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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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SANCTIFICATION
AND ITS ASPECTS (Scriptures) 3/6/13 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. INTRODUCTION TO SANCTIFICATION A. Sanctification includes a general meaning
referring to the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer, having separated him unto God and making him holy. However,
sanctification also refers to particular aspects of the total work of God in
the believer, each having their own particular study in the Scriptures as
well as particular results in and for the believer. B. Understanding of sanctification is crucial
for the believer’s security, present progress, and his future state or
condition. Misunderstanding leads to erroneous ideas and teaching on
sanctification that can hinder, mislead, or cause spiritual defeat for the
believer. II. DEFINITIONS OF SANCTIFICATION A. [It] comes from a Greek verb meaning “to set apart.” It is used
in two ways: (1) the believer is positionally sanctified; he stands
sanctified before God; (2) the believer grows in progressive sanctification
in daily spiritual experience. (Moody Handbook of Theology) B. God setting the believer apart for Himself:
positionally at salvation, progressively throughout life,
and ultimately when the believer arrives in His presence in heaven. (Ryrie, Basic Theology). C. We may define sanctification as a
separation unto God, an imputation of Christ as our holiness, purification
from moral evil, and conformation to the image of Christ. (Thiessen, Lectures in systematic
Theology). III. BASIC MEANINGS OF SANCTIFICATION A. In the Old Testament 1. In the Old Testament the main Hebrew word
for sanctify is qadash. This word has
several basic meanings. a) Holiness (1) Qadash carries the idea of holiness or
hallowed, whether referring to a person, place, or thing. (2) In Ex 3:5 we see that the ground is “holy” because
the presence of God and His holiness makes it holy (cf. Ex 15:13). (3) Likewise, in Ex 26:33 the Tabernacle is
“holy,” especially the “holy of holies” (qadesh
haqadashim) where the dwelling of God resided. (4) God’s attribute of holiness, which means
that God is separate from all sin and uncleanness, is the reason why His
people or possessions must be made holy or sanctified (Is 6:3; Hab 1:13; Ps
77:13). b) Set Apart (1) God’s holiness mandates that all things
related to Him must be sanctified or “set apart.” (2) The Sabbath or seventh day was set apart
during the creation week (Ge 2:3; Ex 20:8). (3) Israel (Ex 31:13), as
well as the firstborn of Israel, was set apart unto God (Ex 13:2). c) Consecration (make holy) (1) Consecration often refers to man’s
condition of holiness or his part in making himself holy in order to
fellowship with a holy God. (2) The priests had to consecrate themselves
(Ex 19:22; 28:38) and their utensils (Ex 30:25-29; Le 8:11) before serving or
being used for the Lord. (3) The people had to consecrate themselves
before approaching God’s holy mountain (Ex 19:10). (4) Israel was to consecrate themselves unto
their holy God and not disobey Him (Le 11:44). (5) Sanctification in the OT was a reflection
of God’s holiness to which the people of God were to be made
holy and separated unto Him for a holy use. B. In the New Testament 1. These same ideas are
conveyed in the NT by the use of the Greek word hagios. a) The root meaning of hagios is holy or
holiness (Jn 6:69; 1Pe 1:16). So the idea of holiness, which stems from God’s
holiness is conceived in hagios (Mt 6:9; He 2:11). b) The act of setting apart for God’s holy
use is also viewed in hagios (Mt 23:17-19; Jn 10:36; 2Ti 2:21). c) The concepts of being made holy and
consecration are present in hagios (1Th 4:3; He 12:14). C. However, with the use of hagios in
the NT, an emphasis is placed on being made
spiritually holy (sanctification). How God accomplishes this for the believer
is explained in great detail. Furthermore, the NT
views sanctification as both a work done by the Holy Spirit at a point in
time as wells as a process. IV. ASPECTS OF SANCTIFICATION A. Preparatory Sanctification 1. God is not only holy but also omniscient and
sovereign. Therefore, it is not surprising that the sanctification of the
believer is revealed as something God not only
foreknew, but also foreordained. 2. The Thessalonians were to give thanks to
God for the fact that they were chosen from the
beginning through the sanctification by the Spirit (2Th 2:13). a) They were “chosen” (heilato, aorist middle - haireō
to prefer, take or choose for oneself” in the middle voice in the NT) “for salvation” (ei,s sōtērian - unto
or for the purpose of salvation) from the beginning. b) Essentially the process of sanctification
and setting one apart begins even before an individual comes to Christ. One’s
salvation and sanctification is guaranteed by God’s
sovereign act of choosing. This is not a foreign concept to God’s sovereignty
or to the Scriptures (Ep 1:4; 1Pe 1:2 cf. Ac 2:23; 1Pe 1:20). B. Positional Sanctification 1. Positional Sanctification takes place the
moment a person exercises his faith in Christ for salvation (1Co 1:2; He
10:10). 2. Positionally, the believer is sanctified
in the sense that he receives complete forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and
justification (1Co 6:11, “sanctified” - aorist passive of hagiazō,
i.e. sanctified at a point in time in the past). 3. Justification means that the righteousness
of Christ has been imputed to the believer (Ro 3:21-22; 4:5, 24-25; 5:1). God
now sees the believer complete in Christ’s righteousness and holiness (Col
1:22; 2:10). 4. The believer has been
sanctified and made permanently and positionally holy. This positional
sanctification will never change and the believer did nothing to earn it nor
can do anything to keep it or lose it (1Co 1:30; Ro 5:9; 8:1, 30). C. Progressive Sanctification 1. Though a believer is positionally sanctified,
he is becoming conditionally sanctified (Jn 17:17; 1Th 4:3-4; 5:23; 2Ti
2:21). 2. This means that God is presently working
in the believer to make his personal condition holy and equivalent to his
position (Php 1:6). 3. Because the believer still possesses a
sinful nature, he will never arrive at complete conditional sanctification
and holiness in this life (Php 3:12). However, the believer will progress
toward it (Php 3:13-14 cf. Ro 6:19, 22). 4. This aspect of sanctification takes up
the larger portion of the believer’s attention as well as the teaching of
Scripture. Being made holy and becoming conformed to the image of Christ is
the believer’s major preoccupation in this life (1Pe 1:15-16; Ro 8:28-29; 2Co
3:18). D. Perfect (Ultimate) Sanctification 1. Perfect or Ultimate Sanctification will
take place the moment the believer enters heaven. He will be forever
sanctified and made holy both positionally and conditionally. 2. 1Jn 3:2 teaches that the believer will be
perfectly sanctified the moment Christ “appears” (phaneroō
- be visibly revealed) in His coming or in the believer’s death. Whenever
either of these takes place, the believer will “be like” (homoios
- resemble in nature) Him and will be presented to Him, “having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but
that [the church] would be holy and blameless” (Ep 5:27). 3. Actually, three aspects of sanctification
are implied in 1Jn 3:1-3. a) Positional - The believer is already
“called the children of God, and such we are” (1Jn 3:1)…“now we are the
children of God” (1Jn 3:2a cf. Ep 1:3). b) Progressive - For the
believer, “it has not appeared as yet
what we will be” (1Jn 3:2)… “And
everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He
is pure” (1Jn 3:3). c) Perfect - “We know that when He appears,
we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1Jn 3:2b). 4. In conclusion, to the aspects of
sanctification, the believer’s sanctification has been preordained by God and
was accomplished positionally at the moment of salvation.
It is the Lord’s will and plan to set apart the believer and make him holy in
this life until the believer comes into the presence of the Lord. At which
time, the believer will be perfectly sanctified
positionally and conditionally for all eternity. |
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