Sanctification

We have seen what the Bible means by 'idolatry', how it has gained a foothold in Christendom from the beginning and how it has manifested and grown in a special way in the postmodern church in recent decades.

But if you belong to the Lord Jesus and want to do God's will, then the question is what God asks of you now. We must then talk about the biblical concept of 'sanctification'.

First, let's clear up a misunderstanding. Most people have the idea that "holy" has to do with how little you sin. If you sin less, then you become more and more holy. This is also the idea behind the so-called "sanctification movement" where many had the view that a believer could eventually live a sinless life.

Yet this is certainly not the direct meaning of the word 'sanctification' (or 'holiness'). Sanctification is not a process by which you commit less and less sin until you can finally say that you are "almost a saint now."

Set aside

Of course the word is used when referring to God Himself: He is holy. See, for example, Isaiah 6:1-5 and 1 Peter 1:16. But it is also used for the believers, the people of God.

'Holy' means 'set apart', both in the Old and New Testaments. It is also sometimes translated as 'separated'.

When God says of His people that they are a holy people, it means two things:

• God has separated them from those they belonged to before;
• He has set them apart for a purpose; namely to serve Him!

God has sanctified them so to speak from' and 'sanctified' until'; He takes them out of one environment and brings them into a completely different environment. Two environments that never go together; they are separated like light and darkness (Genesis 1:4).

“"You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation"(Exodus 19:6)

“You must for Me holy be, for I am the Lord holy. I got you from the nations secluded to be mine” (Leviticus 20:26)

“(…) a spiritual house, a holy priesthood (…)” (1 Peter 2:5)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a nation that God made His own . . .” (1 Peter 2:9)

Become holy

We are set apart by God, we are 'sanctified' by Him. That's something that happened because God has a purpose for us. But at the same time, we also need to be sanctified in the practice of our lives. That is an ongoing process of sanctification; fulfilling God's purpose more and more in practice.

Again, of course, that process is God's work, as the Lord Jesus asked the Father, "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17). But at the same time, it is our responsibility. We must then allow ourselves to be taught and "sanctified" by that Word of God. Making our own decisions to set ourselves apart as well. As Paul writes to Timothy

“If therefore any man purify himself from these things, he shall be an object of honorable use, sanctified and of much use to the Lord, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21)

Or the following text places also show that there is one's own responsibility.

“Pursue peace with all, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14)

“But just as he who called you is holy, so also be holy in all your conduct(1 Peter 1:15)

Withdraw from individuals

The Bible indicates in several places that we cannot associate with everyone who is called brother.

For example, in Romans 16:17, where we are called to turn away from those who time and again do not accept and question the teachings we have been given by the apostles.

According to 1 Corinthians 5:11, we should not associate with those who walk in a wicked way; among others 'idolaters' are called there. They are to be put out of fellowship: “And put the evildoer out of your midst” (1 Corinthians 5:13).

The same was true in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 13:1-5 you can read how to deal with a leader (prophet) who wants to tempt you into idolatry: he must be killed. And just like in 1 Corinthians 5 it says, “So you shall put away evil from among yourselves” (Deuteronomy 13:5). If it was a relative, or your soul mate, who wanted to tempt you into idolatry, the same was true. You had to stone him (Deuteronomy 13:6-11).

It is clear that you must separate yourself from individuals who go in a way of idolatry. Israel had to be put to death. That is not the case in this time of grace. But it does mean that you cannot associate with them.

Withdraw from the community

Unless idolatry is rejected and done away with in the community where you are, you will not be able to stay there as a child of God. The judgment of God then comes upon that community and that is one of the reasons for leaving there. To 'separate' you, so to speak.

In the Old Testament we find this already in the story of Lot who is called to get out of Sodom.

“Stand up! Get out of this place! For the Lord is going to destroy this city” (Genesis 19:12-14).

And look also at the sections below, where the believing Jews are called to flee from the city from the judgment of God to come.

“Depart, depart, get out of there, do not touch the unclean thing; depart from her midst, purify yourselves, you who bear the holy vessels of the Lord!” (Isaiah 52:11)

“And you shall say to this people, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, or by the plague. But whoever departs and goes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live and his life will be a spoil to him. For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 21:8-10)

To escape the judgment on Jerusalem they must go out of the city and surrender themselves to the enemy; then they would live.

“Thus says the Lord: Whoever dwells in this city will die by the sword, or by famine, or by the plague; but whoever departs into the Chaldeans will live. He will have his life as spoils and remain alive. . . . But unless you go to the princes of the king of Babylon, this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans. They will burn it with fire and you will not escape their hand" (Jeremiah 38:2,18)

And when the Jews are later in Babylon, they are called to get out of there before God judges Babylon.

“Flee from the midst of Babylon, from the land of the Chaldeans” (Jeremiah 50:8)

“Flee from the midst of Babylon, let every man save his life, be not destroyed in his iniquity. (…) Depart from among him, My people, let every one save his life because of the burning wrath of the Lord" (Jeremiah 51:6,45)

Even Paul calls the believers in Corinth to leave the community there if God is no longer properly served and idolatry is committed. “Depart therefore from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Finally, the same call is heard again, just before the judgment on nominal Christianity comes in the last book of the Bible:

“Get out of her, My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.n” (Revelation 18:4).

It is noticeable that in al In these cases it is said that the judgment of God comes upon the community because idolatry is tolerated, which one does not want to condemn and from which one does not want to repent.

Then, as a believer, however, you have no other choice than the Lord's call to 'go out'.

Accomplishing the Sanctification

Finally, let's look again at what Paul writes in his second letter to the church in Corinth.

“(…) Or what connection is there between the temple of God and the idols? For thou art the temple of God, as God hath said, I will dwell in the midst of them, and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore depart from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord, The Almighty. Since then, beloved, we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, and accomplish sanctification in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

In his first letter, Paul had already written quite a bit about idolatry. Apparently that was a danger to the Corinthians. But did they really understand? It is doubtful, because from this section in his second letter it is inferred that it was something that had been carried on further. To those who wanted to walk in the light (6:14), Paul here writes that they are a 'temple of the living God'. God wanted to "dwell in their midst and walk among them." But they couldn't as long as they stayed with those who worshiped the idols.

Then Paul concludes: "Go therefore out of their midst, and separate yourselves." Go away and isolate yourself. So you separate. But you are not alone, for God gives His promise:

“. . . I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (verse 17,18).

This promise comes from the Lord Almighty. That is the One Whose Name appears only in this place in the New Testament and further in the book of Revelation. He, that great God, is the Almighty who also controls the course of history. He is the One to whom we may entrust ourselves as sons and daughters.

This promise is the exhortation to take that step and cleanse us so that we'to accomplish sanctification in the fear of God' (2 Corinthians 7:1). Going out and separating is one side of 'sanctification', but we must also 'perform the sanctification' and see for what purpose we left.

Serving the True God

This other side of "sanctification" we will explore in the next part of this study. Because up to this point it was all rather negative; about satan and his demons, how God's people are tempted again and again to idolatry and invoke God's judgment on themselves. How all around us, without realizing it, Christendom is sinking further and further into idolatry. These are not pleasant things, but we must deal with them and we will also see against this dark background how wonderful and great is what God the Father has in store for us. We can "go out to him outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:13).

In the next part – Serving God – do we continue this, asking ourselves how God wants us to serve Him? Understanding how not to do it is one thing, but it is another to know how to do it.

⇒ Over ‘sanctification' state here another good article.