Mon, Jun 10th - 10:10PM
STUDYING BIG CONCEPTS, PART VI
Today I really am seeking to delve into this concept of consecration/sanctification. The term "dedication" also swims into our pool, forcing us to go back into the OT books and discover exactly what God means by these terms that we read in the NT. In II Chronicles 15:8 can be seen the term enkainizo, meaning "to make new, to renew." From this vantage point we get consecrate and dedicate, which are also to be seen in II Chronicles 7:5, Isaiah 16:11, 41:1, 45:16, and Deuteronomy 20:5. Enkainia is used frequently in the Old Testament in the sense of dedication, as for the annual eight days' feast beginning on the 25th of Chisleu (mid December) that was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus commemorating the cleansing of the Temple from the blasphemy of Antiochus Epiphanes. So in John 10:22 we find reference to this: "Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter." The lighting of lamps was a prominent feature, thus the description "Feast of Lights." Perhaps even John 9:5 gives us Christ speaking to this point? Not sure.
In Leviticus 40 it is seen that God instructs Moses exactly how to set up the tabernacle each time it is to be used. Once it has been erected properly anointing oil had to be used to consecrate the tabernacle and everything within it. All of it had to be made holy. The altars needed to be anointed, the basin holding the water for cleansing, the table for the showbread, even the priestly garments and the priests had to be consecrated. In order to serve Jehovah at that time one must be anointed with oil, consecrated, set apart unto God. Verse fifteen informs the reader that this anointing/consecration would serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for the individuals anointed. Verse thirty informs the reader that the basin filled with clean water was used to wash a priest whenever they came to the tabernacle and intended to approach the altar. Priests needed to keep themselves clean while serving God within the tabernacle. This meant repeated washing at the basin as they moved about within the tabernacle discharging their varied duties. This concept of being set apart to be used by God continued on into the New Testamental period.
In I Corinthians 1:30 we find this newer term being used, "But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us---our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," which is "sanctification." This term arises from hagiasmos, a Greek word meaning separation to God. "But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth (II Thessalonians 2:13)." "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, be multiplied (I Peter 1:2)." All of these verses speak to us of being set apart from the sinful ways of our world in order to serve God, to do His will each and every day. God has chosen, not us. God moves to sanctify the believer in Christ Jesus, not the believer. Through faith in Jesus Christ people are able to enter into sanctification, an intimate relationship with God.
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor...For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness (I Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7)." Upon becoming sanctified, set apart to serve God, I can no longer indulge in fornication, either physical or spiritual. God desires that I know how to possess my body in holiness and honor, not simply be set apart. Too many so-called Christians remain extremely unclean, like being unclean, and have no desire to become holy. Is this the conduct which God teaches the reader of His Holy Word? No, it most definitely is not. "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to holiness...But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life (Romans 6:19,22)." "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety (I Timothy 2:15)." "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no person shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14):" The teaching clearly speaks of not being able to see or approach God unless holiness, or sanctification, has been obtained first. So I can see that obtaining this holiness, this being set apart for God, is of utmost necessity if I truly desire to become a disciple of Christ Jesus and be redeemed from my sins. I have already noticed that salvation is mentioned in conjunction with sanctification. The one can't be attained without the other first having been obtained. First salvation, then sanctification.
"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me (Acts 26:18)." "And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (I Corinthians 6:11)." Can you see how Christ came to implement the exact same procedures in human lives that had been instituted as ordinances within the Tabernacle? A person must become spiritually cleansed of their sin before they came enter into God's Sanctuary to worship and serve Him. This begins with faith in Christ and salvation. It then moves on to involve consecration/sanctification. Purification must take place between salvation and sanctification. How can this be accomplished? By whom? Rather obviously the Holy Spirit is involved in this process, as revealed in the I Corinthians 6:11 text. Christ Himself states in Acts 26:18 that sanctification comes by faith that is in Him and in no other person or thing.
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:25-26)," Oh how we must alter our perceptions of marriage! Christ gave Himself so that He could cleanse and sanctify the body of believers in His name. This cleansing comes through the reading of His Word. Every time that I read God's Word I am opening myself up to be cleansed spiritually, to be renewed, reinvigorated, and become transformed. God's Word has the power to change me,to mold me into becoming a closer image of Christ. Refusal to read God's Word guarantees that I will not change, that I will remain stuck exactly where I am at spiritually. It means that I feel no need to change anything in my life. This is a wrong attitude for any alleged believer in Christ to have. It goes against every teaching of Jesus. "And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight (Colossians 1:21-22):" I must accept the call of God to enter into a new relationship with Him by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus reconciled all of my wicked acts through the death of His physical body upon that cross. He did this in order to present me holy and blameless, unreproveable, in His sight. I am no longer at odds with God. "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Of how much severer punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite to the Spirit of grace(Hebrews 10:10, 29)?" "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate (Hebrews 13:12)." These verses all pointedly teach that my sole title to sanctification is the death of Christ Jesus. Without His sacrificial death on my behalf I would remain lost, unable to pay the cost of my sins. I would not be able to become separated to God but would remain separated from God. The warning is gently given here to those who hear the message clearly spoken to them, but refuse to accept it as truth. Or they scoff at the concept that shed blood could possibly seal a covenant between God and man. There are many thoughts that are hatched by reading and considering all of these passages given in this post. I hope to cover as many as possible before concluding this study. Whatever ones I do miss I hope that you will pick them up and study them out for yourself. Use a Vine's Expository Dictionary to help in understanding terms found within verses.
Grace and peace be with you.
~Eric
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Name: E J Rajaniemi
