s opinions if we want to, but we will not be sanctified and as such we will never see God. If Jesus is not a great enough authority as to determine whether His Word is truth or not, then we are not in a saving relationship with Him, for He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all. If you choose to stand in judgment of the Word saying, “I will believe this part but not that part”, then Jesus is not Lord of your life. We are sanctified in truth and His Word is truth.

                Next in His prayer for us Jesus says:

                “As Thou did send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” John 17:18.

                In other words we are here on a mission. That mission is to become like Jesus (Eph. 4:13) and to do His work in this world. And on this note Jesus said: “

                Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.” John 14: 12. Now we can’t do His works unless we have His power and we can’t have His power unless we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that was poured out at Pentecost for Jesus said:  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8. And this mission takes us right up to the return of Jesus.

                Now back to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:19. Jesus said:

                “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word.” John 17:19, 20.

                Here Jesus blows the doors right off of the false grace message and the cessationist message. (That teaches that the powerful works of the Holy Spirit ended with the Apostles.) If they have grown dim it is only because the church has become lukewarm and dead and disobedient.  But the power of Pentecost is still in full effect and God has a remnant people living in these last days. They believe in the power of Pentecost and they operate in it and even though it may be a bit feeble at this point, God is going to pour out His Spirit in a mighty way for the final harvest.

                Jesus not only sanctified Himself for our sakes, but He did so in order that we might be sanctified in truth as well. And it was not only for the first disciples, but for all who would read their words and be saved by the same faith and truth and power that was given at the beginning.

                We must all read and meditate on John 17 and the prayer of Jesus for us. It is packed with God’s own intention for us and it is intimate and full of love. Jesus cherishes us and wants us to be with Him where He is. John 17:24. Therefore He prays that the Father will sanctify us through truth and that truth is His word, as it is revealed and imparted to us by His Holy Spirit and by His grace.

                The message of sanctification is being restored to the church in these last days. Prophetic voices everywhere are now warning that we must be sanctified. That is to say that we must come out of Babylon and not partake of her sins. We live in a different kingdom and we live by a different power source… and the evidence of the Spirit of God and the spirit of Satan in people is coming into bold relief as the whole world takes sides for the final battle.

                There is no middle ground in this battle. If you stand undecided in the middle of the battle field you will be shot either by Satan or by truth. We must take our stand and we must be set apart and sanctified by Truth and by the very Spirit of Christ and our relationship with Him in holiness. We have been called to the kingdom for such a time as this!