Sanctified

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

SANCTIFIED

1 Cor 1:1-3

1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — their Lord and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

NIV

Having considered the change that occurred in the life of Sosthenes and how that same change has been the case in our lives, we now should look into this idea of being one of those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy. The reason we can expect this to apply to ourselves and not to just those believers who lived in Corinth is that Paul continues and includes all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What we have to conclude is that this letter was written to us. Certainly, Paul did not think of us when he included all those everywhere, as he may have been thinking of the other churches throughout the area that he had once visited and started a new church. However, as his words were inspired by the Spirit and we know that God knew before the foundation of the earth that we would be calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and so then according to the holy inspired word of God, we are included as recipients of this letter. So what exactly does it mean that we are among those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy? It is interesting the Greek word translated as sanctified carries this meaning of being rendered or declared sacred, set apart for God. This is not something we can do or cause to be done, yet in some sense by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have caused ourselves to be rendered by God as sacred and set apart to and for him. But we cannot render ourselves, or declare ourselves to be sanctified, that is reserved holy for God to do, and the only way, or reason that he would render us as sacred is if we are in Christ Jesus. Again, we cannot be good enough, or righteous enough, or do enough good deeds, or act spiritual enough, or even study the scriptures enough to make ourselves worthy of being declared scared. All we can do is be in Christ Jesus, or in other words, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, being born again, as He told Nicodemus. Then and only then God renders us as sacred, and separated from things profane and dedicated to Him, or consecrated, being dedicated to a special service, as we are to God. In addition, we have also been called to be holy. This Greek word translated here as holy has also been seen to mean saints. This word carries the meaning of someone who is connected with God and possess a certain distinction and claim to reverence, as places sacred to God. As for people, it is employed to mean that we are set apart for God, as it were, exclusively His. Again, we cannot call ourselves to be set apart for God, to be exclusively His. He has called us to be holy. He has called us to himself and He has set us apart to be exclusively His. This would have to mean that we cannot be divided in our hearts and minds. How can we have desires for the things of the world and also have a desire for God? How can we be set apart for Him while still engaging in the affairs of the world? Yes, we live here, and we have to employ ourselves to work within the framework of our culture or society. Yes, we have to do certain things in this world in order to function. But we have not been called to be of this world, to be partners with it, to be exclusively set apart to this world, to claim it as our own, our home, what we worship. God and God alone is who we have been called to be set apart for and in, and to be His sacred place, as we have been told we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So we are sanctified and called to be holy.