Sanctified and Kept by God (part 1)

INTRODUCTION

As the letter to the Thessalonians winds to a conclusion, we are introduced to a final prayer from Paul for the believers.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Be Sanctified Completely

may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely

The God of peace…

The God of our salvific peace

The greatest problem man faces is not found in the hardships of life, but in the reality of eternity.

We are created in the image of God…

Genesis 1:27 ESV

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Yet, in a short time, Adam and Eve rebelled against God through their disobedience to their Creator and desire to be like Him…

Genesis 3:6 ESV

So when the woman saw that the [forbidden] tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Remember the lie that Satan told Eve?

Genesis 3:5 ESV

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Out of that desire to be like God, Adam and Eve sinned through their disobedience to God’s expressed command to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

This was the introduction of sin, death, disease, and suffering into God’s once perfect creation, and it has affected all of creation since that time.

Romans 5:12 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

Romans 8:20–21 ESV

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

As sinners, we are enemies of God and face the reality of judgment when our life on this earth is over.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV

it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

This is not a good position for us to be in. Just as a lawbreaker is rightly punished for breaking the law, we are guilty before our Holy Creator, and will be justly punished for our transgression.

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death

Revelation 20:14–15 ESV

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

As ominous and hopeless as that appears to be, we are not left without hope!

Romans 5:8 ESV

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus Christ paid the debt we owe, and now God is calling all men everywhere to repent and place their faith completely in Christ alone for salvation. Be saved from the judgment to come!

And it is in that reality that we recognize God as The God of our salvific peace. We can have peace with God because of what He has done for us.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The God of our comforting peace

Read Philippians 4:4-7

Unlike the modern idea of happiness, the joy Paul writes about does not depend on one’s situation or place in life. Rather, it depends on the recognition of one’s status as in Christ

There are many circumstances in which Christians cannot be happy, but they can always rejoice in the Lord and delight in Him.

Jesus warned against worry in His sermon on the mount (Matt. 6:25-33) because it eliminates trust in God

Paul tells believers to pray, instead of worry, because it allows them to fully trust in God and receive the peace that only comes in knowing that He is in control.

1 Peter 5:6–7 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Romans 16:20 ESV

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The God of our functional peace

Read Philippians 4:8-9

Since the peace of God protects our hearts and minds from worry and doubt, Christians can focus on those things which promote a godly life.

Right thinking will ultimately lead to right living

Romans 12:2 ESV

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.

Paul provides several examples of how to live out the principles of faith that he calls believers to emulate:

Chapter 1 - himself

Chapter 2 - Jesus, Timothy, and Epaphroditus

Chapter 3 - himself as giving up on the deeds of the flesh for faith in Christ

All of these examples exemplify what it is to function in the peace of God, despite overwhelming opposition and circumstances.

God, Himself, is the source of our functional peace.

And returning to 1 Thessalonians, Paul’s prayer for the believers in Thessalonica is that the very God of our salvific peace, comforting peace, and functional peace would…

sanctify you completely

Sanctification and justification are inseparable.

justification = the event of salvation

sanctification = the process of spiritual development

Sanctification is central to the reality of the Christian faith.

ἁγιάζω (v.) - to cause someone to have the quality of holiness; to make holy

The noun form, ἅγιος, is often translated as “holy, holy one, or saint.”

sanctification is the ongoing spiritual process by which God increasingly sets believers apart from sin and moves them toward holiness

A life that is not changed after a profession of faith is a life that is apparently not saved.

That is not to say that change is instantaneous, as sanctification is a process of being set apart from sin unto holiness

However, it is to be present

Paul's prayer is that there may be a decreasing attachment to sin, an increasing attachment to holiness, that there may be a decreasing incident of sin and an increasing incident of holiness, that there may be a decreasing frequency of sin and an increasing frequency of holiness. 

That's the path of sanctification. And it is the will of God for your life.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

For this is the will of God, your sanctification

Consider the words of 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

Read Philippians 1:9-11

Read Romans 6:19-23

2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

The sanctification process serves as an important ministry of the husband in the home.

Ephesians 5:25–27 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Don’t forget that Ephesians 4:17-32 is about putting off the old self and putting on the new self, exemplified by new behaviors.

Lest we think that sanctification is only a New Testament concept:

Exodus 13 - all the firstborn were sanctified to the Lord

Exodus 19 - Moses sanctified the people before giving them the Law

Exodus 28 - Aaron and his sons were sanctified to serve as priests

Ezekiel 37:28 - the sanctification of Israel is the testimony to the nations of God’s presence

1 Samuel 16 - Jesse and his sons were sanctified and invited to a sacrifice with Samuel

The very word sanctuary indicates a place that is set apart exclusively for God

We will stop there, but there are clearly lots of instances of sanctification taking place in the Old Testament which drives home the important point: God’s people have always been set apart for God’s purposes.

John MacArthur identifies three aspects to a believer’s sanctification:

Positional Sanctification - past When you were saved, you were sanctified. You were set apart from Satan unto God. It causes us to desire God's will, to love God, to hate sin and to long to obey.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 10:14 ESV

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Ultimate Sanctification - future It is established at our glorification. When we leave this world and are in the presence of God.

Philippians 3:21 ESV

[Jesus] will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Experiential Sanctification - present It is a fluctuating process of becoming what we will ultimately be…a true expression of our current positional reality. We strive in this direction, but will never fully arrive until we are in glory.

Matthew 5:48 ESV

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

CONCLUSION

Heavenly Father, We come before You today grateful that You are the God of peace—our peace in salvation, our peace in trials, and our peace for daily living. Thank You for Your great love toward us. Though we were sinners and enemies of God because of our rebellion, You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to bear our sin and make peace between us and You through His death and resurrection. We praise You that through faith in Christ we have been justified and can stand before You forgiven, accepted, and at peace with You. Lord, as Paul prayed for the Thessalonian believers, we ask that You would sanctify us completely. Continue Your work of grace in our lives. Help us to grow in holiness, to put off the old self, and to put on the new self. Give us a greater love for righteousness and a greater hatred for sin. Give us an increasing desire to live lives that are pleasing in Your sight. Guard our hearts and minds with Your peace, teach us to trust You, and to rest in the knowledge that You are sovereign over every circumstance. May our homes, our church, and our daily lives reflect the holiness to which You have called us. Keep us faithful. Keep us growing. Keep us trusting in Christ. We ask all these things in the name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen.