100 BIBLE LESSONS

These lessons were originally given at Manila, Philippines, in 1958 and 1959 by former missionary to
China, Alban Douglas. Give these lessons to people you visit, youth groups, hospital patients, church
visitors and new members. Use them in Sunday School, bus ministry, jail services, nursing homes,
Christian schools, small discussion groups and many other places. God’s Word will answer your
questions and help solve your problems.

LESSON 8 – SANCTIFICATION

INTRODUCTION

This is a very important subject, for Hebrews 12:14 says, Follow peace with all men,
and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. In regeneration our nature is
changed; in justification our standing is changed; in adoption our position is changed; in
sanctification our character is changed.

Sanctification shows the fruit of a justified life; we need to be sanctified for our Savior
was sanctified:
1. By His Father. John 10:36, Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified…
2. By Himself. John 17:19, And for their sakes I sanctify myself…
3. By His people. 1 Peter 3:15, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…
Sanctification is the will of God for every believer. 1 Thess. 4:3, For this is the will of
God, even your sanctification…

The subject of holiness and sanctification is mentioned 1066 times in the Bible.

I. THE MEANING OF SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit; sanctification and holiness are the same in
essence. The basic meaning of sanctification is separation.

Psa. 4:3, But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself…

Believers have been set apart by God for the Lord to use as He desires. The Bible
meaning of sanctification is to be set apart (1) by God (2) for God (3) from sin (4) unto
a holy life. Heb. 12:14.

2 Tim. 2:21, If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

The Bible speaks of sanctifying the Tabernacle and its contents: men, buildings, fields,
firstborn, temple, priests and nation – Ex. 40:9-11; Lev. 27:14-16; Num. 8:17.

However, for believers it carried a twofold meaning:

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II. THE AUTHOR OF SANCTIFICATION (God)

1. By God the Father. 1 Thess. 5:23-24, And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless
unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do
it.

2. By God the Son. Eph. 5:26, That He (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (the
Church of which believers are a part) with the washing of water by the word.

3. By God the Holy Spirit. 2 Thess. 2:13, …because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

Dr. Griffith Thomas said, “holiness is not an achievement to be accomplished, but a gift
to be accepted.” The constant use of this gift will increase our sanctification.

III. THE MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION How are we sanctified?

1. By the Word of God. John 17:17, Sanctify them (the believers) through thy truth: thy
word is truth.

To be sanctified spend much time with the Word of God; it purifies and cleanses. It is
the Word that reveals sin; in the New Testament there are 21 lists of sins with a total of
202 sins of which 103 are different.

2. By Blood. Heb. 13:12, Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with
his own blood, suffered without the gate. The Word reveals the sin; the Blood cleanses
it away; Result is sanctification.

3. By chastisement. Heb. 12:10-11, For they verily for a few days chastened us after
their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness….
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby.

4. By yielding to God. Romans 6:19, …as ye have yielded your members servants to
uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness. (holiness – sanctification)

5. By ourselves. 2 Cor. 7:1, Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear
of God.

We, too, have a part in sanctification; our part is seeking out the sin; judging it; casting it
away; praying for cleansing; praying for strength to live a holy life. Daily we must
appropriate Christ as our sanctification; daily we must claim His holiness, His faith, His
love and His grace. The secret of a holy life is the continuous appropriation of the

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Savior’s holy life. Our degree of sanctification is in relation to our appropriation of the
Lord.

IV. TIME OF OUR SANCTIFICATION

There are great diversities of opinion here. Some say that it was completed the
moment we believed, being synonymous with conversion. Others stress the need of a
second work of grace; an experience quite separate from conversion; some treat it as a
crisis experience that eradicates the old nature. Others teach that sanctification is both
instantaneous and progressive. Personally, I believe from a study of Scripture that a
combination of those is true:

1. Instantaneous with conversion. I Cor. 6:11, And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the Spirit of our God. It speaks of sanctification as a past experience with washing and
justification.

2. Progressive. James 1:22-25, is the illustration of a man looking into a mirror and
seeing a spot of dirt, goes and washes it away. The mirror is the Word of God which
reveals sin and then we ought to confess it. The Holy Spirit does not reveal all of our
un-Christ likeness at one time, that would be too discouraging and would lead to
despair. The moment that something is revealed we should seek cleansing and
continuously pursue a path of progressive sanctification.

3. Complete and final. 1 Thess. 5:23, …sanctify you wholly…unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Completely holy in every part – body, soul, and spirit. Some day we
will be completely holy without one grace missing; mature and perfect. This wonderful
experience will be ours when Christ comes and our bodies are changed. Then we shall
be like Him, 1 John 3:2, perfect and holy! O marvelous day! Paul in Phil. 3:12-14, was
pressing on unto the future perfection, while daily perfecting his earthly progressive
sanctification.

V. THE REASON FOR OUR SANCTIFICATION

John 17:19, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified…
If Jesus Christ needed to be sanctified then I certainly need to be sanctified, too. How
could He, the holy Son of God be made more holy? A possible answer is found in
Romans 15:3, For even Christ pleased not Himself – always pressing for something
better. It behooves us as disciples to press on, ever on, ever upward, to be more like
Him.

VI. THE RESULTS OF SANCTIFICATION

1. Perfection through Christ. Hebrews 10:14, For by one offering he hath perfected for
ever them that are sanctified.

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2. The Fruit of Holiness. Romans 6:22, But now being made free from sin, and become
servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness… Is there a longing in your soul for
holiness? for sanctification? for purity? For Christ likeness? For a greater
conformance to the image of God’s Son? Confess your sin; your need to Him and He
will satisfy the deepest longings of your soul; the price is to be willing to part with sin
and uncleaness.

VII. HOW TO RETAIN A SANCTIFIED WALK

1. Live a life of implicit obedience to the Light given to you by the Holy Spirit.
2. If you fall, immediately confess it to God and He will instantly restore you.
3. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Jas. 4:7
4. Be faithful in regular seasons of Bible readings, prayer, witnessing, and living for
others.

CONCLUSION

Sanctification guarantees us an inheritance beyond the grave. Acts 26:18, To open

Do not look within and be discouraged but look up and be encouraged. 1 Thess. 5:24,
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Define sanctification.

2. What do we learn of sanctification from 1 Thess. 4:3 and Hebrews 12:14?

3. Give one verse each to show that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is involved in
sanctification.

4. State the 4 instruments of sanctification and one verse for each.

5. Give the tenses of sanctification with one Scripture for each.

6. Can you find a reason for our sanctification in John 17:19?

7. List 6 results of sanctification.

8. How can we retain a sanctified walk?

9. What is the nature of sanctification according to John 17:17?

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10. What is the difference between sanctification and holiness?