Sanctification
of the Spirit
By
Arthur J Licursi
I've taken the title
"Sanctification of the Spirit" from Paul's words in 2Thes 2:13. "…God
hath from the beginning chosen you to (unto) salvation
through Sanctification of The Spirit …"
For
many the Bible doctrine of sanctification
is thought to be a negative matter; "Don't do this"
and "Don't do that." Paul here speaks against this form of false sanctification as fostered by the "doctrines
of men," while not being of God.
21
Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even
touch [them], 22
Referring to things all of which perish with being
used. To do this is to follow human
(manmade) precepts and doctrines. Colossians 2:21-22 (AMP)
No such human effort or
law-keeping will make us spiritual, holy or sanctified. True Biblical
sanctification is not a negative matter at all. Rather it is the positive
truth that God wants us for Himself, to enjoy a living union with Him by "the Spirit of life in Christ" living indwelling
our spirit so as to flow out through us as He wills.
Biblical
Sanctification Is A Twofold Truth:
Biblical sanctification
means "to be set-apart as being holy." The Holy Spirit of God is
the agent of the believer's sanctification,
which has two aspects.
1) There is Sanctification
Relating to Our Eternal Standing "In Christ,"
before God, as being set-apart once for all time, as a child of God the
Father.
3
May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has blessed
us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the
Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! 4
Even as [in His love] He
chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own]
In Christ before the foundation of the world, (so)
that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless
in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in (His) love.
Ephesians 1:3-4 (AMP)
2) Then there is Sanctification
Relating to Our Present Practical Varying States Of Being
in our daily living in these bodies of human flesh.
Let's now consider both
of these aspects of sanctification in more detail.
1.
Sanctification Is Our Standing Before God "in Christ"
In this first sense of
sanctification every true believer in Christ has already been sanctified,
set-apart, cut out of the flock of humanity and consecrated to God, by
the operation of the Holy Spirit. This is our unshakable
standing of being set-apart, being "in
Christ," before God. Thus Paul wrote:
"…God
hath from the beginning chosen
you to (unto) salvation
through (or by) Sanctification of The Spirit…" (2 Thes. 2:13).
Now look at this same
verse from the Amplified Bible to get a more expansive and better
understanding of the Spirit's role in our being sanctification or
set-apart.
13
... God chose you
from the beginning as His firstfruits (first converts) for salvation
Through The Sanctifying Work Of The [Holy] Spirit .... 2
Thes 2:13 (AMP)
Then also look at this
verse that says essentially the same thing.
2
Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and Consecrated (Sanctified, made holy)
By The Spirit to be
obedient to Jesus Christ... 1
Peter 1:2a (AMP)
This first sanctification
has nothing to do with
our conduct. It is God who has sanctified us. Sanctification always begins
with Him. Thus Paul could write to even the careless fleshly Corinthian
believers, saying:
"Ye
ARE (already) sanctified"
(1 Cor. 6:11; cf. Acts 20:32; 26:18), i.e., "God
has (already) set you apart for Himself."
This first phase of
sanctification is based solely upon the redemptive work of Jesus of
Nazareth at the cross in our behalf.
Thus this is an established unchangeable fact from the moment we first
trust Christ as Savior, by believing in His death, burial, and
resurrection according to Paul's gospel, as written in 1Cor 15:1-4).
"We
ARE sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all." Heb. 10:10
2.
Sanctification Related to Our
Present
State
Of Being
God would also have us
appreciate the first fact of Sanctification as being our present standing
before God... and then conduct ourselves accordingly, consecrating
ourselves to trust Christ in us ever more completely as He leads us in our
practical sanctification. This Sanctification is the practical and
progressive Sanctification as seen in the daily walk believer.
"For
this is the will of God, even (that
is) your sanctification"
(I Thes. 4:3).
Hence Paul's made these
statements.
"The
very God of peace sanctify you wholly."
Then also note that Paul exhorted Timothy to be "a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet [fit]
for the Master's use" (2 Tim. 2:21 KJV).
How can believers be more
wholly or completely sanctified
to God in their practical experience?
1. First,
sanctification comes by hearing, reading, studying and meditating upon His
written "Word of truth."
Our Lord prayed:
"Sanctify
them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17 KJV).
Paul
declares that 25 ...Christ
"gave Himself up..." at the cross so 26That he (Christ)
might sanctify and cleanse it (the
Church) with the washing of water
by the word, Eph 5:25b-26 (KJV). God's "Word" is sanctifying
water as well as food for us. The
Bible tell us His "Word" is even above His Holy name (Psalm
138:1-2).
2. Then also we are to
be sanctified by the Word of Christ alive within us,
which is by "the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" dwelling within us. In
the course of our daily walk it is first the normal innermost speaking of "the
Spirit Christ" that works to guide and regulate us;
sometimes prompting or restraining us, while empowering us ...
from within.
2
For the law
(spontaneous regulating operation) of the Spirit of life [which is]
in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being]... has freed
me from the law (operation) of sin and of death (in our flesh. Romans
8:2 (AMP)
13
[Not in your own strength] for it is God
Who is all the while effectually at Work In You [energizing and creating
In You the power and desire], both to will and to work for His
good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Philippians 2:13 (AMP)
Thus we see that our
sanctification is by God's work by Christ
cross-work for us and then also by Christ's
activity within us.
Sanctification is part of
the inheritance we have "in
Christ."
11
In Him (Christ) we also
were made [God's] heritage (portion) and
we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained
(chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who
works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own]
will, Ephesians 1:11 (AMP)
