Three A's of sanctification

Introduction

What is God’s will for my life?

If we ask this of each person who is here I’m sure there would be many answers. God has put us all in different situations in life to do different things. God’s will is for me to serve the church in Turnditch. Or God’s will is for me to care for my family. Or God’s will is for me to go out and preach in the open-air.

But there is one answer to this question that fits every single one of us.

What is God’s will for my life?

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification...”

The answer to this question is to increase in personal holiness. Or to grow in sanctification.

The Christian life is a life of progress. We are going from one place to another. From the old person we used to be to the new person who is conformed perfectly to the image of Christ.

However, the journey of the Christian life is like an escalator. If we stop progressing and moving forward we will start to go backwards. We must be daily dying more and more to our sin and living more and more to God.

Every day we must be doing what the Puritan John Owen said “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.

This daily progress in holiness is called sanctification. It is God’s will for us.

In our passage we see it is what the Apostle Paul wants for the church in Thessalonica. As he expresses his desire to see the church sanctified and made holy he sheds light on some important facts that we need to know about sanctification.

If you like we have here the 3 A’s of sanctification.

We have the Agent, the Aim and the Assurance.

The one who makes us holy. The level of holiness he desires. The reason we can be confident this will happen.

The Agent. The Aim and the Assurance of Sanctification.

Agent v.23a

God of peace-

The God who brings peace. He saves people from sins penalty, power and presence. The brings people back to peace with himself.

He justifies, sanctifies and glorifies.

Himself- emphatic- to make the point clear this is something he will do.

This is what God wants and this is what God does.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification...

God is the one who sanctifies us-

He does this by his Holy Spirit through his word, prayer, suffering.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

By the Spirit of the Lord.

Yet we must play our part- look at v.15-22.

Philippians 2:12–13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Application

Are we yielding to God’s sanctifying work in our lives?

When God puts his finger on a particular sin do we repent of it?

Aim v.23b

-Sanctify you completely-

Sanctify- to make holy. Set apart from sin for God.

Through and through

Golf- the aim is the flag. That's where the hole is. You try to get it in one. Sometimes you end up in the sand or the long grass. But you keep aiming for the flag.

-Every part of you preserved blameless-

This phrase explains further what was just said.

Whole Spirit soul and body- debate over what this means- probably just emphasising the whole person.

Preserved blameless- kept from sin and kept pure.

-In light of Christs return

Until and At his return

The aim of sanctification is so that when Jesus returns he will return to a pure bride.

The return of Jesus Christ provides motivation and reason to be holy and pursuing to be more and more holy every day.

1 Thess 5:1-6.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 “so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”

Wise virgins

Drunken servant

Be ready!!

Application

Is this our aim? are we pursuing complete holiness in every area of our lives? Are we praying daily for God to sanctify us completely?

If Jesus returned now could you face him?

Or would you feel ashamed? is there sin that has not been repented of?

We know our ultimate acceptance on that day is all based on his finished work. We trust in his blood and righteousness. If Christ is your Saviour there is no condemnation. But how sad it would be if Jesus returned and there was sin in your life.

If you are not a Christian you need to be prepared for the Lord’s return.

Assurance v.24

Faithful- He keeps his promises, he is loyal to his people and true to his word.

Faithful to his calling. God has called us to holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”

This mean when he saved us he did so for the purpose of making us holy.

1 Peter 1:2 “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He will do it. Paul has certainty.

Augustine command what thou wilt and give what thou commandest

Application-

Let this truth encourage us. Here Paul lifts the weight of our need to grow in holiness off of us and places it squarely in God’s shoulders.

Conclusion

What is God’s will for my life?

This is the will of God for you, your sanctification.

3 A’s

Agent- God is ultimately the one who sanctifies us.

Aim- Complete sanctification, preserved blameless when Christ returns

Assurance- God is faithful, he will do it.

Let us be encouraged- God will complete his work in us.

Let us be motivated- keep pressing on in holiness as we keep watch for the return of Christ.

Let us pray.