Sanctification
by Joseph Warren Grammer
by Joseph Warren Grammer
The first comforter is the Holy Ghost, but the second Comforter is Jesus Christ who offers the fulness of the Father. However, sanctification is a prerequisite to receiving that Fulness. We must, therefore, be sanctified to receive our calling and election made sure and the second Comforter.
What does it mean to be sanctified? As used in the Holy Bible, the Hebrew word for sanctify is, qadash (kaw-dash), meaning to clean, purify, make holy, consecrate, dedicate, hallow. The Greek word is, hagiazo (hag-ee-ad’-zo), meaning to make holy, purify or consecrate. Webster’s dictionary says that sanctify means to make holy, make free from sin, purify, consecrate.
This sanctifying experience is a mighty change of heart. Alma asked, “... have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14.) The mighty change, that sanctifying experience, comes by way of the Holy Ghost. After King Benjamin taught his people, “... they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2.)
The Holy Ghost is bestowed upon those who love God and purify themselves before Him. (1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Thes. 2:13.) It is they who will have the privilege of seeing and knowing God for themselves, even while in the flesh. (D&C 76:116-118.) The Lord, Himself, said to us:
67. And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:67-68.)
As we can see, it is a commandment that we sanctify ourselves and seek the face of God. We are also commanded in these words: “And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.” (D&C 101:38.) But, before we can have the privilege of the fulness and see his face, we must become sanctified; “... which sanctification cometh because of [our] yielding [our] hearts unto God. (Hel. 3:35.)
The Fourth Article of Faith
The fourth Article of Faith reads: “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
All things pertaining to salvation hinges on the first principle—faith. If we do not have faith in Jesus Christ, then we cannot do any of the other three. They will make no sense to us to do any of them without faith. Surely we will not repent unless we have faith that Jesus has done something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. We need the faith that His atoning for our sins can make up the difference. Without this faith, we would try to make up for our sins ourselves, which thing we cannot do without the grace of Christ. But when we really understand the atonement, we can hand our sins over to Him because He paid the price—His blood has bought us. All we have to do is keep His commandments, and all of our covenants, to become clean from our sins and pure before Him.
When we sin, the Holy Ghost leaves us because he is offended. We then often go around with a long face, feeling that we are so bad we are not worthy of God’s blessings or the influence of this divine being. However, we cannot repent without the help of the Holy Spirit. And instead of moping around in our sin, what we need to do is ask Father to send the Holy Ghost back to us to TEACH us how to repent and walk the strait and narrow path that Jesus defined. That makes repentance a whole lot easier.
The third principle in the fourth Article of Faith is Baptism. Baptism is a necessary ordinance and symbolic of the washing away of our sins. It is a witness to God and the world that we have died as to our old way of life, and that we rise again to a newness of life. However, our sins are not washed away until our sacrifice is accepted, which is usually after a period of proving and refining. Our baptism is then approved and sealed by the Holy Ghost.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism in water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, that baptism of the Holy Ghost.” (TPJS, p. 314.)
The role of the Holy Ghost is to SEAL the baptism of water. Many believe that if they are baptized they will automatically enter the Celestial Kingdom. But if the Holy Ghost does NOT seal the baptism, that baptism is not valid in the next life. When the Holy Ghost seals the baptism, then, and only then, are they clean from all sin.
The Holy Ghost sanctifies, purifies and seals all covenants. Hence, if our temple marriage is NOT sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, that marriage is not valid in the next life. That means there is much more to a marriage than just having that marriage sealed in the temple. The temple marriage sealing is only symbolic and preparatory to a future sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise. And that is true about all covenants we make, either in or out of the temple. To be valid in the next life, all covenants must be sealed by the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost, who is a member of the Godhead, is also to teach all truth. Although the Savior may not be by our side at all times, we are promised that the Holy Ghost will be when we are worthy for that companionship. He will teach us everything that Jesus would teach us if He were standing next to us.
Justification and Sanctification
From the Lord we get the following concerning justification and sanctification. In Moses we read:
59. ... by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60. For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified; (Moses 6:59-60.)
The term, “by the water,” means baptism properly performed by immersion. Only after Baptism can we be justified, which justification is by way of the Holy Ghost. Although his seal of approval justifies us, yet it is the blood of Christ that really applies the cleansing power. However, that cleansing is sealed upon us by the Holy Ghost.
Justification must come before sanctification. Justification is having the Holy Ghost watch us trying to figure out what it takes to get life right before God. He recognizes when we make the conscious change of heart—that broken heart and contrite spirit—which says, “I don’t want to sin any more, even though I keep doing it.” That is when the Holy Ghost recognizes our sincerity and real intent. It is only then that we are justified.
