Sanctified Stranger in the World
Sanctification is not an easy doctrine to understand mainly because when we are born into this world, we become “attached” to people, places and things. Yet the bible reveals that the elect of God, a chosen one, is a sanctified stranger in the world. To clarify the definition, like Jesus, we come from outer space and this world is not our own. We are from above, not from beneath. So to be sanctified is connected to the world and the children of God’s separation from it both instantly and progressively. Another word that describes the elect of God’s place and position in this world is the word “distinct.” A nuance of being sanctified is to be different, standing out in the world without having to explain or be explained.
Nevertheless, the elect come into this world, growing as wheat while developing alongside Satan’s tares. Yet not yet born again, the sons of God may not be visibly distinct due to times and seasons of sin, where the elect appear non-distinguishable from all others in the world. Yet God knows who we are. So does the enemy because the Lord’s seal remains implanted into our foreheads by the Holy Spirit before the Lord framed the worlds.
Two centuries ago, Jesus Christ prayed that all of God’s people be sanctified or distinct in the world, in the world but not of the world. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to lead us to live as if we are sanctified. At rebirth, we receive His call. All who are chosen become “called out” ones for it is the calling that causes us to be distinct or sanctified. Both God’s calling and His sovereign choosing or election is the foundation for sanctification.
The day we are born again, we have come out of the world as new creatures. Old things have passed away. All things have become new. One of the new things is the progressive development of distinction and our detachment from the world both suddenly and over time. Even though we live in this world, each waking day confirms that we don’t belong to this world because we have a new home. We come from above, and not from beneath. We have a new distinctive origin as citizens of heaven.
Sanctification and Purpose
I perceive in the classic movie of 1951 the deep meaning of both sanctification and distinction. A black and white science fiction movie called “the Day the Earth Stood Still” presents an alien from outer space in the form of an average looking human being. Once he landed on earth, the alien came out of his spaceship and moved into a boarding house. Mixing and mingling with the other boarders, the spaceman appeared both normal and human, yet he was a sanctified stranger in the world.
As the movie progresses, it even appeared to be an attraction brewing between the alien and one of the women who lived in the boarding house with her young son. Though pleasant and engaging, the alien remained detached and distinct in the world, primarily because of the purpose of his mission. For he was sent to Earth to warn inhabitants about ending the wars that were destroying this planet. When the time to fulfill his mission was at hand, he gathered together every world leader, and they all heard the message in their own language. Once his message was delivered ,he entered the spaceship and he took off into the skies, without the movie’s love interest or her son.
As the plot evolves, the distinction and sanctification of this alien was achieved because in spite of the world’s distractions, he remained dedicated to his mission and his purpose. He did not mix and mingle with the world yet he also did not cause his neighbors to be uncomfortable, in spite of their persistent inquisitive antics. Set apart and remaining distinct, the alien prioritized the task at hand. His purpose took precedence over his emotions or any temptation that would draw him into a strong attachment to the world. The alien remained distinct.
Today, the times are even shorter than 1951. Therefore to overcome deception, the elect of God must be both sanctified and distinct—- sanctified strangers in the world. This does not mean that the elect must be perfect. For even though we are sanctified immediately at rebirth, with maturity anchored to purpose, our sanctification will continue to grow and mature.
An important ongoing process of deliverance counseling and discipleship is to edify the elect of God by focusing on sanctification in a quest to reveal divine purpose. When Jesus Christ is the barrier set in place between you and the world, our ministry can help you to take a vital place in the world as a bearer and an example of light and truth. If you are ready to know more, contact us.
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