You Were, Are and Will Be Sanctified

We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9–11).

Notice carefully the wording here: "Such WERE some of you," but then we were washed, sanctified, and justified. The word sanctified means "set apart." Sanctification happens in three stages. The first occurs at the moment of salvation, when we are "rescued from the domain of darkness, and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col. 1:13). This is positional sanctification, permanent for every believer.

Progressive sanctification occurs as we are separated from the world in our daily living and separated unto God in our holy living. Paul wrote, "Come out from their midst and be separate… cleanse yourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 6:17-7:1). Separation is not isolation. Remember, we are in the world, but not of the world. We are to be "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18).

Perfect sanctification will take place when we are taken out of this world and we see Jesus as He is and we become like Him. He will "sanctify us [the church], having cleansed us by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless" (Eph. 5:26–27). What a day that will be! It makes me want to cry out, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Oh, dear people, we should crave to be more like Jesus every day, in every way.

Prayer: Father, give us a passion to be like Jesus. Give us a hunger for holiness. May we love You and please You because we are going to live with You forever. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Quote for the Day: "One of the telltale signs of the Spirit-filled life is gratitude. Show me a grumbler, and I'll show you a person who has distanced herself or himself from the Spirit of God." —Chuck Swindoll