Sanctification
This is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication (I Thessalonians 4:3)
Sanctification is one of the prominent doctrines of the scripture. It is the glory of our salvation. Salvation without sanctification is worthless.
To be justified without a sanctified life is an incomplete experience.
Though there are many uprising problems about this subject among the believers, yet these does not diminishing an iota of its influence both in the scripture and in the life of those who have the operation done in their heart.
The necessity of sanctification is both object and subjective. On God’s side it is objective, on our side it is subjective. Especially what makes sanctification necessary is:-
a. The very nature of God Holiness is the excellence and honor of the divine character. God is called rich and mercy (Ephesians 2:4 - But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us) but glorious in holiness (Exodus 15:11); his mercy is his treasure, but holiness is his Glory.
Now the ineffable purity of the divine nature is everywhere in the scripture made the fundamental reason for the necessity of holiness in us.
God makes the holiness of his own nature the basic of his demand for holiness in his people (Leviticus 11:44, I Peter 1:15,16)
b. The fact that God who has the overall authority (Malachi 1:6) and the powerful law giver (James 4:12) also who is infinite in wisdom and goodness towards us. (Psalm 145:9) commands our sanctification, makes it a necessity e.g. (Genesis 17:1; Leviticus 20:78)
c. On our side sanctification is necessary because the word of God teaches a twofold nature of sin actual committed sin and indwelling sin, inbred sin, or inherited depravity, compare (John 5:14, 8:11, Romans 6:13,15) with (Roman 6:6, Isaiah 6:7; II Corinthians 7:7; Acts 15:9. At conversion all sins are forgiven, at sanctification the inbred sin is purged and cleansed and the heart is purified. (Titus 2:14, I Thessalonians 5:23, Ephesians 5:25-27) .
Since no one tainted with sin shall in any wise enter into the holy habitation of God it is imperative that we lay hold on God to purify our heart and make us for his abode.
Having seen the meaning and necessity of sanctification, it is our obligation to consecrate ourselves unto the Lord (Roman 12:1-2) so that he may sanctify and make us ready un-blamable in holiness for the sacred coming of Christ.
Abba Elijah also known as elijagod