When the Holy Ghost comes, he makes a change in us beyond anything we can do for ourselves. He can help change the way we think and the way we feel. He can give us a Celestial mind and a Celestial heart, and we no longer desire to do evil.
However, to receive that which the Holy Ghost has to offer, we must have the love of Christ, charity, the spirit of forgiveness toward all people, a desire to serve others with patience and love, be valiant in our testimony and witnessing of the truth by warning our neighbors (D&C 76:79; 88:81), and an eye single to the glory of God. If we do not have these qualities, we cannot be justified, nor sanctified. Remember what Moroni taught: “... and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Moro. 10:4.) The Holy Ghost knows how sincere we are, what truly motivates us, and how intent we are to follow Christ. With his divine understanding of us, we become sanctified when justified.
The Group Effort
When we study the issue, we find that sanctification is a group effort rather than an individual one. It is true that we are responsible for our own salvation, with the grace of Christ, but we cannot be saved without others.
Enoch and his city were sanctified and became a Zion people, so much so that they were taken up into heaven from this wicked world that was soon to be destroyed. (Moses 7:18-21.) The day of Pentecost involved many people, not just one or two. They received the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. They became sanctified as a group. (Acts 2.)
On the other hand, Moses sought to have his people sanctified that they might behold the face of God, but they rejected it. Moses went twice upon the mountain, the first time was to bring the provisions for the fulness of the gospel. After it was rejected, his second trip was to bring down a lesser law—the law of carnal commandments and the preparatory gospel. (D&C 84:23-27.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith was commanded to have the Saints go to Jackson County and establish a sanctified Zion community, but the people rebelled, bickered and became jealous, envious, and covetous. The consequences were that they lost the opportunity for a sanctified Zion community, but received a preparatory gospel, as did the Children of Israel during the days of Moses. (D&C 84:49-58.) And Brigham Young tried to get the Saints to establish communities where the United Order, under the law of consecration, would be exercised. But this proved unsuccessful also. People refused to be of one heart and one mind, and dwell in righteousness with no rich or poor among them.
Without this ability of being of one heart and one mind, we can never become one with the Father and the Son. The unity of oneness is imperative if we are ever to become a Zion people. Zion people are only terrestrial in nature, not celestial. If we cannot become Zion-like, we are neither celestial nor terrestrial people; we will remain telestial in nature, being swept off the earth at our Savior’s second coming with the rest of the wicked.
Yes, there may be some rare instances where someone became sanctified on an individual basis, such as Adam, Enoch, the brother of Jared, Moses, Jesus, and Joseph Smith, perhaps, but each of them had the spirit of becoming a sanctified person as they labored among their brothers and sisters to bring them unto salvation. Without working together with charity, understanding, tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, and with all the loving and unselfish attributes of Christ, we can never become a sanctified people and obtain the Fulness of God’s glory.
Refining and Defining
Let’s now turn to D&C 82. This whole section is important, but for now let’s focus on only four verses. Starting with verse three, we read, “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” (D&C 82:3.) When we seek to be sanctified, we also should expect to be tried and proven; for there is no other way to become pure without a refining process; this is an essential part of Gods plan.
In this world, the righteous have a problem. That problem is trying to live in a worldly or Babylonian type society while, at the same time, trying to become sanctified before the Lord. But, is it a problem or a blessing? To be refined and purified, as God is pure, there must be a process, and the encroachment of the world around us helps provide that refining process. For those who will be redeemed of the Lord, the process will be extremely challenging to say the least.
However, it is not the challenges and difficulties that saves us, they are only the catalyst for purification. It is how we accept the challenges, and the attitudes we display about them, that refines and purifies. Perhaps the only reason God included the Book of Job in the Holy Bible is because Job is an excellent example of one’s proper attitude during the times of extreme adversity. When all was taken away, except for his own life, he still stayed faithful and praised the Lord.
Except for our Savior’s atonement and death on the cross, these latter days are the greatest time in the world’s history that man has ever known. These are the times of which the ancient prophets testified, and were most anxious about. These are the times when God’s greatest blessings will be poured out, and those blessings are available to all if only sought for.
Another essential part of seeking to be sanctified is the necessity of receiving further light and knowledge concerning God and our relationship to Him. Desiring to become sanctified is not a trivial thing, and we need to examine ourselves before the quest. We need to define our purpose. Are we sincere? Is it what we want above all other things in this world? Can our desire withstand the ridicule and persecution that will inevitably come? Am I willing to pay the price and endure to the end? And so forth.
