BIBLE READING: LEVITICUS 19, 20; MATTHEW 27: 45-66
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you” Leviticus 20:7-8 (KJV).
To sanctify is to cleanse, to wash and make clean, to purge and to make holy. To sanctify is to remove filth and the stain of sin. The blood of bulls and goat cannot truly sanctify. They serve as promissory note. They were just temporal covering to pacify God’s wrath in view of the blood that Jesus would shed on the cross in due time. God sanctified us at redemption when Jesus shed his blood as a ransom for our sins. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Therefore, to sanctify is to set apart from sin.
We were sanctified when we received forgiveness and cleansing at new birth. The sinner cannot cleanse himself. Neither his good works nor his money can sanctify him. Only the blood of Jesus can sanctify the sinner. The sinner who genuinely repents of his sins and asks forgiveness from God is sanctified and made one with God.
The Christian is constantly sanctified by the word. Jesus made a prayer to the father, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” John 17:17 (KJV). Ephesians 5:25-26 (KJV) says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ, also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”
The reason Jesus did all these is so He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus my sanctifier.
Rev. Vincent Diolu