Bible Sanctification

The Call to Sanctification

What inspired prayer sets the standard of the Christian experience?

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23. 

How necessary is the experience of sanctification?

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy, without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.   

What distinct purpose did Christ have in giving Himself for the church?

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by washing with water through the word.” Ephesians 5:25,26.

What kind of church would be thus be able to present to Himself?

“And to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain and wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Verse 27.

Christ’s Blood and Transformation

By what is this cleansing from sin and fitting for God’s service accomplished?

“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they will be outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciousness from the acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9: 13,14. (See also Hebrews 10:29.)

What change is thus brought about?

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

What encouragement is held out as an aid in attaining this experience?

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3.  

Sanctification a Growth in Grace

In the experience of sanctification, what attitude must one assume toward the truth?

“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

What instruction shows that sanctification is a progressive work?

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and forever!” Amen. 2 Peter 3:18. (See 2 Peter 1:5-7. 

What experience of Paul is in harmony with this?

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to be taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13,14.

Can anyone boast of sinlessness?

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

1 John 1:8.

“Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.” Zephaniah 2:3. 

In whose name should everything be done?

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17.

In all we do, whose glory should we have in view?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31.

Shut Out or Shut In

What classes of persons are necessarily shut out of the kingdom of God?

“For of this you can be sure. No immoral, impure, or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:5. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9,10.

What must be crucified and eliminated from our lives if we would be holy?

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to the earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Colossians 3:5,6.

When purged from these sins, in what condition is a man, and for what is he prepared?

“If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for nobler purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21.  

An Anglican Minister Speaks  

“Sanctification is the term used to describe the work of God and the Holy Spirit upon the character of those who are justified. We are justified in order that we may be sanctified, and we are sanctified in order that we may be glorified. “Whom He justified. Them He also glorified.’ Romans 8:30.  The grace of God is given to make us holy, and so to fit us for God’s presence in eternity; for ‘without holiness no man shall see the Lord.’ Hebrews 12:14.” Vernon Staley, The Catholic Religion (Anglican), p. 327.

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