SANCTIFICATION

EXERCISES

• 
  Review the memory verse of the week and talk about how it relates to the Truth section.
  
• Review the Pentateuch, Historical, and Poetic books of the Old Testament.

SUGGESTED DISCUSSION

• 
  Truth – You can discuss any of the In Bible questions you would like to address. Here are some tips that may help:
  • Leviticus 20:1-8 – Note that this passage illustrates that sanctification includes the dual concepts of purification and consecration. Purification is the work of God that empowers our moral ability, and responsibility to live consecrated lives.
  • Isaiah 6:1-8 – This passage illustrates the same principle. Isaiah could play no role in his purification other than the recognition of his sinfulness and repentance that preceded his cleansing. But his purification empowered him to respond to God’s call. His words, “Here am I. Send me,” are a shining example of human consecration.You could use the 3rd question on John 6 to find out where people in your group are basing their assurance of salvation, which would indicate how well they understood and embraced the material in this unit.
  • Romans 6:15-23 – Point out that the phrase “slaves to righteousness” illustrates our obligation to respond to God’s saving and sanctifying work with full consecration. Both Romans 6 and 12 use the metaphor of presenting one’s body to show that consecration is essentially an act of surrender to God’s will. Be sure to tie this back to what your JG has learned about being filled with the Spirit. (Gospel Living, unit 4).
    
• TRUTH – Here are the main points about sanctification that you’ll want to make clear:
  • Holiness is the destination we are called to. Sanctification is the path that gets us there.
  • Holiness cannot be reduced to a list of moral rules. A morally conservative lifestyle cannot purify the heart. But a purified heart will (and should, and must) manifest itself in holy living.
  • Sanctification is a work of grace that begins when one is justified. A new moral nature is created that progressively empowers Christians to mortify sin and bear the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the main agent of this change.
  • Sanctification involves God’s work to purify the believer’s heart, and the believer’s response of consecrating themselves to holy living.
  • Consecration is essentially a presenting or surrendering of oneself to the Holy Spirit’s control.
• EQUIPPING – The Truth section this week was not able to get into the practical matter of what a holy life really looks like. Your JG members might wonder if it’s not about dos and don’ts, what is it about? The Equipping section attempted to get at this with a challenging question. It is recommended that you take advantage of this question and focus much of your group meeting on discussing how holiness is worked out in believer’s lives. You may want to discuss how following God’s commands, the example and teaching of Christ, and the forming of personal convictions, contribute to living a holy life. 
  
• ACCOUNTABILITY – Allow time for smaller groups of 2 or 3 to ask accountability questions, and pray for one another.
  
• MISSION –Continue last week’s discussion about using The Answer and the Life Issues booklets to bring Jesus into conversation with people. Discuss the conversation that is illustrated in the material. Get your JG to think about creative ways this can be adapted to suit their personality. Ask them to think about what is hard or easy about this approach.