Hebrews 10:10

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 

One last principle related to our position in Jesus Christ.  We have to realize that through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have been sanctified, or made holy.  This means that we have been set apart for a particular purpose by God. 

 

The technical theological term for this principle is positional sanctification.  Because of our position in Christ, we are completely sanctified.  Some principles:

 

  1. This is not an experience.  It’s not emotional.  You will not always feel sanctified!  But it’s a fact anyway!
  2. It is not progressive, it cannot be improved upon.  You are totally sanctified from the moment of faith in Jesus Christ.
  3. It is not related at all to human merit or power.  You don’t deserve it; you can’t earn it.
  4. It is obtained totally and completely at the moment of salvation.
  5. It is eternal and unchangeable, either by humans or by God!

 

 

Do you ever feel guilty, or feel like a failure, or think that God must be disappointed in you or ashamed of you?  Then you don’t understand sanctification:

 

Hebrews 2:9-11

9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.

11 For both He who sanctifies (That’s Jesus Christ, who sanctifies us through His work on the Cross) and those who are sanctified (that’s all believers, from the above passage) are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

 

God is not ashamed to call you family.  No matter how you feel about yourself, or whether you think God should be ashamed of you, HE IS NOT.  According to God’s viewpoint, He sees you as He sees His Son.

 

Colossians 1:22

22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, (that’s the cross) in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach --  

 

Because of the Cross of Jesus Christ, we can be presented before God the Father as HAGIOS, or sanctified.  Now that’s the truth that sets you free!