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SANCTIFICATION, WHAT IS IT?

SANCTIFICATION, WHAT IS IT?

Memory Verse:          “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate”.

                                                                                                    – Hebrews 13:12

Text:   John 17:13-23, 1Thessalonians 4:1-7

Introduction:

The basic meaning of sanctification is separation from evil {2Chronicles 29:5, 15-18} and separation into God {Leviticus 27:16}. The generic meaning of sanctification is “the state of proper functioning.” To sanctify someone or something is to set that person or thing apart for the use intended by its designer. A pen is “sanctified” when used to write. Eyeglasses are “sanctified” when used to improve sight. Within this context, things are sanctified when they are used for the purpose God intends. A human being is sanctified, therefore, when he or she lives according to God’s design and purpose.

The Greek word translated “sanctification” (hagiasmos [“aJgiasmov”]) means “holiness.” To sanctify, therefore, means “to make holy.” In one sense only God is holy (Isaiah6:3). God is separate, distinct, and other. There is one God. Yet scripture speaks about holy things. Moreover, God calls human being to be holy as holy as He is holy (Lev. 11:44; Matthew5:48; 1Peter1:15-16). Another word for a holy person is “saint” (hagios), meaning a sanctified one. The opposite of sanctified is “profane” (Lev. 10:10).

The subject of holiness and sanctification is so important that it is mentioned 1, 066 times in the Bible. Human beings, made in God’s image, were the pinnacle and focus of His creation. The sanctification of human beings, therefore, is the highest goal of God’s work in the universe. God explicitly declared it to be His WILL (1Thessalonians 4:3), in other words, it is the express will of God that every believer should be sanctified. He proposed that human beings be “like Him” in a way no other created thing is.  Until we have been sanctified we are of every little use to God. We cannot really become a “Vessel unto honour” until we have been sanctified (2Timothy 2:21).

Why must a believer be sanctified?

When Adam sinned, he and his race forfeited that which made it possible for them to function as designed by God Himself. Human beings “fall short of God’s glory” (Romans3:23) because they lack God’s presence, it is the presence of God that produces glory. “Glory” is always the manifestation of the attributes of God resulting from the presence of God. God’s presence was the essential missing factor in Adam and Eve’s post-fall state. However, a true believe is a follower of Christ. He wants to be like Christ in all ways and in all things. Now Jesus Christ was sanctified. By whom? By His Father (John10:36) and by Himself (John 17:19).

Now if Jesus needed to be sanctified, then how much more do His followers need to be sanctified? Secondly, a man cannot live a holy life unless he is sanctified. And if you don’t live holy, then you shall not see the King on His return (Hebrews12:14).   

By whom can I be sanctified? 

·         God the Father sanctifies                    -           1Thessalonians5:23-24           

·         God the Son sanctifies &                    -           Ephesians 5:26

·         God the Holy Spirit sanctifies            -           2Thessalonians 2:13

The Trinity is involved in the work of sanctification. Sanctification is so crucial to a believer that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all have a part to play in bringing it to pass. Sanctification, therefore, is exclusively the work of God in grace (Lev. 21:8; Ezekiel 20:12; Hebrews 2:11; Jude 1). Human beings are “made holy” through Christ’s work. The blood of Jesus Christ sanctifies (Hebrews13:12) because His substitutionary atonement reversed all of the dysfunctional as well as legal (i.e. guilt), effects of sin. Human beings are progressively sanctified now through faith in Christ and by the indwelling Spirit (2Corinthians3:18). The trinity is willing to sanctify you, but are you willing to be sanctified?  

How can I be sanctified?

There are various ways by which a believer can be sanctified;

1.      You can be sanctified by the Word of God. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth”. - John 17:17. In other words, to be sanctified, you need to spend much time on the Word. The Word of God will reveal to you every known sin. When you know your enemies i.e. sins, you will know how to avoid them.

2.      Sanctification is also to be obtained by the blood of Jesus. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate”. – Hebrews 13:12. The Word of God reveals the sin; the blood of Jesus cleanses it away.

3.         Finally, we also have a part to play - Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2Cor. 7:1) God never forces His Will on any man. It is those who voluntarily yield their hearts unto Him, their stony hearts who can obtain hearts of flesh in exchange.

