Post by foxjj on Oct 25, 2019 17:50:45 GMT
Sanctification
One of the unique experiences of becoming a Christian is the fact that you are forgiven and therefore sanctified. Those who understand this will normally relate to themselves as spiritually born again. To be Sanctified is to be set apart for God, which in turn, is to be made holy. In the Old Testament, sanctification spoke of the ceremonial consecration of a person - normally a priest - unto God. At the completion of the ceremony, he would be recognised as a person who's life is now dedicated entirely to serving Yahweh. The implements used in sacrifices, particularly in the Temple, were also sanctified, being ceremonial consecrated to be used in service onto God. Such sanctifications showed the holiness of The Almighty, and humanity's need to be purified.
To sanctify therefore, is to make holy that which was once defiled by sin. Such was our condition before you and I came to faith in Jesus, confessing our need of His Salvation. Now as born again Christians, we have been sanctified, and have been set apart from the evil of this world through the atonement of The Lord Jesus. This is sometimes known as positional sanctification, carrying the meaning that, although we are not perfect, this is our position in Christ Jesus - not through our own merits - but by God's Grace. Daily you and I are being made holy by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that unites all Christians into the world wide body of Jesus Christ.
Saints are Gods holy people - the set apart ones - as Paul states in the opening of his letters, such as: "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours." We do not have to be dead in order to become saints, as some traditions teach. You and I are saints because we have been set apart for God through our faith in Jesus, making us holy, because we have been justified: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2). What a wonderful position to be in both now, in this life, and eternally in the next.
Today, let us give praise to our God for His blessings
John Joseph Fox.
One of the unique experiences of becoming a Christian is the fact that you are forgiven and therefore sanctified. Those who understand this will normally relate to themselves as spiritually born again. To be Sanctified is to be set apart for God, which in turn, is to be made holy. In the Old Testament, sanctification spoke of the ceremonial consecration of a person - normally a priest - unto God. At the completion of the ceremony, he would be recognised as a person who's life is now dedicated entirely to serving Yahweh. The implements used in sacrifices, particularly in the Temple, were also sanctified, being ceremonial consecrated to be used in service onto God. Such sanctifications showed the holiness of The Almighty, and humanity's need to be purified.
To sanctify therefore, is to make holy that which was once defiled by sin. Such was our condition before you and I came to faith in Jesus, confessing our need of His Salvation. Now as born again Christians, we have been sanctified, and have been set apart from the evil of this world through the atonement of The Lord Jesus. This is sometimes known as positional sanctification, carrying the meaning that, although we are not perfect, this is our position in Christ Jesus - not through our own merits - but by God's Grace. Daily you and I are being made holy by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that unites all Christians into the world wide body of Jesus Christ.
Saints are Gods holy people - the set apart ones - as Paul states in the opening of his letters, such as: "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours." We do not have to be dead in order to become saints, as some traditions teach. You and I are saints because we have been set apart for God through our faith in Jesus, making us holy, because we have been justified: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2). What a wonderful position to be in both now, in this life, and eternally in the next.
Today, let us give praise to our God for His blessings
John Joseph Fox.