“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:2 ESV).
1 Peter 1:2 continues with a reference to another important theological term: foreknowledge. When we say that God has foreknowledge, we mean God has a perfect understanding of all things, past, present, and future. God is not limited by the need to wait and see what our response will be in any given situation. Instead, He is already aware of our response by virtue of His foreknowledge.
This brings us to the word “sanctification,” a concept that involves separation from sin and dedication to God. Sanctification is defined as, “the act or process by which people or things are cleansed and dedicated to God…” (1) One commentator expands on that definition with the following illustration…
“Suppose one were living in the time of Christ and wanted to make a gift to the temple. He would bring his gift of gold coins and lay them on the altar. What happened to those gold coins? The moment they were given to God they became sanctified. They were set apart for holy use. The sanctification did not change the character of the gold coins, but it did change their use and the purpose for which they were directed. So, every true Christian has been set apart as holy to God, even though he falls short of perfection.” (2)
Jesus also made an important declaration on this subject in speaking with the religious leaders of His day: “…why do you say that I’m dishonoring God because I said, ‘I’m the Son of God’? God set me apart for this holy purpose and has sent me into the world” (John 10:36 GW). So, just as Jesus was set apart for God’s purpose, those who are in Christ are set apart as well.
The Biblical letter of Ephesians offers a further illustration: “God chose us in Christ to be holy and blameless in God’s presence before the creation of the world” (Ephesians 1:3-4 NIV). Thus, we can say that sanctification is a work of God through Christ. However, it is also accurate to say that Christians are involved in this process of sanctification as well.
For instance, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 tells us, “For this is the will of God— your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you learn how to maintain control over his own ‘vessel’ in holiness and honor” (Mounce). This points us toward the need to seek God’s empowerment as we participate in this process of sanctification.
Portions of this message originally appeared here
(1) New Dictionary of Theology, (Leicester/ Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1988) pg. 613
(2) John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question, pp. 34-35. Quoted in Notes on 1 Thessalonians 2020 Edition, Dr. Thomas L. Constable https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/1thessalonians/1thessalonians.htm#_ftn131