Sanctification in the Bible. What is it? How does it work?
Early 1960’s. My mother, an English woman in a foreign country, and pregnant to her second child, was selling books door to door. She came across a kind woman who, after a nice conversation, warned her not to knock on the door of a specific house because a very nasty person lived there.
My mother thanked the woman and walked on. Ahead was the house in question. Should she knock? She didn’t really want to. But then again, the gospel is for everyone. Very nervously she walked to the door and knocked. A gruff and unhappy looking man opened the door. “What do you want?”
My mother explained that she was selling Christian books and asked if he was interested. Amazingly, he took an interest. I don’t know why. Maybe it was his surprise that someone would bother to knock on his door. He had no friends in the neighbourhood. Or maybe he felt sorry for my mother, a pregnant foreign woman selling books door to door. Behind whatever reason, was the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit. He bought books.
My mother walked away and never saw him again. About 25 years later, she was in the same town, and together with my father walking down the same neighbourhood. She saw the house in the distance. They came close and knocked on the door. No reply.
A neighbour was nearby so they started chatting. “Where is the man who used to live here?” My parents asked.
“He passed away a while ago,” came the reply. “But you know something strange? He used to be the nastiest person. Then a pregnant English woman who was selling Christian books knocked on his door and he bought some. And from that time onwards he changed. Completely. He became the nicest and most friendly person you could imagine.”
Lives changed by the gospel. Not one or two. The story above has been replicated millions of times throughout time and around the world as sinners allow the Word of God to change them.
But how does it happen? Today we will learn about sanctification in the Bible; about the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit.
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).
The Holy Spirit is given to everyone who believes in Jesus and is baptized.
Let’s pause here for a moment. In a previous study (Study 4) we saw that the Holy Spirit is active in every person’s life. Yes, every person who walks or has ever walked on this earth, has been visited by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, it is the Holy Spirit who invites us to follow Jesus.
But when a person believes and is baptized God gives the Holy Spirit in a special way and with special power. It is the Spirit who will empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God and do His work. Even Jesus received the Holy Spirit at His baptism, not to live a holy life since He was sinless, but to do God’s work.
Two things.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The first thing is that the Spirit brings in our life the fruit of the Spirit.
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant… There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-5).
The second thing is that the Spirit gives gifts. Understanding the difference between fruit and gifts is fundamental to understanding one’s role as a Christian.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Let’s look at this text closely. First, Paul lists nine characteristics. All these have to do with character. In other words, having the Holy Spirit will lead to a transformed character. Like what happened with the once nasty gentleman in our introductory story who was transformed into a kind and loving person.
Second, though Paul lists nine characteristics, he uses the singular word “fruit” not the plural “fruits.” Why? Because all nine are one package. One cannot say, “I have love,” and the other “I have kindness.” A mature Christian will develop all nine characteristics.
Third, it is called “fruit.” The choice of word is not incidental. An apple tree produces apples. An orange tree produces oranges. It is the way things are. A person filled with the Holy Spirit, will have the fruit of the Spirit. If the fruit is lacking, then perhaps that person has not surrendered fully to the leadership of the Spirit.
Fourth, there is another reason why it is called “fruit.” A fruit takes time to mature. Some take longer, some shorter. But all require time. The transformation of character from sinner to saint takes time; a lifetime may not accomplish it. So if you look in your life and cannot see the fruit of the Spirit in fullness, do not feel distressed. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has amazing patience with us and our failings. Just ask God that the Spirit may do His work in your life.
And don’t let your failings distract you from the goal. Because God’s goal for every believer is for the Spirit to produce the fruit in full maturity in our life. Listen to Paul’s words:
“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).
The goal of the Christian life is for the foulness of Christ’s character to be formed in our life. Just like it was for Adam and Eve who were created in the image and likeness of God.
When a person exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit, no law can condemn because the person lives in conformity to the law!
Once Jesus was asked which commandment is the greatest. He replied:
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).
All commandments of God are built on love. So when the Holy Spirit fills the heart with the love of God, obedience is the natural consequence.
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). Paul then lists some of the Ten Commandments (Romans 13:9) and concludes: “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
A person who allows the Holy Spirit to fill his life with the fruit of the Spirit, will live in conformity to the Ten Commandments.