As verse three above reads: “he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” We should not seek a price unless we are willing to pay the price for its obtainment. Verse four continues this thought: “Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law.” (D&C 82:4.)
There is something very important that I want to share. I do not know anyone who has attempted to live up to the principle of sanctification who has not been tried to the uttermost in one way or another. In some cases it is as though the world, and hell itself, had gathered against them. They even became suspect in the Church, among their own people. They became different.
The reason for these trials and persecutions is because the Lord wants us to know who we are and of what we are made. And upon faithfully enduring to the end of our trials, we will know of our faithfulness and we will know that the Lord knows of our faithfulness.
God also wants us to know that we are worthy of His blessings. He knows who we are, the sins we have committed, and even the sins we are going to commit. But He loves us anyway.
Our knowing that He knows we did wrong and that we are going to sin in the future, but that He loves and forgives us anyway, makes it much easier for us to go to Him and say, “I’m sorry for that. I don’t really want to be that way. Please help me get rid of that sin and I’ll try with all I have to never do that again.”
Now this is where the sacrament prayer comes in. When we are sincere (the Spirit knows when we are), and we are “willing” to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and keep His commandments, then the mercy and grace of Christ comes into play and we can have the Holy Ghost to be our companion.
With this knowledge—the knowledge that we know that we are doing all we can and our motives are pure, and we know that God knows we are doing all we can with pure motives—we can activate the covenant. We can approach the Lord with the confidence that waxes strong in the presence of God. Being unashamed, we will be able to call down the powers of heaven in our behalf and in the behalf of others. The Holy Ghost will attend us and justify us. And although the persecution may be great, peace in the Lord shall be our companion.
As we seek sanctification, let’s consider the Savior’s promise found in the tenth verse: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” (D&C 82:10.) When we do what He requires, He will provide the blessing through grace. This is a promise that we can rely upon. “Therefore, what I say unto one I say unto all. . .” (D&C 82:5.). God does not lie, so all who seek to be sanctified can achieve it if we are willing to pay the price. “And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” (Moro. 7:33.) And of course there is Nephi’s promise: “And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; . . .” (1 Ne. 17:3; see also 1 Ne. 3:7.)
However, we must remember that sanctification is not anything we can earn entirely on our own. The principle of grace is the deciding factor, as it is in all of God’s blessings. From Section twenty we read, “And we know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength. (D&C 20:31.) When we seek a prize, we must weigh the cost against the reward.
Our Duty In Regard to Sanctification
Let’s go back into the sixth chapter of Moses and read some more of what the Lord commands us to do.
56. And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.
57. Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence;...
58. Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children,... (Moses 6:56-58.)
If we start a trip down the road without a plan, going to nowhere in particular and taking the roads that seem most interesting or exciting at the time, will we know where we will be at the end of the day? If we do not know where we are going, will we know how to get there? If we arrive where we should be by accident, will we truly appreciate what it took to get there? So it is with our quest for salvation in our Father’s Kingdom. Before we can arrive at the point of qualifying for exaltation, we must accept the fulness of God. The fulness is not thrust upon us, it is chosen by us. But to receive that fulness we must become sanctified—clean and pure. Our Father’s house is a house of order, so to become sanctified there must be a set plan for travel, a strait and narrow road, which includes a refining process during the journey.
In verses 56-57 just read, there is a commandment. Not a suggestion, or a good idea, but a commandment. We are to teach our children about repentance, justification and sanctification.
Some questions might be asked: Do we understand much about the atonement, sanctification, and God’s plan for our salvation in His Kingdom? Have we truly taught these things to our children? Can we teach what we do not understand? Are our children ready to venture onto life’s road with a firm foundation of faith and understanding of where they are to go and how to get there?
Growing up in the Church, many have heard about the atonement and many have taught it. But I venture to say that very few know it and understand it. It doesn’t become real to us until the Savior becomes real to us. It will not become real to our children unless we teach them how to make it real in their lives. One of the best teachings on sanctification is found in Mosiah chapters two through five. And one of the keys to sanctification is understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ and how His grace makes a difference. Without that understanding there can be no basis and faith in the principle of sanctification, and we remain empty.
Nothing in the celestial realm can be achieved without becoming sanctified. But, becoming sanctified is no accident, it is something that is to be sought for because it is a commandment. And it is a commandment that we teach this principle to others, especially to our children.
Closing Thoughts
There MUST come a time when we sense there is some kind of void in our lives— when something is missing. It may be that we are not sure where we are to go, how to get there, or even if it’s worthy trying to get somewhere. That void just might be a personal relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Without a need, there is no desiring nor seeking. Until we are brought down low, we can never rise. There must be a need.
