Welcome to Reign of Grace. This
program is brought to you by Reign of Grace Media Ministries,
an outreach ministry of Eager Avenue Grace Church in Albany,
Georgia. It is our pleasure and privilege
to present to you the gospel message of the sovereign grace
and glory of God in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that today's program
will be a blessing to you. Thank you for listening and now
for today's program. Like to welcome you to our program
this morning. I'm glad you could join us. And
as always, when I do these programs, it's my prayer and my desire
that you will benefit from the study of the word of God, the
Bible, because that's what we're all about on this program. And
today we're going to be looking at 1 Peter chapter one, the book
of 1 Peter. This is the epistle. of Peter,
the apostle of Christ. You know about Peter, he was
one of the original 12 apostles. And God the Holy Spirit inspired
him to write two letters in the New Testament, 1 Peter and 2
Peter. And we're gonna look at 1 Peter
chapter one, the specific verse I'm going to look at, I will
read several scriptures here, is verse two. where he talks
about God's people being elect according to the foreknowledge
of God, the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit. That's the title
of the message, sanctification of the Spirit. It says, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, He says,
grace unto you and peace be multiplied. So I'm gonna talk about sanctification
of the Holy Spirit. That's what it's about, sanctification
of the Spirit. Now, many of you may be familiar
or you've heard this word, sanctification, to sanctify. The word saint comes
from those words, comes from sanctification. And A lot of
people have a real misunderstanding of what it is to be sanctified,
even what it is to be a saint. Another translation of the Greek
word sanctify or sanctification is the word holy, holiness, to
make holy. And again, a lot of people have
a misunderstanding of that. Most people, when they think
about holiness, for example, and again, that's the same word,
sometimes it's translated sanctification, sometimes holiness. Be ye holy
as the Lord God is holy. Hebrews chapter three, the writer
of Hebrews was inspired by the Holy Spirit to call the people
of God holy brethren. What do you think of when you
hear the word holy, holiness, or sanctify, sanctification? Well, many people, what they
think of when they think of sanctification and holiness is what we call
maybe moral purity or sinless perfection. And so when they
talk about the pursuit of holiness or of being sanctified, they
equate that with their works. In other words, I'm getting better
and better. But that is not a biblical view
now. You need to understand that. For example, we talk about God. God is a holy God. Now we know that God Himself
in His very nature is sinlessly perfect. And so we call him a
holy God. We talk about the holy Bible
because if you're like me, I believe the Bible is the perfect inerrant
word of God, verbally inspired. I don't believe there's any mistakes,
any contradictions in the Bible. And you need to understand, I
don't have time to give you the history of all this, but I'm
coming at it from one who was very, as an unbeliever, I was
very critical meticulously critical of the Bible. But then the Lord
opened my eyes and I've been studying it for over 30 years
now in the light of His truth. But it's the Holy Bible. When
the angel announced that Christ was coming, one of the terms
that he used to describe Christ was that holy thing. So, you
see, holiness, and when it applies to God, when it applies to Christ,
when it applies to the Word of God, it's talking about something
or someone who is perfect. But now, I can tell you this,
when it applies to holy brethren, there's no perfection there.
Here's what I want you to understand, and to understand the Bible. When you think of sanctify, sanctification,
sanctity, or a saint, or holiness, or holy, think of these two words,
set apart. Set apart, or this one word,
separated. Now that's what the word means.
That's what holy means, separated. And what it's referring to is
that which separates out, makes someone or something unique.
Back in the Old Testament in the tabernacle when God told
Moses to make the vessels, the drinking vessels and the plates
and the furniture that was to go in the tabernacle. He calls
them holy vessels. Well, there's no moral purity
in those vessels. What he was saying is those vessels,
those things were to be set apart, separated out to be used in one
specific way and no other. And that is for the service of
the tabernacle. They weren't to be used at drunken
parties. You might recall in the book
of Daniel when the Persian King Belshazzar used those vessels
that had been taken by his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar from the tabernacle,
and he used those vessels. They were stolen out when Nebuchadnezzar
destroyed the Temple of Solomon. And Belshazzar used those vessels
in a wild party, a drunken party. And that was a great sin, because
those vessels were ordained, marked out, separated by God
to be used for one purpose, and that is for the service of the
tabernacle. Now, that's what sanctify, sanctification,
holy, holiness means. Now, when we refer to God being
holy, over in 1 Peter 3, in verse 15, listen to this. We're told, it says, but sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts and be ready to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear. Sanctify the Lord God. Now what
does he mean, sanctify God? It certainly doesn't mean to
make God perfect or make God morally pure. He's already so.
