JESUS CHRIST: The Fulfillment of the Promises of God Part 5 of 9: The Lord Who Sanctifies Us

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Part 5: The Lord Who Sanctifies Us (Jehovah-Qadash)

“19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us - by me, Silvanus, and Timothy––was not "Yes and no," but in him was "Yes." 20 For all the promises of God in him are "Yes," and in him "Amen," to the glory of God through us.” (2Corinthians 1:19-20 EMTV)

The name Jehovah refers to God in covenant relation to His people in that who He is to His people never changes. Malachi 3:6a reads, “For I am the LORD (Jehovah), I change not;”

This is the fourth of the Jehovah titles used. It is first used in Exodus 31:13 “…I am the LORD (Jehovah) who sanctifies you.” This Jehovah title is used in several places in the Old Testament. To sanctify is to cleanse, to purify, to make holy; then, to separate, set apart or appoint for a holy use or divine service; acceptable to God as His minister. A sanctified one is special, both to God and for God toward God’s people.

THE OLD COVENANT:

• “And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” Exodus 28:41
• “And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to sanctify them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,” Exodus 29:1
• “And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.” Exodus 29:44
• “20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace–offerings unto Jehovah to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill–offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.” (Leviticus 22:20-21 ASV)
• “So Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: I will show My holiness to those who are near Me, and I will reveal My glory before all the people.” But Aaron remained silent.” (Leviticus 10:3 HCSB)
• “44 For I am Jehovah your God: sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that moveth upon the earth. 45 For I am Jehovah that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. 46 This is the law of the beast, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth; 47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.” (Leviticus 11:44-47 ASV)
• “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. 8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you.” (Leviticus 20:4-8 ASV)

THE NEW COVENANT:

Our position in Christ – we are holy (sanctified):

• “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate.” (Hebrew 13:12 ASV)
• “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and (even) righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:” (1Corinthians 1:30 ASV)
• “And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (1Corinthians 6:11 ASV)
• “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” (2Thessalonians 2:13 ASV)
• “that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:16 ASV)
• “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14 ASV)

Our lifestyle in Christ – live as holy ones (sanctified ones):

“15 but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; 16 because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.” (1Peter 1:15-16 ASV)

Now beware of those religious roller coasters of do-it-yourself techniques. To “sanctify yourselves” is simply to accept that God made us holy and to live accordingly. If we accept the reality that God made us holy then we will live accordingly and will feel challenged when our lifestyle isn’t as a holy one (see 1 Peter 1:15-16). See also It's An Inside Job.

• “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 ASV)
• “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. (holiness)” (Romans 6:19 ASV)
• “But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification (holiness), and the end eternal life.” (Romans 6:22 ASV)
• “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 ASV)
• “26 that he might sanctify it (the church), having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26-27 ASV)
• “For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,” (Hebrews 2:11 ASV)
• “but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:” (1Peter 3:15 ASV)

The promise of God being our sanctifier is realized through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Had Jesus Christ not sanctified us we couldn’t be sanctified and Jehovah wouldn’t be our sanctifier. But because we are sanctified we are one with our Lord Jesus Christ. Our position in Christ includes our sanctification. We continue to be transformed by the power of the truth into a pure manifestation of Christ here upon earth, so that, what we say, what we do and what we evidence - is Christ. This is the Lord’s work and it is thorough. So, let’s sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts that he may further purify our souls into his image.