Sanctification: Holiness in the Light of God’s Covenant

[JesusFollowerForever]

Sanctification, as revealed in the Scriptures of the New King James Version, emerges as a multifaceted divine-human drama, encompassing both the instantaneous act of being set apart for God and the progressive journey toward holiness, culminating in the eschatological perfection of the believer. Rooted in the Hebrew qadash and Greek hagiazo, the term denotes consecration—a setting apart for sacred purpose—evident in God’s command to hallow the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) and anoint the tabernacle (Exodus 40:9), yet it finds its richest expression in the lives of God’s people. In Hebrews 10:10, we encounter the foundational truth that “by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” where Christ’s singular sacrifice establishes believers as holy, a positional reality echoing the priestly consecration of Israel in Exodus 19:6 as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Yet sanctification extends beyond this initial declaration. Jesus Himself, in John 17:19, prays, “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth,” suggesting a dynamic process wherein His own consecration enables ours, a process sustained by the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17). This trajectory reaches its telos in 1 John 3:2, where “when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” marking sanctification’s ultimate transformation into Christ’s likeness.

This divine work is inseparable from God’s covenant relationship with His people, a theme that frames sanctification as both gift and calling. In Exodus 19:5-6, God pledges, “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me,” establishing Israel—and by extension, believers (1 Peter 2:9)—as a holy nation tasked with reflecting His glory. Sanctification, then, is the outworking of this covenant, demanding holiness because God Himself is holy, as Leviticus 20:7-8 declares: “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God… I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Peter reiterates this in 1 Peter 1:15-16, grounding our sanctification in God’s immutable character. It is God’s will, as Jesus’ prayer in John 17:17 affirms, and it prepares us for eternity, where Revelation 19:7-8 envisions the church “arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Moreover, this set-apartness glorifies God before the world, as Matthew 5:16 exhorts: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How, then, does sanctification unfold? It is a cooperative act, initiated and sustained by God yet requiring human response. God the Father sanctifies, as Leviticus 20:8 asserts, while Christ’s self-offering perfects “those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14), and the Spirit, implicitly active in 1 Peter 1:2’s “sanctification of the Spirit,” enables obedience. Yet Joshua 3:5 calls the people to “sanctify yourselves,” and Hebrews 12:14 urges us to “pursue… holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,” revealing our agency. This synergy finds its rhythm in abiding, as Jesus teaches in John 15:4-5: “Abide in Me, and I in you… for without Me you can do nothing,” where fruitfulness flows from union with Him. The Word sanctifies, cleansing us as John 15:3 and 17:17 affirm, while prayer aligns us with God’s will (Matthew 6:13), and trials, per James 1:2-4, refine us toward completeness. Sanctification thus navigates the tension of the already and not yet, for though set apart, we wrestle with sin (1 John 1:8), pressing toward the day when we are fully like Him.

Complementing this, sanctification interlaces with purity and cleansing, as Psalm 51:7’s cry—“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean”—and Isaiah 1:16-18’s promise of scarlet sins turned white as snow underscore the purification inherent in being set apart. Consecration amplifies this, seen in Leviticus 27:28’s irrevocable devotion to God, a voluntary yielding that Joshua 3:5 echoes as preparation for divine wonders. Transformation, too, is integral—Ezekiel 36:26-27’s new heart and spirit enable us to walk in God’s ways, a renewal fulfilled in 1 John 3:2’s likeness to Christ. Obedience animates sanctification, as Deuteronomy 30:16 and John 14:15 tie love for God to keeping His commands, a truth 1 Peter 1:22 extends to soul-purifying obedience through the Spirit. Worship, meanwhile, both flows from and feeds sanctification—Psalm 29:2’s “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” and John 4:23-24’s call to worship in spirit and truth position it as a sanctifying act, drawing us into God’s presence. Finally, separation from the world, as Leviticus 18:3-4 and James 1:27 counsel, marks the sanctified life as distinct, not conformed to earthly patterns but radiant with divine purpose.

In this tapestry, sanctification emerges as God’s covenantal act of setting us apart through Christ’s sacrifice, purifying and transforming us by His Word and Spirit, that we might live obediently, worship authentically, and stand separate from the world—ultimately to shine His light and prepare for His return. It is holiness in motion, a divine gift and human pursuit, consummated when we see Him face to face.

Blessings.

 

[ARBITER01]

That was really good!

 

[JesusFollowerForever]

That was really good!

thank you, I had questions about sanctification myself and decided to do a short study on it, I am sharing with you all, my brothers and sisters in Christ

Blessings.

 

[ARBITER01]

thank you, I had questions about sanctification myself and decided to do a short study on it, I am sharing with you all, my brothers and sisters in Christ

Blessings.

Looks like your study was very fruitful.

 

[JesusFollowerForever]

Looks like your study was very fruitful.

with bible software today, it becomes easy to search biblical texts as well as commentaries, it saves a lot time.

