THE HOLY SPIRIT

What role does the Spirit have in our sanctification?
Christians have been “sanctified” in connection with the Spirit, 1Co. 6:11, and have been chosen for salvation “through sanctification by the Spirit,” 2Th. 2:13. See also 1Pt. 1:2.

Metonymy of Effect
It might be profitable here to explore a very common idiom, or figure of speech, where the effect is put for the cause, or the active verb is put for the occasion of it. Some illustrations follow. You may need to read the context of the passages.
1Sam. 23:7 – “Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand” – Did Saul mean God (1) directly (with no one or nothing between, or intervening) delivered David into his hand, or (2) caused it to happen, gave occasion for it?
1Ki. 14:16 – “the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin” – Did Jeroboam (1) directly make Israel sin (e.g., did he personally bind an Israelite, drag him to the place of idolatry, and force him to worship?), or (2) did he cause, give occasion for Israel to sin? See 1Ki. 12:25-33.
Acts 1:18 – “this man [Judas] acquired a field with the price of his wickedness” – Did Judas (1) buy the field himself or (2) give occasion for it to be purchased? See Mt. 27:3-10.
Acts 10:20 – The Holy Spirit said to Peter, “I have sent them Myself.” Did the Holy Spirit (1) directly speak to these men or miraculously transport them to this location, or (2) did he cause these men to come? See 10:3-8,22; 11:13.

“Sanctify” - i.e., cause to be sanctified
Ex. 19:10-14 - Moses was told to sanctify, or consecrate, the people. How did Moses accomplish this? For example, did he personally and directly wash the people’s garments (vv10,14), or did he cause them to do so? If the latter, how did he cause them to do these things?
God said he would sanctify, or consecrate, Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, Ex. 29:44. How did God accomplish this? Did God personally and directly wash them with water, etc., or did he cause it to be done? If the latter, how did he cause it? See Ex. 29:1-9; Lev. 8:4-5,13,17,21,29,34. (Note: do not confuse what Moses did for what God did.)
In Jos. 7:13, Joshua was told to sanctify, or consecrate, the people. Based on this verse, what was his role in this sanctification?

Sanctification and the Spirit
Paul says his “offering” of the Gentiles (imagery of a priest offering sacrifice) was “sanctified by the Holy Spirit,” Rom. 15:16. If we allow the following passages to interpret, how did the Holy Spirit sanctify Paul’s work of preaching to the Gentiles? Eph. 3:1-8 ; 1Co. 2:1-13 (the Corinthians were Gentiles); Acts 14:1-3; 15:12; Col. 1:25-27 (Note: How was “the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” revealed to Paul and how was this message confirmed?); 1Th. 1:4-6; 2:13; 4:3...8 (the Thessalonians were Gentiles); Gal. 1:16; 2:7-8 (Note the comparison to how Peter was entrusted with the gospel to the Jews).
Christ sent Paul to the Gentiles that they may be “sanctified by faith” in Him, Ac. 26:16-18. What was Paul’s role in this?

How does faith come into the heart? Rom. 10:17.
Three things are affirmed about the Christians in Corinth in 1Co. 6:11, one of which is that they were sanctified. All three are said to be “by” or “in the Spirit of our God.” What are the other two things that are “in” or “by the Spirit”?
If we can understand what role the Holy Spirit played in these two things, can we not understand the role he played in their sanctification? See 1Co. 1:30-2:5,10-13, where Paul discusses in this same letter the Holy Spirit’s role.
Parallel 1Co. 6:11 and Eph. 5:26. In both passages Christians’ cleansing from sin is likened to being “washed.” In 1Co. 6:11 this washing is said to be “in” or “by” the Spirit. In Eph. 5:26 this washing is said to be “with” or “by” what?

Peter writes to Gentiles living in an ungodly world. Having obeyed the gospel, their belief and lifestyle was different from most all around them. But he assures them in his opening address that they are “elect [chosen, NASB] according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,” 1Pt. 1:1-2 (NKJV). Note what Peter said to his readers about how they purified their souls, 1Pt. 1:22-25.
Paul wrote to the Gentile Christians in Thessalonica that they, too, were chosen by God, 1Th. 1:3,4. He then gives a reason (“for”) his confidence in this, v5. What is it? (Note he speaks of how the gospel “came” to them. Also note the “not…but.”)

The Holy Spirit revealed that the Gentiles, as well as Jews, who believe in Jesus will be saved. But what He revealed and how He revealed it separated those with good hearts from those who did not love the truth. Only those with a right attitude toward truth would be sanctified by the Spirit to be among those chosen for salvation. See Mt. 5:6; Ac. 13:48; 17:11-12; Jas. 2:5. All who believe and obey what He revealed about Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, will be “sprinkled with His blood” (1Pt. 1:2). Note what is said about Peter’s readers, 1Pt. 1:22-25.
This attitude toward and knowledge of what the Holy Spirit has revealed continues to affect our sanctification. Compare 1Th. 4:3 with v8. If a man rejected the Holy Spirit, what would be the moral consequence?
Yes, indeed, we were and are sanctified by the Spirit! Without Him and His work we would never had known Jesus Christ, nor how to live to continue to enjoy his grace.

Quick Quiz
Choose all correct answers in the following.

1. The Holy Spirit
a. Comforts Christians
b. Sanctifies Christians
c. Fills Christians with hope
d. None of the above

2. The Holy Spirit
a. Influences the Christian through the revealed Word of God
b. Does not influence the Christian
c. Exercises direct influence upon the Christian in addition to His influence through the Word
d. Influenced Christians in the past, but does not do so today

3. Indicate each of the following either to be true or false.
a. Christians are washed by the Spirit.
b. Christians are cleansed by the Spirit.
c. Christians are sanctified by the Spirit.
d. Christians are washed, cleansed, and sanctified by a direct operation of the Spirit on the human heart.

4. The Spirit speaks to Christians today
a. In a still, small voice heard only by the recipient
b. Through the written Word of God
c. Through prophets God has raised up for this generation
d. Through the church and its decrees

5. When it is said the Spirit does something
a. It can only mean He does it directly, without using any means
b. It can mean He causes it to happen
c. It can mean He gives occasion for it to happen
d. Context and harmony must decide whether He does it immediately (without using means) or mediately (using means)

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