Understanding Sanctification: The Journey to Holiness

Devotional

Day 1: The Dual Nature of Sanctification

Sanctification is a profound journey that involves both the state of being holy and the ongoing process of becoming holy. This dual aspect is central to understanding our identity and calling as Christians. Hebrews 10:10 and 10:14 illustrate this beautifully, showing how Christ's sacrifice has already sanctified us, yet we continue to be made holy. This ongoing journey is not just about personal growth but about aligning ourselves with God's purpose and reflecting His holiness in our lives. As we embrace this dual nature, we recognize that sanctification is both a gift and a responsibility, calling us to live out our faith actively. [04:13]

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 (ESV): "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel the tension between being holy and becoming holy? How can you actively participate in this ongoing process today?

Day 2: Reflecting God's Holiness

Our call to holiness is deeply rooted in God's own holiness. As 1 Peter 1:14-16 emphasizes, we are to be holy because God is holy. This is not merely a command but a reflection of our identity as God's children, possessing His spiritual DNA. Understanding this connection helps us see holiness not as a burden but as a family trait, something inherent to our new identity in Christ. As we grow in holiness, we reflect God's character to the world, becoming living testimonies of His transformative power. [09:00]

Leviticus 20:26 (ESV): "You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine."

Reflection: How does viewing holiness as a family trait change your perspective on your spiritual journey? What steps can you take to reflect God's holiness in your daily interactions?

Day 3: Understanding God's Holiness

God's holiness signifies His separateness, supreme value, and moral perfection. It is not just about His transcendence but also His infinite worth and moral purity. This understanding challenges us to align our lives with His nature, striving to reflect His moral perfection in our thoughts, words, and actions. As we grasp the depth of God's holiness, we are inspired to pursue a life that honors Him, recognizing that our sanctification is a response to His infinite worth. [22:41]

Isaiah 6:3 (ESV): "And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'"

Reflection: In what ways can you align your life more closely with God's holiness? What practical changes can you make to reflect His moral perfection in your daily life?

Day 4: Sanctification in the Narrative of Salvation

Sanctification is both the goal of predestination and an essential part of glorification. It is the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ, beginning with God's predestining work and culminating in our glorification. This journey involves God's calling, which brings us from spiritual death to life, and justification, which removes the barrier of guilt, allowing us to be sanctified. Understanding sanctification in this broader context helps us see it as an integral part of God's redemptive plan, a journey that leads us to our ultimate glorification in Christ. [33:11]

Romans 8:29-30 (ESV): "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

Reflection: How does understanding sanctification as part of God's redemptive plan change your view of your spiritual journey? What steps can you take to actively participate in this process?

Day 5: The Role of Calling and Justification

God's calling brings us from spiritual death to life, and justification removes the barrier of guilt, allowing us to be sanctified. These acts are essential for our journey toward holiness, enabling us to reflect God's infinite value. As we respond to God's call and embrace His justification, we are empowered to live a life that honors Him, free from the guilt of sin. This freedom allows us to pursue holiness with confidence, knowing that we are fully accepted and loved by God. [41:58]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: How does embracing God's calling and justification empower you to pursue holiness? What specific actions can you take today to live out this freedom in Christ?

Sermon Summary

In this message, we delve into the profound concept of sanctification, exploring its meaning and its place within the grand narrative of salvation. Sanctification, derived from the Latin word "Sanctus," meaning holy, is the process of becoming holy. In the New Testament, the terms sanctification and holiness are interchangeable, emphasizing both the state of being holy and the ongoing process of becoming holy. This dual aspect is evident in passages like Hebrews 10:10 and 10:14, which highlight both the completed work of sanctification through Christ's sacrifice and the ongoing process of being made holy.

The essence of sanctification is deeply rooted in God's holiness. As 1 Peter 1:14-16 instructs, we are called to be holy because God is holy. This call to holiness is not arbitrary but a reflection of our identity as God's children, possessing His spiritual DNA. Our journey toward holiness involves both the inherent transformation through new birth and the ongoing discipline of our Heavenly Father, shaping us into His likeness.

