Set Apart

Set Apart from, and Set Apart to

Both the Hebrew and Greek terms for sanctification are at the root of words and phrases such as holy, holiness, set apart, saint, consecrate, and others that appear many times in the Bible.

Sanctification is a two-sided truth that includes being set apart from something and set apart to something else. As Christians we have been set apart from sin and to God. We are no longer to give ourselves over to evil to please our own flesh but to give ourselves over to God to please Him.

Before our salvation we ran away from God and toward sin. After salvation we are supposed to be running away from sin and toward God. Which direction you are heading today in your spiritual life has a lot to do with the degree of spiritual victory or defeat you are currently experiencing.

The most frequent use of sanctification in Scripture is to set something apart from a common or secular usage to a holy purpose for the service and glory of God. Ordinary people and ordinary things became sanctified when they were dedicated to God. Our modern practice of dedicating babies to the Lord, or dedicating a home or business to the Lord, reflects the biblical concept of setting someone or something apart for the Lord.

After the death of Egypt’s firstborn and Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Lord said to Moses, “Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me” (Exodus 13:2). From that point forward, the Israelites were to consider every firstborn male as set apart for God (see Numbers 8:17). They were special and holy unto Him. And since a sanctified person or article belonged wholly to the Lord, He could do whatever He chose with them.

In other words, sanctification is a way of acknowledging that God is to hold first place in the lives of His people. He had redeemed Israel, and the nation belonged to Him. We are called to the same consecration today: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15). If your heart is set apart for Jesus, there is no room for any other lord.

Evans, Anthony T. 2002. Totally Saved: Understanding, Experiencing, and Enjoying the Greatness of Your Salvation. The Understanding God Series. Chicago: Moody Press.