Living A Holy and Sanctified Life:
What does living a Holy and Sanctified life mean?
In its most basic sense, to sanctify something is to set it apart for Gods special use and purpose. Therefore, Gods people are sometimes said to be sanctified because they are set apart for Gods special purpose in the world: Consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy; for I am the Lord your God Leviticus 11:44.
[1 Peter 1:13-16 NKJV] 13. Therefore gird up the lions of your mind, be sober, and rest your hopefully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14. as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lust, as in your ignorance:15. but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16. because it is written, Be holy for I am holy.
A strong and perfect trust in the grace of God, is agreeable with the best endeavors in our duty. Holiness is the desire and duty of every Christian. It must be in all affairs, in every condition and towards all people.
Why does God take living a holy and sanctified life seriously/How would He honor that?
Being able to live a sanctified life is being able to reflect Christ in all that we do outwardly, and to experience Gods presence inwardly, both in good and bad times; it is the acknowledgement that God through His Spirit is constantly working in us, and His plans are for our good, even if it means persevering through our darkest times. Living a sanctified life is living a life that brings glory to God. it is the outward expression of the inward salvation Lamb of God on Calvarys Cross striving for holiness means having a relationship with God defined by obedience to His will and being shapes to have His character.
Meaning of being holy- holiness is commonly defined as being separate or set apart. God is holy in that he is set apart from everything that is not God, and Gods people must be holy by being set apart from sin. Holiness according to this definition is separateness that entails moral purity.
Meaning of sanctification- is that renewal of our fallen nature by the Holy Ghost, received through faith in Jesus Christ, whose blood of atonement cleansed from all sin. Sanctification is a Christian teaching about how God transforms a person, making them fit a holy purpose. Sanctification means to be reserve for holy use. The objective pf every believer should be to hastily pursue this. Sanctification demonstrates the urgency to be emptied out of anything that impairs against being a useful vessel for Gods glory.
[Acts 26:18] 18. to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
Paul doing what he does numerous times throughout Acts, is hes being tried and accused, and hes basically sharing his testimony about when he encountered Jesus. Jesus not only claimed Paul, but He also commissioned him to spread the news of His resurrection to Jews and Gentiles and to bring them to understanding so that they would turn from darkness to light, be released forgiveness of sins, and have a place among those sanctified by faith.
[Romans 12:1-2] 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The worship of our God as becoming living sacrifices to our God, giving up seeking what we want from life and learning to know and serve what God wants. That begins with using our spiritual gifts to serve each other in the church. We live out Gods will when we change our thoughts to Gods thoughts, rather than living like the world dictates. Paul is urging Christians to respond to Gods mercy, His forgiveness of our sin, and His inclusion of us in His family. It shows us how we can faithfully follow God and discover the peace and joy he has for us.
5 Benefits Of Living a Holy Life
1. Christ is the source of sanctification:
Believers are sanctified by virtue of their union with Christ. He is the singular source of sanctification insomuch as He supplies His people with all that they need to grow spiritually as they abide in Him by faith. As the Apostle Paul wrote, You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 cor1:3, emphasis added). To become the source of sanctification for His people, Jesus had to sanctify Himself in the work of redemption.
2. Regeneration is the fountain of sanctification:
Since justification is a legal; benefit of redemption once-for-all act, sanctification more properly flows from the transformative blessing of regeneration. The implementation of a new nature (regeneration) into the lives of believers at the beginning of their Christian experience begins the process of sanctification.
3. Sanctification has a definitive aspect to it:
John Murray, late professor of Seminary in Philadelphia, rightly distinguished between definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification. Regarding the New Testament passage the speak of believers having been sanctified, definitive sanctification involves a radical breach with the power of sin in the life of believers. This breach with the power of sin occurs when Jesus died to sin on the cross. When a believer is savingly united to Christ in time, this aspect of the work of redemption is realized in his Christian experience.
4. Faith and love are dual instruments of sanctification:
Whereas the justification of believers the being accepted before God is by faith alone, the process of sanctification occurs in the lives of believers by faith working through love Gal 5:6 believers, faith actively works together with love to bring about growth in grace. There is a harmony between what God is doing in the lives of His people and what they are called to do in response.
5. God has appointed certain means to help believers advance in progressive sanctification:
Through sanctification is based on what Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection and is experienced in the lives of believers by the power of the Holy Spirit, God has appointed certain means to assist believers in the pursuit of growth in grace. The believers progressive sanctification will be commensurate with employment of the means of grace. The ministry of the word, sacraments and prayer are the central elements of corporate worship. Therefore, being gathered in Lords Day worship with the saints is vital to our progressive sanctification.
