Lesson 36: Sanctification

Working out our salvation is called “sanctification” in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles [unsaved] who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”

Sanctification means being set apart. It means being different from those around you. And the first thing in which we must learn to be sanctified is in how we live in human bodies that still want all the things we wanted before we received the Gift of Salvation.

Only God can do the actual work in me of sanctification, but I am an active participant in this effort so I not only SEEK it from Him, but I obey every command He gives me. I DO as He says and GO where He sends me. I consciously choose to make myself His servant in ALL things in my life. My human body and my old desires will object to this! But in following Him by my choice each moment I will become more like Him – become sanctified – in my life here on earth.