As a follow-up to my postings on separation and persecution, I want to write a few words about sanctification. The word “sanctify”is an English translation of the Greek word “hagiazo” which means to set apart, to make holy. Used in relation to God’s saint, to be sanctified by Him is to be spiritually separated from the world for His holy use–to obey (bear witness to/testify of) His Word in the face of those who hat it and thereby hate Him (Lk. 6:22/Jn. 15:10,18,19).

In Revelation 6:9 we read: “And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of them that were slain for the WORD of God and for the TESTIMONY which they held.” The word “testimony” is from the Greek word “marturia,” which comes from “martus,” from which we derive the English word “martyr.” “Marturia” means to maintain a TESTIMONY in the face of resistance, to persevere steadfastly while bearing the testimony, even unto death. In times past many died rather than deny God’s Word. It is prophesied that many will die for the same reason in the future (Rev. 6:9).

It is because of God’s WORD that the world hates those whom He has sanctified. This is brought out in John 17:14-17. Here we find Jesus praying to the Father on behalf of His apostles: “I have given them your WORD, and the world has HATED THEM BECAUSE THEY (the apostles) ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, JUST AS I AM NOT OF THE WORLD …. SANCTIFY THEM WITH YOUR TRUTH, YOUR WORD IS TRUTH.” The sanctified apostles, along with those who would come to conversion due to their bearing TESTIMONY to God’s WORD/TRUTH would bear WITNESS to it: “… this GOSPEL (Word/ Truth) OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world as a WITNESS (testimony) to all nations, then the end shall come (Mat. 24:14). Note it: The unchanging Word/Truth of God will ministered by His sanctified saints as a witness/ testimony until the end of the world (aion-age). Then and only then will true believers cease being martyred/persecuted, etc.

One who bears witness/testimony of the gospel in the face of the world’s resistance has been sanctified by God for that purpose. Sanctification automatically brings on some level of martyrdom from the Counterfeit Church. As a general rule the unchurched do not care what God’s saints say, do or think. It is the church that martyrs the saints, just as it was the Jews who persecuted the early saints and killed Jesus and His apostles. The officials of the state did the actual killing at the behest of the religious hierarchy. This will also be the case in the future. See The Sabbath and the Mark of the Beast. Why does the worldly church hate God’s Word?

In John 8:12 Jesus called Himself the “LIGHT of the world.” In John 3:19-21 He had warned His disciples that men would reject Him because they loved darkness more than light.  The light, He explained, exposed their evil. He told His disciples that they were the “LIGHT of the world” (Mat. 5:14). The LIGHT is the WORD/TRUTH/ TESTIMONY/ WITNESS of God. Men hate the LIGHT/WORD because it exposes their evil–disobedience. The LIGHT is the same as the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (Eph. 6:17). Men hate the sanctified saint because his/her life highlights the contrast between the true saint and the false saint, the saint’s WORD/SWORD laying bare what has been hidden by a cloak of religiosity. When Jesus calls His saints God’s LIGHT as He was His LIGHT, He is pointing out that, as obedient children, they are THE WORD OF GOD IN HUMAN FORM, JUST AS HE WAS WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH AS A MAN. See Jesus: God, Man or God-Man?