Pastor Ben Maxson said: „The Bible text ‚You shall be holy, for I am holy‘ was a confrontation for me and led me into an inner conflict. To be honest, I quickly passed over these words, I didn't want to face them. I had tried to live a holy life. I had struggled because I wanted to gain victory over sin. But it was in vain. When I then read Exodus 20:7.8, my problem was suddenly solved. The topic now even became a driving force in my life. I read there: ‚I am the Lord, who makes you holy.‘ The good news for me was. Sanctification is not something that I have to produce. Oh no! It is a promise of God for what he will do in my life, when I live with him from the heart. That became an adventure for me - discovering what God wants to do for me.“ So much for Pastor Ben Maxson.

Ellen White writes in her book The great battle on page 469:

„It (sanctification) can only be achieved through faith in Christ, through the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.“

Two Bible texts:

2 Thessalonians 2:13: „God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.“

Sanctification has to do with living in the Holy Spirit and living in the truth. The same is written in 1 Peter 1:2: „… whom God has chosen to obey through the sanctification of the Spirit …“

This means that God has planned for us to be obedient to him in everything through the Holy Spirit.

The wrong idea about sanctification leads many to want to be obedient in their own strength, as Ben Maxson was at first. However, the Word of God clearly says that we cannot do this. Romans 8:7 GNB describes a „carnal Christian“ who lives without the Holy Spirit or has too little Holy Spirit like the five foolish virgins: He does not obey his commandments; he can't do it at all. It is therefore clear that we cannot lead a sanctified life in our own strength alone.

This leads to the question: What does God do for me so that I can be sanctified and what is expected of me? We will come back to this question later.  

The Bible understands saving faith to mean complete trust in Jesus. Because he loves us, we give ourselves to him unreservedly and allow ourselves to be filled with his Holy Spirit. As a result, we are strengthened by the power of God and can now joyfully trust and obey God in everything.

E.G. White wrote: „The gift of the Holy Spirit could not be surpassed. In him all gifts are given to us in one.“ ^[1]

^[1]  EGW in SW, 28 Nov. 1905, quoted in ABC on Acts 1:8

I personally found practical help in the word of Jesus from John 15:4: This was well and aptly explained by E.G. White as follows:

Jesus says: „Abide in me and I will abide in you.“

These daily steps bring about that Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit and that means: „Christ in you, the hope of glory.“ (Colossians 1:27) Christ in us through the Holy Spirit, that is the way of sanctification and at the same time the secret of a happy life, of life „in all the fullness of God“ (Ephesians 3:19).

It is our own responsibility to make this decision again and again and to remain in constant contact with Christ. We can only make progress in sanctification if we remain intimately connected to Jesus. Jesus showed us this in the parable of the vine and the branches in John chapter 15 - and he tells us this clearly in verse 11:

„These things have I spoken unto you, that the joy which I have may be in you also (available) and may your joy be complete.“

We also see this here: Sanctification and joy go hand in hand.

I find it interesting where in the Bible sanctification is called for the first time: it is immediately before the proclamation of the Ten Commandments. We find this in Exodus 19:5.6 NLB:

„Now if you obey me and keep the covenant that I will make with you, you shall be my special possession above all the peoples of the earth, for the whole earth is mine. You shall give me a kingdom of priests, be a holy people.“

God wants a people who joyfully obey him because they trust him and want to remain closely connected to him. He wants these people as his special propertyclaim. They are to be a people of „priests“ who show others the way to HIM. They are „missionaries“ through their loving lifestyle and their very personal testimony of faith. They should not live selfishly for themselves, but be there for God and their fellow human beings.

Exodus 20:7,8 NLB: „Sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my commandments and obey them. I am the Lord who makes you holy.“

Do we realise that God's calls to sanctification are always linked to obedience? But also with the offer that he enables us to do so?

Hebrews 12:14: „Pursue... sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord.“

Sanctification is not a side issue! Rather, it is the practical effect of our salvation by grace. We are called upon to decide again and again in favour of what is right and good in God's eyes.

In chapter 3 of his second letter, Peter describes the return of Jesus at the end of world history. Verses 10-12 (NLB) explain why a holy life is so important:

„But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything will be consumed in flames, and the earth and everything in it will be handed over to judgement. But if everything around us will be dissolved in this way, how much more should you lead a life that is holy and honours God. You should expect and long for this day - the day when God sets the heavens on fire and the elements melt in the flames.“

Jesus will soon come and put an end to this world history. Then everyone will give an account to God for their decisions and lifestyle. Anyone who has not identified with Jesus and his will
is on the side of God's enemy and will have to suffer the consequences if everything goes wrong.
Evil is destroyed and wiped out without a trace.

