There is a desperate need in the church today
for pastors and teachers to emphasize practical holy
living in the life of believers. Every person who is
truly born-again lives in Romans 5, but few progress
into chapters 6 and 8! It is essential that we
understand the meaning of sanctification. If we are to
have a complete Christian life, we should not only
understand it, but live it ourselves. “Sanctified” is a
term, broadly misunderstood, which simply means “to set
apart.” The tabernacle and its furnishings were
sanctified, set apart, for the use of God. The wood,
cloth, metal, and other materials were not, of
themselves, holy, but they were set apart to God. In
John 17:19 Jesus said, “I sanctify myself.” Certainly
the holy Son of God had no need to be made more holy
than He was. What He means is simply that He set Himself
apart to serve God, and would, through their salvation,
set believers apart to the glory of God. Sanctification
in Scripture is three-fold: (1) Positional–the
Christian is taken out of the world and seated with
Christ (John 17:16). (2) Practical–the day by day
victory over sin and the gradual increase in holiness
and Christ-likeness. (3) Perfect–we shall be like Him,
for we shall see Him as He is.

Unless we keep the message of chapter 6
separated from that of chapter 7, we will confuse Paul’s
message and lose a great blessing. Chapter 7 presents a
deeper problem than that of chapter 6. Every Christian
realizes the problem of chapter 6–that his fleshly
nature drags him down and tries to enslave him. But not
many Christians have entered into the experiences of
chapter 7–the humbling realization that we are not
good!

We should recognize three key words in chapter
6–know, reckon, and yield. We must know our spiritual
position and privileges in Christ. This means spending
time in God’s Holy Word. We must reckon that what God
says about us is true. We are born of the Spirit and,
because of that fact, we have available to us many
privileges and much power in Christ Jesus. We must have
faith in the fact that we do have these things available
to us in Christ Jesus. Finally, we must yield all to the
Spirit; not just once a week or at the beginning of each
new day, but every moment of every day. This is truly
walking in the Spirit. God has already done His part.
Our responsibilities are very clear–know, reckon and
yield.

Chapter 8 is one of my favorite chapters. Paul
is looking to that future time when we shall be together
with Christ throughout eternity and says, “For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in
us” (verse 18). Then, in verses 28 and 29, he tells us
that “All things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” If
we, as Christians, would realize that Satan only has
access to us by God’s permission, then we could rejoice
in these verses. If we are children of God, Satan can
only do to us that which God allows! Remember the story
of Job–how Satan had to get permission to touch him!
Friends, God loves us and does not want any harm to come
to us. Yet, many times He allows troubles and trials to
be used as instruments to conform us to the image of His
Son.

Finally, verses 38 and 39 contain a great
promise to all Christians: “For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” Believe these verses! When we can
believe them in their entirety, with all fears of the
future laid in the hands of Christ, we will know the
peace that passes all understanding.