Every Christian becomes a child of God by entering the new covenant. Sanctification in the Bible is closely connected to the new covenant. The promise of the new covenant is this:
“I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them” (Hebrews 10:16).
The promise of the new covenant is that God will write His law on our hearts. But how does He do this? Through the Holy Spirit! Note this text:
“Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3).
Paul is here addressing believers in Corinth. Corinth was a very immoral city and many Christians had lived immoral lives before they believed. But what happened after they believed?
The Holy Spirit transformed their lives and through the Spirit God wrote His law on their heart. Note the contrast, “tablets of stone” and “tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”
Anybody can have the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. See them but not be affected by them. But it is quite another to have them written on the heart. To have them on the heart means to live by them.
Note these words of David, a prophecy about Jesus: “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).
To have God’s law in the heart means to delightfully and wholeheartedly do God’s will! This amazing work is accomplished through the Holy Spirit!
To have the Holy Spirit means that life will be transformed to exemplify the nine characteristics that make up the fruit of the Spirit, and will come into full conformity with the will of God as expressed in the Ten Commandments. Hallelujah!
Apart from sanctifying the character, the Holy Spirit also gives us gifts. Their purpose is to equip us for service.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues [the Greek word glossa literally means “language”], to another the interpretation of tongues [the Greek text can literally be translated, “translation of languages”]. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
Let us note a few things about the gifts of the Spirit.
First, every believer receives a gift: “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one.” There is no believer without some gift.
Second, in contrast to the fruit which is one package, when it comes to the gifts the Spirit gives different gifts to different persons: “for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another… to another… to another… to another… But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
Third, gifts are given for the edification of the church and the work of ministry: “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
When Paul lists spiritual gifts in Ephesians, he adds the reason why they are given: “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:12-13).
So the gifts of the Spirit are tools to use to build believers in the faith. Whatever is needed, the Spirit provides. Tools will vary depending on the occasion and the needs. Here is a tentative, but not complete, list of gifts listed in the Bible.
Administration Apostleship Discernment
Evangelism Exhortation Faith
Giving Healing Helps
Hospitality Knowledge Leadership
Mercy Prophecy Serving
Shepherding Speaking in languages Teaching
Translating languages Wisdom
The fruit is about who you are; the gifts are about what you do.
The fruit is about holiness and character, becoming more like Jesus; the gifts are more about what we do, helping others come to Jesus and be edified.
As far as sanctification in the Bible is concerned, the fruit is more important. For sure.
A person who has allowed the Spirit to transform the character into the likeness of Christ, whatever gift he or she has, no matter how small the gift, will be able to use it in fullness to the glory of God and the edification of others.
By contrast, a person who is highly gifted but has not allowed the Spirit to transform the character, may cause more damage than good.
Let me put it this way. Imagine that you are a chef. If you are a mature chef, then even if you have little equipment and few supplies, you can work to make beautiful things.
But if you are a novice, then no matter how much equipment and how many supplies you have, you will probably not manage to create something beautiful. You may even burn the food, or hurt yourself and others if you don’t know how to use the equipment.
The Holy Spirit wants to mature you as a person so you can use whatever tools He gives you most effectively for the glory of God.
Absolutely Not!
True love can only come from God. True peace can only come from God. True joy can only come from God.
A person who does not have the Spirit of God cannot experience these qualities in their true meaning. They may pretend to have love or peace, but the reality will be different.
True sanctification in the Bible cannot be counterfeited.
Unfortunately yes.
God gives the gift of prophecy. But Jesus warned that many false prophets would arise, especially in the last days:
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
God gave apostles. But the Bible warns of false apostles who would come and would look very much like true apostles:
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13).
God appointed teachers. But many false teachers would also come:
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1).
A believer should not be impressed with giftedness. We should rather look to holiness of character and the gifts of the Spirit will follow accordingly.
We have all been born with the virus of sin. But whoever believes in Jesus is set free. God gives every believer the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will do two things for you. He will endeavor to sanctify or transform your character into the likeness of Christ by maturing in you the fruit of the Spirit. And He will also give you gifts so that you can serve God and bless others.
Yes Father, please give me the Holy Spirit in abundance so that He can sanctify my character and give me whatever gifts are needed for me to be of service to You and the people around me. Amen!
Home: Adventist Beliefs: Sanctification in the Bible