But Jesus offers everyone eternal life in God's neighbourhood. And that should be a strong incentive for us to live in a way that honours God. If Christ dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, then we will have a source of love within us, we will experience joy and fulfilment and help other people and do them good. In this love for our neighbour, we will become more and more like God and as a result we will gradually be healed of our selfishness. It is no longer my own self that is at the centre of my life, but Jesus and what he wants from me.

We recognise from current events that the return of Jesus is drawing ever closer. Perhaps we are already living at the beginning of the severe time of crisis predicted in the Bible. There is talk everywhere of climate change, which is making life almost impossible for people in many areas of the world. Environmental pollution, water shortages, droughts, floods, wars and armed conflicts, incurable diseases, epidemics, famines and earthquakes are on the increase. It is not only nature that is out of balance. According to the Open Doors report, in 2022
360 million Christians persecuted (World Persecution Index of 18.1.23). Attacks on Christian organisations have increased six-fold in the space of a year.

We are also seeing a trend in the western world towards an almost pathological overconfidence and greed like never before. God's laws are being trampled underfoot everywhere.

In the Big fight It says: „Before God visits the world with his judgements for the last time, his people will be awakened to their original godliness, such as has not been seen since the apostolic age.“^[2]

At that time, the church lived by the power of the Holy Spirit in a vibrant Christianity with great joy and heartfelt fellowship with one another. God wants to revive the lifestyle of the early Christian community, because this is the only way the church can survive in the times ahead.

^[2]  E.G. White, The big fight, Hamburg 1958, p. 463

Jesus predicted major social upheavals: „… and because lawlessness is rampant, the love of most will grow cold.“ (Matthew 24:12 EB)

Are we not already in the midst of this, especially in the western world with equal acceptance of sexual and gender diversity and the destruction of the family bonds intended by God? It will get even worse. God expects his children in the end times to clearly distinguish themselves from the current trends of an ungodly lifestyle - through a righteous life of faithfulness, honesty and love of neighbour. We can clearly recognise this: God expects our sanctification.

Revelation 15:4: „Who should not fear you, Lord, and praise your name? For you alone are holy!“

God alone is holy. God is untouched by sin. He is the guarantor that the other worlds and the new earth will remain unaffected by sin. This guarantees a life of love, joy, peace and harmony.

Man has sinned. Through our trust in Jesus and his sacrifice, God wants to lead us back to our original state.

In 1 Corinthians 6:11 we read: „And such [Idolater, adulterer] there have been many of you. But you have been washed, you have been sanctified, you have been justified by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ [through his life in us] and through the spirit of our God.“

The person who lives closely united with Christ is sanctified through his relationship with Jesus. He has confessed his sins under the influence of the Holy Spirit. And through the power of God, he turns away from a lifestyle under the power of sin (Romans 8:1.2).

We are sanctified through an intimate relationship with Jesus. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 1:30 says:

„Through him [by God] you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us by God for wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.“

Christ was made for our sanctification. If Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit, then we live in sanctification. Jesus is holy.

We remember that he can only live in us through the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16-17, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit and then surprisingly says in verse 18: „… I am coming to you.“

Then we have the marvellous passage in Ephesians 3:16.17: „That he would give you strength according to the riches of his glory, to become strong through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and that you may be rooted and grounded in love.“

So let's keep in mind who the source of sanctification is. God, and God alone, can bring about a life of sanctification. He can and wants to achieve it - together with us.

Sanctification is not something that we can pick up at a certain stage of our Christian life and then possess forever. Sanctification is a lifestyle that is realised day by day with Christ in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

Holy is something that is given over to God, that is there exclusively for God, consecrated to him and reserved for him. The person who lives in constant devotion to Jesus thereby creates the prerequisite for a life of sanctification. Sanctification is not an event, but the result of a constant relationship with Jesus and a subsequent relationship with the Holy Spirit.

E.G. White says: „Holiness is not rapture, but complete surrender of the will to God.“^[3] If Jesus lives in our hearts, then we want to listen to him joyfully in everything and always do what he says.

^[3] E.G. White, The work of the Apostles (Hamburg, 1976) pp. 52/53 [51,52]

Our sanctification does not fall from the sky. Nor is it simply thrust upon us. God always wants to work with us. What is our part? What is his part?

This issue of divine-human cooperation is dealt with in detail in the brochure Remain in Jesus in the chapter „Obedience through Jesus“. We recommend that you read it.

In order for us to understand sanctification well, it is necessary for us to look to Jesus. He shows us through his life what sanctification is. And it is important for us to realise that he wants to lead the same life in us and through us.

' The deepest desire of his heart was to have an intimate relationship with the heavenly Father and to obey him in everything. John 14:31: „The world should recognise that I love the Father and do as he has commanded me.“ The world should also recognise our love for God through our relationship with Christ and our obedience.

' He was totally dependent on the power of God for the life of sanctification. John 14:10: „Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak of myself. But the Father who dwells in me does his works.“ For us, it's about Christ working through us.

