Sanctification Part One

Text: Jude verse one

            In the epistle to Hebrews chapter three, verse one, the writer addresses his readers as holy brethren. A pertinent question for our generation is; if ours was the generation to whom the Apostle wrote, could he in truth call us holy brethren? Or might Ichabod be written over our day? (I Samuel 4:21) Since we are taught by the scriptures; that we are born into this world under the curse of the broken law of our creation by Adam’s fall, and since we must admit that in our day sin abounds, we may well ask ourselves; are we holy in God’s eye? This question is pertinent to the reader and to the writer, am I holy in God’s sight? Let me caution the reader and the writer, do not look to ourselves for the answer to this question, but look to the scriptures for a thus saith the Holy Ghost for the correct answer.

            We know that “by deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20) and we know that “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10) we further know that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” in his sight Isaiah 64:6. How then can we have any hope of being accounted holy in reckoning of God?

To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, (Isaiah 8:20).

            Thus saith the Holy Ghost; for, “whatever was given by inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and is recorded in the Scripture for the use of the church, He continues therein to speak into us unto this day” (Dr. John Owen).

“As the Holy Ghost saith” (Hebrews 3:7) This teaches us four things about the Holy Ghost: First, that he is God: for “God spake by the month of David” (Acts 4:25). “God” spake by the prophets (Heb.1:1) and they “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). Second, the Holy Ghost is a distinct person; He “saith”. An influence, a mere abstraction, cannot speak. Third, the Holy Ghost was, or subsisted before Our Lord Jesus was manifested in the flesh, for He spake through David. True, He is called “the Spirit of Christ” yet that he (the Holy Ghost) was before his (Christ’s) incarnation is proven by Genesis 1:2 and other scriptures. Fourth, He is the Author of the Old Testament Scriptures, therefore are they of Divine inspiration and authority. Let the reader also carefully compare the seven times repeated, “he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” in Revelation chapters two and three. (Arthur W. Pink)

            Therefore, thus saith the Holy Ghost, to us, the people of our generation, in this our day: for this day is our “today” (Psalms 95:7 Hebrews 3:7) thus saith the Holy Ghost, (in the epistle of Jude verse 1), “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.” The Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost for He is the same person called by either name) here informs us that some are sanctified by God the Father. In Exodus 13:2 we find the word sanctify used in connection with the first born of the Hebrew families and of their livestock. “Sanctify unto me all the first born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast: it is mine.” By comparing this with verse twelve it is clear that to sanctify means to “set apart” Exodus 13:12 “That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, (womb) and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s.” These sanctified ones were set apart from the rest, for the use and purpose of God, He declares, “it is mine” Ex. 13”2.

            Jude in writing to the Christian Church, of his day, and to us, (for the true church is one body) informs us that the Church is made up of those who were sanctified by God the Father. This act of sanctification is ascribed to God the Father. Those sanctified persons were set apart by God the Father; this action will no doubt raise at least these questions.

(1.) When were they set apart (or sanctified) by God the Father? The Second epistle to Timothy provides the answer, God’s purpose and grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, II Timothy 1:8,9. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. This is in agreement with the writing of Luke, (who wrote by the same Spirit as did Jude) in Acts 15:18, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”

(2.) The next question that might come to mind is how; that is, how were they sanctified? The scriptures give answer in the epistle to the Ephesians. The apostle Paul tells us we were chosen of God, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, (heavenly places; that is, in the everlasting covenant of grace) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him, in love” Ephesians 1:3, 4. The Father chose certain persons, “a great multitude which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues,” Revelation 7:9. Those the Father chose (or elected), he chose to salvation, II Thessalonians 2:13…”God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” This is the eternal decree of election, and it is unto salvation, through Jesus Christ. The individual persons of the elect were sanctified in the eternal decree of election.

(3.) Why were these and not others chosen to salvation? The fact made known to us in the scriptures: that those who partake of God’s salvation are an election of grace, that is; a group chosen through grace, teaches us that it is not merit in those chosen that settled God’s choice on them. “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought  things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him (God the Father; who chose his people and set them apart in Christ Jesus unto salvation) are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:26-31. We may rest in the knowledge that every attribute of God was satisfied in the choices he made, and say with the Lord Jesus “Even so, Father: for so it seemed god in thy sight.” Matthew 11:26. For, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but the things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever,…” Deuteronomy 29:29. God’s elect were chosen to magnify the grace of God; (Ephesians 1:6 and 2:7)  therefore God chose those who stood most in need of pure, unmixed grace, as the proper objects of his justification, (Romans 3:24). Not that any among Adams fallen race are not in need of grace if they are to be received of God, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23).  Now the Holy Ghost informs, us by the pen of  Jude, that these who were sanctified by God the Father, were also preserved in Jesus Christ, and the Apostle Paul declares in I Corinthians 1:1, 2 the same truth in these words “Paul, called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the  will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them who are sanctified in Jesus Christ. To be continued in part two.

A.J. Ison