When the atonement is real in our lives, a change will take place in us. We will then not want to slap Jesus in the face for what He has done for us and reject His atoning sacrifice, but simply say, “Thank You.” We simply repent and hand over our sins to Him and not try to atone for them ourselves.
Sanctification is an ongoing process, and I believe that many of us have experienced a measure of sanctification several times in our lives already. Every spiritual experience we have that helps us resolve to do better, and live closer to God, can be considered a sanctifying experience. Every time we have the whisperings of the Spirit fill our understanding, have a sweet calming peace flow over us, or a sweet and tender joy fill our being can be an allotment of sanctification.
There is, evidently, a special time in our progression when we cross over the minimum requirement, and the Holy Ghost fulfills a desire of our hearts. When the Holy Ghost sees that we are willing to repent as soon as we sin, he senses that we are sincere. This is what he has been waiting for. He accepts that our intent is to do good in the face of adversity and personal weakness. He then can justify our actions and attitudes of sincerity. When we have a broken heart and contrite spirit, the Holy Ghost can then say, “Now I can give you some gifts.” He is now going to be a part of us. Not just now and again as in the past, but be our ongoing constant companion. This is when we truly receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost; it is the FIRE and the Holy Ghost. This is often called experiencing the mighty change, putting off the natural man, or the baptism of fire.
When this occurs, something wonderful happens in our lives. The majority of our thoughts are upon the Lord and how we can serve Him, please Him, and bring glory to His name. We have no more desire to do wrong, but abhor evil. Our hearts are full of love for all men, and we desire to bless their lives in the Lord as we have been blessed. We are concerned with the welfare of their eternal souls. The spirit of charity and forgiveness abounds in us. Even though the pits of hell seem to send all its demons of torment our way, we are still blessed with the peace and assurance of God’s approval. And with a heart full of overwhelming joy, we desire to raise our voices in constant praise because of His tender mercies.
Normally, we are in a constant need for forgiveness. When sanctification happens, we no longer need to seek forgiveness, we are in a continuous state of forgiveness. This is true even though we are not perfect and often sin. However, the Holy Ghost knows that, and since he sees us immediately repent with remorse, he never leaves, but remains our constant companion.
There are two more important verses in Moses six that we need to read. After we become sanctified, the following can be our blessing: “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.” (Moses 6:61.)
The word, “therefore,” tells us, that which is given to abide in us is the result of sanctification, which the previous verse (v. 60) mentioned. When we came to this earth, a veil was drawn over our minds. But in us abides the record of heaven. The Holy Ghost can peel back that veil so that we can remember and receive certain bits of knowledge of that previous experience—especially who we were and our callings in life. The peaceable things of immortal glory, or heavenly truths of all things, can be revealed along with further light and knowledge. The Holy Ghost quickens the human element so that it can withstand the glorious personage of the Father and the Son. Without that quickening, or shielding, we would not survive such glory.
That which also abides in us when we are sanctified is that which maketh alive all things, which is the light of Christ. As stated in a previous chapter, the oneness of the Father and the Son, IS the light of the Father. When we become one in Christ Jesus, as He is with the Father, we will also possess that same light. When the scriptures state that Jesus and the Father are one in the same, they are not just speaking of a oneness in purpose, but literally of a oneness in the same light. That perfect light infuses itself through all those who are perfect, and all things actually become one. (See JST Matt. 5:18.)
Moses goes on to record: “And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.” (Moses 6:62.) The plan of salvation, then, is Jesus Christ and His atoning blood, by which we are sanctified and brought back into the presence of the Father—but only if we choose to accept it.
Then the time comes when we receive the calling and election made sure, the more sure word of prophecy, coming unto the Church of the Firstborn, having our name placed in the book of the Lamb, entering into the rest of the Lord, and receive the second comforter, who is Jesus Christ. But we cannot receive the second comforter without the first—the Fire and the Holy Ghost.
Many years ago I once asked a very notable individual what it took to receive one’s calling and election made sure, and he said: “Just live as though you have already received it.” What a profound statement. It reminds me of what Anna once said.
There is a little book entitled, Mister God, This Is Anna, by an author who simply went by the name of, Fynn, who was deeply influenced by this little girl. The book concerns a true story about a young six-year-old by the name of Anna and her extraordinary insights into human relations. About some of Anna’s wisdom Fynn wrote:
What does it mean to be sanctified? As used in the Holy Bible, the Hebrew word for sanctify is, qadash (kaw-dash), meaning to clean, purify, make holy, consecrate, dedicate, hallow. The Greek word is, hagiazo (hag-ee-ad’-zo), meaning to make holy, purify or consecrate. Webster’s dictionary says that sanctify means to make holy, make free from sin, purify, consecrate.
