Sanctified Through Faith in Jesus Christ

1. The Foundation: "One Sacrifice" Makes Perfect Forever

Christ’s sacrifice is complete. The sanctifying work is applied to those who are being set apart to God.

Hebrews 10:14 (BSB)

14 Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

Bob’s observation: The verse holds two truths together. Christ’s offering is one complete sacrifice, and those benefiting from it are described as “being sanctified.”

Joe’s annotation: This means the sacrifice is not repeated, but the people receiving its benefit are in a sanctified condition; they are set aside to God. They have come into a new and special relationship with him.

Hebrews 10:10 (BSB)

10 And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Bob’s observation: Sanctification rests on God’s will (2 Chron 16:9; John 6:43-47) and Christ’s sacrifice, not on repeated sacrifices or human merit.

2. Sanctified Means Set Apart by God’s Truth

Jesus connects sanctification directly with God’s truth.

John 17:17 (WEB)

17 Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.

Bob’s observation: To be sanctified is to be set apart by God through the truth of His word.

Joe’s annotation: Sanctification is not vague religious feeling. Jesus defines the instrument of sanctification as a personal knowledge of God and his truth; which Jesus Christ came to bring. Your hope, which faith is your deliverance, is your intimate personal knowledge of "Jesus's" words... (John 15:11-16) This introduces a danger to your faith! Have you been reading Jesus's words for yourself; or have you been letting some Religionist sect tell you what Jesus said and meant?

3. Sanctified People Are Washed and Changed

Sanctification includes a real change from the former way of life.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (BSB)

11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Bob’s observation: Paul shows sanctification as part of a changed standing and life: washed, sanctified, and justified.

Joe’s annotation: The sanctified person is not merely labeled differently. He or she has been brought out of their former uncleanness and placed before God in a clean condition. They are being infused with God's Holy Spirit; which is alive in the words of Jesus Christ. We can only get God's Spirit by listening to Jesus! (John 6:63) Don't be deceived: My words can't give it. No other human can...

4. Sanctified People Belong to God

Those sanctified by God become His possession and are called out of darkness.

1 Peter 2:9 (WEB)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Bob’s observation: Sanctification includes ownership. God calls a people out of darkness and makes them His own possession.

Joe’s annotation: This is why “sanctified” means more than forgiven. It means separated from the old darkness of ignorance and stupidity and brought into God’s service. It means being the new "me" God knows you to be! (Mal 3:16-4:3) It makes you a son or daughter of God. (Gal 3:26 of 23-29)

5. Sanctification Continues in Holiness of Conduct

The sacrifice in our behalf is complete, but the sanctified life of each Christian continues to be refined by obedience to God through Christ. This is not a group religious sectarian process. It is individual and personal... There is, of course, a large group of those "individuals" undergoing that same process; but who they are is not known to you! (Luke 10:20-24) •> Danger: If you have allowed yourself to be misled to imagine you know who other Christians are, or that salvation is somehow connected with any one of the many visible self named (Acts 11:26) religious sects of people you have chosen to be joined with, you are probably not a Christian... <• We all see indications we hope identify people who are other followers of Christ, but we won't know until we are perfect