LORD’S DAY, JULY 9
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Romans 12:1

"…present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God…"

MEANING OF SANCTIFICATION (3)

Separation is the first step of sanctification. There is no sanctification without separation. However, separation alone is not enough. Many religions teach followers to separate themselves from sinful deeds and worldliness and to confine themselves in shrines, temples, or in a place far away from the world. By so doing, they think they are saints, and others also regard them as saints with much respect! However, without dedication to the Lord, their hearts and minds are still full of "evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:21-22)! Thus, the next step of sanctification, i.e. dedication to the Lord, is a must too.

Dedicated unto the Lord to be His: The Tabernacle and everything in it were dedicated to the Lord through anointing. "And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy" (Exod 40:9), and "This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed" (Num 7:88). The temple or the house of God was also dedicated to the Lord. "So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD" to be His (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chron 7:5). God’s people are His holy temple, not only separated unto Him, but also dedicated unto Him to be His. "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" (Rom 12:1), and "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Cor 6:19). Many professing Christians and leaders may think they have dedicated their lives to the Lord, but they are not truly the Lord’s! They still believe, think, desire, see, watch, listen to, read, say, sing or do what they like regardless of the Lord and His Word! They still worship and serve the Lord any way they like! Their dedication is vain! What about you?

THOUGHT: Without dedication, there is no true sanctification.
PRAYER: O Lord, keep me dedicated unto Thee always.