One text we're going to want to read real quick is in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 14, as we begin. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 14. The doctrine, this is one in a series of lessons Brother King and I are bringing. This one tonight is sanctification. It is article number 31 in our Confession of Faith. If you're interested in that, if you don't have it already, I believe there are some on the stand in the back, and if there are not, please let me know, and I'll be sure to get you one, okay? This article says this. All believers are a holy and sanctified people. Their sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new covenant and an effect of the love of God manifested in the soul. By it, the believer presses after a holy obedience to all the commands which Christ as head and king in his new covenant has prescribed to them. And then there are a number of scriptures. The importance, and I'm really gonna have to stay with my notes here, and I'm gonna try to share names, I don't normally do that, point you in a good direction on some things. The importance of sanctification should be understood by every soul that professes faith in Christ. And you'll see that in this text you've turned to in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 14. It ought to grab our attention. It reads, follow peace with all men. and holiness, without which, referring to holiness, no man shall see the Lord. So I wanted to know what it means when it says, see. It's used in a number of ways. I'm just going to give you parts of scripture. In this way, Jesus said to his disciples or the one that was healed, see, that see thou tell no man. Again, take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees. See and say nothing to any man. Another, I see men as trees walking. Another, he sees Abraham afar off. He stood afar off, beholding these things. Another, no man hath seen God at any time. We have seen the Lord. After his resurrection, the disciples said that. And this, having seen all the things that he did, see thou, and then finally, see thou do it not. It is a word, a Greek word, horao. And by those things that we just noted, how it's translated in a number of verses, just those phrases, it does involve the sight. We understand that, but it's more than just the sight. It's a perception of things, of ourselves or of others that we take. And in this case, This text that we read, a man that will not pursue holiness has yet to truly perceive Christ as he is. Now that's important. new birth and conversion, these experiences, the experiences of new birth and conversion are not holiness. These open the door to an intimate understanding of the person of Christ. They are the open door to him. This understanding is ours as we relate to his experience. Only by holy living in the midst of a perverse world do we begin to know Christ, to know Christ's experience, and therefore begin to know Him. And so we begin to what? See Him as He is. In 1 John 5, 20, In 1 John 5 20, and we'll get to the issue tonight of sanctification, but we needed to understand what that meant, that no man without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. They can't perceive who he is. They can't perceive him rightly. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know him that is true. Now, we may know him that is true. It's certain that we are in him that is true, if we do, if we are of his people. Even in his Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God in eternal life. And Paul says this in Philippians chapter three, verse 10. And I know you can't turn to some of these, we have to refer to a number, but I think you're familiar with it enough when I read this, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. I would submit to you that that is by way of holiness. Now, God is the author sanctification, the Spirit is the actor, the agent of it, and the Son is the basis for it. I want to just read these. In Jude, verse 1, he refers to sanctification by the Father. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified. It's an already accomplished fact that had been worked upon them. It's a completed act. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. The Spirit is the agent of it. We'll see that in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11, and there are so many, just pick two out. In 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11, and I want you to notice this, and we're gonna make a distinction between being sanctified sometime in the past and sanctification which takes place in the present time. Past sanctification and present sanctification. And it really kind of hints at it here. And such were some of you. And he's talking about people that used to be, they were effeminate and they were fornicators and other things as well. And here, such were some of you. But you're washed, an accomplished fact. You are sanctified, it's an accomplished fact. But you are justified, again accomplished, in the name of Jesus Christ, of the Lord Jesus and by, and notice this, the agency, by the Spirit of our God. One more time is in Ephesians chapter one, verse two. breaking in the middle of this, but it says, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, and he goes on. And the basis for sanctification is the Son of God. In Hebrews chapter 10, verse 10 and verse 14, so we get right to the points, By the witch will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by one offering, he has perfected forever them, again, notice this, that are sanctified. We are sanctified, he says, an accomplished fact, but then in 14, He has perfected forever them that are and so he refers to those that are at this present time being sanctified. You won't be sanctified in your experience unless of course God has already sanctified you. So one more thing to say and it's this. I think most of you understand my position on this, but I want to make a brief statement about what is called progressive sanctification. The Bible teaches what I call practical sanctification, your experience of sanctification if we deal in real time. those that have faith in Christ already. The Bible teaches practical sanctification. It's a manner of life that is lived moment