The Cost of Sanctification

May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:23

When we pray, asking God to sanctify us, are we prepared to measure up to what that really means? We take the word sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God’s point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God’s purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us? And after He has done His work, are we then prepared to separate ourselves to God just as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself . . .” (John 17:19). The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God’s perspective. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

Are we prepared to be caught up into the full meaning of Paul’s prayer in this verse? Are we prepared to say, “Lord, make me, a sinner saved by grace, as holy as You can”? Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (see John 17:21-23). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit’s work in us?

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隨時隨地堅守不移的成聖

願賜平安的神，親自使你們全然成聖。 （帖前五23-24）

我們成聖，有沒有打算按這經文中的標準呢？我們把成聖這句話看得太輕率了。對成聖所要求的代價，我們有沒有預備付出？代價是我們減少一切屬地的興趣，而擴大對神國度的興趣。成聖是我們全神貫注留意神的心意與觀點；也是約束身體靈魂所有的智慧，專為完成神的旨意。我們肯不肯讓神在我們身上下工夫，成就神分別為聖的目的？又他在我們身上的工作完成之後，我們肯像耶穌一樣，甘願分別自己為聖歸於神？ [我為他們的緣故分別為聖]。我們未能進入成聖的經歷裡，是我們未從神的觀點了解成聖的意義。成聖就是與耶穌合而為一，以致那支配他的，也支配我們。我們預備付出那代價麼？就是一切在我們裡面不屬於神的東西，都要放下。

我們能否與保羅的禱告起共鳴？我們能否說：[主， 你能叫一個蒙恩得救的罪人有多聖潔，就求你使我有多聖潔？ ]耶穌禱告要我們與他合一，正如他與父合一一樣。聖靈在人身上唯一的特徵，就是叫人酷肖耶穌基督，宛如骨肉，同時擺脫一切與基督相反的性情。我們肯把自己 分別出來，讓聖靈在我們裡頭作工麼？

祈禱◆主啊，當我的心思不是完全被你掌管，它很容易胡思亂想！願我身心靈的主權都穩操在你的手中。