Understanding God's holiness is crucial. It signifies His separateness, His unique and supreme value, and His moral perfection. God's holiness is not just about His transcendence but also His infinite worth and moral purity. This holiness is expressed in perfect harmony with His nature, and we are called to reflect this in our lives. Sanctification, therefore, is the process by which our thoughts, feelings, and actions align with the infinite value of God's transcendent fullness.

In the broader context of salvation, sanctification is both the goal of predestination and an essential part of glorification. It is the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ, beginning with God's predestining work and culminating in our glorification. This journey involves God's calling, which brings us from spiritual death to life, and justification, which removes the barrier of guilt, allowing us to be sanctified.

Key Takeaways

1. Sanctification and Holiness: Sanctification is the process of becoming holy, deeply intertwined with the concept of holiness. It involves both the state of being holy and the ongoing journey of becoming holy, as seen in Hebrews 10:10 and 10:14. This dual aspect is central to understanding our identity and calling as Christians. [04:13]
2. God's Holiness as Our Model: Our call to holiness is rooted in God's own holiness. As 1 Peter 1:14-16 emphasizes, we are to be holy because God is holy. This is not merely a command but a reflection of our identity as God's children, possessing His spiritual DNA. [09:00]
3. The Nature of God's Holiness: God's holiness signifies His separateness, supreme value, and moral perfection. It is not just about His transcendence but also His infinite worth and moral purity. This understanding challenges us to align our lives with His nature. [22:41]
4. Sanctification in Salvation's Narrative: Sanctification is both the goal of predestination and an essential part of glorification. It is the process by which we are conformed to the image of Christ, beginning with God's predestining work and culminating in our glorification. [33:11]
5. The Role of Calling and Justification: God's calling brings us from spiritual death to life, and justification removes the barrier of guilt, allowing us to be sanctified. These acts are essential for our journey toward holiness, enabling us to reflect God's infinite value. [41:58]
** [41:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Introduction to Sanctification
[00:53] - Understanding Sanctification
[02:04] - Holiness and Sanctification
[03:13] - Being and Becoming Holy
[05:04] - Saints and Holiness
[06:14] - Process of Becoming Holy
[07:22] - Holiness in the New Testament
[08:25] - Connection to God's Holiness
[09:50] - Family Trait of Holiness
[11:01] - Sharing in God's Holiness
[12:22] - New Self in Holiness
[14:35] - Defining God's Holiness
[16:07] - God's Separateness
[19:14] - Self-Existence and Sufficiency
[22:41] - Moral Dimension of Holiness
[25:02] - Conformity to God's Value
[28:16] - Sanctification Defined
[30:28] - Sanctification in Salvation
[33:11] - Predestination and Holiness
[36:34] - Glorification and Sanctification
[41:58] - Calling and Justification
[51:52] - Summary and Conclusion

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Sanctification and Holiness

Bible Reading:

Hebrews 10:10, 14
1 Peter 1:14-16
Romans 8:28-30

Observation Questions:

In Hebrews 10:10 and 10:14, what are the two aspects of sanctification mentioned, and how do they relate to each other? [04:13]
According to 1 Peter 1:14-16, what is the basis for the command to be holy, and how is it connected to our identity as God's children? [09:00]
In Romans 8:28-30, what sequence of events is described, and where does sanctification fit within this sequence? [30:28]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between God's holiness and our call to holiness? [09:50]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the dual aspect of sanctification (being and becoming holy) influence a believer's understanding of their spiritual journey? [04:13]
What does it mean for sanctification to be both the goal of predestination and an essential part of glorification, as discussed in the sermon? [33:11]
How does the concept of God's holiness as a family trait impact the way believers view their relationship with God and their personal growth in holiness? [09:50]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that understanding God's infinite worth and moral purity should challenge and shape a believer's life? [22:41]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your current spiritual journey. In what ways do you see the process of becoming holy at work in your life? How can you be more intentional about this process? [04:13]
Consider the idea that God's holiness is a family trait. How does this perspective change the way you view your identity as a child of God? What practical steps can you take to reflect this trait in your daily life? [09:50]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of aligning our thoughts, feelings, and actions with God's nature. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with this alignment. What specific changes can you make to better reflect God's holiness? [22:41]
How does understanding sanctification as part of the broader narrative of salvation influence your perspective on personal growth and spiritual maturity? What goals can you set to align more closely with this understanding? [33:11]
The sermon discusses the role of God's calling and justification in our journey toward holiness. How have you experienced these aspects in your own life, and how do they motivate you to pursue holiness? [41:58]
Think about a time when you felt disciplined by God. How did this experience contribute to your growth in holiness? How can you remain open to God's discipline in the future? [06:48]
Identify a specific way you can reflect God's infinite value in your interactions with others this week. How can you ensure that your actions are in harmony with His transcendent fullness? [27:00]

