1 Thess 5:23-24, Sanctified All Over, Inside and Out.

Class Outline:

Wednesday May 10, 2023

Main passage: 1TH 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Theme: God will not rest until every part of us (and our lives) are under His will.

1. Paul uses a prayer-wish (optative mood in two verbs, 1) sanctify, 2) preserve.
   1. Paul’s prayer is that God would sanctify them entirely (all areas of life and mind and body) and that He would protect this same wholeness until the coming Lord.
   2. Spirit, soul, and body are not meant to distinguish the makeup of mankind but rather to express wholeness.
   3. Every part of us must be sanctified.
      1. Sanctification is positional - performed by Christ through His cross (HEB 10:14).
      2. Sanctification is practical - the function of being separated from the profane and consecrated to God in all areas of life. God also does this, but only when we make faithful decisions.
      3. Situations will arise when God will challenge you to change that area of yourself to His will. If you don’t heed by word He will push you, JAM 1:2-4.
2. “Be preserved complete” sounds vague.
   1. “preserved” means protected or guarded (kept).
   2. “complete” means whole, undamaged, blameless, or meeting all expectations.
   3. The word relates to “spirit and soul and body.” All of you.
   4. It is used first in the clause (not seen in English) to give emphasis to this wholeness or maturity in all parts of life.
   5. It is related to the Hebrew word shalom - peace.
      1. Peace means that there is no conflict within (all the parts are in harmony).
      2. Peace is also with God (the God of peace), meaning that all parts are submitted to His will.
      3. Shalom is God’s one will functioning in His creatures an in His world.
   6. Application: Listen as God reveals all parts of you that are in conformity to His will (encouragement) and all parts that are not (admonishing).
      1. Know that trials are God’s way of exploring all the parts, good and bad.
      2. Prayerfully receive and acknowledge God’s revelation of your own sanctification (in all parts of life) and step up in faith to do things differently.
      3. Know that when you set out to do His will, God the Holy Spirit within you will accomplish it.