10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484

What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER TWENTY

SANCTIFICATION

I THESSALONIANS 4:3-4

We believe that every believer should walk respectably before God. He has been justified, now he should be set apart. "To sanctify" means to consecrate, dedicate, keep holy, set apart. The word sanctify is seen in the scriptures in two major ways.

I. Sanctification is sometimes used to describe the eternal position all believers have in Christ:

A. Several scriptures so employ the word:

1. I Cor. 6:11 shows this as it reads, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

2. Heb. 13:9-12 By His blood He has sanctified us.

3. I Cor. 1:2 and Jude 1 both address those that are sanctified.

B. As believers in Christ, we have a position that is set apart from all other positions forever:

1. I Jn. 3:1 We are made sons of God.

2. We are said to be the "elect" of God, (I Pet. 1:2) and Rom. 8:33 asks "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"

3. It is in view of this that Heb. 10:10, 14 says we, the sanctified, are perfected forever.

C. Th is is shown by a beautiful old testament type:

1. Before the old testament priest could serve in the Lord's house, he had to be taken and washed all over. See Exodus 40:12-15, Lev. 8:12, Ex. 28:41.

2. Once so sanctified, the priest never again required a complete rewashing to sanctify him.

3. Jesus is showing this truth in Jn. 13:5-10 when He told Peter that only his feet needed washing. In other words, once one is set apart as a son, he needs never to again be set apart as a son. He will be one forever.

II. But sanctification is often and mostly used to show how the believer's life should be set apart to the glory of God:

A. This truth is also seen in the old testament type:

1. Ex. 30:17-21 shows that the high priests had often to wash the dirt and filth of the world from their hands that they might be kept clean for the Master's use.

2. It is in view of this that in Jn. 13:5-10 Jesus tells Peter he needs continual cleansing to be useful to the Lord.

B. The word of God often uses the word sanctify to show how we believers should so separate ourselves unto holy use as to be useful in God's service:

1. It is this that Paul speaks of in I Thes. 5:23 as he calls for being "wholly" separated.

2. Let's read II Tim. 2:15-26, where Paul discusses this matter at length:

a. Notice that "sanctification" here refers to growing in grace. It is a progressive work by which the believer becomes more and more consecrated to the will of God.

b. It is not a state of sinless perfection attained through some 'second blessing' or 'baptism of the Holy Ghost.'

3. How we Christians need to be as the text I Thes. 4:3-4 says, set apart; holy; consecrated; dedicated vessels of the Lord; not filthy, polluted, marked with the stains of this world. How we need people who are willing to be different from the world:

a. We need people who are set aside and peculiar, Titus 2:14.

b. We long for people who'll grow in grace, II Pet. 3:18.

c. But, today there aren't many really sanctified people.

C. Now, the word of God shows us how to be sanctified unto the Lord:

1. First, we must yield ourselves unto the leadership of the Holy Spirit:

a. II Thes. 2:13 and I Pet.1:2 both speak of sanctification of the Spirit.

b. Rom. 15:16 also shows this truth.

2. We must consider the Word of God:

a. Jn. 17:17 says we're sanctified by His truth. See I Pet. 1:22.

b. II Cor. 3:18 As we look into truth, we are changed, Rom. 12:1-2.

3. I Tim. 4:5 Prayer is also essential to sanctification in this sense.

4. The key to real sanctification is denial of self (Lk. 9:23) and total commitment to God.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"