Sanctification

With this essay we will begin a series of essays on the subject of "Sanctification." This is a very broad, yet needful, subject matter for us as God's children to understand.

The word, "sanctify," means to "separate or to set apart." There are several key words in this subject that have similar or the same meaning. These words are holy, sanctify, saint, separate, and consecrate. These English words are translated from the same or similar Hebrew and Greek words. For instance the words holy and saint are translated from the Greek word "hagios." Whereas the word, "sanctification," is translated from "hagiasmos" and the words, "sanctify," is translated from "hagiazo." A similar pattern is also found in the Hebrew words of the old testament. The Hebrew word, "qodesh," for instance is translated into the following English words:
consecrated thing, dedicated thing, hallowed thing, holiness, holy day, holy portion, holy thing, saint, sanctuary, consecrated, hallowed, holy, most holy place, most holy thing, and most holy.

We will divide our study of the subject of sanctification into three parts. We will first look at how God is separate or set apart. I will confess that I have neither the knowledge nor the time to completely cover all aspects and all details of such a broad subject. Thus our study of this first part will be limited to my knowledge and time I must of necessity limit to this undertaking.

The second part of this study will address the sanctification of God's children. This will be divided into two parts. We will first consider how that God has set us apart for a holy use and then we will consider how that we are to set ourselves apart for the worship and service of God. Again our consideration of this second part will be limited due to time and my limited knowledge.

The third part of this study will address those things that God has instituted such as the church, her service, and the ordinances of the church.

I believe a study of holiness or sanctification is a  worthy endeavor for any child of God to undertake. It is a quest for the knowledge of perfection and a desire to strive for perfection in our lives. Paul wrote in Phil. 3:12 15, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal
even this unto you." I would encourage every one who loves the Lord and loves His word to strive on for perfection, not that we can make ourselves righteous before God, but that we may "apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Christ."

May God add his richest blessings to our efforts as we strive to sanctify ourselves and as we praise Him for his holiness.

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The Sinner's Friend

Among the names in the scriptures used to describe the characteristics, qualities, and work of God is the name, "Friend." Jesus is called the sinner's friend: "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners" (Matt. 11:19). Truly, Jesus is that friend of sinners. To those who feel themselves to be just and upright in themselves this may be viewed derisively, but to us who feel the burden and weight of our own sinfulness and sinful nature, this is wonderful news!

According to Prov. 18:24, "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." While this verse has practical application to each of us and we all should learn its lessons, there is a very real sense to the children of God that Jesus is that "friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

Many may have brothers and even friends who prove to be a big help in bearing some of the burdens and problems of life, but to the heart felt sinner, Jesus is the only one who paid it all to redeem him from his sins and then sent forth his spirit into the sinner's heart that he might cry "Abba Father." In addition, Jesus is there in the midst of all our trials and troubles of life, having promised to never leave us nor forsake us. As it is said in Job 5:19, "He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee."

Furthermore, as our friend, he listens to us as we read in Ps. 34:15, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry," and in 1 Pet. 3:12, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."

Jesus, as our friend, has borne the burdens we could not bear:

1. Matt. 8:17 "That it might be fulfilled...Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

2. Is. 53:4, 5 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed."

3. Heb. 9:28 "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many..."

4. 1 Pet. 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

According to Prov. 17:17, "A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity." Jesus is the dearest friend that a sinner has for he truly loves us at all times. That is not to say that he always loves our actions, but his love for us never wanes. We read in Jer. 31:3 where God said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." According to Rom. 8:38 nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In John 15:13 we read, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Again, while this verse has practical application and instruction to each of us, yet, Jesus is the perfect friend who has perfectly fulfilled the above verse. He laid down his life, both in life and death, for us that we be delivered from
the bondage of sin, and that we may know how to live our lives to the fulness of joy, peace, and love in this time world, and that we may live with him in glory.

John 15:15 states, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you." A friend confides with his friends. Jesus as the sinner's friend, has confided with us. He has given us the word of God that we may know what he has done and will yet do for us.

Knowing that we have such a great friend as Jesus we thus desire to be his friend. As Abraham was called, "the Friend of God" in James 2:23, it should be our desire as well that we be considered to be the Friends of God. Jesus said in John 15:14, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." To the extend that we live obediently to the commandments of God, we then become the Friends of God.

May God help us to remember our Friend, Jesus, and help us to live our lives as the "Friends of God."

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Prophet

Moses said in Deut. 18:15 19, "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou desirest of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

A prophet is someone who God has appointed, called, and sent to speak the words God has revealed unto him to the people. There were many old and new testament prophets including Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the minor prophets, Luke, and Mark. The key to understand who Moses is referring to in the above quoted passage of scripture is found in the phrase, "like unto me." Jesus, the Son of God, is that Prophet, who is like unto Moses. The phrase, "like unto me," invites a comparison between "that Prophet" and Moses as a prophet. In John 1:17 we read, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." God used his prophet, Moses, to deliver the law to the children of Israel. Jesus Christ, as the Prophet, delivered the principles of grace and truth unto us.

When reviewing the work of Moses as a prophet of God we discover some amazing parallels between the work of Moses and work of Jesus. First, Moses was sent of God to deliver the children of Israel out of the bondage of their enemies: Pharaoh and Egypt. Before deliverance came God manifest his miraculous wonders and power upon the Egyptians thru the ten plagues he sent when having Moses stretch forth his rod.  Finally God destroyed Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea as they
pursued after Israel. In similar fashion Jesus came to deliver his people from their enemies: sin, death, grave, hell, and the devil.

Before this deliverance was consummated Jesus manifested the great wonders and power of God thru the multitude of miracles of healing and raising the dead, and preaching the gospel. At the time appointed Jesus destroyed the enemies of his people at his death, burial and resurrection.

Second, Moses was charged of God to build a tabernacle in the wilderness according to the pattern shown unto him in the mount. This tabernacle would be the place of worship and where God would meet with the people. In comparison, Jesus said, "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Paul in describing the church in Eph. 2:19 22 said, "Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." Whereas Moses and the children of Israel built the tabernacle as a place of worship, Jesus built the church where we worship God in Spirit and truth today.

Third, God delivered thru his prophet, Moses, the laws, ordinances, and precepts of the kingdom of Israel. A good part of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy deal with the order of that kingdom, and how the people were to conduct themselves towards their God and towards one another, as well as the ordinances of worship. In comparison, Jesus Christ came declaring that the Kingdom of God is at hand and setting forth the ordinances and precepts of worship, conduct, and service of his people in the kingdom of God. A great deal of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John deal with the statements of Jesus, "the kingdom of heaven is likened unto..."

Fourth, God used Moses as an instrument in providing for the needs of his people such as providing water by smiting the rock, providing quail, manna, etc. Similarly, we see Jesus feeding the multitude by taking 5 barley loaves and two small fishes and blessing them and breaking them and giving them to the disciples to distribute to the multitude. In like fashion Jesus continues to provide for his people thru the preaching of the gospel today as he calls and sends forth his ministry to preach the word and feed his sheep.

While many individual events could be compared such as Moses turning water into blood and Christ turning water into wine, yet we need to consider the admonition in Hebrews: Heb. 1:1, 2, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son..."; Heb. 2:1, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." We are living in a very dark period of ignorance of God's word by most of the Lord's people.

One old testament passage says, "My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge" and another, "my people are gone into captivity for lack of knowledge." We need to take the attitude of Job who said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food," and of David who said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee."

The Prophet, like unto Moses, has spoken unto us and we need to take heed.