This sanctifying experience is a mighty change of heart. Alma asked, “... have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14.) The mighty change, that sanctifying experience, comes by way of the Holy Ghost. After King Benjamin taught his people, “... they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2.)
The Holy Ghost is bestowed upon those who love God and purify themselves before Him. (1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Thes. 2:13.) It is they who will have the privilege of seeing and knowing God for themselves, even while in the flesh. (D&C 76:116-118.) The Lord, Himself, said to us:
67. And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:67-68.)
As we can see, it is a commandment that we sanctify ourselves and seek the face of God. We are also commanded in these words: “And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.” (D&C 101:38.) But, before we can have the privilege of the fulness and see his face, we must become sanctified; “... which sanctification cometh because of [our] yielding [our] hearts unto God. (Hel. 3:35.)
The Fourth Article of Faith
The fourth Article of Faith reads: “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
All things pertaining to salvation hinges on the first principle—faith. If we do not have faith in Jesus Christ, then we cannot do any of the other three. They will make no sense to us to do any of them without faith. Surely we will not repent unless we have faith that Jesus has done something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. We need the faith that His atoning for our sins can make up the difference. Without this faith, we would try to make up for our sins ourselves, which thing we cannot do without the grace of Christ. But when we really understand the atonement, we can hand our sins over to Him because He paid the price—His blood has bought us. All we have to do is keep His commandments, and all of our covenants, to become clean from our sins and pure before Him.
When we sin, the Holy Ghost leaves us because he is offended. We then often go around with a long face, feeling that we are so bad we are not worthy of God’s blessings or the influence of this divine being. However, we cannot repent without the help of the Holy Spirit. And instead of moping around in our sin, what we need to do is ask Father to send the Holy Ghost back to us to TEACH us how to repent and walk the strait and narrow path that Jesus defined. That makes repentance a whole lot easier.
The third principle in the fourth Article of Faith is Baptism. Baptism is a necessary ordinance and symbolic of the washing away of our sins. It is a witness to God and the world that we have died as to our old way of life, and that we rise again to a newness of life. However, our sins are not washed away until our sacrifice is accepted, which is usually after a period of proving and refining. Our baptism is then approved and sealed by the Holy Ghost.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism in water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, that baptism of the Holy Ghost.” (TPJS, p. 314.)
The role of the Holy Ghost is to SEAL the baptism of water. Many believe that if they are baptized they will automatically enter the Celestial Kingdom. But if the Holy Ghost does NOT seal the baptism, that baptism is not valid in the next life. When the Holy Ghost seals the baptism, then, and only then, are they clean from all sin.
The Holy Ghost sanctifies, purifies and seals all covenants. Hence, if our temple marriage is NOT sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, that marriage is not valid in the next life. That means there is much more to a marriage than just having that marriage sealed in the temple. The temple marriage sealing is only symbolic and preparatory to a future sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise. And that is true about all covenants we make, either in or out of the temple. To be valid in the next life, all covenants must be sealed by the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost, who is a member of the Godhead, is also to teach all truth. Although the Savior may not be by our side at all times, we are promised that the Holy Ghost will be when we are worthy for that companionship. He will teach us everything that Jesus would teach us if He were standing next to us.
Justification and Sanctification
From the Lord we get the following concerning justification and sanctification. In Moses we read:
59. ... by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60. For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified; (Moses 6:59-60.)
The term, “by the water,” means baptism properly performed by immersion. Only after Baptism can we be justified, which justification is by way of the Holy Ghost. Although his seal of approval justifies us, yet it is the blood of Christ that really applies the cleansing power. However, that cleansing is sealed upon us by the Holy Ghost.
Justification must come before sanctification. Justification is having the Holy Ghost watch us trying to figure out what it takes to get life right before God. He recognizes when we make the conscious change of heart—that broken heart and contrite spirit—which says, “I don’t want to sin any more, even though I keep doing it.” That is when the Holy Ghost recognizes our sincerity and real intent. It is only then that we are justified.
When the Holy Ghost comes, he makes a change in us beyond anything we can do for ourselves. He can help change the way we think and the way we feel. He can give us a Celestial mind and a Celestial heart, and we no longer desire to do evil.
