What is it and How Does it Apply to Me? Part 2
(A Short Series by Pastor Patrick over Justification and Sanctification)
Being Sanctified
Hello folks! In this pastor’s corner, I would like to follow-up and finish this two-part series that I decided to call “What is it, and how does it apply to me?”, by sharing with you what Sanctification means. (To read the first part entitled “Justification”, please scroll down below this article).
So, we’ve all heard “sanctification” and yet most of us still sit and scratch our heads. According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism (found here on the website under the “Halls of Learning” Tab, Question #35 says that sanctification is “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.”
In other words, it is our constant transformation. It is a continuing change within us, orchestrated by God, freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christlike traits, virtues and ultimately characteristics. It does not mean that sin is instantly eradicated, but it is also more of an action inside of us (by way of the Holy Spirit), in which sin is constantly battled in our intellect, spirit, will and emotion. Overcoming sins that have haunted us in our lives is what can happen – and only through Christ Jesus is this possible for a believer.
Sanctification is a real transformation, not just the appearance of it. As in, you can’t “act sanctified”. That’s impossible. You can act as though you are in a play, but true and real transformation will become evident in your outward actions and words because of the work of Sanctification being done in you. You will never be perfect, but as believers we understand that our ultimate sanctification occurs once a follower of Christ passes from this life to the next.
The basic meaning of “sanctify” is to set apart to God, for His use. But God works in those whom He claims as His own to conform them _“to the image of his Son” – Romans 8:29. This moral renovation, in which we are increasingly changed from what we once were, flows from the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit. God calls His children to holiness, and graciously gives what He commands of us. He asks us to live “righteously”, and even though we don’t always succeed at this, we are certainly to try. And with the Holy Spirit, this is accomplishable on multiple levels.
This begins at regeneration. What is that? Well, regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth. You have heard of “being born again”? Well, that is regeneration. But it stems from our command and subsequent act of “repenting and believing.” Once you heard the gospel message and you were broken by God to believe in His son Jesus Christ, then that moment is called your regeneration. In regeneration, God implants desires that were not there before: desire for God, for holiness, and for glorifying God’s name in the world; desire to pray and worship; desire to love and bring benefit to others. In sanctification, the Holy Spirit “works in you, both to will and to work” according to God’s purpose, enabling His people to fulfill their new, godly desires…
Philippians 2:12-13 - “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Christians become increasingly Christlike, as the moral profile of Jesus (the “fruit of the Spirit”) is progressively formed in them (Read 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 4:19 and 5:22–25).
Regeneration is a momentary act, bringing a person from spiritual death to life. It is exclusively God’s work. You don’t have anything to do with this moment; contrary to popular church belief. The Word of God tells us that this is entirely done by God. Yes, you had to get yo’ tail out of bed that morning and decide to go to church… but the moment of this amazing “change” wasn’t your doing… it was entirely the work of God and God alone.
Sanctification is an ongoing process, dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, and consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin. God’s method of sanctification is neither by oneself, but human effort dependent on God. Knowing that without Christ’s enabling we cannot do good works, but also that He is ready to strengthen us for all we have to do (Philippians 4:13), we “abide” in Christ, asking for His help constantly— and we receive it (Colossians 1:11; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:7; 2:1 – You’re welcome for the reading homework!)
God’s work of sanctifying His saints is directed is His own revealed moral law, expounded and modeled by Christ Himself. Christ’s love, humility, and patience are the perfect standard for Christians. Followers of Christ constantly experience urgings to better themselves. Not based on what religion tells you, but what Christ’s commands us in His Scripture. The Holy Spirit sustains the believer’s desires and purposes, but their fallen instincts (the “flesh”) obstruct their path and drag them back. The conflict of these two is sharp and intense. Paul says he is unable to do what is right, and unable to restrain himself from doing what is wrong…
Romans 7:14 - 25 “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
This conflict and frustration will be with Christians as long as they are in the body. Yet by watching and praying against temptation, and cultivating opposite virtues, they may through the Spirit’s help “put to death” particular bad habits. They will experience many particular deliverances and victories in their battle with sin, while not being exposed to temptations that are impossible to resist (1 Corinthians 10:13).
One day we will arrive at our death, and there are only two places to go… Hell (eternal separation from Christ), or Heaven (eternal glory with Christ). Salvation is not up to us, that’s up to God. However, what IS up to us is the repent and believe and then admonish Christ’s command of us to “pick up our cross daily”. If you believe that you can do this life and be a “good person” on your own… then I would strongly ask you to reconsider. There is nothing about any one of us that is “good” when it comes to our mirrored reflection of sin as taught to us in the Word of God. However, through the redemptive shed blood of Jesus Christ, those sins are paid for. Our forgiveness comes not in the cross, but at the empty tomb. You see, the victory was won when Jesus walked out of that grave… and that is what defeated death for us. That resurrection alone, is how we have victory in Jesus. Cross=sins paid for; Resurrection=forgiveness of sins.
Won’t you carefully consider where you are today. Think you’re good enough because you’re a “good person”? That has nothing to do with your admittance into the eternal beauty known as heaven. Only if you repent and believe DAILY, and pick up your cross DAILY… do you have the promises of Jesus that you are indeed with Him now and forever. And prayerfully, justification and sanctification make more sense now!
Pastor Patrick D. Garlock
Encouraged Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 3:10–14; Hebrews 12:14; Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5
