The next name that was reveal to the children of Israel was Jehovah-mekoddishkem, the Lord who sanctifies you. In simple terms the word “sanctify” means to purify, set apart or to make holy. Our sanctification or purification begins when we accept the Lord and enter into a relationship with Him. Jesus’ offering of Himself on the cross is how we are sanctified (Heb 10:10-14). He is purifying us from those deeds of the flesh mentioned in Jehovah-nissi. We are to be sexually and morally pure, honoring, not caught up in lustful passions of the flesh and not defrauding each other (1Thess. 4:3-8).
It is an amazing thought that a holy God wants to be in a relationship with us, and to be in the presence of holiness we must be made holy. Almost as amazing, is that He loves us so much that He continues to work in our lives to continue to purify us making us more and more like Him. Paul tells us in 2 Tim 2:21 to cleanse ourselves from worldly and empty chatter and temporal desires so that we can be used by God for honor, prepared for every good work. That word “cleanse” in Greek is ekkathairō which means to sanctifies, purge or cleanse thoroughly. It is a cleansing of our body, soul and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23). After entering into a relationship with the Lord we are to continue to be set apart/purified/made holy by washing ourselves in the Word of God (Eph. 5: 25-27). The only way to know how to be holy is to know the one who is holy. The only way to get to know the Lord is by spending time in the Word and relying on the understanding provided by the Sprit. We are sanctified by truth and the Word is truth (Jn. 17: 15-19)
Holiness is important to God; so important to Him that he allowed His son to be the sacrifice for us allowing us to be made holy. Therefore, it must be important in each of our lives, Heb 12:14 states that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord”.
How is your life different, set apart, what steps do you take to pursue holiness?
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