Salvation and Sanctification

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
3/24/12

In our modern society we have become unfamiliar with what is necessary for the provision of meat; namely, slaughter. That may sound graphic and it is. In the Temple sacrifices, slaughter was a daily occurrence and involved the very graphic display of animal death and processing.

Leviticus 17:11, ‘For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for yourselves; for it is the blood that makes atonement because of the life.’

After the destruction of the Temple, Judaism has been redefined to replace animal and other sacrifices with prayer, repentance and good deeds as a means for atonement.

Leviticus chapters one through five delineate five types of sacrifices acceptable to the L-RD, including the voluntary offerings burnt (olah), grain (mincha) and peace (shlamin) as well as the obligatory offerings of sin (chetat) and guilt (asham).

The Cohen was the mediator between G-d and men for the sacrifices. Today our mediator is Yeshua the Messiah!

1 Timothy 2:5, ‘For God is one;a and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human.’

The sin and guilt offerings can be viewed as a parallel to our salvation. At the point of our salvation we know that we are forgiven, brought near to G-d and our debt is paid and ‘it is finished’.

Hebrews 10:18, ‘Now where there is forgiveness for these, an offering for sins is no longer needed.’

The burnt, grain and peace offerings can be viewed as a parallel to our sanctification. As we progress in our sanctification we know that we are growing in our faith, staying close to the L-rd and not only is our debt paid but we are ‘being finished’ in him.

What evidence can we have regarding our salvation?

Ezekiel 36:25-27, ‘Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them.’
2 Corinthians 5:17, ‘Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation - the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new!’

Evidence of salvation is clearly defined through the two Scriptures here. We have been cleansed of sin, we receive a new heart and also receive the Ruach HaKodesh which enables us to obey G-d. As well, all things are made new; we are a new creation in Messiah!

What evidence accompanies our sanctification?

The first evidence is a hunger for the Word of G-d.

1Peter 2:2, ‘and be like newborn babies, thirsty for the pure milk of the Word; so that by it, you may grow up into deliverance.’

Isaiah 66:2, ‘Didn't I myself make all these things? This is how they all came to be," says ADONAI. "The kind of person on whom I look with favor is one with a poor and humble spirit, who trembles at my word.’

Secondly, evidence of sanctification includes conviction regarding sin. We aren’t happy doing something displeasing to G-d.

Thirdly, we desire to please G-d. We aren’t perfect, but we desire to please Him by obeying Him; we have a real desire to please Him.

1John 2:3, ‘The way we can be sure we know him is if we are obeying his commands.’

James 1:22, ‘Don't deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it!’

Additionally, one being sanctified has a desire for fellowship and has love for fellow believers.

1John 3:14, ‘We, for our part, know that we have passed from death to life because we keep loving the brothers. The person who fails to keep on loving is still under the power of death.’

Further, one being sanctified has the witness of the Ruach HaKodesh that we are a Child of G-d.

Romans 8:15-16, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God.’

Also, those being sanctified believe in Yeshua as Divine and Messiah.

1John 4:2, ‘Here is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges that Yeshua the Messiah came as a human being is from God.’

Micah 5:2, ‘But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times.’

Isaiah 9:6, ‘For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo'etz El Gibbor Avi-'Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace].’

Sanctification also brings a love for all people!

1John 4:7-9. ‘Beloved friends, let us love one another; because love is from God; and everyone who loves has God as his Father and knows God. 8 Those who do not love, do not know God; because God is love. 9 Here is how God showed his love among us: God sent his only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life.’

Our salvation and sanctification are similar to the sacrifices in the Temple in that the process creates a sweet fragrance and sweet aroma pleasing to the L-rd. We press on yielding and growing in Him.

Philippians 1:9-11, ‘And this is my prayer: that your love may more and more overflow in fullness of knowledge and depth of discernment, 10 so that you will be able to determine what is best and thus be pure and without blame for the Day of the Messiah, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Yeshua the Messiah - to the glory and praise of God.’

Further Reading: Ezra 6:9-10, Isaiah 53:10-11, Ezekiel 20:40-42, 2Corinthians 2:15-16, 5:9, 5:21, Ephesians 5:1-2, 4:29-30, Hebrews 6:9, Psalm 27:4, 119:11, James 1:21, 1Peter 1:22, 3:18, 1John 4:20, 4:2, 5:21, 3:20, 2Timothy 2:19, Genesis 3:15, Hosea 6:3, Amos 5:4-6a, John 8:31-32, Colossians 1:6, Ecclesiastes 7:10,