05- 08- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION (I Thessalonians 4:3- 5)
SANCTIFICATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES
3- “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4- That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5- Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:”
I know that many of our readers may wonder what this word (sanctification) means. It‘s a theological word or term that I myself was confused and did not have any clue about the meaning of it when I was new in my faith. We may even think that “sanctification” is the next door neighbor of the author. But this has a special place in the heart of God because that is His will for us, “to be set apart”.
Dr. H.L. Willmington said in his book, Willmington Guide to the Bible: “… In like manner he has only one will for saints and that is that they be sanctified! Here Paul, of course, refers to a daily growing in grace and maturing in the faith.”
God’s will for us Christians is to be set apart for God. The theological word for being “Set Apart” is Sanctification. (II Peter 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (I Thessalonians 4:3) “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.”
The Greek word for Sanctification is Hagiasmos which means a separation, setting apart. It’s fundamental force being to separate from the world and consecrate to God. To sanctify anything is to declare that it belongs to God. It may be things, places, persons, days, seasons or objects that people used for worship. (Exodus 13:1-2) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (verse 2) “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.”
To sanctify Jehovah means to put Him in a category by Himself, to acknowledge Him as God, to recognize Him as supreme, sovereign, with a unique claim on all of His creation. When Christ sanctifies Himself (I John 17:19), He means that He consecrates Himself to His mediatorial work as a Redeemer. (Zondervan Pictorial Dictionary, page 751). The word saint comes from this root word. If you are a saint it means you are a sanctified individual. (Romans 12:1-2) 1- “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2- And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