I don't make him that way. When I sanctify the Lord God,
In my heart, he says, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,
your mind, your affections, your will, your thinking. Now, when
I sanctify God in my heart, I don't make him any more or any less
than what he is, according to his word. But you see, what he's
saying is here, he's saying we acknowledge and we recognize
and we worship God in His uniqueness, in His separation. There's no
one like God. God alone is unique, He's holy. Now, He is morally perfect, and
that certainly sets Him apart from all of us, because we're
not morally perfect. We may be moral people, don't
get me wrong, and I strive to be moral, but I have not yet
reached perfection. and I will not reach perfection
until I go to be with the Lord, and that's by His grace, not
by my works. Somebody said, well, you gotta
be getting better and better. Well, let me tell you something. Righteousness
can only be found in Christ. If you're looking for righteousness,
you better look to Christ. Don't look within yourself. Don't
look to your works. Don't even look to your faith. Look to Christ. By faith, look
to Christ. He's holy. Christ is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, the book of Hebrews tells us.
So Christ is alone in that sense. God is alone in that sense. God's people sanctify him when
they recognize his uniqueness, his oneness, his separateness. God is holy. He is perfectly
moral because he is perfection itself. He is righteous. He's sovereign. Those are the
things that sanctify God, set him apart from all idols. There's
no one to compare God to, the scripture says. That's why we're
not to make any likeness of God. There's no pictures of God. I
don't care if you've been to the Sistine Chapel. That fella
up there on the wall, he's not a reflection of God. I'm just
sorry. That's why these pictures of
Jesus, that's not Jesus. Nobody knows what he looked like
physically. There were no cameras back then. They didn't have any
paintings of him. How do we know who God is? How
do we know who Christ is? By his word, by the doctrine
of Christ. The doctrine of Christ in the
gospel speaks of his glorious person. Who is Jesus Christ? Oh, he's holy. He's sanctified. He's separate. He is God in human
flesh. The glory of God revealed in
the face of Jesus Christ. And what did he do? In his work,
he's holy. He's sanctified. He did something
that nobody else could do. What did he do? He stood as the
surety, the substitute, the redeemer of his people, and by his death
on the cross, he put away our sins completely, the sins of
all the elect of God. That's who Peter said here in
verse two, elect. We'll talk about that in just
a minute. A lot of people don't like that, but you need to read
the Bible. And what he did by his death
on the cross, he brought forth a righteousness that answers
the demands of God's justice for His people. And He paid the
redemption price. He bought them back unto Himself. And it's called the righteousness
of God. And there's no other righteousness
like it. Because it's the righteousness of Jesus Christ who is holy,
who is set apart. He's the one and only Savior.
He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto
the Father but by me. There's no other way of salvation.
And if you think there are, if you think there's other ways
of salvation, then you're not sanctifying the Lord God. God
says there's one way. God says that there's one God. and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is God-man. Peter spoke of
it in his message as recorded in the book of Luke. There's
none other name given among men whereby we must be saved. That's
the issue, see. When we look at this, we talk
about sanctification of the Spirit. We're talking about sanctification
as it applies to God's elect, God's true children. Now look
at verse one of 1 Peter 1. It says, Peter, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, a messenger of Christ. In other words, Peter
is an ambassador. He's not preaching by his own
authority and he's not preaching his own word. He's preaching
under the authority of Christ and the word of God. to the strangers
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia. These strangers that he's writing
to are foreign. They're Christians who are in
other countries other than their home country. That means a foreigner. In other words, they're immigrants.
And he says in verse two, now listen to it. First thing he
does, he identifies them as the elect of God. And he says in
verse two, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father. Now that's God's electing grace. What does the Bible teach? That
before the foundation of the world, God chose those whom he
would save and gave them to Christ. He chose them in Christ. And
that's election. And somebody says, well, if I
believe that, then if I'm not elect, then there's nothing I
can do. Now listen, you don't know who the elect are, and I
don't, until something happens. This is what the Bible teaches
now. How do you know who the elect are? Now hold on to that
thought. But here he says, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Now the word foreknowledge
is an interesting word in the scripture. And what a lot of
people think, that foreknowledge is just God foreseeing the future.
