How May Sanctification Be Defined?

Throughout Scripture, as the word 'sanctify' is written, 'to set apart' is noted in the margins.

I think I could say that sanctification is the process by which God 'makes saints' who will follow Him according to the testimony of His Son, Jesus Christ. He leads these out from traditions, and that which is called wisdom, and shows what it means to bear His reproach. It is the process by which one is conformed to the image of God's firstborn, Jesus Christ.

"Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach." (Hebrews13:12,13)

Sanctification is the process for making of saints who confess that Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh.  When water lines break, the servicer of the water declares that the water user should boil it, until further notice, to destroy any contaminates. How God sets us apart is in His hand - and 'all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose': conformation to the image of His Son! Your setting apart is in His hand until further notice; and you can trust Him, as you have already experienced in a measure.

His Commandments: Confessing Jesus Christ As Coming In Your Flesh

"Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not CONFESS Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever TRANSGRESSES and DOES NOT ABIDE in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." (2 John v. 3-9)

confess- to reveal by circumstances

circumstances- the existing conditions or state of affairs surrounding and affecting an agent

transgress- to violate a law, command, moral code; offend, sin; TO PASS OVER OR GO BEYOND

(each of these definitions have been taken, in part, from Webster's College Dictionary)

I think I could say, by these definitions, that confession is not words spoken only, but deeds.

What is the doctrine of Christ? What the Holy Spirit inspired and empowered Jesus with to please His Father. Now, Jesus intercedes for the saints "to walk just as He walked".

"Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:27)

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:27)

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:33)

The deceiver tempts the believer, in this case the elect lady and her children, to transgress the doctrine of Christ; to pass over or go beyond to an expected end without bearing His reproach; to violate, rather than confess His commandments.

Assemble For, Remember, Bear With This Exhortation

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."(Hebrews 10:23-25)

"For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."  (Hebrews 12:3-8)

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation,..."(Hebrews 13:20-22)

Prior to his appeal to bear with this exhortation, Paul states: "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach."(Hebrews 13:10-13)

We understand that most of the Hebrews rejected Jesus as Messiah. Those who hated Him did so because His works were righteous and theirs evil (as Cain toward Abel). Going forth to Him, outside the camp, could bring reproach from those who don't yet see it; will bring reproach from those who won't see it.