' Sin had no power over his life. John 14:30: „… the prince of this world... has no power over me.“

He also has no power over us if we have an intimate relationship with Christ in the Holy Spirit 1 John 5:18: „He that is born of God sinneth not; but he that is born of God keepeth him, and the wicked shall not touch him.“ (see also Romans 8:2)

' Jesus was completely filled with the task of saving and helping other people. He gave his life for our salvation. John 10:15-17: „I lay down my life for the sheep.“ His holy life was shown in his love for God and mankind, and very clearly in his substitutionary death for our salvation. - And now HE wants to save people through us.

E.G. White: „It [sanctification] can only be achieved through faith in Christ, through the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.“^[4]

›  We are not able to live a life of sanctification in our own strength alone. Sanctification is only possible when Jesus lives in me daily through my full surrender and the reception of the Holy Spirit.

›  But we cannot imitate the life of Jesus. We are not expected to follow this path. Nor are we in a position to do so. But he should live in us. I share in his life, I fully identify with the way he lived and loved. Just like Paul said: „I live, but now it is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.“ (Galatians 2:20)

' Jesus gives me a sanctified heart because he dwells in me. In Ezekiel 36:25-27 we have the promise of God that he will cleanse us, give us a new heart and make us people who walk in his commandments through his Spirit.

^[4]  ditto, p. 469

Let us repeat two important texts: When Jesus announced the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in John 14:16-20, he said at the end: „I'm coming to you.“ Being filled with the Holy Spirit means that Christ lives in me.

The apostle Paul emphasised this wonderfully:

„That he would give you strength according to the riches of his glory, to become strong through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith and that you may be rooted and grounded in love.“ (Ephesians 3:16-17)

If Christ lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit and we abide in him, then we are freed from the power of sin in this life and from condemnation and thus from damnation in God's judgement.

„So now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus are. For the law of the spirit that gives life in Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death.“ (Romans 8:1,2)

Why is there no condemnation, no judgement, for all who are in Christ Jesus? Because the law of the Spirit has freed us from it. The constant, life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in us brings to life in us what Jesus has done for us. Christ has taken over my guilt of sin. If he is in us, then the bondage, the imprisonment under sin is cancelled; I am freed from the law of sin. This means that we no longer necessarily have to sin, nor do we normally want to sin, but we can sin. Paul wrote about liberation from the power of sin in Galatians 5:16:

„Walk in the spirit, [which means: live constantly in the Holy Spirit] you will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.“

This is followed in Galatians 5:17-18 by a brief explanation of life in the Holy Spirit. This is followed in verses 19-21 by a list of the works of the flesh that we no longer have to do through life in the Holy Spirit. Christ in us protects us from sin and from the fallen angels:

Through the Holy Spirit, Christ creates a Overpressure in our hearts - that is, in our will, wishes, desires and plans, so that evil is kept outside. At this point, however, we should also remember in particular that the inner person is renewed from day to day (2 Corinthians 4:16). The relationship of friendship with God wants to be cultivated daily through full devotion to Christ and his word and asking for and receiving the Holy Spirit with a promise (2 Peter 1:4).

In 1 John 3:6-9 we find very serious words about sin: „Who in him remains, He who sins does not sin; he who sins has neither seen nor recognised him. Little children, let no one deceive you! He who does righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever is born of God does not commit sin, for what he has received from God remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.“

The Greek experts tell us that these incisive words about sinning refer to habitual sinning refer. This means„... he does not sin habitually, consciously, deliberately. – (But he can fall into sin.)“^[5]

This means that Christ works in us and with us so that we can give up sinful habits. When ‚Christ dwells in us‘, this helps us to overcome even stubborn sins and even addictions.^[6] Through Christ we become overcomers (Romans 8:37).

^[5]  Werner E. Lange, Our greatest need (Lüneburg, 2011), p. 31

^[6]  See Andreas Letter No. 5: Victory over tobacco and alcohol (info@wertvollleben.com)

Some people think that failure no longer occurs in this life with Christ. It is true that we do not have to fail, but it can happen sometimes. Let us remember that no prophet or apostle ever claimed to be sinless. A breakdown can occur through neglect of our relationship with Christ, through being taken by surprise or even through our own foolishness. This is why the apostle John writes in 1 John 2:1:

„My little children, these things I write to you so that you may does not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is righteous.“

In Christ, sin is no longer a must. We have the possibility of constant victory. „But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.“ (1 Corinthians 15:57)

E.G. White says: „Only through the mighty power of the third person of the Godhead, who comes not with reduced energy but in the fullness of divine power, can we resist sin and overcome it.“^[7]

Yes, by living with Christ through the Holy Spirit, the power of sin is broken - relapses and failures become rarer.

