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Consecrate

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To consecrate is to set apart a person, object, place, or time for God's special use. In Scripture, consecration is tied to holiness, worship, and service to the Lord.

At a Glance

Consecration is the act of setting something apart for the Lord's service and purposes.

Key Points

Description

Consecrate is a biblical and theological term meaning to set apart a person, place, object, or time for God's holy service. In the Old Testament, priests, altar vessels, the tabernacle, and certain days were consecrated for worship, often with rites of washing, anointing, sacrifice, or formal dedication. The idea is closely related to holiness, not because the thing becomes divine, but because it is designated for the Lord's use according to his command. In a conservative Christian reading, the term should be explained primarily from Scripture rather than as a philosophy or worldview concept. Christians may also use the term more broadly for dedicating themselves or their work to God, but such usage should be governed by biblical categories and should not blur distinctions between Old Testament ceremonial consecration and New Testament teaching on believers as a people set apart in Christ.

Biblical Context

Biblically, consecration is used for persons and things that are devoted to God for holy service. The theme appears in priestly ordination, the setting apart of sacred objects, the cleansing and preparation of worship, and the call for God's people to live in holiness before him.

Historical Context

In ancient Israel, consecration was often expressed through ritual acts such as washing, anointing, sacrifice, and formal dedication. These practices marked persons and objects as belonging to the Lord's worship and use within the covenant life of Israel.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In Jewish Scripture and worship life, holiness language marked off what was common from what was sacred. Consecration therefore carried covenantal meaning: what was consecrated belonged to God and was treated according to his command, especially in priestly and temple settings.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The idea is expressed in Hebrew by the קדש (q-d-sh) word group, commonly translated 'holy,' 'sanctify,' or 'consecrate,' and in Greek by hagiazō and related terms, meaning to make holy or set apart.

Theological Significance

Consecration matters because Scripture repeatedly uses it to describe what belongs to God for his purposes. The term helps readers distinguish between ordinary use and sacred devotion, and it connects directly to holiness, worship, priesthood, and sanctification.

Philosophical Explanation

As a general concept, consecration refers to setting something apart from common use for a special end. In Christian theology, however, that idea is governed by God's revealed purposes rather than by abstract religious intuition.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not confuse ceremonial consecration with magical power or with the deification of objects. Do not flatten the Old Testament ritual sense into every New Testament use. Where Scripture speaks of believers being consecrated or sanctified, the emphasis is on devotion to God and holiness of life, not on repeated sacrificial ritual.

Major Views

Most Christian traditions agree that consecration means set-apart dedication to God, though they differ on sacramental and liturgical uses of the term. Scripture should control the meaning in every setting.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Consecration must be understood within biblical holiness, the Creator-creature distinction, and the difference between ceremonial and moral categories. It should not be used to imply that material things become divine or that human ritual creates holiness apart from God's word and work.

Practical Significance

The term helps believers think clearly about worship, ministry, personal devotion, and the call to live as people set apart for the Lord.

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