Generally, as well as individually speaking, to be sanctified by God is to be set apart for a special purpose. Being set apart automatically makes one different from those who are not sanctified. God uses a specific word–“peculiar”–to describe those whom He has set apart, whom He calls “saints,” meaning holy people. In the social sense being “peculiar” means to be different, strange, outside the normal realm of human experience. Though being “abnormal” usually results in one being rejected by those who are considered “normal,” it rarely results in physical harm being done to those who are outside the norm. Most societies will tolerate those who are different mentally and physically and pass laws governing the extent to which they can be persecuted.

This is not always the case where the difference involves spiritual matters. History has proven that people are not so forgiving when it comes to religion. In religious matters, outsiders are not merely different, they are evil. When being different involves the church, civil law is the only thing that prevents “evil” people from being physically harmed by the “good” people of God.” In the past, God’s saints were often put to death using various means such as burning, stoning, etc. Invariably, those who killed them were the religious leaders within the society.  Not long ago millions of God’s people were martyred in the name of the Lord. The Catholic Inquisition alone resulted in an estimated 50,000,000 deaths, many of whom were God’s saints. During Old Testament times the Lord’s prophets were persecuted for staying true to His Word. Some were put to death. Tradition holds that Isaiah was sawn in two. The prophets’ persecutors were invariably those who called themselves God’s people.  It was the Jewish priesthood that convinced the Romans to kill Jesus Christ. It was the religious elite that stoned Stephen to death. Eleven of the apostles died at the hands of religionists.

In the modern world persecution is more often expressed in more moderate ways such as avoiding or refusing to associate with those who are outside the boundaries of religious acceptability. I have experienced such treatment publicly. It comes as no surprise that those who reject God’s people are the religious elite who take it upon themselves to determine where the society’s religious boundaries lie. In this era it is Satan’s Catholic/Protestant consortium that determines which theological doctrines and practices can be used by those participating in what is known as “Christianity.” Those who operate outside of their established boundaries are labeled “heretics.” My goal is to be the world’s #1 heretic. According to the feedback I receive, I have reached my goal. Thank you, Jesus.

Sanctification–being set aside for holy use–always results in a rough “walk.” In Matthew 10:32-39 Jesus tells us that walking in holiness causes drastic changes in one’s life. Internal change automatically produces external change. For this reason He warns us to count the cost of “walking as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6). Godliness is costly, which is why only a few choose to pay what it costs (Mat. 7:13,14). The vast majority of salvation seekers, He noted, will choose the path of least resistance first trod by Adam and Eve, then their son Cain, then 99.99% of the religious world ever since. But God has always had a “remnant” of thick-skinned followers. These are His Very Elect who speak Truth to power and stay His course in the face of all that Satan can throw at them. See Persecution.

Three Biblical Truths must be stated relative to the subject of this series. (1) Within the spiritual realm the word “sanctified” (Gk.-hagaismos) has only one meaning–to be holy. (2) There is only one level of holiness–the God level.  Those who call themselves God’s people have no disagreement with these two statements. But my next statement elicits the exact opposite response from the exact same people. (3) SANCTIFICATION–possessing God’s level of holiness–IS REQUIRED FOR SALVATION. In my 78 years of life I have found only two men who agreed with me regarding statement #3. One was Herbert W. Armstrong who proclaimed that in order to qualify for salvation one must “Quit sin utterly.” He was ridiculed for saying it then and I am ridiculed for saying it now. The other man is the other member of God’s church in the area in which we live. This man’s name is Bill Roberts. It is this precious soul who keeps this website and my YouTube site in operation.

In His infinite wisdom God has “voiced” His command for holiness in language that even a child can understand. After studying the passages I will use in this series no honest person will be able to deny that the three Truths listed above are plainly stated in God’s Holy Bible. It has been my experience that, among church people, there is a total disconnect between Truth #3 and Truths #1 and 2. In the following postings we will take an honest look at what God has to say about them. Only those who believe what He has written and react accordingly will rule and reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. L.J.