Sanctification (Holiness), the will of God
1 Thessalonians 3:7-13; 4:12
The Need of Restoration
Because of man’s fall into sin it is necessary for restoration. The Restoration plan or the act of restoration implies “to restore that which was lost” Through the fall of man, we as mankind lost something and that something was the image of God. By sin, man’s image was changed into a sinful image (nature) and God is a God whose eyes are too pure to behold evil. (Hosea). Therefore, this separated us from him (Isaiah 59:1, 2). Man corrupted the very breath of life (spirit) that God breathed into his nostrils. Did not the scriptures say “ye are gods”? We are His very offspring Acts 17:28. This is why God saw this need of restoration, that he might restore man back unto himself, back unto His image and fellowship.
David saw a glimpse of this restoration and expressed it like this, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: Psalms 23:1-3. In 1 Peter 1:9-12, we see where Peter spoke concerning the prophets, foretelling of this salvation plan. Read the following scriptures. Isaiah 57:15-19; 61:7,2; Zechariah 13:1. We see it was God’s will to bring man back to where he fell from. That image, likeness and fellowship.
So we have shown you the purity of man’s beginning and his fall and the necessity for restoration. Now we introduce to you:
Man the Sinner
Even though man is sold under sin there is a time when each individual receives the knowledge of right and wrong. There is a stage after birth whereby he reaches the age of accountability, where God holds him responsible for his conduct, deeds and every action. Sin is held accountable against man only when he receives light that the thing he is doing or practicing is wrong and condemned by God’s Law. John 9:39-44. Well one might say what is sin?
- Evil imaginations are sin. Genesis 6:5; 8:21
- Thoughts of foolishness are sin. Proverbs 24:9
- Transgression of the law is sin. 1 John 3:4
- The act of omission. James 4:17
And sin carries a penalty. Romans 6:23. The bible also shows the downward spiral of mankind and God’s wrath against him. Romans 1; 18-32; 2:1-6. Despite this awful picture of a catalog of sins, God’s long suffers with mankind, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9. He’s not willing that any should perish. (Matthew 19:13, 14)Even though ignorance has no age limit, there is a time in each individual’s life when he reaches an age where his knowledge matures. 1 Corinthian 13:9-11. There is a time when light is shed upon the path of every human being, and He receives the understanding of good and evil, i.e. he knows the difference between the two. And light is condemnation. (John 3;17-21; James 4:17; 1 John 3:4; Romans 7:9-11). Even though man who have not the written law, shall be judged by the law of his conscious. Romans 2:11-16.
Depravity a ground for twofold cleansing
When we come to Christ repenting, he forgives us for all our sins which we have committed, and acquits us of all unjust acts by justifying us, yet the cause and principle or root which causes one to sin is still there. Just like the root is not tree, but the cause of the tree. So it is with sin, there is a cause and effect. A sinner doesn’t ask Jesus forgiveness for the cause, but the effects of sin (1 John 1:9). A sinner doesn’t know the cause. So after getting saved from the sins which he committed, the second step is to deal with the cause, the root, the adamic sin, the sin inherited from Adam. There are many theological terms for it, but the biblical terminology is thus stated;
Indwelling sin. Romans 7:5-23
It is called carnal (Carnality). Romans 7:14
Sin in the flesh. Romans 8:3
Filthiness of the Flesh and spirit. 2 Corinthians 7:1
The Besetting Sin. Hebrews 12:1
Depravity in the Regenerated (Believers)
The Disciples before Pentecost were saved. They were believers. They were followers of Christ.
- There names were written in Heaven. Luke 10:17-20
- They were not of this world. John 17:6-10, 16.
- They had power in their lives. Matthew 10:1-8
Yet they possessed this sinful nature. Luke 19:13 Carnality was manifested in their lives. They were materially ambitious. “Who shall be the greatest”? one asked the question. They sought pre-eminence among themselves, which connected with pride, envy, covetousness, vanity, greed, and prestige.
The Master, who knew what was in man, saw their thoughts afar off. He was not ignorant of their dispute which was going on. This is a major question in the world and tragic question among the saints of God.
