Introduction:  (Expound the three tenses of salvation). The second tense of salvation is described in the Bible with the special word “Sanctification.” This present tense of salvation (or sanctification) describes what God is doing in your life between “justification” and “glorification.” The saved are sanctified positonally (Heb.10:10), but also practically. (Illus: if you’re not being saved then you’ve never been saved…) Notice three indicators of sanctification.

I.  THE WITNESS OF SANCTIFICATION (V.22)

What is the outward evidence that I’m being sanctified by God?

    A. The Evidence Of Restraint

“Abstain” = to hold oneself off. To hold yourself off from, not just evil! Uses 6 times:

(Acts 15:20 )  "…abstain from pollutions of idols..."

(Acts 15:29 )  "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols…"

(1 Th 4:3)  "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:"

(1 Th 5:22)  "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

(1 Tim 4:3)  "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

(1 Pet 2:11)  "…abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"

    B. The Evidence Of Recognition

The Holy Spirit that indwells the believer begins to break you away from sin. The believer that is on the road of sanctification has the evidence (witness) of restraint and recognition. (Illus: conscience vs. the Holy Spirit. Don’t spend all your time trying to figure out what’s wrong; spend your time doing what’s right! (v.21)

II. THE WORK OF SANCTIFICATION (V.23)
How does this work? “Sanctify”= to purify or consecrate; to be set apart for the exclusive use of God. (Illus: the potter’s wheel).

    A. The Degree Of This Work

“Peace” = to weave together; set at one again. It speaks of all of the spiritual prosperity we have in Christ. (Illus: why your life is so divided, why you’re so confused and unhappy – it’s because you are not allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify you by placing yourself under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ! You are not looking at the Christian life as an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit who is manifesting in my mortal body the image of the living Lord Jesus Christ!)

    B. The Depth Of This Work

“Wholly” = complete to the end. There is not an area of my being unaffected by this divine process. Christianity is not a compartment of life – the work of sanctification touches every part of me. (Illus. the tricodomey of mankind…This will help someone here today because you don’t understand that you’re holding back apart of you from God) In Gen.1 God created us in “His image” = shadow. God put His stamp on man that made him different from the rest of creation.

• Intelligence – naming the animals
• Emotion – Eve, you’re the only woman in the world for me!
• Volition - choice

The Bible says how God created these three parts of man (Gen.2:7) “Dust” = body; “breath of life” = spirit; “living soul” = seat of the emotions; where you think and act (what the Bible calls the heart). Here it is – if I’m being sanctified I’m allowing the Holy Spirit to control me in the area of my body (five senses), soul (darkroom where I process and develop responses), and spirit (where I experience and commune with God)! Now, if I allow God to control only one of these areas I’m an unbalanced believer and I’ll walk in defeat and misery. Have you given God your body, your soul?

III.    THE WAY OF SANCTIFICATION (V.24-28)
God is the One that does the work so now how is it done? I don’t get sanctified because I go around and do a bunch of stuff – I get sanctified by allowing a Holy God do what He wants to do in and through me! It is done by:

       A. By Assured Faith (v.24) – I just trust God (Rom.8:28-29) – the all things are chisels that God uses to chip away everything on me that doesn’t look like Jesus!

       B. By Ardent Prayer (v.25) – Praying is breathing the pure air of heaven. I can’t be sanctified unless I spend some time in the pure atmosphere of heaven in the presence of a Holy God in prayer.

       C. By Authentic Love (v.26) – Here’s the work of the body of Christ. Love is never love until it is expressed. You’ll never be sanctified until you plug into a local body (church) and begin to allow God to love others through your life!

       D. By His Authoritative Word (v.27) – God uses His Word to sanctify us. The Bible says it’s by the “washing of the word” that the church is sanctified. I cannot be made holy unless I get this Word in me. So God has a sanctifying tool to take out of me what shouldn’t be in me and to put in me what should be in me.

       E. By His Amazing Grace (v.28) – This sums it all up – I was saved by grace and I’m being saved by grace. I’m not cleaning myself up – I’m getting out of God’s way and submitting to Him so He can clean me up!

Conclusion:    My question to you today is not simply have you been saved? But, have you been sanctified? (Illus: What can keep me from doing the wrong things? Looking often at the image of Christ’s payment for your sin on the cross)!