THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD - YOUR SANCTIFICATION.
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"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification." (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

To 'sanctify' -- to "set apart for HOLY use"

SANCTIFICATION is a Bible subject, and as such it demands our serious attention. Sanctification consists of cleansing from sin, in making pure and holy that which is impure and unholy. In this sense Christians are sanctified, and in the progress of their sanctification there is a setting apart to holy purposes; a self-consecration to the glory of God. The depravity of our race is a fact upon which rests the necessity of our being sanctified. The apostle Paul said that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

This message of sanctification is especially important for those of us living here in the last days. Why? Satan's claim has ever been that man cannot keep the law of God and thus to justify his own disobedience to God's law. Jesus silenced this claim, living a perfect sinless life in fallen human nature. But Christ has something to also achieve in His church - especially His end time church, to even further silence the claim of Satan forever, look:

Ephesians 5:26-7 ...'That he might sanctify and cleanse it [the church] with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'

Revelation 14:1 ...'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads ... These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.'

Revelation 14:12 ...'Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

What Christ did Himself in fallen flesh, He is also seeking to do in His end time church, not only blotting out our sins from the record books, but also to blot out our sins from our very lives now, so "that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).

The burden of this message is "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." These are kept in opposition to the worship of the papal beast and its image of fallen Protestantism. By the commandments of God, we understand is meant, those commandments which God proclaimed in person, and wrote with his own finger on stone, but now writes them upon the tables of our heart( 2 Corinthians 3:3). These are emphatically God's commandments. When the commandments of God are spoken of in distinction from the faith of Jesus, as referenced in Revelation 14:12, they must include the ten commandments. And those who are living by and keeping the faith OF Jesus, not just faith 'IN' Jesus, are those who will be keeping the ten commandments in the fullness of spirit and truth, BECAUSE they have Christ abiding in the heart.

To change or do away with God's ten commandments is to change or do away with the character of God Himself, which is impossible! And it is in obedience TO this law which God is sanctifying unto Himself a people. Thus those who seek to reject, or change, or do away with one single piece of God's moral law contained in His ten commandments, cannot be sanctified. This is why the various churches are now fallen Babylon and God is calling HIS PEOPLE OUT of Babylon, because the churches have rejected the commandments of God in trampling upon the very day (the 7th day Sabbath) that God Himself sanctified at creation and the very commandment which we are to keep to SHOW that we believe it is God who sanctifies us (Exodus 31:13). This is the design of the three angels messages of Revelation 14. To set apart a people unto God. A sanctified, holy people who are keepers of God's commandments through the faith of Jesus being lived out in their lives.

When we study God's Word with hearts open to the truth, we can see the clear teaching of sanctification and the necessity of it in our lives. But we can only be successful in this work by abiding in Christ. God says ... "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways" (Proverbs 23:26). It is only through the surrender of the heart to God and His ways that we can be sanctified. Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Just as the branches which are separated from the vine have no life and wither and die, so will be the Christian who does not abide in Christ. But this means the opposite is also true. WITH Christ we can do ALL things (Philippians 4:13). So let us abide in Christ every day, continually drawing from Him, life, truth and holiness, and He will sanctify us wholly!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 ...'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.'

To learn more about our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and the Sabbath, please visit your local Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Or please visit us at Rossville Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1737 Mission Ridge Road, Rossville Georgia 30741

Pastor; Greg Hudson

Services start at 11am on Saturday (Sabbath) morning.