Sanctification,
holiness, and transformation are, in effect, synonymous terms for the process
whereby saints submit to the Lordship of Jesus and commit to the death of their
old Self-nature, enabling the release of the Christ-Life within and obedience
to God’s word. This life changing process is the primary will of God for His
children, the number one thing on His heart for us. Following are the
details:
“For this is the will of God,
your sanctification”: “Sanctification” and “holiness” are translated from the
same Greek word hagiasmo, which denotes not only a resultant state – separated
unto God, but also the holy nature and holy behavior befitting those so
consecrated. God has called us into holiness. He has given us His moral
commands and wants to release in our hearts the virtues and character of His
beloved Son, which will enable our obedience. How we live our life matters...
matters a lot! Whoever rejects God’s holiness, His nature and His lifestyle,
rejects God. God’s will is, simply put,
our transformation into the nature of His Beloved Son, and behavior befitting
that nature – obedience to His word... His commandments. And,
we cannot live God’s will apart from God’s will: Transformation is not in our
own strength for it is God who is continually effectually at work in us, energizing
and creating in us the desire and the power both to will and to work for His good pleasure...
His satisfaction and delight. So... we will never live holy until
we are holy – transformation enables and paces obedience.
To live in the will of God is to
submit to the Lordship of Jesus in all matters of life, and crucify Self, man’s
old unregenerated nature, daily until he is totally dead and gone. The seeds of
a new resurrected life are planted within each saint, awaiting release. Only in
the transforming power of Lordship coupled with death to Self can the
Christ-Life emerge within. “Be Holy for I am holy” is a command birthed in
transformation, impossible without it. Saints, we are to “Pursue ... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord ... perfecting holiness in
the fear of the God”, bringing holiness to its predestined end whereby we are
found “blameless in Holiness ... at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with
all His saints.” Without holiness... without transformation... without living
in God’s will, no one will see God!!! And know this: “The world is passing
away, and the lust of it; but he
who does the will of God abides forever.”
“THEREFORE YOU SHALL BE PERFECT...”
(1 Thess. 4:3, 7, 8; 1 Peter
1:16; Heb. 12:14; 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 2:13; 1 Thess. 3:13, 1 John 2:17; Matt.
5:48)
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