FRIDAY, JULY 7
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
1 Corinthians 1:30

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us…
sanctification…"

MEANING OF SANCTIFICATION (1)

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (hagiasmos)… For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness (hagiasmos)" (1 Thess 4:3, 7). "Sanctification" in Greek is hagiasmos, which has ten occurrences in the New Testament, and the King James Bible translates as "holiness" five times, and "sanctification" five times (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). Hagiasmos means holiness, consecration, sanctification; the use in a moral sense for a process or, more often, its result (the state of being made holy) (BAGD). Hagiasmos means separation unto God (Zodhiates).

Thus, Christian sanctification is a process of separation and dedication unto the Lord with their positional sanctification in Christ, "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30). Although they are not perfect yet and are still in their process of sanctification each day, they "are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Cor 1:2).

Hagiasmos is from the Greek verb hagiázō, which has twenty-nine occurrences; KJB translates as "sanctify" twenty-six times, "hallow" twice, and "be holy" once (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). Hagiázō means to make clean, render pure (Heb 9:13). Metaphorically, to render clean in a moral sense, to purify, sanctify; to consecrate, devote, set apart from a common to a sacred use; spoken of persons to consecrate as being set apart of God and sent by Him for the performance of His will (John 10:36); and to regard and venerate as holy, to hallow (Matt 6:9; 1 Pet 3:15) (Zodhiates).

Thus, to sanctify is to make clean, to separate and consecrate unto the Lord for His own will and use. Only through a sanctified Christian life will God’s holy name be hallowed with reverence, and the holy Lord be exalted! Thus, sanctification is not an option but a commandment. "… Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Pet 1:16). Are you sanctified each day?

THOUGHT: God commands me to be holy as He is holy!
PRAYER: Lord, sanctify me and keep me Thine for Thy glory.