Expert: Glenn Hansen - 8/27/2008

Question
what is sanctification according to the book of romans. thanks

Answer
Hi Morin,

You have asked a question which poses some difficulty. The words "sanctify," "sanctified," and  "sanctification," only appear three times in the book of Romans. They are translations of the Greek words #37 and #38 in Strong's Concordance. As you can see from the verses below, being a servant or slave to God and/ or righteousness, results in sanctification.

From the OT, we understand that the Hebrew term translated as  "sanctification" is often  translated as "hallow" or "hallowed." The  basic idea of the word is "to separate for a religious purpose." The priests were sanctified, that is separated from the common people, for their work in the temple. (See Strong's # 06942)

A Hebrew word closely related to sanctification is sometimes translated as "sodomite" or "temple prostitute." Even though we would not usually think of people like this as holy, they were separated from other people for idolatrous religious rites. (See Strong's # 06945)

Acording to Romans 6:22, those who have been freed or justified from sin experience justification.
We can see from Romans 6:19 that the opposite of sanctification is impurity and lawlessness.

Romans refers to sanctification only three times. That is too infrequent to really get a good idea of the meaning of the term. Hebrews has  at least 7 references to sanctification. That might be a better place to seek understanding of this term in the NT.

Ro 6:19  I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification <38>.

Ro 6:22  But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification <38>, and the outcome, eternal life.

Ro 15:16  to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified <37> by the Holy Spirit.