 

[Hoping2]

Sanctification, as revealed in the Scriptures of the New King James Version, emerges as a multifaceted divine-human drama, encompassing both the instantaneous act of being set apart for God and the progressive journey toward holiness, culminating in the eschatological perfection of the believer. Rooted in the Hebrew qadash and Greek hagiazo, the term denotes consecration—a setting apart for sacred purpose—evident in God’s command to hallow the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) and anoint the tabernacle (Exodus 40:9), yet it finds its richest expression in the lives of God’s people. In Hebrews 10:10, we encounter the foundational truth that “by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” where Christ’s singular sacrifice establishes believers as holy, a positional reality echoing the priestly consecration of Israel in Exodus 19:6 as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Yet sanctification extends beyond this initial declaration. Jesus Himself, in John 17:19, prays, “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth,” suggesting a dynamic process wherein His own consecration enables ours, a process sustained by the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17). This trajectory reaches its telos in 1 John 3:2, where “when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” marking sanctification’s ultimate transformation into Christ’s likeness.

I see 1 John 3:2 more as the final manifestation of what happens at the application of Christ's sanctifying blood.
We will realize we are like Him !
I don't see being made 'more' sanctified over time, but we can indeed grow in grace and knowledge.

This divine work is inseparable from God’s covenant relationship with His people, a theme that frames sanctification as both gift and calling. In Exodus 19:5-6, God pledges, “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me,” establishing Israel—and by extension, believers (1 Peter 2:9)—as a holy nation tasked with reflecting His glory. Sanctification, then, is the outworking of this covenant, demanding holiness because God Himself is holy, as Leviticus 20:7-8 declares: “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God… I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Peter reiterates this in 1 Peter 1:15-16, grounding our sanctification in God’s immutable character. It is God’s will, as Jesus’ prayer in John 17:17 affirms, and it prepares us for eternity, where Revelation 19:7-8 envisions the church “arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Moreover, this set-apartness glorifies God before the world, as Matthew 5:16 exhorts: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How, then, does sanctification unfold? It is a cooperative act, initiated and sustained by God yet requiring human response. God the Father sanctifies, as Leviticus 20:8 asserts, while Christ’s self-offering perfects “those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14), and the Spirit, implicitly active in 1 Peter 1:2’s “sanctification of the Spirit,” enables obedience. Yet Joshua 3:5 calls the people to “sanctify yourselves,” and Hebrews 12:14 urges us to “pursue… holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,” revealing our agency. This synergy finds its rhythm in abiding, as Jesus teaches in John 15:4-5: “Abide in Me, and I in you… for without Me you can do nothing,” where fruitfulness flows from union with Him. The Word sanctifies, cleansing us as John 15:3 and 17:17 affirm, while prayer aligns us with God’s will (Matthew 6:13), and trials, per James 1:2-4, refine us toward completeness. Sanctification thus navigates the tension of the already and not yet, for though set apart, we wrestle with sin (1 John 1:8), pressing toward the day when we are fully like Him.

I don't have "are being sanctified" in my bible. (KJV)
As the blood that sanctifies is applied once, sanctification is complete at that point.
Or do you have another means of sanctification in mind ?

Complementing this, sanctification interlaces with purity and cleansing, as Psalm 51:7’s cry—“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean”—and Isaiah 1:16-18’s promise of scarlet sins turned white as snow underscore the purification inherent in being set apart. Consecration amplifies this, seen in Leviticus 27:28’s irrevocable devotion to God, a voluntary yielding that Joshua 3:5 echoes as preparation for divine wonders. Transformation, too, is integral—Ezekiel 36:26-27’s new heart and spirit enable us to walk in God’s ways, a renewal fulfilled in 1 John 3:2’s likeness to Christ. Obedience animates sanctification, as Deuteronomy 30:16 and John 14:15 tie love for God to keeping His commands, a truth 1 Peter 1:22 extends to soul-purifying obedience through the Spirit. Worship, meanwhile, both flows from and feeds sanctification—Psalm 29:2’s “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” and John 4:23-24’s call to worship in spirit and truth position it as a sanctifying act, drawing us into God’s presence. Finally, separation from the world, as Leviticus 18:3-4 and James 1:27 counsel, marks the sanctified life as distinct, not conformed to earthly patterns but radiant with divine purpose.

In this tapestry, sanctification emerges as God’s covenantal act of setting us apart through Christ’s sacrifice, purifying and transforming us by His Word and Spirit, that we might live obediently, worship authentically, and stand separate from the world—ultimately to shine His light and prepare for His return. It is holiness in motion, a divine gift and human pursuit, consummated when we see Him face to face.

Blessings.

