Sanctification Is Not Our Work
Isn’t “sanctify” a verb? Not one that “we” do, but a verb describing what God does? Adventists are taught that justification and sanctification are two different things. The first is what God does in declaring us righteous. The second, they say, is what we do, with God’s help, in our lives as we overcome sin over time.
God said:
“Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you” (Exodus 31:13).
“Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them” (Ezekiel 21:12).
“Sanctify” is a verb in these verses. It is what God does. Doesn’t it basically mean that God set Israel apart for a holy use? Israel was given the Sabbath to remind them that they had agreed to let God use them as He wanted. Even their evil deeds were used, and are used, by God to demonstrate to the world His holiness as He punishes Israel, scattering them around the world. “Sanctification” is being set apart to be used by God as He sees fit.
When God says He does something, it is done. The Old Testament demonstrates that Israel did not exemplify what Adventists’ say sanctification is. Therefore the word “sanctify” does not mean what they say it means.
As long as we have the idea in the back of our minds that sanctification is something demonstrated in our lives by our choosing to live as God desires, we cannot understand what Sabbath meant to Israel. To be “sanctified” meant that Israel was used to reveal both God’s mercy and his wrath.
It is a fearful thing to be “sanctified” by God. I wonder what God will do to those who take the Sabbath, saying they are Israel, when they are not?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: You make an excellent point. When God sanctifies a person or a nation, He sets them apart for holy use—for His own purposes. God uses those He sanctifies for His glory—even if those He sanctifies are disobedient. Your observation clarifies that “sanctification” does not equal “obey”.
God sanctifies; we do not sanctify ourselves by obedience. That is a very good point.
Inspiring Discussions In Context
The podcasts have inspiring discussions that to go far beyond the “here a little, there a little” favorite Adventist proof-texting methodologies that negate contextual common sense.
Our Lord is not a God of confusion. No. No!
Far from it. His plain contextual truths (not fables) were available for disappointed Millerites (then), as they are available today for any disappointed searchers in the false prophetess’s “Ellen G. White vault.”
We love your discussions of our God’s covenants. (Hint for Adventists: there are more than two.) Hallelujah!
Thank you Colleen & Nikki.
—VIA FACEBOOK
I Am Not Alone!
Their ministry of Former Adventist Podcast is foundational to so many who have already and who are just beginning the long journey out of Adventism.
I have been so encouraged to learn I am not alone in this journey.
—VIA EMAIL
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