A very interesting question appeared on one of the groups I follow: “What do you understand by sanctification?”.
What is the answer? Let us do a search in the Word of God:
Indeed this is inspiring enough to make a super interesting study. Every verse is breathed by God.
First thing that we have to ask ourselves is this: what or who is the object of sanctification?
Look at the vast number of references in Exodus. sanctify him, sanctify them, sanctify you. Everything God touches is holy. Everything we touch or see or move or speak should be holy for God is holy.
Let us take a look at some NT references on sanctification starting backwards:
Apostle Peter writes: sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. this may provide the best answer to the question. sanctification begins in our repented hearts (1 P. 3:15), sanctified are the people by Jesus and by His own blood (Hebrews 13:12), we are sanctified wholly (1 Thes. 5:23) for the work is finished by Christ on the cross, the means of sanctification is the cleansing and washing of water by the word (Eph. 5:26). The best example of a practical application of sanctification is the words of the Lord: “and for their sakes I sanctify myself”. As the Lord sanctified himself, so shall we sanctify ourselves – 1 John 3:16 et al. 2 verses earlier in the gospel of John the Lord says: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (J. 17:17).
