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In the Greek, the words holy, holiness, sanctified, sanctification, pure and saint all come from the same root word, or a form thereof – hagion. This word means “pure, set apart for specific purpose.” The opposite is koinos, meaning common, or unclean (the word fellowship is derived from koinos).
In my house, with two parents and eight children, we had a single drinking glass in the kitchen that we all used when we wanted a glass of water. It was a common (and thus, unclean) glass. If there had been a glass with my name on it, it would have been holy, or sanctified for my use only.
I was at a homeschool soccer game a week ago or so, and saw a young girl, perhaps 10 years of age, wearing a T-shirt that read, “Live Holy or Die Trying.” I was so saddened by that message. I know that so many well-meaning Christians today believe in a doctrine of “Sanctification,” or “Holiness.” That doctrine is loosely defined as…..In the process of making pure, sanctification is that gradual work in the soul leading up to the second definite work of grace.
Why would I be so saddened by that message? Because that message points to the behavior of our flesh, and does not point to Christ. It indicates that the work of holiness is a work never completed; that we are striving to do but never quite succeeding. As such, the “holiness doctrine” that many live by is a frustrating, vexing, defeating, set-up-to-fail work of the flesh, which can never bring us into the presence of God or His true holiness.
It is the holy spirit that makes us holy, that sanctifies us, and not our own behavior or beliefs, thoughts or deeds. Christ in you makes you holy. Christ is holy, and thus, you (in whom the spirit of Christ dwells) are holy.
Matthew 23:11-15 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, neither do you allow them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer; therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land, to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
The word hypocrite comes from the word that means to put on a mask, to go through the motions.
These are the “holy” (religious) people Jesus is talking to and about. Scribes were those that knew and argued the Scriptures. Pharisees were those who interpreted, and applied, and judged, according to the Scriptures. These “holy” people went through the “holy” motions. They prayed wonderful prayers that all could hear. They gave money to the synagogue, making sure others saw them give. They made sure they were known for their humility!
They would never use a cuss word… oh no! Nor would they listen to non-Christian music… God forbid! But neither would they love, or walk by the holy spirit! (even if they could). They love to judge others according to what those others do… or don’t do, or what they look like, how they dress, etc; in other words, the outward appearance. See the study Is it Love to Judge?
Matthew 23:16-19 Woe unto you, you blind guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! You fools and blind; for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. You fools and blind; for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
In our case, which is greater? The behavior of the saints, or the holy spirit within the saints, which sanctifies the saints?
Christ Jesus is our sanctification. Period. The spirit of Christ within us, which is the holy spirit of God (God’s very nature and essence) is what sets us apart, purifies us, makes us holy for God’s purpose and design.
I Corinthians 1:27-31 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to bring the wise to shame; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to bring the things which are mighty to shame; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen; yes, and things which are not, to nullify things which are: That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him (God) are you in Christ Jesus, who by God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; That, according as it is written, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.
That which has placed a Godly purpose within us, and purified us for that purpose, is the Lord Jesus Christ, by means of the holy spirit of God which has been born within us. (See the study The Glorified Christ).
Romans 15:16b ….that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the holy spirit.
It is not the behavior of the Gentiles which makes their sacrifices acceptable…..it is the holy spirit of God, the spirit of Christ, which does.
I Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
Being in Christ Jesus, in the spirit of Christ… that is our sanctification, never our behavior. As soon as we begin to look at our behavior as having anything to do with our holiness, we have started on a never ending road of frustration and never being good enough… the road of behavior modification that traps men in sinful flesh and never ever lets go.
I urge you… let go! Die to self, so that you may live unto God. Be sanctified by the holy spirit of God, once and for all. Now that you have begun to be a spiritual being, being birthed as a son of God, learn to walk in your sanctification. Sure, you’ll fail, and go back to walking in sinful flesh, at least now and then. It’s pretty well-guaranteed that will happen. ( Read Romans 7). But your sanctification awaits you, whenever you choose to put off the old man and put on the new.
I Corinthians 6:9-11 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (soft), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.
“In the name of the Lord Jesus” equals “by the spirit of our God.” We are sanctified; that is, made holy by the holy spirit of God and not by our behavior.
Hebrews 2:11 For both he that sanctifies (the spirit of Jesus Christ) and they who are sanctified are all of (ek – from out of the center or essence of) one (God); for which cause he (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren.
Both Christ and those whom Christ sanctified are all of the essence of God (which is holy spirit). God’s holy spirit was given to me by Jesus Christ, so now it is my holy spirit, and I am holy, sanctified, set apart. But set apart for what?
Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come He might show (exhibit) the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
We are set apart to be exhibits of God’s grace and kindness for all eternity. In Christ, our holy purpose is to house God Himself, as the lovingly interconnected body of Christ.
Ephesians 2:21, 22 In whom (Jesus Christ) all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord; In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the spirit.
Love, peace, joy, kindness, fullness, complete and utter satisfaction, Creativity, exploration, loving dominion and subjection of the world we live in; fruitfulness, multiplying and filling the earth with more of our kind. This is what we have been set apart by the holy spirit of God to do and accomplish.
We are designed to be full and unhindered expressions of God’s loving fullness. Don’t even think of trying to do that by your own efforts. Give up on your own efforts and will, and thank God for the gift of holiness (sanctification) that has been given us by the work of His Son Jesus Christ.
If that girl’s T-shirt had read….”Live in the holiness of God which Jesus gifted to us.“…..why, I would buy and wear one of those!
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See studies:
What was The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
HOW to Walk by the Spirit
Judgment Day – You May be Surprised.
The 2 Systems of God
An Un-Polluted Gospel
