Doctrine of Sanctification

Good morning and welcome to Living Faith Church. I am so excited to be able to worship Jesus Christ with you on this amazing Sunday. If we have never met before, my name is Aaron. My wife Stella and I are honored to be able to serve on the Pastoral team at LFC. Today we are continuing this series called We Are Pillars. In this series we are exploring the 12 faith statements that Living Faith Church stands upon.

1 Timothy 3:15 NASB95

15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

[ expand intro - story Something that was set apart for a specific purpose ]

“We Believe: In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost.”

Defining Sanctification

Romans 6:17–19 (NASB95)

17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

The Greek word Hagiasmos is used ten times in the New Testament and each time is translated as Sanctification. The word Hagiasmos, or Sanctification means:

sanctification n. — the act of becoming more personally dedicated to God; especially by becoming more distinct, devoted, or morally pure.

A great mistake many believers make is they consider the Salvation work equal to the Sanctification work. And this just is not true. It is not any more true than saying that going to the doctor will cure cancer. You can be cured, but there is a process. Hear me out,

“You are saved by grace, but you are sanctified through surrender”

We find the roots of this New Testament teaching all the way back in the Old Testament.

Leviticus 11:44 (NASB95)

44 ‘For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.

Here we have the Hebrew form of the Greek work Sanctify “qas” (keDash). One of the early uses of this word is found in Exodus 19, where we read:

Exodus 19:9–10 (NASB95)

9 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

10 The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments;

So we can learn from this that the purpose of sanctification is relationship. Where there is a consecrated soul, there is person with a heart full reserved for the Lord. Not only do they love what God loves, but they can be trusted to do what God wants done.

Isaiah 13:3 (NASB95)

3 I have commanded My consecrated ones, I have even called My mighty warriors, My proudly exulting ones, To execute My anger.

So we see here in this passage, that the Lord has set some apart. “My consecrated ones”. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But then there are the consecrated ones, the ones who have chosen to go beyond casual Christianity and set their whole self apart for the Lords work. These are what the Old Testament calls “the consecrated ones”. Or in the New Testament, Paul used the term “Bond Servant” (Diakanos), or Slave (Doulos).

The Lord reserved this work for the sanctified because only the sanctified ones could be trusted to fully execute with righteous zeal. An un-sanctified soul still loves a little sin, still likes a little compromise. An un-sanctified soul cannot execute war on sin because that person wants to play, participate in and enjoy the sin.

Once something is sanctified, it can no longer participate in un-sanctified activities.

Exodus 13:2 NASB95

2 “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

The first born was reserved for holy use.

First Born performed the priestly duties

First Born received a double inheritance

First Born animals were sacrificed to the Lord

The First Fruits were set aside as a tithe unto God

Exodus 4:22 NASB95

22 “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is My son, My firstborn.

And this is why God commanded Israel to sanctify, or consecrate themselves unto God, because they were His firstborn. But we are, according to Galatians 6:16, the Israel of God. Not that we replace Israel, but that we, with Israel have been grafted into Gods family as the His firstborn. Therefore, we are “called out”, “sanctified, Set apart.

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Hebrews 10:10 NASB95

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 1:1 NASB95

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Ho Do We Become Sanctified?

Became Obedient From The Heart

Romans 6:17 (NASB95)

17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

Another passage says it this way…

1 Peter 3:15 (NASB95)

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Through Sanctification our actions and behaviors becoming more like Jesus, but sanctification does not begin with our actions, it begins with our heart. Jesus taught on this very thought in Matthew 15:8.

Matthew 15:8 (NASB95)

8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.

Again Jesus taught saying:

Matthew 7:22–24 (NASB95)

22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And this goes right along with what Jesus prayed

John 17:17 (NASB95)

17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Jesus goes on to pray these words to the Father.

John 17:18–19 NASB95

18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

Sanctification is not an issue of your behavior, but rather an issue of your heart. Holmans Bible Dictionary defines Sanctification this way.

“The process of being made holy resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer”

The result is a change in behavior, but the root is a change of heart. This is why Christ prayed, sanctify them in your word, because

The Word of God is living and active. Hebrews 4:12 It has the power to divide and judge. Look at this with me.

Hebrews 4:12 NASB95

12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

If you want to be set a part and holy unto your God, you will not get there with social media, you wont get there with youtube and Amazon Prime. Jesus told us we are clean because of the WORD. The Word of God effects the heart of a man, and so goes the heart, so goes the actions.

John 15:3 NASB95

3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

Slaves To Righteousness

Romans 6:18 (NASB95)

18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

slave — noun. a person who is legally owned by someone else and whose entire livelihood and purpose was determined by their master.

