THE BIBLE AND SANCTIFICATION

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND SANCTIFICATION

Devotional Text: 1 Thess. 4:3-5

INTRODUCTION:

To sanctify means to make holy or sacred, which implies living a life not vested with sin, against the backdrop of sanctimonious living, which means pretentious lifestyle, which portrays one as better than others, whereas reverse is the case. Sanctification, which is the act of making holy or sacred, is a must, if the members of the Body of Christ, the Church, would be used by GOD, since He does not use unholy vessels for His work. In this connection, therefore, this lesson becomes a clarion call for one to purge oneself from every unholy behaviour, so that one becomes vessel of honour for the services of the LORD (2 Tim.2:19-21).

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       GOD plans to sanctify us spirit, soul and body, (1 Thess. 5:23)

(2)       GOD sanctifies His people by His truth, which is His Word, (John 17:17)

(3)       GOD chooses those to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, (2 Thess. 2:13)

(4)       GOD the Father sanctifies us through the Holy Spirit, for the obedience to JESUS CHRIST

SANCTIFICATION AND THE WORD OF GOD

The Word of GOD is GOD’s Agent of sanctification. Thus, JESUS CHRIST, our LORD and Blessed Saviour, in His Pastoral prayer for generations of His disciples asked the Father to “sanctify them by His truth, indicating that His Word is truth” (John 17:17), as the Apostle Paul posits that “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, (Eph. 5:25-26). Also, the psalmist notes that one’s dirty ways could be cleansed by taking heed according to the Word of GOD, (Psalm. 119:9). The cited Scriptures show with clarity that God’s Word is indeed, a means of sanctification, which has been defined as the act of making holy or sacred. The implication here is that GOD uses holy vessels, and would not use anyone who is not sanctified. Therefore, for GOD to relate or work with one, one must be:

(i)                    Sanctified by the truth of the Word of GOD, (John 17:17)

(ii)                  Washed by the washing of the water of the Word of GOD, (Eph. 5:25-26)

(iii)                 Keep one’s way pure according to the Word of GOD,(Psalm 119:9)

SANCTIFICATION AND THE CONTROL OF ONE’S BODY

The scriptural text of this lesson which expresses that, “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know GOD (1 Thess. 4:3-5) boldly shows the demand of the LORD for the believer to keep his body holy, pointing out that sexual immorality is a serious element of defilement. According to the Apostle Paul, ”in view of God’s mercy, we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to GOD, which he says is our spiritual act of worship”, (Rom. 12:1). This implies that we cannot please GOD, if our bodies are not kept holy, and our acts of worship would not be acceptable to Him, and this makes our worship meaningless. In view of the above, this lesson urges the believer to:

(i)                    Say no to sexual immorality, as  a way of keeping his body holy, (1 Thess.4:3-4)

(ii)                  Present his body as living sacrifice, as a commitment to please the LORD,(Rom. 12:1)

(iii)                 No longer conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of his mind”, ...(vs. 2)

SANCTIFICATION AND THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

Sanctification is paramount, if one must be air-lifted at the rapture, (1 Thess. 4:16-19). This informs the prayers of the Apostle Paul, asking GOD to sanctify His people, through and through; spirit, Soul and body, so as to keep them blameless as the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, (5:23). In view of this, also, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews admonishes us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, to enable us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”, (Heb. 12:1). This is where the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, which is necessary for salvation for those who believe in the truth comes to focus, since it  is God’s identity that marks out those chosen to be saved, (2 Thess. 2:13). By this, therefore, this lesson equally upholds that sanctification is crucial, if one must be:

(i)                    Saved at the end of time, (vs. 13)

(ii)                  Blameless at the coming of the LORD (1 Thess. 5:23)

(iii)                  Able to throw off every sin that easily entangles one, (Heb. 12:1)

In conclusion,  let it be noted that as believers, we have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of GOD the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, for obedience to JESUS CHRIST and sprinkling by Hs Blood, ( 1 Peter 1:2). PLEASE BE SANCTIFIED!