SANCTIFICATION

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

1 Thessalonians 4:3

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” (KJV). 

Generally, sanctification means consecration, that is, to set apart something for a specific purpose. It also means to make something holy by dedicating it to God and consequently to His work. Sanctification is part of God’s salvation for His people. Their salvation will be incomplete without sanctification. God’s intention is not just to deliver them from the domain of darkness and rescue them from the hands of the devil the oppressor, but also to bring them unto Himself that they might be His alone. 

Our text says; “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” So, it is evident that the will of God is for us to be sanctified by abstaining from fornication. To be sanctified, it is necessary to abstain. There cannot be consecration without abstinence. The Lord, having called us out of darkness into light wants us to abstain and “not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11), but “cast them off, put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12), and consecrate ourselves to Him. 

The Bible talking about our sanctification, specifically mentions fornication as our great enemy. There is no other sin that can hinder us in terms of our sanctification as much as fornication. 

But what is fornication? According to the Bible, fornication is literally any form of illicit sexual intercourse: adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, intercourse with a divorced man or woman, etc. Also, metaphorically, fornication is the worship of idols; of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols. This kind of fornication is normally termed spiritual adultery. Indulging in any illicit sexual intercourse and fellowshipping with the devil, knowingly or unknowingly, through the worship of idols or any form of involvement in the occult are all termed fornication. 

We see what the will of God is for the Israelites whose way and purpose of deliverance is a graphical illustration of what God intends to do with us, in Exodus 19:4-6. God said:

“‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a HOLY NATION.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

(Emphasis added). 

Therefore, the ultimate purpose of the deliverance and salvation of the Israelites was to make them a holy nation. A nation separated from all other nations on earth and dedicated to God. A nation where all the citizens are sanctified. But we know that the Israelites failed countless times. The promise to be made a holy nation would only be fulfilled if they indeed obeyed God’s voice and kept His covenant. They instead conducted themselves like other nations and defiled themselves. And in Exodus 32, they were seen committing spiritual adultery. They said to Aaron, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” And Aaron “took gold rings from their hand, and fashioned them with a graving tool and made them into a molten calf; and they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” As a result of this, they were disqualified from being made holy as a nation because they had not consecrated themselves only to the Lord. However, at the return of Moses from the mountain, the sons of Levi gathered together to Moses to stand for the Lord against the adulterers and consequently, only the sons of Levi were sanctified and dedicated to God and His work. After they executed judgment upon the disobedient, Moses said to the sons of Levi in Exodus 32:29;

“DEDICATE yourselves today to the Lord – for every man has been against his son and against his brother-in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”

(Emphasis added).

Also, in Numbers 25, we again see the Israelites committing the two types of fornication: illicit sexual intercourse and idolatry. They played the harlot with the daughters of Moab and were invited to the sacrifices of their gods. The Lord became angry and while Moses was about to execute God’s judgment upon the elders, an Israelite brought into his tent a Midianite woman in the sight of the whole congregation as they were weeping before the Lord for their idolatry. But when Phinehas saw the Israelite and the Midianite woman, he took a spear and pierced both of them through the body. Because of this God gave Phinehas the covenant of peace, a perpetual covenant of priesthood. He was forever consecrated to God. At any time they got involved in fornication, the Lord executed His judgment on the fornicators and sanctified whoever abstained and stood with Him. 

Now, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:6 that these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved lest we become defiled and disqualified from being sanctified and consecrated unto God. 

In 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, the Lord now extends the promise He gave to the Israelites in Exodus;

“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.

And 2 Corinthians 7:1 says 

“Therefore, having these promises (of God sanctifying us), beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh (illicit sex) and spirit (idolatry), perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 

Abstain from every defilement so that God’s will can be established in your life and you will enjoy the fulfillment of all His promises.