Suppose we had to tell Him the nature of our daily conversation, our reveries, our inmost, desires and ambitions. How would they sound?
What are we discussing as we journey along the way? What is uppermost in our talk and deepest in our hearts? Could Jesus join our conversation and feel at home in it.
They held their peace; this was a sign of guilt. Matthew 9:34.
The following was manifested in the Disciples lives;
- The aspiration to be the greatest, which was pride. Mark 9;33,34
- They were also disputing like little children. Matthew 20:20-28; Matthew 5:19
- They manifested indignation which is anger. Mark 10:41,13,14.
- They had strife among them. Luke 22:24
- They had resentment and vindictiveness among them. Luke 9:51-56
- They murmured and complained. Matthew 26:6-11
There were things they could not bear yet without the Holy Ghost. John 16:12. They were spiritually immature, unfit, untrained, unperfected in the things and revelation of God.
The Corinthian were carnal believers in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:2
- They were in Christ. 1 Corinthians 1; 30
- They had carnality manifest in their lives. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
- They had envy and strife and division among them. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
- They needed more grace. 2 Corinthians 1:8-15. (benefit is grace in Greek)
The word strife in Greek is (eris) enmity. Strife is the expression of hatred. What so sad today is many who profess to have the experience of sanctification have this carnality manifested in their lives?
The following are some of the manifestations of a depraved nature:
Inward striving of anger when things go wrong.
Harshness; An inward feeling of resentment when regbuked or reproved.
- A quick touchy sensitive spirit.
- Inward feeling of pride.
- An exalted Feelings over your good appearance and natural qualities and abilities
- A secret fondness of being notice.
- The drawing of attention to self in you conduct.
- A headstrong disposition and self-will disposition.
- Become discourage when set aside or unnoticed
- A love to be coaxed and humored, or be the life of the part as the world say.
Also being so judgmental or scolding, grumbling, fretting, from saying harsh cutting words, when you are pressed. Having fits and throwing tantrums. Also sending heated flings at others when you cant have your way. Telling people off or giving them a piece of your mind.
Evil speaking, i.e. speaking evil of your neighbor, and faults others in a way to harm them. Always seeing the faults of others quicker than their good qualities. Ephesians 4:29-32. Harboring jealousy and bitterness towards another and from getting jealous when other prosper more than you. Stubbornness and pouting and wanting to have your own way about things. Selfishness, (being self-willed) always striving with others without a cause.
God have enough grace to keep the justified individual patient when reproved, contradicted, and misunderstood. God is also able to give grace over unclean habits and practices. Now I must add the path of the just is as a shinning light more unto a perfect day. If an individual don’t have light on some of these things, when shown he will seek deliverance and when these things come to surface in one’s experience and begin to manifest itself, the root is troubling the individual.
Remember God’s gives sufficient grace to enable his children to keep victory, and not give way by committing sin. Yet this inward trouble will often cast a show over your title, and gloom and discouragement over your spiritual sky. The soul will soon yearn for deliverance, and hunger and thirst for more righteousness. Since none but the righteous and pure in heart only shall see God (Matthew 5;8), it is most important to have this corrupt nature removed. Man within himself cannot remove it; death will never remove it. It cannot reformed, then it follow conclusively that it can only be removed or taken out of the heart, by an act of God’s free grace, that is the experience of Sanctification ( A second work of grace).
Sanctification, (A second work of grace)
First of all none but humans can receive it, for it is extended only to those who obey God. (Luke 11:13; Acts 5:32). It is performed, not by man, but by the Holy Ghost (Roman 16:16; Acts 15:8.9).
Sanctification of the New Testament is superior to that of the Old Testament legal dispensation in that it not only consecrates or sets apart for holy purposes, but also cleanses the heart from all “moral corruption and pollution”. It makes one fit for the service of God, and the society and employment of heaven.