But that's not the way it is. You've gotta take all the scripture
together. And what does the scripture tell
us about God? It says in Isaiah 46, for example,
that God declares the end from the beginning. Now, what does
that mean? That means that God has determined
things beforehand. Now, a lot of people don't like
that because they say, well, it makes me feel like a puppet.
It doesn't make you feel like anything. You make choices every
day. You don't know the eternal, sovereign, secret mind of God. Now, you don't know that, I don't
know that. But God declares the end from the beginning. Now,
that makes God unique. You can't declare the end from
the beginning. Now, you can declare, you can see the beginning from
the end, and I often tell people this way. I know how this day
started, because that's history, but I don't know how it's gonna
end up. An hour from now, my whole world may change. I don't
declare the end from the beginning, but God does. The Bible says
that God works all things according to his predestinating purpose.
In Ephesians 111, he's the God who works all things after the
counsel of his own will. Now that's who God is in this
book. And there's a lot of things that
God has not revealed or told us. They're called the secret
things. God chose a people. Now, who are they? Well, now
look at this. And this foreknowledge doesn't
mean God looked down through a telescope of time and foresaw
the future. No, my friend, that makes fate
God, not God. That's what the Muslims call
kismet. No, no. God is the intelligent,
wise, determiner of all things. And that boggles my mind, but
it ought to boggle all of our minds. He is one. He is unique. Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts. And really what this is talking
about, when we talk about sanctification, the Bible speaks of a threefold
sanctification as it applies to God's elect. First of all,
they were set apart before the foundation of the world in God's
electing grace when he chose them and gave them to Christ.
Put all the responsibility of their whole salvation on Christ.
There's a book the scripture speaks up. And I believe this
is metaphorical language, but it's in God's mind. And that
book is the Lamb's Book of Life. And there's only one person who,
and I heard somebody say, I'd love to look into the Lamb's
Book of Life. Well, Revelation chapter five
tells us that there's a book, which is a book of God's sovereign
decrees, And there's only one person who is worthy to look
into that book, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows his
sheep. He said that in John chapter
10. He said, I know my sheep. I give
my life for the sheep. It's not all without exception
now, but it's his sheep. And he said, and am known of
mine. He said, in John 6.37, all that the Father giveth me,
that's election, when God gave it. That's what the Bible teaches.
Read Ephesians 1, read Romans 9, all these passages. You say,
well, that offends me. Well, the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God. You understand that. That's why it offends you. You
see, we've got a, God that is much bigger than us. And every
attempt at false religion is an attempt to bring God down
and to lift man up. God is so high above us, we can't
even imagine the chasm between us. But, you see, God chose a
people. He set them apart and gave them
to Christ. Secondly, the Bible speaks of
sanctification by Christ. That's God's redemptive grace
when God's people were set apart as Christ was made their surety,
having their sins imputed, charged, accounted to them, And his righteousness
imputed, charged, accounted, their sins accounted, imputed
to him, and his righteousness accounted, charged, imputed to
them. And what did he have to do to work out that righteousness?
He had to die on the cross and redeem them. He laid down his
life for the sheep. They were sanctified by the blood
of Christ. They were set apart in redemption. He died for me. When He died,
I died. When He was buried, I was buried.
When He arose again, I rose again. And I stand before God now based
on the righteousness that Christ accomplished in His obedience
unto death. It's imputed, charged, accounted
to me. My debt is fully paid. The law
cannot condemn me. God will not charge me with sin. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of who? God's elect. Who can condemn
us? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather
He's risen again and seated at the right hand of the Father,
ever living to make intercession for us, for His people. That's
sanctified by the Son. Well, how do we know who God
chose? How do we know for whom Christ
died? Well, look back at 1 Peter 1, verse 2. Look at it. He says,
elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the Spirit. Now, here's the third sanctification
as it applies to God's people. It's sanctification by the Holy
Spirit. And that's the title of the message,
sanctification of the Spirit. What is this? It has to do with
being set apart from the world in salvation by the new birth,
regeneration, and conversion. Now, how do you know that? Well,
look at it now. Verse two, sanctification of the spirit unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you
and peace be multiplied. Now what is that sprinkling of
the blood of Jesus Christ? Well, let me give you a passage
here. This is Hebrews chapter 10. And
he's talking about those for whom Christ died here. He says
back up in verse 14, for by one offering, He, that is Christ,
hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, them that are
set apart. And he says in verse 15, Hebrews
10, whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us, for after
that he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws
into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. the new birth,
regeneration, giving us a new heart, where we submit to Christ
as our only righteousness before God. And God will remember our
iniquities and sins no more. It means he won't hold them against
us. He won't keep a record of them to charge us with them.