What are the results of sanctification?

The results of sanctification are many;

1. First and foremost, once you are sanctified, it becomes easy to live a holy life. 
2. Secondly, you now become a vessel unto honour fit for the Master’s use. This is as consequence of your holiness which follows  once you are sanctified.
3. Thirdly, as soon as you become a vessel unto honour, you will start to bear fruits – “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” – Romans6:22, (Galatian5:22-23). 
4.  Fourthly, once you start to bear fruits, you will get more and more perfect, so that day by day you approach the perfection of Christ Jesus (John15:2; Hebrews 10:14).
   “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit”. 
   “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified”.
5. Finally, you have a guarantee of an inheritance beyond the grave – Acts26:18 says; “to open their eyes, in order 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”.  In other words, there is inheritance in heaven, reserved for only those who are sanctified. In fact all the glories of heaven are reserved for only the sanctified since the unsanctified will never get to heaven. For heaven is holy and no unclean thing will be allowed in to defile its beauty.  

Are you sanctified? Do you wish to be? Are you willing to part with sin and uncleanness? Then the Trinity is willing to sanctify you wholly. Why not talk to Jesus about it now?

Ref:  Psalm 4:3; Exodus 40:9-11; Leviticus 27:14-16; Number 8:17; Romans6:19; 1Corinthians 6:11, Phil. 3:12-14; 1Peter 3:15.

How the Apostles died

How the Apostles died.

This may interest our Christian brothers and sisters. Please spare just few minutes to read and ponder over this. Thanks.

"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake". - Philippians 1:29

1 Matthew
Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.

2 Mark
Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
3 Luke
Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.

4 John
Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome . However, he was miraculously delivered From death.
John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos ..
He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

5 Peter
He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.
According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6 James
The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.
* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7 James the Great
Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8 Bartholomew
Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9 Andrew
Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.

10 Thomas
Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.

11 Jude
Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12 Matthias
The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

13 Paul
Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67.
Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire.
These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.
Perhaps this is a reminder to us That our sufferings here Are indeed minor compared To the intense persecution
And cold cruelty faced by the apostles And disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be hated Of all men for my name's sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew
Faith is not believing that God can, It is knowing that God WILL!"
Jesus' Death
The Death of Jesus

For the next 60 seconds, set aside whatever
You're doing and take this opportunity! Let's see if Satan
Can stop this.

THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS
At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to death . At the time
Crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst
Criminals were condemned to be crucified. Yet it was Even
more dreadful for Jesus, unlike Other criminals condemned
to death by Crucifixion Jesus was to be nailed to the
Cross by His hands and feet.
Each nail Was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails Were driven into
His wrist. Not Into His palms as is commonly Portrayed.
There's a tendon in the wrist that Extends to the shoulder.
The Roman guards knew That when the nails were being
hammered into the Wrist that tendon would tear and
Break, forcing Jesus to use His back Muscles to support
himself so that He could Breath.
Both of His feet Were nailed together. Thus He was forced to
Support Himself on the single nail that Impaled His feet to the
cross. Jesus could Not support himself with His legs
because of the pain So He was forced to alternate between
arching His Back then using his legs just to continue to
Breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the Suffering, the courage.
Jesus endured this Reality for over 3 hours. Yes, Over 3 hours!
Can you imagine this kind of Suffering? A few minutes before
He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water
From his wounds. From common images We see wounds to
His hands and feet and even the spear wound To His side...
But do we realize His wounds Were actually made in his body.
A hammer Driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped And an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But Before the nails and the spear Jesus was whipped and Beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the Flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His Face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The Crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men Would not have survived this torture. " He had no more blood To bleed out, only water poured from His Wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 Liters of his blood;
He had three nails hammered into His Members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond That, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His Chest..
All these without Mentioning the humiliation He suffered after carrying His own Cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his Face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, Only for its higher part, where His hands were Nailed). Jesus had To endure this experience, to open theGates of Heaven, So that you can have free Access to God. So that your sins
Could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception!
Don't ignore this situation.

1. Simply Pray for the person who sent this message to You:
2.Then, send this Message to people.. The more the better.
3. People will Pray for you and you will make that many people pray to God For other people.
4. Take a Moment to appreciate the power of God in your life, for
Doing what pleases Him.
He said (Matthew 10:32 & 33): "Everyone therefore Who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before My Father in heaven; but whosoever denies Me before others, I also will deny before My Father in heaven".

