Bible Study - Language of Faith (5) - Sanctified - 1 Corinthians 6:9-20 - March 29, 2020

Bible Study – Language of Faith (5) – Sanctified – March 29, 2020

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled “Holy Vocabulary: Unpacking the Language of Faith.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Corinthians 6:9-20.

We are set apart in CHRIST to live holy lives.

We have had quite a journey so far in unpacking the language of faith – Holy, Lost, Salvation, Faith and today Sanctification.

We don’t hear the word “sanctification” being used very much today.

What is “sanctification?” The simple answer is to be set aside for use by GOD for HIS purpose. There were certain vessels or objects set aside to be used for worship. As Christians, often we do not think of GOD anointing us for a specific purpose.

Sanctification is a process of building the right relationship with GOD. As born-again Christians journey through life, GOD, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, is perfecting them to be used more and more by HIM. Part of the perfecting is getting rid of false notions about being a follower of JESUS. Yes, as a Christian you are a Saint because you have been set aside to be used for GOD'S purpose. Let’s explore!

The Apostle wrote this First Epistle to the church in Corinth about 54 AD. 

The Christians in Corinth had split into various factions embracing all sorts of immorality. They embraced false views of Christian liberty e.g. marriage, incest, taking of the LORD’S Supper, use of Spiritual gifts, questioned the resurrection of their bodies which had overtones of questioning the resurrection of JESUS, etc.

Our focus scripture comes near the end of Paul’s instructions regarding their failure to conduct themselves as GOD’S people through their faith in JESUS. Christians are to live their lives to exemplify their relationship with GOD. What sets GOD apart from all? GOD is Holy and GOD’S holiness describes HIS character and nature. Since GOD is Holy the things and people that are in relationship with GOD are Holy, Old Testament, and through faith in JESUS, New Testament.

Let’s read Hebrews 9:17-28:

¹⁷ For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. ¹⁹ For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats,^[d] along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.^[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. ²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

²³ Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model^[f] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. ²⁵ He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. ²⁶ Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— ²⁸ so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but^[g] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Christians are set apart from our old way of life to walk in our new life which has been cleansed and made righteous by the shed blood of JESUS.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:

 ⁹ Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males,^[b] 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Christians are set apart from their old way of life.

What makes a person “righteous?” It is placing your faith in JESUS. How does that result in your righteousness? This is something only GOD can do. Faith in JESUS is the key. Why? Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:21 -²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin to be sin ^[e] for us (JESUS), so that in him (JESUS) we (all who place their faith in JESUS) might become the righteousness of God.

This is GOD’S redemptive plan for all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

All who place their faith in JESUS are declared by GOD as righteous. How is that possible?

The Apostle Paul stated some of the activities people do that GOD declares sin and prevents people from being in right relationship with HIM and will not inherit GOD’S Kingdom - No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males,^[b] 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 

This is a partial list of sins. In Good News Club, we teach “anything the we think, say or do that displeases GOD is a sin.”

Paul was addressing specific sins that the Christians and others of that area were engaging. Corinth was a metropolitan, seacoast city. It was a city that offered pagan worship which featured pagan prostitutes. The people of Corinth had the opportunity to worship Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. Thus, Paul’s focus was on many of the perversions in which some of the Christians were engaged as related to sex.

Paul understood that many Christians had come from this lifestyle and were fighting the lure of breaking from it. Satan offers perversions to enslave people to a lifestyle that is hard to escape. Paul also identified other sins that entice and enslave - ¹⁰ no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this. 

Paul wrote in Romans 3:23 - ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the^[r] glory of God.

The Christians in Corinth had their temptations and so do we in today’s society. So, what is the power to help us to live as GOD desires for us to live the Christian life? Paul told Christians in verse 11 -But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Notice that Christians will be made Holy at the instant of salvation and set aside or sanctified to be used by GOD for HIS purposes.

All Christians have been washed in the blood shed by JESUS and as such they are declared righteous before GOD.

