A Thought Regarding Sanctification
Calvinist theologians interpret sanctification as the process of being made holy only through the merits and justification of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit that are then reflected in man. Sanctification cannot be attained by any works-based process, but only through the works and power of the divine."Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose".
(Philippians 2:12-13)
Is Sanctification a Process or a One-Time Event?
When we look at Scripture there is a sense in which we, as believers, have already been sanctified (Hebrews 10:10).
But even more clear is that sanctification is a process (Hebrews 10:14).
Looking at what God means by justification will help make clear what sanctification is. Justification is a one-time event that happens at salvation when God declares the repentant sinner righteous before Him. God takes away our sins and gives us Christ’s righteousness. When God justifies us, we are declared righteous, we are declared holy. Sanctification is becoming what we already are. Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
Every honest believer will admit he/she still struggles with sin.
Before God we are declared righteous and holy, that is how God sees us.
But we still struggle with becoming righteous and holy.
Sanctification is the process of becoming holy.
It is the process of becoming who Christ has already declared us to be.
It is the process of being transformed into His image (2 Corinthians. 3:18).
What is the process of spiritual growth—sanctification?
Paul speaks to this congregation and challenges them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Now it must be noticed that Paul does not say to “work for” your salvation but to “work out” your salvation. Scripture everywhere teaches that we are saved not by our works but by grace through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9) says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
You are called to partake in Christ’s own nature!
The Scriptures make it clear that sanctification is vital for a Christian’s growth and development on life’s pathway. There is no doubt that God desires us to be partakers in this, as we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 “… God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There should also be a compelling reason on our part to partake of sanctification based on the serious words of Hebrews 12:14: “Pursue peace with all people, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord.”
But what exactly is sanctification?
Sanctification is another term for holiness, and we certainly don’t become holy overnight.
Nor do we become Holy By Ourselves...
Actually, something drastic has to happen for us;
to change from being the way we are by nature into being holy, as He is holy.
(1 Peter 1:15-16)
A radical transformation is needed, and it involves a lifelong process.
This process is called sanctification.
But How? By Choosing to Follow Jesus Christ
The Christian life begins with reconciliation. (Which is our Job)
If we truly repent of past sins, God forgives us for Jesus’ sake.
This is a wonderful experience, but we soon discover that we are still tempted to sin and that we must fight to overcome it. By the power of the Holy Spirit and through faithfulness in this battle, we can indeed come to a life of victory over all conscious sin—that is, the thoughts, attitudes and actions we know in the moment of temptation are wrong.
We read in Romans 6:22: “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”
We are free to stop sinning! - But that remains our choice
We need to Bare Fruit...
Fruit grows from a seed. In order for “fruit to holiness” to grow, the seed of our own life—our own will—must be sown, and must die. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John 12:24. The apostle Paul makes a clear declaration in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Do we hate our own “I” according to the flesh—our own will? If so, then we will be willing to sow it into death, so that new life can grow.
As we present ourselves to serve God, we make another discovery! Although we have been set free from sin—free from consciously sinning—we still have sin in our flesh, as the apostle John points out in no uncertain terms. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8. Our flesh, our human nature, is full of a tendency to sin, and we are oblivious to this until we notice it in the form of a temptation, or God’s Holy Spirit sheds His light on it.
Clearly, there is a difference between consciously committing sin and “having sin in the flesh.”
Sanctification is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we strive to honor God with obedience, He uses our obedience to transform us into the image of Jesus and make us holy. It is not our works that make us holy, but the Spirit’s work through us.
Sanctification is a lifelong process and we won’t be completely holy until Christ returns and redeems all things.
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