Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Sanctification of the Church

Bible Reading:  Psalm 119:9-16

Key verse  11

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

DEVOTION

Sanctification means being set apart for God and His holy purposes. The Church is not merely a building where people gather; it is a community called to worship God, live according to His Word, and reflect Christ’s character. We can understand the sanctification of the Church in two ways.
 
1. Sanctification of the Place — Is our church truly sanctified?
When Jesus saw people turning the temple into a marketplace, He declared, “Make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16, KJV). The temple was dedicated to God as a place of worship, but people had misused it for their own purposes.
Today, we must ask: Is our church truly a place where God is honoured? Are our worship, ministries, and activities centered on Christ? Our churches must be places of prayer, worship, fellowship, service, and the proclamation of God’s Word. 
2. Sanctification of its People — Are we truly sanctified?
The sanctification of the Church is also witnessed through the lives of those who worship within it. The psalmist declares, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11, KJV). As members of the Church, we are called to be holy in our thoughts, words, and actions. This Bible passage reminds us that God’s Word guides us towards a life of purity. The psalmist asks, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?” The answer is to live according to God’s Word. The psalmist treasures God’s Word in his heart so that his life may reflect God’s will. 
Today, we must ask: Do our words and actions reflect Christ? Let us allow Scripture to shape our hearts and become a sanctified congregation that repents, forgives, loves one another, and walks in obedience to God. 
May our church buildings remain places of reverent worship, and may our lives become living testimonies to God’s holiness and love. Let us not merely ask God to bless our Church; let us allow Him to cleanse our places of worship and our hearts for His glory.

PRAYER

 Gracious God, sanctify our places of worship and renew our hearts through your word and spirit, that our lives may glorify You. Amen.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 A sanctified Church begins with a place set apart for God and extends to people transformed by His Word.
 

Dr. Binu Jose Jacob 
St. Mathews Mar Thoma Church, Toronto, Canada.
 

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