The promise and purpose of sanctification – Part 2

“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine”. Prayer is essential to gaining the sanctification experience. The word “sanctify” has two sides, like a coin. One side means to set apart. The disciples were set apart from mundane human work unto the Lord. The other side of the word in Greek is hagiasmos, which means to be purged, purified and made holy. This was Christ’s prayer for them and other believers who would later believe in His name.

Likewise, Apostle Paul prayed for the sanctification of the Thessalonian believers: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

You cannot pray for sanctification if you delight and engage in evil, and do not love the Lord enough to abstain from what you know is sinful. You must first show the evidence that you are born again. Old Testament saints like David, Isaiah and Ezekiel prayed for this experience and received it. To obtain this promise of sanctification, we must ask God for it in faith. “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you”. Concerning this promise, the Lord assures us: “I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it”.

Our goal is to get to heaven and every believer must pursue it. But sin cannot enter there. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” (Psalm 24:3,4). It takes salvation and sanctification to make heaven. When we are sanctified, we will “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. There will be no fighting, strife, division, envy, jealousy or exaltation of oneself above others.

Without sanctification, there may be a superficial agreement with others, but underneath the heart, there is deep-seated disagreement. Sanctification brings transparent unity, heart unity and continual unity. The Lord has provided for us a great gift of grace in the pursuit of our destiny in the incorruptible City (heaven). “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come”.

Further reading (King James Version): Leviticus 20:7,8; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24; John 17:2,6-9,14-17,20; Luke 10:20; Matthew 16:15-17,21-23; Mark 10:35-43; Luke 9:49-54; Ezekiel 36:25,26; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 2 Corinthians 7:1; John 17:9,10,16,17,19,20; 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24; Psalm 51:6-8,10; Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 36:25,26,36,37; Jeremiah 29:10-13; James 1:6-8; Psalm 24:3,4; Matthew 5:8; 1 John 3:1-3; Titus 2:11-14; Colossians 3:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:19,21,22; Hebrews 2:9-11; 12:14-17; 13:12-14; John 17:17,21-26.