We see an illustration of this through Jesus interaction with the centurion soldier. Jesus offers to visit this mans home and heal his servant, but the soldier says these words.

Matthew 8:9 (NASB95)

9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Multiple times we find the Apostle Paul introducing himself as the doulos, or “Bond Servant” of Christ Jesus. Meaning, that Paul identified himself as one who was fully reserved for the will of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:1 NASB95

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Philippians 1:1 NASB95

1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:

Titus 1:1 NASB95

1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

This was his ministry, this was not his idea, these people did not work for him, but rather he was a man stewarding the Lords work. Jesus said go - he went, Jesus said speak - he spoke, Jesus said shut-up - he stopped speaking. To be sanctified, remember, means to be set a part as holy. Meaning, you are no longer your own, and you are no longer common. You are reserved for the Lords work.

Peter, following the healing of the lame beggar at the gate beautiful preaches an amazing message to the crowd present. He is arrested and in chapter 4 of Acts he prays this prayer to the Lord.

Acts 4:29 (NASB95)

29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,

Peter recognizes that his ability to speak, and even have confidence to speak is not of his own will, because he is a doulos, a bond servant of the Lord. He is a man sanctified, set a part, reserved, only in use if the Father grants him to be in use.

In Philippians 2 we find that Paul, speaking of Jesus uses the word doulos, or bond servant.

Philippians 2:6–7 (NASB95)

6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Even Jesus, while on earth spoke of Himself saying:

John 5:19 (NASB95)

19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

Later Paul would cary this line of thinking on and say

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NASB95

19 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? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Sanctification is of the utmost importance for a believer because, God has called us to Sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NASB95)

7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

Sanctification is of the utmost importance for a believer because, without it, we do not see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 (NASB95)

14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Sanctification is of the utmost importance for a believer because it results in eternal life in Christ Jesus

Romans 6:22 (NASB95)

22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

May The God of Peace Sanctify You

It must be understood that the work of sanctification is a work of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB95)

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You do not sanctify yourself! You present yourself to the Lord as sacrifice, as a servant; but it is The Lord who sanctifies.

Romans 6:19 (NASB95)

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

You might struggle with anger during family disagreements, which can damage relationships. Remember, living a holy life is not about you trying harder, but about constant surrender. To live a sanctified life at home, try setting aside time each day for prayer and Scripture reading. This practice can center your heart and mind on God’s peace, preparing you to respond with love.

In a workplace filled with stress and competition, you may feel tempted to compromise your values. Living a sanctified life means standing firm in your integrity. But you are not strong enough alone! Build a friendship circle of like minded people who can pray with you regularly and hold you accountable. Life Groups are perfect for this.

Maybe today is a day where you could choose - from this moment forward, I will live set a part for the Lord. Maybe today the cry of your heart is Lord Sanctify me… make me pure and reserved for you. Maybe there is an area of your life that you have struggled to turn over to the Lord; a habit, a reoccurring thought, an emotion. Maybe it’s fear, bitterness, anger, or lust. There is no time like the present to turn this over to the Lord. Remember, sanctification is not a work of human hands, but it does begin with your surrender.

If you are here today, a believer in Jesus, a Christ follower, but you know that there is an area of your life that is not surrendered to Jesus, I want to pray a surrender prayer with you.

Heavenly Father, I surrender myself to you today. I trust you with my heart, I trust you with my life. Teach me your ways, teach me what you love, show me every offensive way, so that I can live sanctified by you. In my weakness I stir my faith that You can move mountains in my life. You are the Mountain Mover! I confess that nothing, little or big, is impossible with You. I declare that now I am set apart for you, reserved for your work, and daily being made pure for your glory. In your name amen!

Maybe you came today without a relationship with Jesus. You came seeking a change in life, a shift in your season, and breaking off of a way of life you despise. I promise you today, Jesus is your answer. The Bible tells us that “No one comes to the Father but through Jesus”. You don’t only need Jesus to fix your life, you need Jesus to give you life.

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

In Christ there is Hope, there freedom, there is joy, but more importantly, in Christ there is the removal of the penalty for a life lived in sin.

Romans 6:23 NASB95

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If you have never received Christ as your savior, or if you have walked away from Jesus and want to commit your life over to Him, raise your hand so I know who I am praying for.

“Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive me for all of my sins.  Make me brand new.  Because You died for me, I want to live for You.  Fill me with Your Spirit, so I could follow You.  Jesus, You’re now my Lord and the Savior of my life.  Take my life.  It is Yours.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.”