However, to receive that which the Holy Ghost has to offer, we must have the love of Christ, charity, the spirit of forgiveness toward all people, a desire to serve others with patience and love, be valiant in our testimony and witnessing of the truth by warning our neighbors (D&C 76:79; 88:81), and an eye single to the glory of God. If we do not have these qualities, we cannot be justified, nor sanctified. Remember what Moroni taught: “... and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Moro. 10:4.) The Holy Ghost knows how sincere we are, what truly motivates us, and how intent we are to follow Christ. With his divine understanding of us, we become sanctified when justified.
The Group Effort
When we study the issue, we find that sanctification is a group effort rather than an individual one. It is true that we are responsible for our own salvation, with the grace of Christ, but we cannot be saved without others.
Enoch and his city were sanctified and became a Zion people, so much so that they were taken up into heaven from this wicked world that was soon to be destroyed. (Moses 7:18-21.) The day of Pentecost involved many people, not just one or two. They received the baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. They became sanctified as a group. (Acts 2.)
On the other hand, Moses sought to have his people sanctified that they might behold the face of God, but they rejected it. Moses went twice upon the mountain, the first time was to bring the provisions for the fulness of the gospel. After it was rejected, his second trip was to bring down a lesser law—the law of carnal commandments and the preparatory gospel. (D&C 84:23-27.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith was commanded to have the Saints go to Jackson County and establish a sanctified Zion community, but the people rebelled, bickered and became jealous, envious, and covetous. The consequences were that they lost the opportunity for a sanctified Zion community, but received a preparatory gospel, as did the Children of Israel during the days of Moses. (D&C 84:49-58.) And Brigham Young tried to get the Saints to establish communities where the United Order, under the law of consecration, would be exercised. But this proved unsuccessful also. People refused to be of one heart and one mind, and dwell in righteousness with no rich or poor among them.
Without this ability of being of one heart and one mind, we can never become one with the Father and the Son. The unity of oneness is imperative if we are ever to become a Zion people. Zion people are only terrestrial in nature, not celestial. If we cannot become Zion-like, we are neither celestial nor terrestrial people; we will remain telestial in nature, being swept off the earth at our Savior’s second coming with the rest of the wicked.
Yes, there may be some rare instances where someone became sanctified on an individual basis, such as Adam, Enoch, the brother of Jared, Moses, Jesus, and Joseph Smith, perhaps, but each of them had the spirit of becoming a sanctified person as they labored among their brothers and sisters to bring them unto salvation. Without working together with charity, understanding, tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, and with all the loving and unselfish attributes of Christ, we can never become a sanctified people and obtain the Fulness of God’s glory.
Refining and Defining
Let’s now turn to D&C 82. This whole section is important, but for now let’s focus on only four verses. Starting with verse three, we read, “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” (D&C 82:3.) When we seek to be sanctified, we also should expect to be tried and proven; for there is no other way to become pure without a refining process; this is an essential part of Gods plan.
In this world, the righteous have a problem. That problem is trying to live in a worldly or Babylonian type society while, at the same time, trying to become sanctified before the Lord. But, is it a problem or a blessing? To be refined and purified, as God is pure, there must be a process, and the encroachment of the world around us helps provide that refining process. For those who will be redeemed of the Lord, the process will be extremely challenging to say the least.
However, it is not the challenges and difficulties that saves us, they are only the catalyst for purification. It is how we accept the challenges, and the attitudes we display about them, that refines and purifies. Perhaps the only reason God included the Book of Job in the Holy Bible is because Job is an excellent example of one’s proper attitude during the times of extreme adversity. When all was taken away, except for his own life, he still stayed faithful and praised the Lord.
Except for our Savior’s atonement and death on the cross, these latter days are the greatest time in the world’s history that man has ever known. These are the times of which the ancient prophets testified, and were most anxious about. These are the times when God’s greatest blessings will be poured out, and those blessings are available to all if only sought for.
Another essential part of seeking to be sanctified is the necessity of receiving further light and knowledge concerning God and our relationship to Him. Desiring to become sanctified is not a trivial thing, and we need to examine ourselves before the quest. We need to define our purpose. Are we sincere? Is it what we want above all other things in this world? Can our desire withstand the ridicule and persecution that will inevitably come? Am I willing to pay the price and endure to the end? And so forth.
As verse three above reads: “he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” We should not seek a price unless we are willing to pay the price for its obtainment. Verse four continues this thought: “Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law.” (D&C 82:4.)
There is something very important that I want to share. I do not know anyone who has attempted to live up to the principle of sanctification who has not been tried to the uttermost in one way or another. In some cases it is as though the world, and hell itself, had gathered against them. They even became suspect in the Church, among their own people. They became different.
