Pastor’s Perspective

WEEKLY DEVOTION

September 28th, 2025

CALLED TO BE SET APART

   I Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

What a beautiful portion of Scripture. In this passage, Paul is rounding out his letter in First Thessalonians and reminding the church of a key truth regarding our being set apart—or sanctified—for the Lord. He says here that it is not in and of ourselves that we are set apart for the purposes of God, but it is by and rooted in God’s character of faithfulness to see us through.

Do you see it? Paul says here that the God of peace Himself will sanctify you. When he closes out in verse 24 and says, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” notice how God’s character is highlighted again! God desires to set His people apart by way of holiness—and He is able to do it!

Notice the nature of the sanctification: it is to preserve us and keep us blameless when Christ appears. This means that we would be holy in conduct—spirit, soul, and body—the whole of a man! In chapter 4, the previous chapter, Paul says this: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” And I believe, so as not to describe sanctification as only pertaining to the body, he tells us here in chapter 5 to sanctify not just your body, but your spirit and soul—that our thought life, emotions, and heart would be set apart and cleansed.

God is calling you and me to a life that is set apart—distinctly different and unique from the world. I pray today that we do not resist the Holy Spirit when He calls us to this life!

In Christ,