Biblical sanctification is not a form of legalism, it is rather a separation from the world unto God for His service. It is with this understanding that Paul wrote the following passages:
Colossians 2:19-23 “They are no longer part of Christ, who is the head of the whole body. Christ gives the body its strength, and he uses its joints and muscles to hold it together, as it grows by the power of God. You died with Christ. Now the forces of the universe don’t have any power over you. Why do you live as if you had to obey such rules as,” Don’t handle this. Don’t taste that. Don’t touch this.”? Col 2:22 After these things are used, they are no longer good for anything. So why be bothered with the rules that humans have made up? Obeying these rules may seem to be the smart thing to do. They appear to make you love God more and to be very humble and to have control over your body. But they don’t really have any power over our desires.”
True sanctification means to obey God. Therefore, sanctification is not found in the mutilation of the body, nor is it found in following legalistic rules. Sanctification is found in obedience to the Father and His will, because of our relationship and love for Him.
Romans 6:17-22 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
It is impossible to be sanctified or set apart unto God by works. Sanctification is something that God does inside you by the Holy Spirit.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But it is right for us to give praise to God at all times for you, brothers, loved by the Lord, because it was the purpose of God from the first that you might have salvation, being made holy by the Spirit and by faith in what is true”.
The key to being sanctified therefore is to allow God through simple submission, to work out His will in our lives by the Holy Spirit. Apart from the cleansing of the Holy Spirit there is no sanctification if an individual is religious but not sanctified by the spirit all his or her actions are dead works.
Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”.
According to the Bible, we are saved by God’s mercy not by our efforts. We are regenerated and renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the perfect model of sanctification because He totally yielded His life to His Father. He was not ritualistic, even though He understood the Law of Moses. He submitted Himself to the authority of men, but always obeyed the direction of His Father.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; (note) that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.”
1 Thessalonians 4:7 “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”
Sanctification deals with bringing the flesh under subjection to the obedience of Christ. We are called to abstain from immorality and to be pure before God. Sanctification deals with all aspects of a believer’s life, and through our walk, with Christ, the Holy Spirit works in us to make us even more Holy.
In an age where people are moving away from God, it is even more important that we as believers walk in ways that are pleasing to Him. Ultimately those who are sanctified will fall into that blessed category of individuals who will not be persecuted in the tribulation.
Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”.
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Beloved saints be holy even as God is holy!
I pray that this message is a blessing to you, and that after reading and studying the Scriptures pertaining to it that you become stronger and that your relationship with Christ becomes greater. Help us to evangelize by sharing this message. Be encouraged to share your feedback and comments with us, and become a partner of the ministry by sowing a seed financially according to God’s gift in your life. Thank you.
The message on Sanctification in this blog is very clear, straight forward and timely. It is encouraging to believers to allow the presence of the Holy Spirit to work within our lives and manifest the fullness of Christ’s image and character in us. Everyday we see people acting and behaving irresponsibly and out of character even as professing Christians, but if we simply give God true reign in our hearts the difference would not only be life changing, but it would impact the world around us. Our hunger and drive should be to be transformed into the image of Christ Jesus our Lord, and be found blameless and holy before Him when He returns. Thank you so much Apostle Stanley for sharing on such a needed and important topic with us. God bless you Sir.
It is true that with sanctification you experience the power of God’s blessings and hedge of protection in your life. Sanctification is not legalism, but is based upon a true relationship with Christ by allowing the Holy Spirit to work on the inside. It isn’t by our works, but by His Spirit that makes us holy. Thank you Apostle Stanley. This blog has truly been a blessing.
A timeless message! Sanctification is vital to the walk and development of the believer, especially in the hour we are in. We as servants are reminded through the word of God: “that though we are in the world we are not of it it.”(John 17:13-17)
In order to maintain alignment with the Father while in our physical states we have to be sanctified by Him through relationship and meditation on His word. Meaning it requires: the continual renewing of ones mind by the washing of the word, submission of ones will unto the Lord, and allowing the Holy Spirit to have full reign.(Romans 12:1-2) Thank you and God bless you, Apostle Stanley.
Truly an awesome message on sanctification. We as the people of God has been called by God and set apart for his use and for his glory. We cannot live like the world but we are the called out ones. Being conformed into the image of Christ everyday. The choices we make reveals how sanctified we truly are. Blessings!!!
A great and needful word. One cannot save themselves and likewise no one can truly sanctity themselves by their own efforts. Two God given Agents are required to be at work in the life of a submitted and obedient believer :
A. The Word.
B. The Holy Spirit.
The Word if God is always the catalyst for change. The Holy Spirit is the One enables, empowers, and helps us to change.; even to be changed from glory to glory into the very image of Christ. The Word and the Spirit and the Spirit and the Word is what is used to make us an acceptable sacrifice that is no longer conformed to this world by the renewing of our minds.