Sanctification

Sanctify Yourselves

These three passages of Scripture in John 17:19, Leviticus 20:7-8, and 1Thessalonians 4:3-4 speak to sanctification not simply as an act, but as a state of being, and as such, sanctification is unique both to God and to those who have a covenant relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Indeed, sanctification is synonymous with holiness, consecration, dedication, sacredness, and set-apartness: each can be used interchangeably both in context and syntax with respect to describing the relationship between God and His children, the Lord and His disciples, and the Spirit and those He indwells, which relationship can be encapsulated in the word “one.”

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (Jn. 17:20-21 NASB)

God created us in His own image (Gen. 1:26); the point being, that His will was always for us to be like Him, and as a consequence “one with Him.” This is the truth that the devil perverted when he tempted Eve: “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) We were always meant to be like God (i.e. Christ-like, holy), but on God’s terms not ours. And God’s terms of oneness with Him is sanctification (1Ths. 4:3; 1Pet. 1:16). 

God is holy. And holy means more than moral purity, but in its essence means separateness. God is separate. He is the Creator, who is forever separate from His creation. He is not contained within or defined by His creation as panentheism suggests. He is completely separate from and transcendent far above in majesty and measure from all that He has created. In terms of moral purity, God is separate and holy, because He is light and in Him there is no darkness (1Jn. 1:5). 

When Jesus prayed, “I sanctify Myself,” He was echoing this truth about sanctification both as the Son of God and the Son of Man. Thus, “I sanctify Myself,” is the Word of God speaking of Himself as the One, who was sanctified from before the foundation of the world to be the absolutely pure and sinless Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (1Pet. 1:19-21; Jn. 1:29); and as the Son of Man, sanctifying Himself in obedience to His Father’s will, and fulfilling the Law (Mt. 5:17) by being the consecrated sacrifice, and applying His own blood as God’s consecrated High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek to the mercy seat, upon which He know sits at the right hand of God. And Jesus sanctified Himself to set the precedent and the foundation for the sanctification of all who would believe in Him by their confession of faith (Jn. 17:19).

And Jesus’ example is our calling as Christians to be like Him because as He is so are we in this word (1Jn. 4:17). We are in the world but not of it (Jn. 15:19; 17:14-16), thus, as Jesus did, we sanctify ourselves to be separate from the world and consecrated to God and His will for our lives, which He ordained before the foundation of the world (Eph. 2:10), just as He ordained His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for us, setting the example for us to offer up our lives as a consecrated sacrifice to Him (Rom. 12:1-2). 

Salvation is not simply about being saved from our sins, freed from death, and entering into eternal life. It is about having a covenant relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the indwelt Holy Spirit. We are holy because God has done His part to make us holy through His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit, through whom we are united (made one) with God in spirit (1Cor. 6:17; Eph. 4:3-4). And we are holy because we do our part to sanctify ourselves: daily picking up our cross of death to self and the world (Lk. 9:23), and purposing in our hearts to follow hard after our Lord Jesus, seeking to please Him and the Father in all things we think, say, and do; that God may be glorified.

We thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are the Author and Finisher of our faith, and are faithful to complete what You began in us on that day when we see You face to face. We trust You, Lord, to do Your part to sanctify us by the Spirit, as we sanctify ourselves in cooperation with You and obedience to You, that we may be made ready, thoroughly prepared to meet You when You come to receive us to Yourself. Even so Lord come. And be glorified. Amen.