5. The fifth part of the answer to the question, how men are sanctified, is found in John 17:17, +"Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth."+ Here our Lord Jesus in His prayer indicates that we are _sanctified in the truth, and that the truth is the Word of God_. In what sense does the Word of God sanctify? This question is plainly answered in different parts of the Word of God, where we are taught that the Word of God cleanses from the presence of sin, and thus separates us from it and sets us apart to God. (Ps. 119:9, 11; John 15:3.) As we bring our lives into daily contact with the Word, the sins and imperfections of our lives and hearts are disclosed and put away, and thus we are more and more separated from sin unto God. (cf. John 13:10.)
6. The sixth part of the answer to the question, how men are sanctified, is found in 1 Cor. 1:30, +"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."+ In this passage we are taught that _Jesus Christ was made unto us from God sanctification_. Just what does that mean? Simply this: that separation from sin and separation to God are provided for us in Christ Jesus and by the appropriation of Jesus Christ we obtain this sanctification thus provided. The more completely we appropriate Christ the more completely are we sanctified. But perfect sanctification is provided for us in Him, just as perfect wisdom is provided in Him (Col. 2:3). We appropriate either wisdom or sanctification or anything else that is provided for us in Christ in ever-increasing measure. Through the indwelling Christ presented to us by the Spirit in the Word, we are made Christlike and bear fruit.
7. The seventh part of the answer to the question of how men are sanctified is found in Heb. 12:14, +"Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord."+ Here we are taught that we have our own part in sanctification, and that if we are to be sanctified in the fullest sense, _sanctification is something that we must pursue, or seek earnestly, if we are to obtain it_. While sanctification is God's work, we have our part in it, viz., to make it the object of our earnest desire and eager pursuit.
8. The eighth part of the answer to the question of how we are sanctified is found in Rom. 6:19, 22, +"As ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. . . . But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification."+ The meaning of these words is plain, and the teaching important and practical. We are here taught that _we attain unto sanctification through presenting our members as servants (bondservants, or slaves) to righteousness and becoming ourselves bondservants unto God_. In other words, if we wish to attain unto sanctification we should present our whole body and every member of it to God, to be His servants, belonging wholly unto Him, and we should present ourselves to God as His servants, to be His absolute property. This is the practical method of attaining unto sanctification, a method that is open to each one of us here to-day, no matter how weak we are in ourselves.
9. The ninth and final part of the answer to the question of how we are sanctified, is found in Acts 26:18, +"To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Me."+ Here we are told that we are _sanctified by faith in Christ_. Sanctification, just as justification, regeneration, and adoption, is conditioned upon faith. Faith is the hand that appropriates to ourselves the blessing of sanctification that God has provided for us through His Son Jesus Christ by His death on the cross, and through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. And we claim sanctification by simple faith in Him who shed His blood and by surrendering ourselves to the control of the Holy Spirit, Whom Jesus Christ gives.