1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: I. WHAT IS SANCTIFICATION? 1. It is to be changed (2 Corinthians 3:18). Sanctification makes a great change; the judgment is changed, the disposition, the way, the company. 2. It is to be cured. Sin is the sickness of the soul. The only physician is our Lord Jesus Christ, raised up of God for that purpose; no hand but His can heal us. 3. It is to be cleansed. Sin is the pollution of the soul; and it is pollution in grain, such as nothing can wash us from but the fountain opened, and that fountain is Christ (Zechariah 13:1). 4. It is to be clothed. A sinful condition is a naked condition (Revelation 3:17). And what must. poor naked souls do, but come to Christ, to His shop, and here buy of Him white raiment (Revelation 3:18; Zechariah 3:3, 4). "I clothed thee also with broidered work," &c. (Ezekiel 16:10-14). Grace is rich raiment, princely, priestly, comely clothing, that waxeth not old. 5. It is to be consecrated. Sanctifying is the same with consecrating, that is, setting apart from common and profane to holy and spiritual uses, as persons, places, vessels, times, were under the Old Testament. II. HOW IS JESUS CHRIST MADE ALL THIS TO US? 1. Principally by the working of His Spirit. and grace. The Spirit of Christ is the Sanctifier. When He comes into the heart. to dwell there, He renews, and He regenerates, and He raises, and He reconciles. It is through Jesus Christ. If He had not satisfied and died, to make God friends with us, He would never have sent the Spirit, to make us friends with Him. 2. Instrumentally by the Word, "Sanctify them through Thy truth" (John 17:17). Error never sanctifies. Truth only doth that (James 1:17; Titus 1:1). The Word of truth begins, and the same carries on this good work. III. THE PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT. 1. Shall I propound one needful question to you? Are ye sanctified? is Jesus Christ made of God sanctification to you? It is a thing that may be known. There are three marks:(1) Where Christ is made to us sanctification, it is become natural to us to walk in all holy obedience to the will of God. I say natural, not to the old, but to the new, nature. Then, says one, I fear I am not sanctified. I reply, The trial is not to be made by any one single action at any one time, but by our course and way. How is it ordinarily with us? There is no man but doth something that beasts do; but is he therefore a beast? There is no beast but doth something that a man doth; but is he therefore a man? (2) Where Christ is made to us sanctification, holiness is highly prized and dearly loved, and more and more of it earnestly desired. I believe it is never otherwise among the truly sanctified. (3) Where Christ is made to us sanctification, He is owned and acknowledged as our all in all. The crown is set upon His head. To us to live is Christ. 2. I shall suppose you now propounding to me another needful question. What may I do that Christ may be made to me sanctification? (1) We must be inwardly and thoroughly convinced that there is an absolute necessity He should be so. If we mean to please God in this world. None but the sanctified are accepted of Him, He hath no pleasure but where His image is. Our sacrifices are an abomination, our prayers an abomination, otherwise. Till the tree is good the fruit cannot be good. And also, if we mean to enjoy God in the other world. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). (2) We must apply ourselves to the Lord Jesus by faith and prayer. (3) We must attend upon the ordinances. These are the conduit pipes through which the grace of sanctification is conveyed to poor souls. 3. What must they do to whom Christ is already made sanctification? (1) They have cause to bless God for it every day, all their days (Psalm 103:1-3). (2) They must press after further degrees of sanctification, more and more. Dying to sin. Living to righteousness. (Philip Henry.) Parallel Verses KJV: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: |
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