by moment, one day at a time. But here's the issue I have with what is called progressive sanctification, and lots of people believe this. Progressive sanctification, at least to me, suggests an improvement and a letting up of the conflict between the principle of the flesh and the spirit. The Apostle Paul never in his epistles suggested any such improvement so that the conflict ever lets up. between the flesh and the spirit. If you're expecting that to happen, you're going to get discouraged. And I know because I've been there. Look, the Christian conflict is a part of this life. It ain't going to go away. In Romans chapter seven, the conflict chapter, it's very important that we understand it. So I disagree with what I see being taught by the doctrine of progressive sanctification. In Romans chapter seven, verse 18 through 21. Tell me if he sees, if he even gives you any indication that this conflict between the flesh and the spirit eases at all, in the least bit. Here, for I know that in me, the Apostle Paul speaking, and he's referencing himself, he's referring to his flesh, that is, in my flesh dwells no good thing and he says presently. That's my case, that's my state right now when he wrote this, the Apostle Paul. He says, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. It's actually pretty distressing. For the good that I would, I do not. But the evil which I would not, that I do. As long as he looked to something in him, he'd never be able to accomplish walking with Christ, walking by faith. Now, if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it but sin that dwells in me. So he's referring to the principle that he still has even though he's been regenerated and born again. So this is an unchangeable law for us during this time. I find then a law. that when I would do good, evil is present with me. And that's why we need the Spirit of God to work in us real sanctification. It's not us, but He working through us. I, no matter how old I might become, no matter what heights of spiritual maturity I might reach, by the grace of God, the battle between my flesh and my spirit continues. And failing to understand this guarantees, guarantees confusion and discouragement. Now the topic of sanctification is generally divided into two parts. Those two parts can be described with these terms. You can refer to this as standing versus state, or position versus condition, or dedicational versus relational, and finally, Past versus present. And I'm kind of going to go with this last one, past versus present. There is one more that he does this and I agree. He refers to sanctification as positional, experimental, and future. The ultimate state of faultlessness when we stand in his presence. Wow. For the most part, they're all saying the same things. Sanctification is synonymous to being dedicated or set apart to God. In the past, the Lord dedicated us to himself. Afterwards, we hope to experience personal holiness. For example, The nation of Israel was dedicated to the Lord when he brought them out of Egypt. In Leviticus chapter 22 verse 32 and 33. They were sanctified, and because of that, certain things he had done, certain things. Here, neither shall ye profane, nation of Israel, neither shall ye profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed or sanctified among the children of Israel. I am the Lord which hallow you. that brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I am the Lord. Now their sanctification was based on the shedding of blood. And this is brought out in the slaying of the Passover lamb and the sacrifices particularly that are made on the Day of Atonement. In Exodus chapter six, verse six, Exodus six, verse six, It says, I will redeem you. Notice this. Wherefore, say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you by blood. that lamb with a stretched out arm and with great judgments those the last of those judgments was when the angel passed over the houses in Egypt and every house that lacked the blood the firstborn were smitten but every place where there was blood on the lintel and doorposts he passed over and so we see that they were based upon, they were sanctified or set apart to God based upon the shedding of blood. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, shows the once for all sanctification of the people of God in a type of the one act at Christ's death in Leviticus chapter 16 verses 29 and 30. Leviticus 16 verses 29 and 30. Leviticus 16 verse 29. And this shall be a statute forever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country or a stranger that sojourns among you four. On that day shall the priest make an atonement for you. To do what? To sanctify. And that's virtually what these words have to do with. To cleanse you that ye may be clean. from all your sins before the Lord. And that points to what Christ did at the cross for all his people. And so we are sanctified in the death of Christ. And verse 34 there says of that same chapter, and this shall be an everlasting statute unto you to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And it did as the Lord commanded Moses. Now this man says, his name is John Owen. I agree. He describes this sanctification as a twofold work. Totally agree. He says it so well. There is mention in the scripture of a twofold sanctification and consequently of a twofold holiness. The first is common unto persons and things, consisting in the particular, or peculiar, I'm sorry, dedication, consecration, or separation of them unto the service of God by his own appointment, whereby? they become holy. I call that past sanctification. He goes on, thus the priests and Levites of old, the ark, the altar, the tabernacle, the temple were sanctified and made holy and indeed in all holiness whatever there is a peculiar dedication and separation unto God. But in the sense mentioned, this was solitary and alone. No more belonged unto it but this sacred separation. In other words, there's no intrinsic holiness in the things sanctified or the people. Nor was there any other effect of this sanctification. But secondly, there is another kind of sanctification and holiness wherein this separation to God is not the first thing done or intended, but a consequent and effect