The reason for these trials and persecutions is because the Lord wants us to know who we are and of what we are made. And upon faithfully enduring to the end of our trials, we will know of our faithfulness and we will know that the Lord knows of our faithfulness.
God also wants us to know that we are worthy of His blessings. He knows who we are, the sins we have committed, and even the sins we are going to commit. But He loves us anyway.
Our knowing that He knows we did wrong and that we are going to sin in the future, but that He loves and forgives us anyway, makes it much easier for us to go to Him and say, “I’m sorry for that. I don’t really want to be that way. Please help me get rid of that sin and I’ll try with all I have to never do that again.”
Now this is where the sacrament prayer comes in. When we are sincere (the Spirit knows when we are), and we are “willing” to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and keep His commandments, then the mercy and grace of Christ comes into play and we can have the Holy Ghost to be our companion.
With this knowledge—the knowledge that we know that we are doing all we can and our motives are pure, and we know that God knows we are doing all we can with pure motives—we can activate the covenant. We can approach the Lord with the confidence that waxes strong in the presence of God. Being unashamed, we will be able to call down the powers of heaven in our behalf and in the behalf of others. The Holy Ghost will attend us and justify us. And although the persecution may be great, peace in the Lord shall be our companion.
As we seek sanctification, let’s consider the Savior’s promise found in the tenth verse: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” (D&C 82:10.) When we do what He requires, He will provide the blessing through grace. This is a promise that we can rely upon. “Therefore, what I say unto one I say unto all. . .” (D&C 82:5.). God does not lie, so all who seek to be sanctified can achieve it if we are willing to pay the price. “And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” (Moro. 7:33.) And of course there is Nephi’s promise: “And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; . . .” (1 Ne. 17:3; see also 1 Ne. 3:7.)
However, we must remember that sanctification is not anything we can earn entirely on our own. The principle of grace is the deciding factor, as it is in all of God’s blessings. From Section twenty we read, “And we know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength. (D&C 20:31.) When we seek a prize, we must weigh the cost against the reward.
Our Duty In Regard to Sanctification
Let’s go back into the sixth chapter of Moses and read some more of what the Lord commands us to do.
56. And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.
57. Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence;...
58. Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children,... (Moses 6:56-58.)
If we start a trip down the road without a plan, going to nowhere in particular and taking the roads that seem most interesting or exciting at the time, will we know where we will be at the end of the day? If we do not know where we are going, will we know how to get there? If we arrive where we should be by accident, will we truly appreciate what it took to get there? So it is with our quest for salvation in our Father’s Kingdom. Before we can arrive at the point of qualifying for exaltation, we must accept the fulness of God. The fulness is not thrust upon us, it is chosen by us. But to receive that fulness we must become sanctified—clean and pure. Our Father’s house is a house of order, so to become sanctified there must be a set plan for travel, a strait and narrow road, which includes a refining process during the journey.
In verses 56-57 just read, there is a commandment. Not a suggestion, or a good idea, but a commandment. We are to teach our children about repentance, justification and sanctification.
Some questions might be asked: Do we understand much about the atonement, sanctification, and God’s plan for our salvation in His Kingdom? Have we truly taught these things to our children? Can we teach what we do not understand? Are our children ready to venture onto life’s road with a firm foundation of faith and understanding of where they are to go and how to get there?
Growing up in the Church, many have heard about the atonement and many have taught it. But I venture to say that very few know it and understand it. It doesn’t become real to us until the Savior becomes real to us. It will not become real to our children unless we teach them how to make it real in their lives. One of the best teachings on sanctification is found in Mosiah chapters two through five. And one of the keys to sanctification is understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ and how His grace makes a difference. Without that understanding there can be no basis and faith in the principle of sanctification, and we remain empty.
Nothing in the celestial realm can be achieved without becoming sanctified. But, becoming sanctified is no accident, it is something that is to be sought for because it is a commandment. And it is a commandment that we teach this principle to others, especially to our children.
Closing Thoughts
There MUST come a time when we sense there is some kind of void in our lives— when something is missing. It may be that we are not sure where we are to go, how to get there, or even if it’s worthy trying to get somewhere. That void just might be a personal relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Without a need, there is no desiring nor seeking. Until we are brought down low, we can never rise. There must be a need.
When the atonement is real in our lives, a change will take place in us. We will then not want to slap Jesus in the face for what He has done for us and reject His atoning sacrifice, but simply say, “Thank You.” We simply repent and hand over our sins to Him and not try to atone for them ourselves.