Sermon Clips

The English word sanctify as you know is built on the Latin Sanctus, which means holy. We don't have a way in English to take the adjective holy and turn it into a verb holify does not exist in English I wish it did, but it doesn't but in the language of the New Testament they can, they take the word holy hagios and make it a verb hagiazzo. [00:49:02]

The clearest place to see both of them together is Hebrews 10 verse 10. it goes like this, by God's will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all so there's have been Sanctified once for all, verse 14 four verses later it says by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being Sanctified being made holy. [03:25]

Our Earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as it is seen best to them but God disciplines us for our good that we may share his Holiness so God is in the process day by day disciplining you with a view to bringing you into a Fuller and Fuller experience of the Divine Holiness worked out in your life. [06:42]

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is Holy, you be holy in all your conduct since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am Holy so the basis of demanding, commanding Holiness from us is that God is Holy, be holy for I am holy. [08:45]

God's holiness would then be his separateness from all that is not God, that is his Holiness would be his being one of a kind, or his supremely valuable self since things that are one of a kind are of supreme value. Let me illustrate this is numbers 20 verse 12. Moses struck the rock remember instead of speaking to it. [16:42]

God Is So separate, so above so distinct from all else all that is not God that he is self-existent and self-sustaining, and therefore self-sufficient, so he he once was all there was and therefore was not brought into being by anything but he is absolute reality forever eternally being what he was. [19:10]

The reason I introduce this as a necessary component of the meaning of divine Holiness is because the Bible talks about Holiness not only in terms of his Transcendence but in terms of his morals his being right or Pure or good there's a moral Dimension to this Transcendent other fullness. [22:21]

Sanctification is the action by which we bring our feelings and thoughts and acts into Conformity with the infinite value of God's Transcendent fullness and if you are listening carefully you might have balked at the subject of that sentence. I said the action by which we bring ourselves. [28:16]

Those whom he predestined he called and those of me called he he justified and those are essential for sanctification because without the Divine calling you'd be still in the grave of your sin dead as a doornail and impervious to every sanctifying influence of God in your life. [40:58]

The remedy for deadness is calling the remedy for guilt and defilement is justification so let's take those one at a time as we move toward the end calling Those whom he predestined he called what does that mean there are two ways that the word called is from God to us is used in the Bible. [41:40]

For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him in Union with Christ we might become the righteousness of God and and how how does how do you get in I mean that's the best news in the world isn't it you're you're a condemned sinner and a substitute is there whose perfect obedience and perfect righteousness. [49:21]

From all eternity God has been holy that is God has been transcendent in his self-existent fullness and as such infinitely valuable and Worthy such that all of his thoughts and feelings and actions are in Perfect Harmony with that value of that self-existent fullness such that this is the beauty of holiness. [51:52]

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Understanding Sanctification: The Journey to Holiness

Devotional

Day 1: The Dual Nature of Sanctification

Day 2: Reflecting God's Holiness

Day 3: Understanding God's Holiness

Day 4: Sanctification in the Narrative of Salvation

Day 5: The Role of Calling and Justification

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Understanding Sanctification: The Journey to Holiness

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