As we learned over the last four or five weeks, teaching your children about Grace is a tough thing. As I've said over and over, the topic of grace has split churches, led to gross error, and been the focal point of religious wars. HOWEVER, there is another topic of salvation that is just as misunderstood. Most people understand redemption, forgiveness, confession, repentance, and faith. Well maybe not faith as much as we would like, but we do have a working understanding of it.
Sanctification on the other hand is rarely spoken of in modern Christian circles. A matter of fact,(this is not a criticism) it has been a long time since I've heard the word 'sanctification' used in a sermon. A lot of that is because we've replaced sanctification with 'Christian Walk', 'purpose', 'ministry', and the most powerful of all, 'Service.' Yep, you got it, those are all works. How many times have you heard someone say "My Christian walk", "My purpose", "My ministry", or even "my service." Once again we've gone out to our field of grain, pulled up a few stalks of wheat, brought it to the altar of sacrifice. "Look what I've done, God!" Then we sadly learn that God has already provided the lamb.
Another problem with teaching sanctification is confusing it with 'consecration.' Which brings us to another reason that Sanctification is rarely taught any more, people want a tourist kind of salvation. It's nice to visit the Kingdom, maybe even spend a little time there, but don't make me live there. Don't make me live like the citizens of heaven, and for heaven's sake don't make me talk like them.
The only way you can be sanctified and consecrated to God, and for God, is to move to the Kingdom. There is no dual citizenship in the Kingdom of heaven. You have to live there!!!
The word Sanctification in Hebrew comes from the root of the same word used for 'sanctuary.' You know, that place where God dwells, you know,...YOU. The word for Sanctification is the combination of the root 'sanctuary' and 'Shine'. To make the sanctuary shine. Modern Christians don't want to shine. They don't want to be different. They don't want to be set aside. This is especially true in the American Church where making a stand for Christ can get you fired, or even banned from doing what you love to do. For some Christians it's easier to compartmentalize our faith, keeping it out of view. Some Christians want to sneak by in their carnality, and hope that the gold of Holy Spirit doesn't leak out.
Shining is what we were created for. Christ did all the difficult stuff in the outer courts so that we could enter into the Holy Place. Everything outside of the holy place was overlaid with bronze. Bronze isn't a bad metal. There was a day and time when it was hard to come by, so making a huge brazen altar was not cheap, nor was it easy. Still, it was outside the Holy Place. It was a place of works. The place of death and blood. A sacrifice was never made in the Holy Place. Brass is a metaphor for man. The brass sea was a metaphor for the law. In order to enter the Holy Place, (only Priests could do that,) you had to wash at the brass sea, a symbol of the application of the law, (The word). It is here that a priest was 'washed by the word', and sanctified (cleansed.) Jesus used the word 'Sanctified' only in John chapter 17. This is his spoken prayer for the disciples, and US! This moment is the equivalent of when Moses consecrated Aaron for service in the Tabernacle. All the items of service had been cleansed, set aside, and sprinkled with blood for service. Now take that same imagery and apply it to what Christ was praying that wonderful moment when he gave His disciples over to God's tender care. Wow! Central to all of his prayers was three words; Word, them (being those who believe), and sanctify. Chapter 17 is God's mission statement, and we are the bright messengers of that statement.
The bottom line in all of this is to understand that Sanctification is the 'setting apart' of things and people for service to God. The implication is "PURPOSE", not your purpose, but HIS purpose. Paul taught about this a lot. He understood sanctification from a Jewish point of view, but he knew that it was no longer a physical act, or even a specific moment. Sanctification is not even a lifestyle, and you can't sanctify yourself. Sanctification is a submission to the WORD! It is an obedience marked by faith in the guidance of Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit hovers over you waiting anxiously for you to speak the words of faith that will give him the right to set you apart for service to God.
I would love to spend ten weeks studying Sanctification, but there is a way to teach it to your children that will leave an indelible imprint upon their lives. I don't know what age you should teach sanctification, but you can prepare them for it's meaning by giving them a physical example of it. Find a simple task at home that you know is just sightly beyond their own ability to do. Tell them that you are 'setting them apart' to do that task. Reassure them, give them confidence, and tell them how you want it done. LET THEM FAIL!!!! Something will be missing, something that is powerful, knowing, and experienced...it will be YOU!
"Would you like me to help you do this?" you ask. If not, let them try again. If they fail again explain to them that this is the same way it is with God and our life in the world. He knows we can do what He's called us to do, (set us aside) to do, with HIS help. Now, take the time to work with them through the task. Help only with what they CAN'T do. As you help them teach them that you are helping them just the same way Holy Spirit helps you. If you really want to drive the lesson home, make the task something that they can do often, but success will come with maturity, and practice. That is sanctification! It is ongoing, ever changing, and wonderfully fulfilling. A sanctified life is completely possible. As we succeed by the power of Holy Spirit, holiness, and sanctification become desirable. With Holy Spirit's help, we move from the common to the Holy. That is sanctification. DOING Love!
OH, by the way, The Vines definition for both the Hebrew and Greek words for Sanctification are absolutely phenomenal. Tons of scriptures! Next week we'll tackle it a little more. You might want to look them up in anticipation of Men's group. Believe it or not we are almost finished with this study.
