By Nick Bibile

The meaning:

The meaning of sanctification is best in the Old Testament. The word sanctify and holy has the same meaning. Even our English word sanctify comes from the Latin word sanctifico. Sancto in Latin is holy and ficio means to make. It means to set apart for holy. But from a Biblical point of view the Hebrew gives the best meaning and we need to see this as a noun, adjective and a verb.

Noun – Noun is a thing, person or a place. The Hebrew word is qodesh. God is holy, his place of worship is holy.

Lev 10:10. He is distinct from the common or ordinary. Exodus 3:5

God is holy, his name is holy, his place of worship is holy, his dwelling place is called the holy of holies, the most holy place. God is holy in his person and character.

Adjective – what is an adjective? It describes the noun to make it more meaningful The Hebrew word is qadosh.

God by nature is holy. His holiness is defined in Isa 6:3

Verb – Verb is to do, to act. The Hebrew word is qadash.

The root meaning is to cut and to be separate. Exodus 19:22-23.

Theological meaning:

The Greek word for sanctification (hagios) means "to purify, to consecrate or set apart." Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby the believer is renewed in the whole man after the image of God. The believer is then enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. Again, "Sanctification is that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which the holy disposition imparted in regeneration is maintained and strengthened." (A. H. Strong)

We know that Regeneration is an act of God the Holy Spirit. Sanctification has both divine and human aspect. God is the author of sanctification. The agent of sanctification is God the Holy Spirit. In sanctification we see the work of God’s grace, exercising in the believer, the result if our response and obedience to God.

If sanctification is a sovereign work of God, then how can we obey? There are two truths. The sovereignty of God and human responsibility. These truths are brought together in the progress of sanctification.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Sovereignty of God is not a discouragement but an encouragement to true holiness. It is God’s divine power which gives the believer the motive to exercise obedience.

Subject of the sermon today – Cleansing the Temple.

When man sinned every part of was affected by sin. Sins pollution spread into all our parts. Sin like a river of black muddy water spread into all the parts from our hearts. (Mat 15:18-19) The image of God was shattered. In sanctification it will touch and heal every part of man that was affected by sin. Will restore again to the image of God. (Eph 4:24; Col 4:10) Regeneration is the head of the fountain and sanctification is the cleansing flow of the water to all the parts, cleansing agent. Regeneration is instantaneous but sanctification is progressive. Sanctification is an immediate work of the Holy Spirit on the souls of the believers, purifying and cleansing from the pollution of sin and renewing to the image of God through Jesus Christ.

There are two sides to sanctification. It’s negative and positive. negative does not mean it has anything bad but cleansing the pollution of sin. Positive means focusing on God, living for God in obedience. Today we are going to see the negative side of sanctification.

Negatively not only there is guilt in the sin but there is pollution of sin. It is the pollution of sin that is opposed to God’s holiness. Pollution of sin keeps men away from the holy God. (John 3:19) The moral commandments speaks against these sins.

We are called the temple of God. We are the temple of the living God. (2 Cor 6:16) We must allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse our temple so we will be sanctified unto God for holy purposes.

Read 2 Kings 23:1-6 - King Josiah cleansing the temple

Matthew 21:12-13 – Jesus cleansing the temple.

Psalms 79:1-9

When a vessel, cup, altar, or instrument was set apart for divine worship, it was never used for common purposes again.

If you and I are tempted to sin, we must reply No, let another man do that, but I cannot; I am God’s man; I am

set apart for him; how shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?