thereof. This, the second kind, this is real and internal by the communicating of a principle of holiness unto our natures, attended with its exercises and acts and duties of holy obedience unto God. And I know that's a mouthful. I hope you get a chance to look at this later. Now, T.P. Simmons has a book entitled A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine. I would recommend this book to every one of you. If you get a copy, I'm not even sure it's in print anymore, it's an excellent book. He refers to what is called past and present sanctification. So, past sanctification refers to being consecrated to God. This man Simmons says there is a sense in which saved people have been sanctified already. Okay, you with me? So the Lord does this to his people without any cooperation on their part. This is what he does to the elect. In Acts chapter 20 verse 32, we have been referred to this scripture so many times, it's almost like every service anymore, the last few services. This chapter is packed with good instruction. But I want you to notice the term are sanctified in this verse. It is, again, an already accomplished fact that had been worked upon them, it's in the passive voice. And now brethren, in verse 32 of Acts chapter 20, and now brethren, I commend you, Paul saying to these elders that had come out to him as he was on his way to Jerusalem, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified, an accomplished fact. In first Corinthians, If I could say this, the sanctified here are considered, rightly so, as one whole, saved company of people. God has set them apart. In 1 Corinthians 1, verse 1, this actually comes out even more. Same verb tense and voice, the time and the way it speaks, passive voice. In 1 Corinthians 1, verse 1, Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. Notice what he says to these brethren. Through the will of God and Sosthenes, our brother, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified. You are. It's an accomplished fact. No matter what you do, you are sanctified. It's hard to believe, right? But let's prove that. to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Now, you know, most of you, if you've known the Lord at all and are familiar with the Corinthian church, you know that that church was in many ways in sin, and certainly out of order. They were, Paul said, you are yet carnal. And yet, they are sanctified. That doesn't change. So it's so good when you see that. They are sanctified. He said, ye are yet carnal. Again, it's written, of the saints in the church at Corinth. And we've read that, but let me just point it out again. In sixth verse 11, such were some of you, but you're washed, you're sanctified, you are. Christ perfected us to a permanent position of holiness when he offered himself as a sacrifice to God. That we read in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 14, by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified, forever. Now as the tabernacle and all the furniture were consecrated, I want you to notice, think about how this worked back then. We hadn't left the Book of Exodus very long ago. The tabernacle, that tent in the wilderness, all its furniture, all those instruments, everything about it, were consecrated to service before they were ever put into service. Everything was touched with blood. And afterwards, they were put into service. And that's the idea with sanctification. And how it stands out so clearly in the prophet Jeremiah. We have to agree with this. The Lord sanctified Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter one, verse five. He sanctified Jeremiah to be a prophet. As I read this, before he was even born. You see, it had to do with Christ. Before I formed you in the belly, I knew thee. And before you came forth out of the womb, sanctified thee, I set you apart, I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nation." So there is past sanctification. So sanctification in this sense is a formal, Simmons says this, sanctification in this sense is a formal and external setting apart for or separation unto God. Get this so you're not confused. There is no thought of inward holiness. So the people in one way you could say they were legally cleansed. We talk about imputation. There's a legal imputation and there is a real imputation. And that's the same here. It works out just the same. Again, no men cooperated in it. The elect are holy, they're dedicated, they're set apart to God's service by Christ, his shed blood. Now following this is the time of our experience of holiness, at least we hope it is. All of the elect of God are brought by faith so that they might live for Christ and that is expressive of present sanctification. I like what this man says. Oh, and again, he makes us not only accepted, but also acceptable. He does not only purchase love for his saints, but also makes them lovely. It's the personal experience of being holy. I know these scriptures are referring to something else, but it does come out so strongly when we talk about present sanctification. Paul spoke to Galatians, my little children of whom I trail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. And again, in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 49, it was speaking of resurrection, but the idea is that we ought to now bear the image of the heavenly. It's a conforming to the image of Christ. How do we personally experience holiness? We need to know that. By faith we begin to yield our members in obedience to the word of God so that fruit is born from our lives. That's key. This can't be done independently. of the Spirit of God, Romans 7, the distress that you sense. As long as you look to yourself, you'll never be able to do it. Oh no, you gotta abide in Him. The believer that does this is the one that's abiding. Notice in John chapter 15, that famous chapter, verses four and five, if we just read these two, We cannot do this apart from abiding in Christ. And what does that mean? It means we see the word of God, we are livened to it, we want our lives hemmed in by it so that we walk in obedience to him. In John chapter 15 verse four, Christ said to the disciples, abide in me, remain in me, stand in me, abide in me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I'm the vine, and you are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him, thus saying, bringeth forth much fruit. Very important, for without me you can do nothing. Abide in him. In Romans chapter six, verse 19, The Apostle Paul speaking, I speak after the manner of men. because of the infirmity of your flesh, your weakness, your impotency, your inability. You see that? I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity and iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Verse 22, but now being made free from sin, that is from its dominion, you've been justified and become service to God, you have your fruit unto holiness or sanctification and the end everlasting life. What about this? In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 23, what is to be sanctified of us? Well, everything. