OUR BELIEFS: SANCTIFICATION
What does the word ‘sanctify’ mean?
‘Holy’ and ‘sanctify’ are closely related words. To sanctify something means to set something apart and make it holy. ‘Sanctification is the process whereby something goes from being unholy to holy.
What is the relationship and difference between ‘Justification’ and ‘sanctification’?
Justification and Sanctification are different.
Justification is ‘the act of making someone right with God’. Justification takes place when God declares those who place their faith in Christ to be righteous. Immediately, this happens, God sees that person as set apart, holy; sanctified.
When we are set apart, made holy; sanctified through Justification by faith, this is known as ‘instantaneous positional sanctification’. It’s positional because we are all aware (and this will be discussed later) that we do not become absolutely perfectly holy when we are ‘born again’. That is, we still struggle with sin. But what makes us positionally holy is that God no longer sees us as sinners, He sees Jesus us in us and that makes us positionally holy in His sight. After we have received justification by faith, we begin a journey of becoming more holy and this is called ‘progressive sanctification’.
Here is an illustration that may help us understand the difference between ‘positional’ and ‘progressive’ sanctification. Imagine that you get awarded with an honorary degree. You have now received a qualification that you didn’t study for. I believe that in the USA you may even get to use a title such as Dr before your name. Positionally you have a degree. But let’s say that you then would actually like to study and know what it really means to be a Doctor. Your study and any practical work will one day mean that you will be able to become what you are now able to use in the title of your name “Dr”.
Progressive sanctification is the journey that we are on until we actually become just like Jesus (This is called ‘Glorification’ and will be the subject of another blog.)
Justification and Sanctification are Inseparable
You cannot receive justification without sanctification and sanctification without justification is not possible either.
It’s the same as the coin illustration of faith and works. Genuine faith will always be accompanied by works. A coin needs two sides to be a genuine coin. Likewise, genuine believers in Christ will always have justification and sanctification together.
As I write I can think of a few people who, on the outside, appear to be really ‘good’ people. They are the sort that are probably expecting to get to heaven by their good works. They have never received justification by faith alone. They have a form of sanctification but no justification.
Another person may claim to be a believer in Jesus; that they have received justification by faith but on the outside, there is no real discernible difference between them and an unbeliever. There is no evidence of sanctification; holiness and being set apart. The ‘coin’ they are trying present is clearly not genuine.
Having looked briefly at what sanctification is and what it isn’t, let’s go into a deeper look to see what the bible says about it.
Positional Sanctification
Every believer is set apart, made holy and is sanctified in the eyes of God immediately when they put their faith in what Jesus did for them at the cross; when they were made righteous i.e. they received justification. This sanctification has to do with the believers standing, their position, not their present way of living or thinking. The bible tells us that sanctification is accomplished through:
- The Holy Spirit
- The Word
- Belief in the Truth
- The sacrifice that Jesus made with His own body at the cross
- Faith in Jesus
- The blood of Christ
Acts 20:32
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (ESV)
Acts 26:18 (Jesus talking to Paul at his conversion on the road to Damascus)
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (ESV)
Romans 6:1-22
Vs 22:
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (NASB)
1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (ESV)
1 Corinthians 1:30
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, (ESV)
1 Corinthians 6:10-11
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)
2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (ESV)
Hebrews 2:11
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, (ESV)
Hebrews 10:10
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:14
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (ESV)
Hebrews 10:29
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (ESV)
Hebrews 13:12
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. (ESV)
1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Progressive Sanctification
A believer who has received justification by faith and who is positionally sanctified (considered just like Jesus) is on a journey to eventually become what they are positionally. One day they will be like Jesus.
The progressive sanctification of a believer; increasing holiness and being set apart for Him, is the will of God, is the prayer of Jesus for them and is carried out through the work of the Holy Spirit. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, a believer can live a life of increasing holiness and sanctification.
Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (NIV)
2 Corinthians 3:18
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (NLT)
1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 15:22
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. (ESV)
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him (NASB)
John 17:17
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (ESV)
John 17:19
For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 4:3–4
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honourable, (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Sinless perfection is not possible in this earthly life
1 John 1:8-9
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)
Philippians 3:12
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. (ESV)
Progressive sanctification will involve a life-long struggle
A believer will always be in conflict between their new creation in Christ and their old fleshly nature. But enough provision is made for victory through the indwelling Holy Spirit and through obedience to the Word of God. In addition, they must resist the schemes of the devil and the pull of the world system.
Galatians 5:16-17
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (NIV)
Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (NIV)
1 Peter 1:14-16
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (NLT)
Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV)
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NIV)
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
“Without holiness, it is impossible to see the Lord”
Hebrews 12:14
Recommend further reading: ‘Holiness’ by J C Ryle
