Can the Holy Spirit Really Transform our Lives?

1 Thessalonians 5:23     And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Commentary:

And the very God of Peace

With this verse Paul begins the final section of his epistle and moulds it in the forms of a prayer.  He has upheld high standards (vs 12-22) but recognises that no man can reach them without divine aid; so his closing words direct his readers to the enabling power of God himself.  The title, “the very God of peace,” refers to the God whose outstanding quality is peacefulness, the God who is the source of all true peace (cf Rom 15:33; 16:20; 22 Cor 13:11; Heb 13:20,21; Phil 4:7.)  God ever seeks to restore peace between Himself and His rebellious subjects (see 2Cor 5:15, 19)

Sanctify  See Matt 6:9; John 17:17; 1 Cor 7:14)

Wholly  “Greek holoteles perfect, complete in all respects, whole.  True sanctification involves the whole being; it is not really possible to be partially sanctified, in the sense of withholding certain areas of the life from being made holy.  Every department of life must be submitted to the purifying power of God’s Spirit.  

Spirit and soul and body  Paul is not giving a study on the nature of man, but is making sure that no part of his converts lives is left untouched by God's sanctifying power.  Generally the Bible seems to speak of a two fold division in man, either body and soul, or body and spirit (Matt 10:28, Rom 8:10; 1 Cor 5:3; 7:34).  In Thessalonians these ideas are combined to emphasise that no part of man is to be excluded from the influence of sanctification.  It is possible to see special significance in the divisions that Paul makes.  By “spirit” (pneuma see on Luke 8:55) may be understood the higher principle of intelligence and thought with which man is endowed (ie more than animals) and with which God can communicate by His Spirit (see on Romans 8:16.)  It is by this renewing of the mind through the action of the Holy Spirit that the individual is transformed into Christs’ likeness (see Rom 12:1,2).

By Soul when distinguished from spirit, may be understood that part of a man’s nature that finds expression through the instincts, emotions and desires.  This part of one’s nature can be sanctified too.  When, through the workding of the Holy Spirit, the mind is brought into conformity with God’s mind, and sanctified reason bears sway over the lower nature, the impulses, which would otherwise be contrary to God, become subject to His will.  Thus the humble Christian may reach such a height of sanctification that when obeying God his is really carrying out his own impulses.  He delights to do God’s will.  He has God’s law in his Heart!  (See Ps 40:8, Heb 8:10).

The meaning of body is the flesh and blood and bones which is controlled by either the higher or the lower nature.  When the sanctified mind is in control, the body is not abused.  Health flourishes.  The body becomes a fit instrument through which the active Christian can serve his Master.  Sanctification that does not include the body is not complete. Our bodies are God’s temples. We should ever seek to keep them holy and glorify God in them (1Cor.6:19, 20)

Blameless  Gr amemptos (see on Phil 2:15, 1 Thess 210, 3:13).  The one who is sanctified will be kept by God and presented faultless in the great day of the Lord’s coming.