Also the terms “perfect love”, “holiness”, “entire sanctification”, “perfection”, “a pure heart”, etc. are all so many names for the same experience. Sanctification is not consecration. Many think that the two are identical, but consecration must come before the reception of holiness and maintained after the reception of holiness, and it is not holiness itself. Many think that they have holiness, because they can say “they are entirely the Lord’s”. Many will remark “what more can I do”. It is an experience.
What sanctification is and is not
It is not perfection of judgment, knowledge or memory. It is neither adamic or angelic, placing a individual where he cannot sin if he wants to. Sanctification is not frames and feelings; It is not so much a blessing, as a state. It is not freedom from temptation. Jesus was perfectly sanctified and yet was tempted. Sanctification is not a mere recovery from a backslidden state, for when one loses his first love, he must repent and do his first works over again. It does not render watchfulness and prayer unnecessary, nor obviate the further need of the atoning blood. It is neither absolute perfection. It is an experience that must added to 2 Peter 1:1-11. It adds to your faith.
It is the removal of all the root of depravity and corruption from the soul. It removes the entire root of inbred sin and the soul is filled with the love of God.
Sanctification does not change the form of the human body, and its physical faults, handicaps, and impairments, for no body or matter can be sinful. Spirits alone are capable of sin. Ezekiel 18;4.
Sanctification removes carnality from our humanity. We are yet human. Lest me ask you a question. In what part of the body should sin lodge? It cannot be in the skin, nor the muscles, or nerves, or veins, or arteries. It cannot be in the bones any more than in the hair or nails. Only the soul can be the seat of sin. If in this life, the body of sin or the sin the flesh are essentially identified with the actual mortal, physical body, how in reason can we present this body as a holy and acceptable sacrifice unto God. (Romans 12:1). If so, our sacrifice is not perfect then and how can you say you are free from sin.
Sanctification is that grace that destroys and eradicate completely and instantaneously, the corrupt element of sin, which is in the seat of the soul by the fire Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Matthew 3:10-12.
Sanctification does not destroy or eradicate our humanity. It does not destroy our mind, will, emotions, desires, affections, feelings, temperaments. It perfects them in love towards God. Sanctification will purify these areas and give you power of them. You are now able to reign over yourself. Your life is now under subjection to God’s will, It is under God’s control, not your control.
The Holy Ghost performed the work we could not do. It was supremely a act of God’s free grace to remove the sinful element. Some over the ages have tried forms of torture to rid themselves of this foe within, or this foe in their temple. But God did it in a simple act of faith. Acts 15:8,9; 20:32. Now our job is to keep pure. (Jude 20). Keep our body (humanity) under subjection to the will of God. 1 Corinthian 9:27. We are to add to this experience of faith other godly graces. 2 Peter 1:2-11.
When should a individual seek sanctification?
Right away. 2 Corinthian 6:1, 2
The very best and easiest time to seek sanctification is immediately after justification. Brother Paul sought it three days after conversion. Acts 9: Paul wrote to the Gentiles in Thessalonica not more than six months after their conversion. It is dangerous to trifle with those convictions for holiness. You will surely backslide, unless you yield yourself fully up to the Lord, to be made holy. Thousands of promising converts backslide because they do not go on to entire sanctification. We must either be in possession of this state of grace, or pressing after it, if we would retain God’s favor and be certain of heaven. If we don’t seek holiness or sanctification and be made pure and god-like, we disobey Him, and how can one be disobedient without forfeiting the witness of the spirit in the experience of justification or new birth. Voluntarily to omit holiness in desire, in prayer, in the striving of the heart, would be disobedience and hence a inward backslidden heart.
What must I do to attain sanctification?
He must be in Christ, i.e. saved from all known sins. John 15:1,2.
He must have faith in God. Hebrews 11:6
There must be a full assurance of faith. Hebrews 10:19-22
He must believe that God will Sanctify. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
He must lay aside every weight and besetting sin. Hebrews 12:1
He must present his body a living sacrifice. Romans 12:12
He must hunger and thirst after righteousness. Matt 5:6
He must ask for a clean heart. Psalms 51:10
He must ask for the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13
He must ask in prayer and believe. Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24
He must ask with confidence. Hebrews 10:35-39
The promised fulfilled. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24