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly. Your experience, your present experience. Sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The whole person yielded up to the service of the Lord in holiness. In 1 Peter 1 verses 15 and 16, we have the commandment, but as he which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, in every part of our life, because it's written, be ye holy, for I am holy. This present sanctification is accomplished through the power of the Spirit of God with the Word of God and our faith. The result of that is holiness. This is all in this. In Acts chapter 15, verses eight and nine, the Holy Spirit at work, the Word of God at work, and our faith at work. All of this is always understood in these texts. Acts chapter 15 verse 8. Yeah, we must know what the Word of God says. We must. The Spirit of God takes that objective witness and he applies it to us. We are caused to understand it and we respond and that is abiding Christ. That's holiness. When it works out, demonstrates itself, when it's given over, to the service of the Lord. In Acts 15, 8, in God, which knows the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us, referring to the Cornelius and the group of Gentiles that Peter had gone to see. They were relating this now to the church in Jerusalem, I believe at this time. It put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. They heard the preaching of the Word, and they believed, and they were purified. In John 17, verse 17, Jesus says, sanctify them through thy truth. Now, he's speaking of the apostles, but they were sanctified, but they were to continue in sanctification. Sanctify them how? Through the truth. Thy word is truth. There's no question about it. Verse 19 and 20. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, the preaching of the gospel. And there are others in this present sanctification. Believers subject themselves to the will of God. I like this. Romans chapter 12, verses one and two. Romans chapter 12, verses one and two. You're so familiar with this, I'm sure. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Sanctification continues as we walk by faith. and that's the way we live until we come into the presence of the Lord. In Philippians 1.6, being confident of this very thing that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. So until then, there's a war in our members between flesh and spirit, a truce, brethren, When we consider present the action of sanctification at this time, a truce will never be called between these two warring factions in this life. Not until death, not until either death or the resurrection, if that come, until then are we freed from the evil principle of the flesh. Our late brother Owen said, when it is no longer a duty to grow in grace, it is so not to mortify sin. No man under heaven can at any time say that he is exempted from this command, which is what? He's referring to mortify, put to death your members which are on earth. fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. He goes on, not until no man under heaven can at any time say that he's exempted from this command, nor on any pretense. And he who ceases from this duty lets go all endeavors after holiness. And for those who pretend to an absolute perfection, there are some that believe that, they are of all persons living the most impudent, nor do they even in this matter open their mouths, but they give themselves the lie. It's a false doctrine to think that we can come to sinless perfection, be so sanctified. Another man, Louis Burkhoff says, sanctification is a supernatural work of God. It consists fundamentally and primarily in a divine operation in the soul whereby the holy disposition born in regeneration and strengthened and its holy exercises are increased. Without present sanctification, a believer cannot possibly, remember the scripture we opened with, you can't see the Lord. You won't see the Lord if you don't live for him. You won't see him. And we tried to explain what that meant. Without present sanctification, a believer cannot know the Lord as he should be known by us. It is in this vein that we begin to have a vital relationship with him, a real one. Then the believer moves from theory to practice, theory to experience. I'd ask you, who can know the love of God better? than he that has learned to love the unlovely and to love his enemies. You'll start seeing the Lord when we are like that for who he is. Who can know the peace of God better than he that has learned to trust him, that has learned to trust him when he comes into great trouble himself on account of Christ? One more, you could frame a number of them. Who can know the joy of the Lord better than he that has himself joined in God when his soul is cast down within him? I believe, God, that God separated all the elect in Christ and dedicated them to his service when our Lord Jesus died on the cross. At some time, each of these shall be brought to saving faith in Christ. We know that. Then they are to present their living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God, not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of their minds. We're commanded to be holy. And what is that? Brethren, your desire is this, I know it is, live for Christ. Live for Christ day by day. Don't worry about tomorrow. Don't get hung up about what happened yesterday, but live for him today. Praise the Lord.