Lesson 16: Now - Where Can I Find Answers to Hard Questions? (2)

Sanctification is also perfecting, meaning that it accomplishes the goal that God has set for us – to make us like Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely..." As we allow God's peace to reign in our hearts, no matter the storms that rage about us, He works His sanctifying process in our hearts until that final moment when He reaches out His hand and gathers us into His arms where we are finally made perfect (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What do we have to do about this? 2 Timothy 2:21 gives us the answer, "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the Master of the house, ready for every good work."

God asks us to cleanse ourselves. This does not mean our weekly baths (meaning our one trip per week to church); it means a moment by moment communication with God which lets Him tell us when we sin so that we can confess it immediately.

In 2 Corinthians 1:12 we see holiness contrasted with fleshly wisdom. In other words, we cannot be set apart to God through the wisdom of this world, through logic, through our own attempts. Also, holiness is here stated as something to do with our relationship with the world.


*How does holiness show itself in your relationship with the world? Are you compromising in some way your stand for Christ in order to fit in better in your world? What are you watching? What are you hearing? What are you saying? What are you touching? What are you tasting? What are you reading?

In 2 Corinthians 7:1 we find a motive which should be ours for seeking holiness – the promises of God. What are the promises referred to here? Look at the last verse in chapter 6 - God has promised to be our Father and make us His children. Those promises alone should be motive enough for us to desire holiness.

Now for those who visit ancient Corinth (to whom this letter was written) it does not take long to discover that this culture was obsessed by sexuality, as much or more so than many cultures are today. Paul was telling these people they were to cleanse themselves from defilement of flesh and spirit because their Father was God and they were His children. What a message for us today! We are defiling ourselves at every turn, not only through what we do but through what we see and hear and touch. Even the Christian world has bought into this lie from hell that "if it feels good it can't be all bad." We are, indeed, to "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).