OUR PAST SANCTIFICATION

OUR PAST SANCTIFICATION

       

             Wrought by the Blood of Christ - Heb. 13:12 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."

Sanctification has separation in mind so He was separated "outside the gate." And for God's purpose set apart for His service.

               Note: Where? Where the blood was shed at Calvary. Separated for service to God

        This Blood Sanctification set us apart forever as God’s own possessions. Heb. 13:13                             "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing His reproach."

                        cf. Lev. 27:26 "No man shall sanctify it ... it is the Lord's."
                        1 Pet. 2:9 ASV "A people for God's own possession."

This Blood Sanctification is something done - not a process.

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:" "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."
                                 Heb. 10:10-12 “Are sanctified” – perfect tense
                                 cf. "have been sanctified" - ASV
                                       "once for all"
                                        "sat down"
      Perfect tense points to action in the past, the effects abide right up to the present. (Grk.)

This Blood Sanctification confers upon us a perfect holiness.

           Heb. 10:14 "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
                                 cf. "hath perfected".    Finished.         Perfect tense
                        "are sanctified" Progressive. Present tense
                   Grk. language very descriptive of the process - not so with English. This the result and proof
                     Note: -Nature of this holiness - cf. 1 Cor. 1:30 and 1:1 not dependent on any personal perfection of character or work. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother."
                                    - 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11 "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." "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."
                                    have been sanctified (1 Cor.1:2) perfect tense done in the past and continues
                                    were sanctified – (1 Cor. 6:11) . Aortist, passive
                                    in writing to the Corinthians, Paul identifies himself with them in 1:30. This a finished work by the blood.

                              -Our need is immediate - why?
Sinners cannot wait to attain a perfect stance before they respond with right conduct. They must have a foundation upon which to build, a place to begin. How often have I heard the sinner say I'm not good enough. I must wait until I have attained some degree of holiness. God knew the situation, so he provided a perfect holiness to begin with, and this as an incentive has encouraged a believer to bring his state up to his standing.

This Blood Sanctification is needed to give us an entrance into the Holy Place.

                        Heb. 10:19-20 Sanctification by blood opens up the way for us.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh."

                        cf. Lev. 8:30 High Priest went in once every year, but had to be sanctified.

"And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him."

                        Cf. Heb. 9:7 A rope was tied about his feet to drag him out in the event of death. His coming out meant the offering was accepted. All this is a figure of things, yet future (Heb. 9:24-28).

"But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people." "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:" "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;" "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."     

      This Blood Sanctification issues in life of obedience.

                        1 Pet. 1:2         "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."        
This calls for a life of obedience and holiness on the part of the believer.
                        cf. Heb. 9:13-14          "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:" "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

This Blood Sanctification is a present possession of all true believers.

              Acts 26:18 - "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

                                Note in whom? "Among them which are (have been) sanctified."

                     Again Cf. 1 Cor. 1:2 with 6:11 ASV above.

Conclusion: For importance of Blood Sanctification, See Heb. 9:13-14.

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:" "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Believer needs a holiness that is immediate. Cannot wait for a gradual development.
Sanctification by blood was perhaps one of most important truths to O.T. Jew. Everything depended upon it.
Also most important truth in N.T. If blood in O.T. accomplished so much in a ceremonial way, how much more the blood of the Eternal Lamb of God. (See Sir Robert Anderson•- "The Gospel and its Ministry")