^[7]  E.G. White, The work of the Holy Spirit (Lüneburg, 2006), p. 11

It is very important to me every day that God protects me from the power of evil. That's why I pray: „Father, please save me from sin in every way today, help me not to allow myself to be manipulated by harmful influences and drawn away from you. Save me from wrong thoughts, unloving words and selfish deeds. Give me full protection from the fallen angels, keep me from my old corrupt nature and protect me from temptation and evil in every way. Thank you for your promise: ‚We know that whoever is born of God does not sin [habitually], but whoever is born of God, he preserves him, and the evil one does not touch him‘ (1 John 5:18): And please take all my thinking captive under obedience to Christ (Romans 10:5).

Thank you very much that you have given me a new attitude in Christ, an attitude based on the love of God and therefore on the fruit of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5) Praise and thanks for the joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness in my life and for allowing me to pass this on. Please give me good growth in this.“

At the same time, sanctification is a call to preserve our dignity as children of God and to allow other people this dignity as well.

„Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone corrupts the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy; you are that temple.“ (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17)

„… Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.“ (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)

„So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to God's honour.“ (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Christ in us through the Holy Spirit gives us the motivation and strength to joyfully cultivate a lifestyle that honours God and is good for our fellow human beings. From a biblical perspective, this also applies to our attitude towards sexuality. The Bible always and exclusively places sexuality in the context of a marriage between a man and a woman. This is how God created human beings and nothing has changed in this century. The Bible calls all deviations from the biblical path „porneia“, fornication, and this includes the world of thought as well as „desire“ and life practice. Let us consider this: God created sexuality for our joy and fulfilment. But He also knows best what is good for us and what harms us, what brings us joy and fulfilment and what damages human dignity. Let us therefore rely on the ordinances of his love in all things and not go down the path of sin.

But God is also not indifferent to our other lifestyles, including our work-life balance, diet, exercise in the fresh air and abstinence from all poisons and harmful drugs.

For me, God's desire in 3 John 2 is a wonderful promise:

„I wish you well in every respect and that you are healthy, as I know you are from your inner life.“ GNB

An important building block for our mental, physical and spiritual health is trust in an almighty God who loves us. If Christ lives in my heart through the Holy Spirit, then my inner man is optimally cared for. He gives no better attitude to life. This radiates into all aspects of my everyday life and, of course, my health. Experts say that 50 - 90 % of illnesses have psychological causes.

According to a study by the United Nations, a positive relationship with God is the greatest factor for good health. It also more than triples the other health factors (diet, exercise, rest, etc.). This study was conducted under the direction of Prof Grossarth-Maticek on 35,000 people over a period of more than 30 years.^[8]

^[8]  Drs Heide, Medical Wellness with Newstart Plus (Leipzig, 2014), 333/334

A common misconception is that we cannot overcome the power of sin. But Jesus did not come to in sins, but from of sin. (Matthew 1:21)

Another misconception is that sanctification is an automatic process in which Jesus does everything on his own, without our involvement. God expects our decisions for his will. He wants us to take the preparatory steps that are within our capabilities. Obedience of faith has three steps:

Our relationship of friendship with God is always characterised by trusting cooperation. (More details ^[9])

E.G. White says: „The sanctification which is now coming forth in Christendom reveals a spirit of self-exaltation and an indifference to the law of God which has nothing in common with the religion of the Bible. Its adherents teach that sanctification is a work of the moment, through which they attain perfect holiness by faith alone. Just believe, they say, and you will receive the blessing. Further effort is considered unnecessary. At the same time, they deny the validity of the divine law and claim that they are exempt from the obligation to keep the commandments.“^[10]

The Word of God is very clear: „Whoever says, "I know him," and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and there is no truth in him.“ (1 John 3:6)

^[9] H. Haubeil, Remain in Jesus, Chapter 4 „Obedience through Jesus“, p. 79-81

^[10] E.G. White, The great battle (Hamburg, 1958), p. 471
Literature reference: E.G. White on sanctification in The big fight, Ch.27 Revivals of the modern era, p. 461 ff, especially from p. 469 onwards

I would like to read Romans 6:22 according to different translations so that we can understand this well:

LU: „But now that you are free from sin and have become servants of God, you have your fruit, that you may become holy, and the end is eternal life.“

NLB: „But now you have been freed from the power of sin and have become servants of God. Now you are doing what leads to your sanctification and brings you eternal life.“

GNB: „But now you are free from the service of sin and serve God. What comes out of this is a way of life through which you prove yourselves to be God's holy people, and in the end eternal life awaits you.“

The promises of God are reality. God makes us holy. He claims us as his people of property so that we can bring the gospel to the world. And he wants to lead our lives in sanctification as we walk with him in joyful full surrender and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

„But may he, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through, and may your spirit be preserved whole, soul and body, unharmed and blameless, until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.“ (1 Timothy 5:23, 24)