Your Words Matter: Sanctification

Why are we talking about this?

There is sometimes disagreement/misunderstanding of what Scripture says/means. This series, “Your Words Matter,” is for us to dig deeper into the original language and hopefully get a clearer understand of God’s Word.

We looked at the word perfection last week, and reconciliation the week before that. This week we’re looking at Sanctification, and it is a word that many see as, “Christianese,” and people are either confused or misinformed of what it means.

What does it say?

We’re looking at 3 passages:

Acts 26:14-18 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

John 17:14-19 “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

What does it mean?

Current definition of sanctification:

the action of making or declaring something holy.

the action or process of being freed from sin or purified.

the action of causing something to be or seem morally right or acceptable.

Original language definitions

Hebrew - qds (kee-dahshh) - be holy, removed from common use; subject to special treatment, forfeit to the sanctuary.

Greek - hagiazo (ah - giazo) - sanctify; make holy; dedicate.

SANCTIFICATION, us being set apart from the rest of creation as a result of Christ’s holiness (Acts 20:32; 26:18; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Thess 2:13). This idea that Christians have been made holy before God through their faith in Christ is related to justification. In Christian theology, a distinction is sometimes made between justification and sanctification:

1) justification - having saving faith (in Jesus).

2) sanctification - the process of gradual purification from sin and progressive spiritual growth that marks the life of the believer.

This doctrine of sanctification draws on New Testament passages that emphasize a move toward holy and righteous living that characterizes following Christ in faith (1 Thess 4:3–8; Rom 6:19–22).

Although sanctification is first and foremost a supernatural work of God in a person’s life, it also requires the active cooperation of the person through faith, obedience, and submission to the divine work (Rom 6:19; 12:1; Phil 2:12–13; 2 Tim 2:21; Heb 12:14).

God has provided various means towards this union with God. These include prayer, reading and meditating (thinking about, wresting with,working out) of Scripture, fellowship with other believers in the church, the use of spiritual weapons (Eph 6:10–20), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), and the gifts of the Spirit for God’s mission in the world (Rom 12:3–8).

CONSECRATION, a devoting or setting apart any thing to the worship or service of God.

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, offered her son to the Lord, to serve all his life-time in the tabernacle, 1 Sam. 1:11; Luke 1:15. The New Testament furnishes us with instances of consecration. Christians in general are consecrated to the Lord, and are a holy race, a chosen people, 1 Peter 2:9. Ministers of the Gospel are in a peculiar manner set apart for his service; and so are places of worship;

Sanctification vs Consecration

In essence, sanctification is an act of God on behalf of the believer that is setting the believer apart from the world and perfecting him/her into the image of the Savior. This is an ongoing process from the point of the believer’s justification/salvation through the cross until their glorification upon arriving home at the end of their life.

Consecration on the other hand is a person’s action to set something/someone/themselves apart for holy use. Unlike sanctification, consecration can be a one time act as opposed to an ongoing one. A person who gets baptised, or rededicates their life to Jesus and His Gospel (when taken seriously) is a demonstrable form of consecration.

Jesus consecrated himself on behalf of humanity in order that we may be sanctified (John 17:19 “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”)

How should I respond?

3 points

Sanctification is for our good and God’s glory

When we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and dedicated our life to live for Him, He demonstrates His love for us through the sanctification process; setting us apart and refining us by His mercy and grace.

Let Him do His work in you!

Lean in to the process with gratitude

The process of sanctification can be painful and exhausting, but the results are worth it! God created us as an expression of His love and glory, and want’s all of us to love Him and make it home to Him. Sometimes we cannot or refuse to see God’s hand at work, but we will see His goodness and grace all the more clearly when we look back over the course of our lives and reflect on all the ways God cared for us and saved us.

Make it a point to reminisce on past events from time to time and reflect on all the ways the LORD saved you, cared for you, protected you, etc. He was always with you and is right by your side even now.

Thank God He’s not done with me yet!

Similar to the last point, keep a posture of gratitude towards God and worship Him! He is our Father and the greatest good we will ever know. Thank Him for the sanctification process that is perfecting us and transforming us from someone who is dead in our trespasses to alive in Jesus!

Recap - Let Him work in your life, reflect on ways He has demonstrated His goodness to you & worship Him for His transformational work on the cross!