So he says in verse 18, now where remission of these is, there's
no more offering for sin. In other words, Christ did it
all. There is nothing else I can offer. or want to offer, and
nothing I offer will do any good. It's the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ. Verse 19, having therefore, brethren,
boldness, liberty to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through
the veil, that is to say, his flesh, his body died And having
an high priest over the house of God, now listen to this, let
us draw near, verse 22, let us draw near with a true heart,
a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, that is looking to
Christ, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, a guilty
conscience, a condemning conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water." What is that talking about? That's talking about when
the Holy Spirit, under the preaching of the gospel, empowers the truth
of God justifying sinners based upon the blood, the righteousness
of Christ. He gives them a new heart and
applies that blood, sprinkles the blood. That's a metaphorical
language, like Moses sprinkling the blood, literally the animal
blood. which did not accomplish redemption, but he sprinkles
the blood of Christ on the heart. In other words, he brings us
to see our sinfulness, our depravity, and drives us to Christ, pleading
his blood, his righteousness, for our complete cleansing, our
complete salvation from all sin. Now let me show you that in another
scripture. Here's what I'm saying. How do
we know who the elect of God are? How do we know for whom
Christ died? They are brought by the Holy
Spirit. They are sanctified by the Spirit. They are set apart
under the truth of the gospel wherein the righteousness of
God is revealed, wherein Christ the God-man is revealed as the
one and only Redeemer, the sovereign Savior, who accomplished redemption
and secured the salvation of his people. and they are brought
to faith in Christ. Do you believe in the Christ
of the Bible? That's the issue. And let me
show you what I'm talking about. Over here in 1 Thessalonians
chapter one. Listen to what the Apostle Paul
says to the Thessalonian believers. He says in verse three, remembering,
this is 1 Thessalonians 1.3. Remembering without ceasing your
work of faith and labor of love and patience, that is endurance
of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father,
knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God. Know God has
elected you. How? Verse five, for our gospel
came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the
Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake. You come to believe the gospel.
You believed it under faith in Christ and repentance of dead
words. You know, there's a lot of people
who hear the gospel, but they don't believe it. They don't
love it. They don't live it. And so what
he's saying to the Thessalonians there is, I know you're God's
elect. Why? Because the gospel came
to you not just in word. It wasn't just spoken word. It
came to you in power, the power of the spirit, New birth, wherein
you believed it, you repented, and you live under the authority
of it, you look to Christ. And one more verse, look at 2
Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2, this is verse
13. Listen to this. But we are bound
to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren beloved
of the Lord. because God hath from the beginning
chosen you, now that's election, chosen you to salvation, then
listen, through sanctification of the Spirit, there's sanctification,
He set you apart by the Holy Spirit, how do you know? And
belief of the truth, whereunto He called you by our gospel,
not a lie now, not a false gospel, but our gospel, He says, to the
obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's what
Peter is saying. Obedience of the Word of God.
You obey the Word of God. You believe Christ. You rest
in Him for all salvation, for all forgiveness, for all righteousness,
for all holiness. Yes, I'm holy. I'm set apart
by God unto Christ. I'm a sinner saved by grace.
And that's what a saint is, a sinner saved by grace. Hope you'll join
us next week for another message from God's Word. We are glad you could join us
for another edition of Reign of Grace. This program is brought
to you by Reign of Grace Media Ministries, an outreach ministry
of Eager Avenue Grace Church in Albany, Georgia. To receive
a copy of today's program or to learn more about Reign of
Grace Media Ministries or Eager Avenue Grace Church, write us
at 1-1-0-2-1. Eager Drive, Albany, Georgia
31707. Contact us by phone at 229-432-6969
or email us through our website at www.theletterofgrace.com. Thank you again for listening
today and may the Lord be with you.