At the instant of salvation, by placing your faith in JESUS, you were:

-         Washed from all your sins – past, present, future

-         Sanctified

-         Justified

-         Spiritually born into GOD’S Family

-         Received eternal life

-         Filled with the Holy Spirit

-         Given one or more Spiritual gifts

-         Citizenship in Heaven

-         24/7 Access to GOD

-         And so much more ----

Sanctification is the ongoing process of building an intimate, loving, personal relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS as Christians interact with life. The more you know, truly know, GOD the more you will love and trust HIM. Make JESUS your very best friend, confidant and share your most personal and intimate secrets to get issues that hold you back from serving HIM into HIS hands and HIS light to shine upon them.

The key to living the Christian life is that it is a natural outflow from the natural relationship each born-again Christian has with JESUS. It is not fake but genuine and that takes being in right relationship with GOD no barriers and no un-confessed sin.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 6:12-17:

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit – Christians are set apart to be one with JESUS.

¹² “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. ¹⁵ Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? So, should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.^[c] 17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

The Apostle Paul address a question some Christians likely had, “Since you have JESUS in you and you are righteous and acceptable to GOD for eternity, then why not go wild and enjoy all the sins the world has to offer?” His response was “¹² “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.” Paul and born-again Christians reside under the banner of GOD’S Grace and love, so why not cut loose and do as you please?  

Paul’s response to that question was, “¹³ “Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

In essence, Paul stated that there are things in life that are necessary to sustain physical life (food) or our physical body upon earth but there are things that are not (illicit sex). Some Christians doubted their bodily resurrection and even the resurrection of JESUS therefore enjoy all that this world has to offer. Thus, Paul addressed this.

Just as GOD raised JESUS’ physical body from the physically dead, so will GOD raise our human bodies from physical death. Therefore, we who know the truth, know that sex is more than a moment of pleasure. When a person has sexual relations, it is more than physical, it is as Paul wrote in verses 14-17 “However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. ¹⁵ Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? So, should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.^[c] 17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.”

At the instant of salvation, placing one’s faith in JESUS, a miracle takes place. A union or Spiritual conception takes place. Consider the human spirit as the egg and GOD’S Spirit as the Divine Sperm. At the instant of faith, that person is Spiritually born-again to live eternally with GOD. All the things listed above and more take place in an instant.

The person of faith in JESUS has been made righteous and made Holy and set aside to serve GOD (sanctified). Therefore, Christians are set apart (sanctified) to glorify GOD.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20:

¹⁸ Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin^[d] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[e]

As a Spiritually born-again person, did you know that GOD resides in you? You were bought or redeemed from eternal death by the shed blood of JESUS. GOD chose to leave those born-again Christians upon earth to witness to those who seek truth. Christians must keep in their minds that they were bought with a price and that GOD dwells within them, therefore, they are not to allow illicit sex or other sins to enter their temple.  

John 3:16 captures the essence of GOD’S love for all humans:

¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

Yes, GOD loves every person who has ever lived, is living and will ever live. HE came to earth 100% human, yet 100% Divine. HE lived HIS life being tempted in all ways as humans are tempted, yet without sin and willingly gave HIS physical life upon the cross to pay, in full, the penalty for sin. The proof that HE paid the penalty for sin in full is that GOD resurrected HIM from the physically dead to show the world that eternal death was conquered. All who place their faith in JESUS will likewise be resurrected when JESUS returns to earth for the second time. At that time, they will receive their Glorified Eternal Bodies.

Where will born-again believers be until JESUS returns to earth the second time? In Heaven. What kind of body will we have in Heaven? It will be a Spiritual body fashioned by GOD suitable for Heaven until born-again believers return with JESUS at HIS second coming as recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:

The Comfort of Christ’s Coming

¹³ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (in physical death). ¹⁵ For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,^[e] with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage^[f] one another with these words.

This is the Good News of placing one’s faith in JESUS and living Spiritually born-again lives upon earth directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. As GOD’S Son or Daughter, GOD has set each of us aside, sanctified us, to serve HIM. All Christians are a work in progress as long as we remain upon earth.

The word “sanctified” is a translation of the Greek word “hagiazo” which is the verb form of the adjective “hagios” or Holy. Every Christian is set apart from those who do not place their faith in JESUS to be the light and salt of the world as GOD gives him or her opportunity.

FATHER, here I am, as I am, make me into the sanctified vessel YOU desire for me to be. Blessings!!!