Moment of Meditation: Sanctified (Titus 3:5)

Original Broadcast: February 2009

Monthly Theme: Holy Spirit (Apostles' Creed)

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
(Titus 3:5)

Sanctified

St. Paul reminds Titus that salvation is not by works. It is solely by God's grace through the washing of Baptism. Sanctification only occursbecause the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel and enlightened us with His gifts. Salvation is a precious gift that the Holy Spirit has for each baptized Christian.

The strict sense of sanctification is how the Holy Spirit directs and empowers believers to lead godly lives. Paul tells the Corinthians, "You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). It's the direction that the Holy Spirit places us in our lives as He helps us to fight against our sinful human nature and its natural blindness, death and enmity against God.

By sanctifying us, the Holy Spirit puts us into Christ's kingdom both in Heaven and on earth. That is why He continues to work through the Word and Sacrament ministry of the Church on earth. That is why He calls and invites all to hear the wonderful message of Jesus' death and resurrection for salvation at the local congregations each and every Lord's Day. Make plans to be there yourself this Lord's Day. Amen.