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"That through DEATH He might destroy him that had the power of DEATH, that
is the devil; and deliver those through fear of DEATH were held in bondage"
(Heb. 2: 14, 15).
Heb. 2: thus illuminated is seen to be closely allied to the teaching of Rom. 6: It is
death, brought in by sin, that corrupts and defiles. Sin needs justification; and death,
sanctification. So in Rom. 6:-8: we read:--
"Death hath no more dominion over Him" (Rom. 6: 9).
"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death" (Rom. 8: 2).
The different view-point of Romans is seen in chapter 6: of this epistle, where the
basis for sanctification is set forth as righteousness. Romans lays the foundation
preparatory to the second phase of the believer's full acceptance:--
"As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity;
even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness . . . . . your fruit
unto holiness" (Rom. 6: 19 and 22).
While the whole work of grace--justification, sanctification and acceptance--was all
accomplished in the one offering of the Lord Jesus Christ, the experimental order and the
order of revelation is that suggested by Rom. 6: 19: "Righteousness unto holiness."
First justification, then sanctification. First the fact that Christ died for the ungodly; then
the fact that, when He died, His people died with Him.
The essential connection between sanctification and union with Christ we hope to
consider in another article; for the present we must continue the survey of
"sanctification" in Hebrews.
Heb. 10: 10 carries forward the thought of the previous passage where the apostle
declares that "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins"
(Heb. 9: 13). When He cometh into the world, He saith: "A body hast Thou prepared
Me" (Heb. 10: 5). He partook of flesh and blood in this great work of sanctification, and
the body which He took was prepared for sacrifice:--
"Through death" (Heb. 2: 14).
"Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10: 10).
A glance at Heb. 10: 14 will show that the theme of the epistle--"perfection"--is
dependent upon sanctification:--
"For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
The only remaining reference to sanctification in Hebrews is that of 10: 29, shewing
that the blood of the covenant sanctifying His people is that wherewith He Himself was
sanctified:--
"He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one" (Heb. 2: 11).