Sanctification is an ongoing process, and I believe that many of us have experienced a measure of sanctification several times in our lives already. Every spiritual experience we have that helps us resolve to do better, and live closer to God, can be considered a sanctifying experience. Every time we have the whisperings of the Spirit fill our understanding, have a sweet calming peace flow over us, or a sweet and tender joy fill our being can be an allotment of sanctification.
There is, evidently, a special time in our progression when we cross over the minimum requirement, and the Holy Ghost fulfills a desire of our hearts. When the Holy Ghost sees that we are willing to repent as soon as we sin, he senses that we are sincere. This is what he has been waiting for. He accepts that our intent is to do good in the face of adversity and personal weakness. He then can justify our actions and attitudes of sincerity. When we have a broken heart and contrite spirit, the Holy Ghost can then say, “Now I can give you some gifts.” He is now going to be a part of us. Not just now and again as in the past, but be our ongoing constant companion. This is when we truly receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost; it is the FIRE and the Holy Ghost. This is often called experiencing the mighty change, putting off the natural man, or the baptism of fire.
When this occurs, something wonderful happens in our lives. The majority of our thoughts are upon the Lord and how we can serve Him, please Him, and bring glory to His name. We have no more desire to do wrong, but abhor evil. Our hearts are full of love for all men, and we desire to bless their lives in the Lord as we have been blessed. We are concerned with the welfare of their eternal souls. The spirit of charity and forgiveness abounds in us. Even though the pits of hell seem to send all its demons of torment our way, we are still blessed with the peace and assurance of God’s approval. And with a heart full of overwhelming joy, we desire to raise our voices in constant praise because of His tender mercies.
Normally, we are in a constant need for forgiveness. When sanctification happens, we no longer need to seek forgiveness, we are in a continuous state of forgiveness. This is true even though we are not perfect and often sin. However, the Holy Ghost knows that, and since he sees us immediately repent with remorse, he never leaves, but remains our constant companion.
There are two more important verses in Moses six that we need to read. After we become sanctified, the following can be our blessing: “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.” (Moses 6:61.)
The word, “therefore,” tells us, that which is given to abide in us is the result of sanctification, which the previous verse (v. 60) mentioned. When we came to this earth, a veil was drawn over our minds. But in us abides the record of heaven. The Holy Ghost can peel back that veil so that we can remember and receive certain bits of knowledge of that previous experience—especially who we were and our callings in life. The peaceable things of immortal glory, or heavenly truths of all things, can be revealed along with further light and knowledge. The Holy Ghost quickens the human element so that it can withstand the glorious personage of the Father and the Son. Without that quickening, or shielding, we would not survive such glory.
That which also abides in us when we are sanctified is that which maketh alive all things, which is the light of Christ. As stated in a previous chapter, the oneness of the Father and the Son, IS the light of the Father. When we become one in Christ Jesus, as He is with the Father, we will also possess that same light. When the scriptures state that Jesus and the Father are one in the same, they are not just speaking of a oneness in purpose, but literally of a oneness in the same light. That perfect light infuses itself through all those who are perfect, and all things actually become one. (See JST Matt. 5:18.)
Moses goes on to record: “And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.” (Moses 6:62.) The plan of salvation, then, is Jesus Christ and His atoning blood, by which we are sanctified and brought back into the presence of the Father—but only if we choose to accept it.
Then the time comes when we receive the calling and election made sure, the more sure word of prophecy, coming unto the Church of the Firstborn, having our name placed in the book of the Lamb, entering into the rest of the Lord, and receive the second comforter, who is Jesus Christ. But we cannot receive the second comforter without the first—the Fire and the Holy Ghost.
Many years ago I once asked a very notable individual what it took to receive one’s calling and election made sure, and he said: “Just live as though you have already received it.” What a profound statement. It reminds me of what Anna once said.
There is a little book entitled, Mister God, This Is Anna, by an author who simply went by the name of, Fynn, who was deeply influenced by this little girl. The book concerns a true story about a young six-year-old by the name of Anna and her extraordinary insights into human relations. About some of Anna’s wisdom Fynn wrote:
Religion was all about being like God
and it was here that things could get a little tough.
The instructions weren’t to be good and kind and loving, etc.,
and it therefore followed that you would be more like Mister God.
No! The whole point of being alive was to BE like Mister God
and then you couldn’t help but be good and kind and loving,
could you?
and it was here that things could get a little tough.
The instructions weren’t to be good and kind and loving, etc.,
and it therefore followed that you would be more like Mister God.
No! The whole point of being alive was to BE like Mister God
and then you couldn’t help but be good and kind and loving,
could you?
