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Sanctification In Christianity by Keneeby(m): 10:29pm On Feb 18, 2017 |
Sanctification is God’s will
for us ( 1 Thessalonians 4:3 ). 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.
Jesus had a lot to say about
sanctification in John 17 . In verse 16
the Lord says, “They are not of the
world, even as I am not of it,” and
this is before His request: “Sanctify
them by the truth; your word is
truth” (verse 17). In Christian
theology, sanctification is a state of
separation unto God; all believers
enter into this state when they are
born of God: “You are in Christ
Jesus, who became to us wisdom
from God, righteousness and
sanctification and redemption” ( 1
Corinthians 1:30, ESV ). The
sanctification mentioned in this verse
is a once-for-ever separation of
believers unto God. It is a work God
performs, an intricate part of our
salvation and our connection with
Christ ( Hebrews 10:10 ). Theologians
sometimes refer to this state of
holiness before God as “positional”
sanctification; it is the same as
justification.
While we are positionally holy (“set
free from every sin” by the blood of
Christ, Acts 13:39 ), we know that we
still sin ( 1 John 1:10 ). That’s why
the Bible also refers to sanctification
as a practical experience of our
separation unto God. “Progressive”
or “experiential” sanctification, as it
is sometimes called, is the effect of
obedience to the Word of God in
one’s life. It is the same as growing
in the Lord ( 2 Peter 3:18 ) or spiritual
maturity. God started the work of
making us like Christ, and He is
continuing it ( Philippians 1:6 ). This
type of sanctification is to be
pursued by the believer earnestly ( 1
Peter 1:15 ; Hebrews 12:14 ) and is
effected by the application of the
Word ( John 17:17 ). Progressive
sanctification has in view the setting
apart of believers for the purpose for
which they are sent into the world:
“As you sent me into the world, I
have sent them into the world. For
them I sanctify myself, that they too
may be truly sanctified” ( John
17:18–19 ). That Jesus set Himself
apart for God’s purpose is both the
basis and the condition of our being
set apart (see John 10:36 ). We are
sanctified and sent because Jesus
was. Our Lord’s sanctification is the
pattern of and power for our own.
The sending and the sanctifying are
inseparable. On this account we are
called “saints” ( hagioi in the Greek),
or “sanctified ones.” Prior to
salvation, our behavior bore witness
to our standing in the world in
separation from God, but now our
behavior should bear witness to our
standing before God in separation
from the world. Little by little, every
day, “those who are being
sanctified” ( Hebrews 10:14, ESV ) are
becoming more like Christ.
There is a third sense in which the
word sanctification is used in
Scripture—a “complete” or “ultimate”
sanctification. This is the same as
glorification. Paul prays in 1
Thessalonians 5:23 , “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” (ESV). Paul speaks of
Christ as “the hope of
glory” ( Colossians 1:27 ) and links
the glorious appearing of Christ to
our personal glorification: “When
Christ, who is your life, appears, then
you also will appear with him in
glory” ( Colossians 3:4 ). This
glorified state will be our ultimate
separation from sin, a total
sanctification in every regard. “We
know that when Christ appears, we
shall be like him, for we shall see
him as he is” ( 1 John 3:2 ).
To summarize, “sanctification” is a
translation of the Greek word
hagiasmos , meaning “holiness” or “a
separation.” In the past, God granted
us justification, a once-for-all,
positional holiness in Christ. Now,
God guides us to maturity, a
practical, progressive holiness. In the
future, God will give us glorification,
a permanent, ultimate holiness.
These three phases of sanctification
separate the believer from the
penalty of sin ( justification), the
power of sin ( maturity ), and the
presence of sin ( glorification ). |
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