MONEY MATTERS

MONEY MATTERS

Introduction

Money matters, of course. It matters to you, and it matters to God. That's why the Bible has so much to say about it. There's nothing wrong with money. We all find it pretty useful. But it's the craving some people have for more and more of it, the things they do to get it, and how they then use it that can be evil.

In the world the man with money is usually respected as a man of influence, while the poor person is often despised. Though it's not like that in the kingdom of God, your attitude toward money and how you handle it is seen as a test of your character. When Christ bought you for Himself, He bought you outright, your possessions and all. You cannot therefore give yourself wholly to Him without giving your money and your possessions. This means that you no longer own anything, you just manage it for God. One day He is going to summon all His "managers," you and me included, and ask us to give an account of how we handled what He entrusted to us. This lesson is to help you to become a good manager, so that you won't blush when you have to give your answer.

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-10

Money can be dangerous!

The Bible speaks of money as being both an instrument for the kingdom of God (Luke 16:9) and "a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10). That proves it isn't the money itself but our attitude toward it and how we use it that makes the difference. Here are some important safeguards:

1. Don't love it or get infected by the "get rich quick" fever of the world. See what 1 Timothy 6:6-10 says are the tragic spiritual results of wanting to be rich. Note the remedy for this wrong attitude: learning to be content with what God provides.

2. Don't make a god of it. "You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matt. 6:24). Whatever you put in the place of God is an idol. Don't be an idolater. Many Christians have drifted far from God because they put money and prosperity in that first place that rightly belonged to God.

3. Don t hoard it up. Men "lay up treasure on earth" for security, but your treasures can be corrupted and your money taken from you (Matt. 6:19). Instead of hoarding up what is "so uncertain" (1 Tim. 6:17), we should invest what we do not need in the kingdom of God. That's laying up treasure in heaven. That will not prevent us from making adequate provision for our families (1 Tim. 5:8).

4. Don't run into debt. Christians who are always running into debt are poor managers and bad advertisements for the kingdom of God. The only ongoing debt we are allowed is "to love one another" (Rom. 13:8). House mortgages are not debts, but watch those credit cards. Don't let them tempt you to buy what you can't afford.

Your money is God's

As a Christian you and all that you have belong to God. Your money is like the "talents" (Matt. 25:14 ff) your Master entrusts you with and gives you freedom to use, but it is really His. He is testing you to see whether you will be "faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2) as His manager, or "wasteful" (Luke 16:1). One day we shall have to give an account.  

Learning to give

God is the greatest giver (John 3:16), and you are called to be like Him. You don't do God a favor by your giving. You are simply recognizing that it's all His anyway. Some have a special gift of giving (Rom. 12:8), not necessarily because they are wealthy but because they have faith for this. Offering hospitality is an additional and valuable means of giving (1 Pet. 4:9). How should we give?

1. Freely and cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7). It's not meant to be like having a tooth pulled out!

2. According to what you receive (1 Cor. 16:2). Heaven estimates our giving by comparing what we give with what we keep (Mark 12:41-44).

3. Systematically and prayerfully. This is not rummaging around in your pocket or purse at the last moment (1 Cor. 16:2).

4. Secretly. We're not to make a big show of how generous we are (Matt. 6:1-4).

Sowing and reaping

This is how Scripture likens giving (2 Cor. 9:6-11): for every grain you sow, you may expect to reap many more. Generous reaping depends on generous sowing (v. 6), and you reap spiritual blessing, not just financial (v. 10). See what a generous return God promises you (Luke 6:38).

Tithes and offerings

Tithing is giving a tenth of what you receive back to God. Offerings were additional gifts-how much and how often is a matter of free will, hence "free will offerings." In the Old Testament, tithes were for the support of priests and Levites. Similarly in the church, tithes are for the support of people (full-time shepherds or those who are in need) and offerings are generally for church expenses, special projects, or for the work of God outside your own congregation that you may want to support. When the people failed to bring their tithes and offerings into God's house to support His servants, God said they were robbing Him (Mal. 3:8-10).

Excerpts:

From Living God’s Way

By: Arthur Wallis