Sanctification is not a negative matter: not “Don’t do this” and “Don’t do that.” It is rather the positive truth that God wants us for Himself as a sacred possession, his very own in a special, sacred way.

Bible sanctification is a twofold truth, affecting both our standing before God and our spiritual state or condition. In one sense every true believer in Christ has already been sanctified, or consecrated to God, by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Thus, we read:

“…God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit…” (II Thes. 2: 13).

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit…” (I Pet.1:2).

This has nothing to do with our conduct, for God did it Himself.

So, sanctification begins with Him. Thus, Paul could write to even the careless fleshly Corinthian believers and say: “Ye are sanctified” (1 Cor. 6:11; cf. Acts 20:32; 26:18), i.e., “God has set you apart for Himself.”

This phase of sanctification is based on the redemptive work of Christ’s work at the Cross in our behalf, for Heb. 10:10 says: “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

But now God would have us appreciate this fact and conduct ourselves accordingly, consecrating ourselves ever more completely to Him... in our soul’s mind emotion and will. This then is practical, progressive sanctification. “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification” (I Thes. 4:3).

Hence Paul’s benediction stating the fact: “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (I Thes. 5:23), and his exhortation to Timothy to be “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet [fit] for the Master’s use” (II Tim. 2:21).

How can believers be more wholly sanctified to God in their practical experience?

Sanctification of our self-soul comes to us by studying and meditating on His Word, that encourages us to trust Him and His work in our lives. Our Lord prayed: “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).

Paul declares that “Christ… loved the Church and gave Himself for it, [so] that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word” (Eph. 5:25-26).

Once again we see that our lives in Christ is God’s doing … needing us only to believe and trust in His work, knowing this we will co-operate in His handiwork.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you [He] will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6 (KJV)