Day 2 – Complete Sanctification

(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Paul’s prayer

Today’s passage is Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians at the close of the epistle. He points them to the God of peace, who reconciled them to himself in Christ, by whom they have peace with God, peace with themselves and peace with one another.

This prayer reminds us of the completeness of our salvation. We have been saved (justification) by God’s free and final act in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8). We are being saved (sanctification), by God’s ongoing work in us by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 1:18). But we will eventually be saved (glorification) when God finally redeems all things (Rom. 5:9-10).

The holistic nature of our salvation means that it covers our past, present and the future, and is a reason for us to be secure in our salvation in Christ.

Process of sanctification

But this prayer focuses on the theme of sanctification for the Thessalonians. Justification dealt with our past, but sanctification deals with our today.

Sanctification is that which is continuously being imparted by God. It is being set apart from the world and set apart for God. It’s being dedicated to God and established in those dispositions that conform to the will of God. It is being purified from the guilt and power of sin.

We cannot avoid contamination from the world, but we make sure that those contaminants do not settle on us permanently through the process of sanctification.

Christ must control all of us

Your spirit, soul and body are not referring to a tripartite division of personhood, rather it refers to the entire being of the individual. God’s will for us is that we are completely set apart from the world for Him only.

God must be involved in every area of your life. You cannot separate your spiritual life from other aspects of life. Christ must control all of us, not just the spiritual part. This is what our entire sanctification means and demands. God wants us to progressively become free from sin and more and more like Christ.

God is committed to your complete salvation, from justification to glorification (Rom. 8:30). Being set apart completely for God gives you a clear conscience, greater peace, stronger assurance of your salvation and abounding joy.

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ“

1 Thessalonians 5:23