Sanctification

Sanctification

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 6:15-7:1

INTRODUCTION:

1. Today we are going to talk about sanctification, holiness and sainthood.

2. How many subjects does that sound like to you?

3. Only one subject because all three mean the same thing and come from the same root word HAGIOS.

4. This is a subject that is greatly misunderstood.

5. In order to understand the subject, let’s first examine what the word does not mean.

DISCUSSION:I. What the words do not mean.

A. Sainthood is not something that belongs only to dead people.

B. The largest church in this country according to its doctrine on sainthood has only one saint born in America, Elizabeth Seton.

C. She was decreed to be a saint in December 1974, accepted by the rite of saint-hood september 14, 1975.

D. the process:

1. She was first suggested for sainthood by a famous author.

2. This was followed by 17 years of close scrutiny of her writings.

3. 11 years of confirmation study by the vatican followed.

4. In 1936 the Sacred Congregation of Rites decided the way was now clear to proceed with the cause.

5. In 1940 Pope Pius XII made a formal announcement for formal initiation of her cause.

6. In 1957 (136 years after her death) the Sacred Congregation found her to be of "Heroic virtue."

7. Two verifiable miracles from her life time had to be found.

8. However after years of research, officials were able to produce a testimony from a sick construction worker who prayed to her in 1963 (142 years after her death) and was healed of meningitis of the brain.

9. Se was finally canonized 154 years after her death.

E. Then there is the pentecostal holiness or sanctification.

1. Explain Wesleyan perfectionism.

II. What doe it really mean.

A. Saint, sanctified, and holy all come from the same root word hagios.

B. When applied to man, it means "Set apart from the profane or worldly things for God. To be as it were exclusively his."

C. Example:

1 Peter 1:15-16 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."

1. god is set apart from all these phony gods of the Greeks with their vile passions.

2. You are to be set apart from thes vile passions of the people around you.

III. God has always demanded that his people be a separated people.

A. The Patriarchal age:

B. Abraham

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

1. He took his father anyway and was left in Hebron until his father died

Acts 7:4 "Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

C. Israel

Exodus 8:20 And the LORD said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, ’Thus says the LORD: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Exodus 19:4-5 ’You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 ’Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

1 Kings 8:53 "For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by the hand of Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD."

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people answered him not a word.

D. Sanctification was necessary to protect them from idolatry.

E. In the Christian age, we are commanded to be a separated people: In the world but not of the world. Our life style is the be different.

F. We don’t like that, we want to conform to be NORMAL.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;