Walk of Life, Day 19 April 2022, Thoughts On Hope On Resurrection Of Christ

Hope Of Sanctification

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23

Lord Jesus promised to be with the disciples always even after He ascended to heaven. He promised that they will receive the Holy Spirit who would teach and remind them everything Lord Jesus had said to them. If you believe that Lord Jesus died for your sins and that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved. He shed his precious blood to cleanse you from all sins. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

 Shall we then say that we are sinless? No, till we are on earth we will be enticed by Satan to do his bidding. For he is waiting to devour God’s people by distracting and stopping them from doing God’s will. That’s why God promises to sanctify us through his Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, sanctification was to declare or set apart something as belonging to God. It could be the firstborn of man or beast, appointing Levites for priestly duties, set apart days and feasts for God or even set apart the nation of Israel for God.

• “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.” Exodus 13:2
• ^“And I will “sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.” Exodus 29:44
• ^“Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,” Joel 1:14

 In the New Testament, sanctification is to make something holy. It is a process where we are transformed into the likeness of Christ by purifying our hearts and minds, through repentance, prayer and meditating the scriptures daily. We can understand this in three stages.

• Lord Jesus died on the cross of Calvary and became a pleasing sacrifice to God sanctifying from sins all those who receive Christ as their savior. He takes all your sins upon himself and clothes you with his righteousness making you blameless in sight of God.
  ^“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” Hebrews 10:10
• As you grow in the knowledge of God, the Holy Spirit empowers you to do what is right and pleasing in God’s sight. When you resist the sinful desires of the flesh, you will grow in godliness and will be led by the spirit to do His will. This process of sanctification happens only when you have daily communion with God.
  ^“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14
• The Final stage of sanctification is when you share in Christ’s glory. When Jesus will return, you will be resurrected and given a glorified body and your sanctification will be made complete.
  ^“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14

Resurrection of Christ has given us hope that we will be kept blameless till the end and we will be presented faultless before the presence of God. “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”  1 Thessalonians 5:24