1
Timothy 1:15-16
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
15
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet
for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus
Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [a]who
would believe in Him for eternal life.
The Justification and Sanctification
of believers through the finished work of Christ, last week we briefly examined
the important doctrine of Justification, which in many ways is part of the
bigger picture of Salvation and the Christian life and walk, today we will
examine briefly the important doctrine of Sanctification which follows on from
Justification.
1)
Now
let us look at the differences between Justification and Sanctification
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Justification
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Sanctification
|
|
Legal
Standing
|
Internal
Condition
|
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Once
for all time
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Continuous
throughout life
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Entirely
God’s work
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We
co-operate with God
|
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Perfect
in this life
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Not
perfect in this life
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The
same in all Christians
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Greater
in some than in others
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Sanctification differs
from justification in several ways. Justification is a one-time work of God,
resulting in a declaration of “not guilty” before Him because of the work of
Christ on the cross. Sanctification is a process, beginning with justification
and continuing throughout life. Justification is the starting point of the line
that represents one’s Christian life; sanctification is the line itself
2)
Sanctification
is a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin
and like Christ in our actual lives
Sanctification is the process of renewal and
consecration by which believers are made holy through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification is the consequence of justification and is dependent upon a
person being in a right relationship with God.
Sanctification is applied justification. By its very nature
justification does not have a progressive character. It is God's declaration of
righteousness. The focus of justification is the removal of the guilt of sin.
The focus of sanctification is the healing of the dysfunctionality of sin. Since all spiritual
blessings, justification and sanctification included, are the Christian's the
moment he or she is "in Christ" sanctification is total and final in
one sense Yet, unlike justification, sanctification also continues until it
will be consummated when Jesus Christ returns. For then we will be like him,
perfect and complete. Sanctification,
therefore, has an initial, progressive, and final phase. A believer's present
preoccupation is with progressive sanctification, by which the child of God
lives out the implications of initial sanctification with an eye to the goal of
final sanctification. The sanctified life is victorious, though it is lived
out in the context of temptation and suffering. God promises the
"overcomers" in Revelation 2 and 3 to restore all that was lost in
the fall, in sanctification; the believer is simply applying the implications
of his or her justification.
3)
A
believer grows in sanctification by living according to his or her new identity
Sanctification, defined broadly as the work of
God’s grace in man’s perfection in righteousness, begins when he becomes a
believer and hence is “in Christ.” It continues progressively until death
brings him into Christ’s presence unless he “does despite to the Spirit of
grace.” It is only as one by dedication and faith realizes in actuality what is
provided in the atonement that this grace is experienced; it does not follow as
a matter of course, as the exhortations in the NT imply. Parallel to the work of
sanctification is the infilling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, perfection
in love, having the “mind of Christ,” and “walking as he walked.”
There
are many things that I can say about Sanctification but more importantly that I
what I can stay about Sanctification is what the Bible says about
Sanctification.
Now
let us look at some scriptures in regards to Sanctification
1)
Romans
6:15-19 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under
grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to
someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
either of sin [j]resulting in death, or of obedience [k]resulting in
righteousness? 17 But thanks are to God that [l]though you were slaves of sin,
you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were
committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your
flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to
lawlessness, [m]resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members
as slaves to righteousness, [n]resulting
in sanctification.
2)
1
Corinthians 1:30 30 But [u]by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to
us wisdom from God, [v]and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.
3)
I Thessalonians 5:23-24 23 now may the
God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and
body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
5)
2
Thessalonians 2:13-17 13 But we should always give thanks to God for you,
brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you [o]from the
beginning for salvation [p]through sanctification [q]by the Spirit and faith in
the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, [r]that
you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand
firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth
or by letter [s]from us.16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our
Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
