He That Sanctifieth

“For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11).

The words, “sanctifieth” and “sanctified” are derived from the same Greek root word, “hagios”. It means to be separated from sin and consecrated to God. When Jesus sanctifies, He makes an atonement for our sins to God and washes away the guilt we experience from our sins. To sanctify is to be cleansed inside and out from sin and guilt making us holy, righteous and presentable to God.

Sanctification can only be done through and by Jesus Christ as our mediator and Savior.

Sometimes “hagios” is transliterated as “hallowed”.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, “Hallowed” be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)

Sometimes “hagios” is transliterated as “holy”. The following verses from John show God’s election and hagios used to mean holy.

“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word….And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. “Holy” Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:6 & 11)

Jesus sanctifies the elect of God. There can be no sanctification without election.

G.B. Stevens writes in the Hastings' Bible Dictionary that hagios, “is characteristically godlikness".

The elect of God have been washed clean of sin. The guilt of sin has been washed away too. But we are still in this world and we are still flesh, so man is still prone to sin. As we venture out in this world, we will “get dirty”. We shall all sin. Not necessarily by intent, but due to the weakness and frailty of the human condition. But Jesus foresaw this and made "a way to escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13b)

“Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (John 13:10)

The sin we collect as we venture this world is metaphorically around our feet. But we as a body and person are still clean inside and out. The sin collected is removed through repentance and prayer. No need to re-baptize or re-commit our lives to Christ, for those things can’t be undone. But as active participants of this life, we must take care to remain, “hagios”.

Bill Hitchcock