 

[fhansen]

Sanctification, as revealed in the Scriptures of the New King James Version, emerges as a multifaceted divine-human drama, encompassing both the instantaneous act of being set apart for God and the progressive journey toward holiness, culminating in the eschatological perfection of the believer. Rooted in the Hebrew qadash and Greek hagiazo, the term denotes consecration—a setting apart for sacred purpose—evident in God’s command to hallow the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) and anoint the tabernacle (Exodus 40:9), yet it finds its richest expression in the lives of God’s people. In Hebrews 10:10, we encounter the foundational truth that “by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” where Christ’s singular sacrifice establishes believers as holy, a positional reality echoing the priestly consecration of Israel in Exodus 19:6 as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Yet sanctification extends beyond this initial declaration. Jesus Himself, in John 17:19, prays, “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth,” suggesting a dynamic process wherein His own consecration enables ours, a process sustained by the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17). This trajectory reaches its telos in 1 John 3:2, where “when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” marking sanctification’s ultimate transformation into Christ’s likeness.

This divine work is inseparable from God’s covenant relationship with His people, a theme that frames sanctification as both gift and calling. In Exodus 19:5-6, God pledges, “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me,” establishing Israel—and by extension, believers (1 Peter 2:9)—as a holy nation tasked with reflecting His glory. Sanctification, then, is the outworking of this covenant, demanding holiness because God Himself is holy, as Leviticus 20:7-8 declares: “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God… I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Peter reiterates this in 1 Peter 1:15-16, grounding our sanctification in God’s immutable character. It is God’s will, as Jesus’ prayer in John 17:17 affirms, and it prepares us for eternity, where Revelation 19:7-8 envisions the church “arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Moreover, this set-apartness glorifies God before the world, as Matthew 5:16 exhorts: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How, then, does sanctification unfold? It is a cooperative act, initiated and sustained by God yet requiring human response. God the Father sanctifies, as Leviticus 20:8 asserts, while Christ’s self-offering perfects “those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14), and the Spirit, implicitly active in 1 Peter 1:2’s “sanctification of the Spirit,” enables obedience. Yet Joshua 3:5 calls the people to “sanctify yourselves,” and Hebrews 12:14 urges us to “pursue… holiness, without which no one will see the Lord,” revealing our agency. This synergy finds its rhythm in abiding, as Jesus teaches in John 15:4-5: “Abide in Me, and I in you… for without Me you can do nothing,” where fruitfulness flows from union with Him. The Word sanctifies, cleansing us as John 15:3 and 17:17 affirm, while prayer aligns us with God’s will (Matthew 6:13), and trials, per James 1:2-4, refine us toward completeness. Sanctification thus navigates the tension of the already and not yet, for though set apart, we wrestle with sin (1 John 1:8), pressing toward the day when we are fully like Him.

Complementing this, sanctification interlaces with purity and cleansing, as Psalm 51:7’s cry—“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean”—and Isaiah 1:16-18’s promise of scarlet sins turned white as snow underscore the purification inherent in being set apart. Consecration amplifies this, seen in Leviticus 27:28’s irrevocable devotion to God, a voluntary yielding that Joshua 3:5 echoes as preparation for divine wonders. Transformation, too, is integral—Ezekiel 36:26-27’s new heart and spirit enable us to walk in God’s ways, a renewal fulfilled in 1 John 3:2’s likeness to Christ. Obedience animates sanctification, as Deuteronomy 30:16 and John 14:15 tie love for God to keeping His commands, a truth 1 Peter 1:22 extends to soul-purifying obedience through the Spirit. Worship, meanwhile, both flows from and feeds sanctification—Psalm 29:2’s “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” and John 4:23-24’s call to worship in spirit and truth position it as a sanctifying act, drawing us into God’s presence. Finally, separation from the world, as Leviticus 18:3-4 and James 1:27 counsel, marks the sanctified life as distinct, not conformed to earthly patterns but radiant with divine purpose.

In this tapestry, sanctification emerges as God’s covenantal act of setting us apart through Christ’s sacrifice, purifying and transforming us by His Word and Spirit, that we might live obediently, worship authentically, and stand separate from the world—ultimately to shine His light and prepare for His return. It is holiness in motion, a divine gift and human pursuit, consummated when we see Him face to face.

Blessings.

This is consistent with the basic teachings of the early church and ECFs.

 

[fhansen]

Is the warning going away from God’s Word not enough Isa 8:20. There is nothing wrong with traditions but Jesus had a clause, and it’s a pretty stern one if you ask me, and that clause is when we keep traditions over God’s commandments. Mat 15:3-14. The Sabbath is a commandment of God, one that was never abrogated in God’s Holy Word. I believe God used the Remember as appropriate as He knew everyone would want to forget.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree

And, again, why would anyone want to forget a single commandment that there was no reason to forget or observe in a new way-unless there was a new reason to do so based on a new covenant. It would be much easier, and more profitable from a selfish human covetous, sinful point of view, to dismiss and dispense or abrogate almost any of the other commandments But nothing was even abrogated in this case anyway-the obligation remained!

Arians, JWs, SDAs, Mormons, and many before and after all wish to usurp the church's position as the restored true church, each in thier own way with their own gimmicks asserting a superior holiness, and generally seeing themselves, perhaps easier to do at first before they grow larger themselves, as the persecuted remnant while they set themselves up to be targeted as such.