Sanctification what’s that? It’s a big word for most of us, and maybe some of you will have trouble even saying it. Betsy learned what it meant long before she could say the word. She began learning about it when she was just one year old.
Betsy lived in a hot climate where there were always lots of bugs. Her mother made a little fence around the porch outside their house. That way Betsy could toddle around on her own but couldn’t wander away and get lost or get into the dirt.
One day Betsy’s mother noticed that her little daughter had something in her mouth. She looked closer and found that two wiggling legs were sticking out of Betsy’s mouth! Of course, she reached inside her mouth right away and was surprised to pull out a live cockroach! Ugh!
Betsy began learning that day that some things were dirty and nasty and should not be put in her mouth. She wasn’t born knowing about what was clean and what was dirty; she had to be taught.
You and I also were born not knowing what is clean and dirty in God’s eyes. It’s not mud or beetles that are dirty in God’s sight. It’s sin. In God’s eyes, a lie that comes out of your mouth is much worse than a cockroach in a tiny girl’s mouth. The Bible says, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5). You and I need God’s Word to teach us about what is good and what is bad. That big word, “sanctification”, means just that. It means keeping yourself apart from the dirty things (sins) and loving the clean (good) things. If you are not saved, you can never do this. You might avoid the sin of taking drugs or saying bad words, but you’ll fall into another sin, such as being proud. The Bible says that the only thing that can clean us from our sins is the precious blood that the Lord Jesus shed when He was on the cross. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
Betsy is now a lovely young lady in her early teens. If you took a cockroach to her now, she would probably say, “Oh yuck! Get it away!” But how about the things that are more dirty than bugs? What would you say if someone wanted to show you a bad video or magazine? Would you say, “Take it away!”? I’m thankful to tell you that Betsy not only learned to leave cockroaches alone, but she has also learned about that word sanctification. She asked the Lord Jesus to wash away her sins. She reads God’s Word, the Bible, and asks His help in keeping away from the sin in this world.
There was one Man born in this world who didn’t have to learn about sanctification. The Lord Jesus hated sin even way back in a past eternity, long before He lived as a man on this earth. But He came into this world which was full of sin and, even more, He took our sins upon Himself in order to save us from them. “[Christ] who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth... who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:22,2422Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:22)
24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24).
Now that Betsy is a young lady, she wouldn’t want even one cockroach near her. But can you imagine how she would feel, or for that matter how you would feel, about being covered with cockroaches? The Lord Jesus hated sin far more than you hate cockroaches. But because He loves us, He took our sins upon Himself and paid the penalty for everyone who would come to Him for cleansing.
Now you know how Betsy learned about that big word. And what about you? Have you learned from God’s Word about sanctification? Are you cleansed from your sins? You can be. Accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour today.
ML-05/10/1992