Sanctification

PHILOSOPHY View of Sanctification

• An act of sanctifying

• The state of being sanctified

• The state of growing in divine grace because of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion

Biblical View of Sanctification

Sanctification is God’s will for us. The word sanctification is related to the word saint; both words have to do with holiness. To “sanctify” something is to set it apart for special use; to “sanctify” a person is to make him holy.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV

What is Sanctification

Sanctification is “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and is enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” It is a continuing change worked by God in us, freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christlike affections, dispositions, and virtues.

It does not mean that sin is instantly eradicated, but it is also more than a counteraction, in which sin is merely restrained or repressed without being progressively destroyed. Sanctification is a real transformation, not just the appearance of one.

What is involved in sanctification? Is it something apart from justification? Remember that God wants to share his righteousness with man. To what extent is God willing to share His righteousness with a person who accepts Him as Lord? Is the righteousness available only at the beginning of the Christian’s life or all the way through? We should remember that salvation is the experience which never ends.

Salvation from sin and its condemnation takes place when a person takes Christ as his saviour, he is justified. Salvation also involves being delivered from the power of sin, this is sanctification and it is a lifelong process.

Must the believer be saved from the power of sin?

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:1-4

To what point is a Christian’s love to be focused?

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Is Sanctification a accounting experience?

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

Sanctification is a total experience. It begins at conversion, but it must continue through life. It is a lifetime of belonging to Christ and within that relationship to Christ the believer will read and grow.

What relationship will self have in Christ in a Christian’s life?

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Galatians 6:14

How close is the Christian’s relationship to Christ?

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

We have the option of serving two masters, the choice is ours. In the Christian’s life we should be dead to sin but alive unto God.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:11-14

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Romans 6:17-19

What should be the Christian’s aim in life?

Our aim and purpose in our Christian life is to glorify and enjoy God forever. We were created for God’s glory and to proclaim his praises; We exist to worship God, and to be genuine, this worship must come from the heart. It must be an expression of our real feelings.

We adore God above everything else, and we submit to his every command. The Apostle Paul emphasized that we should forget the things behind us and press on toward the call of Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

A few verses on fear and having reassurance and security in Christ.

1 John 4:18

1 John 5:11-13

2nd Timothy 1:12

John 10:27-29

Conclusion

Sanctification is conversion carried to completion. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it did not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see Him as He is”. 1 John 2:3 A person in Christ should have one goal “that I may know Him and the power of the resurrection” Philippians 3:1, One part of experiencing sanctification we say with Paul “I have live; yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me” Galatians 2:20.