THURSDAY, AUGUST 10
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
1 Thessalonians 5:23

"And the very God of peace
sanctify you wholly."

THE VERY GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY

God’s Word confirms again that sanctification is the work of the Triune God. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess 5:23-24). According to God’s will, the Holy Spirit moves us to read God’s Word, illumines us to understand God’s Truth, helps us see not only God’s love but also God’s holiness, convicts us of our sins and shortcomings, helps us pray to the Lord in repentance for His cleansing in Jesus’ precious blood, mortifies our sinful flesh, and fills us to live a holy life! The more we are sanctified, the more we are holy like Christ, and the more peace we can enjoy from the holy presence of the God of peace.

It is the Triune God Himself doing the work of sanctification, and He will do it because He is faithful. Our part is to commit our whole spirit and body to Him with trust and submission like the clay in the Divine Potter’s hands so that He may cleanse us, mould us, sanctify us, and preserve us blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. All thanks, praise and glory to the Triune God alone!

It is good for us to understand God’s work of sanctification with our cooperation, even our faith and obedience. It is good for us to go into detail of our whole being and understand what a sanctified spirit/soul and a sanctified body mean and then apply it in our practical life. Many do not believe that they have a soul/spirit! With such unbelief, they think death is the end of all things, as is the case with animals. Consequently, they would neither worry about their life after death nor see their need of the Saviour Jesus Christ. That is a big lie and deceit from Satan! It is so dangerous when "they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (2 Thess 2:10-11)! What about you?

THOUGHT: Without God’s gracious work, no true sanctification!
PRAYER: My God, I thank Thee for sanctifying me wholly.