SANCTIFICATION. Selected Scriptures September 23, 2001 |
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PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE: To Biblically Show What is the Purpose of Salvation by Studying the Doctrine of Sanctification.
I. WHAT IS SANCTIFICATION?
2. The Hebrew word "qadash" kaw-dash'; means to (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally). The key to understanding this word in the Bible is that it means that something is pronounced as clean. We all know that we sinners and therefore we are unclean in God's eyes. Therefore it refers to the act of God pronouncing us clean in His sight.
2. If something which had been ceremonially set apart to the Lord was defiled, until it was purified it could not be used for the service to the Lord.
B. Jesus prayed in John 17:15-17, 19, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. . . .And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."
2. Further it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enable us to act upon God's instruction. God tells us, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)
2. Note in Acts 26:18 that the verse says a believer is sanctified by faith in Christ. "To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me."
3. Paul clearly states the fact that believers were sanctified when they were saved. "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)
4. The writer of Hebrews says referring to the will of God says, "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Heb 10:10)
5. Jude in the opening of his Epistle states believers are sanctified when they are saved. "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1)
6. Understanding that to be sanctified means to be set apart or consecrated unto the Lord, we concluded that every believer is at the time of his salvation is a soul dedicated to the Lord.
b. The believer is thus saved to be seeking and carrying out God's will for his life. He is to turn control of his life over absolutely to the Lord.
b. Another verse which reveals this truth is Hebrews 2:11, "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren."
b. He must make the effort to present himself available for the Lord's use. This is an action of the believer's will. He must want to used of the Lord. He must pursue the Lord's will. He should take positive action to set his course in life to be that which God would want. He places his own will into submission to God's will.
b. Here then is the arena. The new desire the believers receives when he was saved wants to do the will of God. The old nature opposes turning one's life over to the Lord. Thus the course of the contest between the two wills of the believer is set. Paul reveals the conflict he experienced.
c. READ: Romans 7:18-29.
b. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)
c. In verse 19 he presents it even stronger, "I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness." (Romans 6:19)
d. We are to see ourselves a slaves of righteousness "for" holiness. A slave is by the nature of his enslavement to be in absolute submission to his master. Thus we are instructed that we are to obey the Lord completely.
6. "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
7. To the Colossians Paul also related these truths:
b. This list of sins involves the more gross sins of the flesh. The believer then seen to regard these types of sin as beyond those he would outwardly commit. However, Paul continues with a second list of sins which are more subtle. This next list is identified as those that can burden the believer.
c. "But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. . . .Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. (Colossians 3:5-10)
2. God dedicated us to live godly lives totally dedicated to Him. That was the purpose for which He saved us. After one is saved he is to exercise his will and discipline himself to fulfilling God's purpose in saving him. He must fight temptation and actively seek to put his old sinful nature to death. It is a struggle! It is a real battle. Yet, through the power of God that is given the believer, he can overcome the flesh. He can live for the Lord.
3. Sanctification is the process of God in which the destructive course of sin is abated in our lives. As sanctification works in our lives, we yield ourselves to obey the Lord's instructions. We then live cleaner, healthier, happier and more productive lives! That's what God wants. That's salvation is all about. Overcoming sins ruining effect making us what God our Creator intended that we be.
4. The Bible tells us we will never in this life fully conquer our carnal nature.
> b. The child of God will sin as 1 John 1:7-8 says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
b. James says temptation comes from the lust of our flesh, but that does not mean we can not resist it. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (James 1:14)
b. God wants us sanctified and thus separated from sin. He did not command us to do something without giving us the ability to do it. He always provides the means to escape the desires of the flesh which tempt us to sin. With every temptation comes the means of escape for the believer! Thank God for His provision!
2. We will lose our sinful nature and never sin again! "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54) How we all should long for that day!
3. In that day we become perfect, because we no longer have the old nature. Christ has accomplished His plan, we will be perfect as He willed us to be.
2. The Apostle John said, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4)
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