Chapter 4
Sanctification
“9 ¶ Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (1Co 6:9-11 NAS)
We have discussed the new birth that we experience in Jesus Christ. Having been born again we have become a new creation, a child of God with an eternal destiny. We have been cleansed from all unrighteousness and made holy. The Scripture refers to our cleansing as being sanctified. Sanctification is the process of making something or someone pure or morally blameless, holy, and consecrated.
The process of purification is to purge the impurities. A good definition of holiness is separation from sin and dedication to God. The purpose of sanctification or holiness is to bring us into harmony with our creator, the Most Holy God. The sin that has been purged from us is that which is in violation of God’s character, for He is a God of love. Sins are the impurities that have separated us from God.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jo 1:9 NAS)
If we have truly repented of all of our sins, we are assured that God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. At that moment, we stand pure and holy before God and man. The challenge before us is to maintain our sanctification. For without holiness it is impossible to please God. Given the weaknesses in our flesh, it may seem like this is an impossible task. But again, we need to be reminded that with God nothing is impossible. If we try to rationalize away our need to maintain our sanctification, we will end up in a precarious position of losing our salvation.
My goal in this conversation is to help us understand sanctification, recognize its role in our spiritual growth, and make us aware of the dangers that arise from outside the Church and dangers that come from within.
“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14 NAS)
Dangers From Within
There is much we can learn from theologians (those who have studied the Scripture), but we must be cautious not to hold their commentary on the same level as Scripture. There are a lot of reasons why their commentary may not be perfectly correct. As Christians, we are at different levels of spiritual maturity. Often we see spiritual truth from the perspective of our spiritual maturity. Our understanding may be correct, but may be lacking or incomplete, because our knowledge is incomplete. There are also theologians who have extensively studied the Bible, yet they have no relationship to its author. Their views are going to be worldly, divisive, and a cause of great controversy. We have been warned extensively that there are going to be false prophets and false teachers, so we need to be cautious of what we are being taught.
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” (2Pe 2:1 NAS)
In spite of the fact that the Scripture is very clear for the need for sanctification and the necessity our living holy lives, the importance of holiness has been downplayed in our present Christian culture. For that reason, I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to clarify salvation through a new birth. Likewise, it is necessary that we understand the importance of living in righteousness as we grow to maturity in Jesus Christ. God’s goal for all of His children is that they would grow to maturity in holiness.
When we put an emphasis on holiness there will always be someone that will accuse us of legalism. If we understand the new birth and have experienced it we should be past that anyway. We know that salvation is accepted by faith, recognizing that it has come because of the grace of God not our works. Through our new birth, we have been freed from the bondage of sin. As we begin to grow toward maturity, it must also be a walk of faith. By faith we were freed from the bondage of sin and by faith we continue our growth free from the bondage of sin. God wants us to live in victory. Satan wants to convince us that it cannot be done. The Scripture teaches us righteousness. The Holy Spirit of God helps us live by the principles laid out for us in Scripture.
“My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” (1Jo 2:1 NAS)
As you can see from John’s letter, his goal is that his children don’t sin. For that purpose, he is providing instructions for righteous living. 1 John begins by speaking of the holiness and purity of God. God is Light and in Him, there is no darkness. To have fellowship with God we have to also walk in the light. We are able to have fellowship with Him because the blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin.
“8 ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jo 1:8-9 NAS)
The light reveals our sin. If we confess our sin, then Christ will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. As we continue reading 1 John we will see great emphasis placed upon the need to be cleansed from our sin and maintain our purity to continue to walk in the light as God is in the light. If we have fellowship with Christ, we will know Him. If we know Him, we will keep His commandments. As we walk in the light of God’s Word, when we sin it will become apparent. The grace of God has provided us with an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. And if we confess our sins He is faithful to totally cleanse us from all sin.
A study of 1 John will bring us to the conclusion that it is essential for us to be cleansed from our sins and equally important that we retain that purity if we are to fellowship with our Heavenly Father, His Son, and fellow believers. Sadly, the importance of maintaining our sanctification is neglected in much of the Church in America. We need to wake up before it is too late. If we do not deal with our sin, it will block the light and separate us from the love of God.
Illustrating Sanctification
I will use these two coins to illustrate what it means to be sanctified. These two coins are about the same size. But one of them is much more valuable than the other because of how they are made and what they are made up of. The liberty coin is a silver dollar and it is worth one dollar. The silver troy ounce coin is worth about $23 today. It is valued by the price of silver because it is pure silver.
Once upon a time our coins were silver or gold and had intrinsic value. Today our coinage is little different than our paper currency and merely represents a set value that is backed up by our government. Although it still looks silver, it is merely silver plated upon copper.
The troy ounce is sanctified silver. The impurities have been removed and it is fine silver. In the same way, when we are born again all of our sins are cleansed from us purifying us. We stand righteous before God. Just as there is only one way to produce pure silver, there is only one way to become a Christian. We have to allow God to purge all of the impurities out of us and begin again with only truth and righteousness. This is why our repentance must be a complete surrender. We must be righteous from the core out with God’s seal stamped upon us. Our hearts (who we are, our desires) and our minds have to be transformed. This is a miracle of God’s doing when we put our faith in Him.
I will note here that unlike the coins in my illustration we are living beings and we begin as babies and grow toward maturity. We may start small like a dime but we still must be purified and pure silver. Our growth must be gained through the knowledge of the Lord, that which is the pure unadulterated Word of God. As we grow in the Lord, we will retain our sanctified status as we allow the Spirit of God to purge that which is unholy by the washing of the Word.
Now let us consider the silver dollar. It could be likened to the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked. On the outside, it looks like a silver coin, but the core of it is of relatively little value. If this coin was purged of everything but silver, then there would be little left. Likewise, a person may recognize that they are a sinner and desire the abundant life that Jesus offers us. But if they are unwilling to repent, turn their back on sin, and allow Christ to purge them from all unrighteousness, then a new birth does not take place. They may even adjust their lifestyle, attend church, and act like the Christians around them. They may deceive people, maybe even themselves, but unless they are cleansed from all unrighteousness, they are not sanctified.
“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14 NAS)
It is a Dirty World
Consider the two coins as they both exist in a dirty world. They both can be exposed to dirt and filth. They may even get scratched and battered as they are banged around. The troy ounce continues to be sanctified silver even if it needs a scrub down once in a while. The dollar gets dirty and scratched too, but no amount of scrubbing will sanctify it. Scratch it hard enough and you will find that the silver is superficial, only skin deep. It is even worse than this because not only is the unsanctified coin worth very little in itself, but the wealth of the kingdom it represents is non-existent for it is morally bankrupt destined to be destroyed by the wrath of God.
For the sanctified silver coin it is important that we keep it clean so it doesn’t bring reproach on the kingdom it represents. In the same way, we need to maintain our sanctification, not allowing it to remain soiled by the world around us.
Maintaining Sanctification
“5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 And so He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter.’ 8 Peter *said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.’ 10 Jesus *said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’” (Joh 13:5-11 NAS)
I am going to use this passage as an example of how we can pick up a lot of dirt in this world that needs to be washed off. We are exposed to the attitudes and perspectives of the world every day. We are presented with temptations to compromise our core beliefs. As Christians, we have been cleansed from all unrighteousness, but maybe we got our feet dirty. We do not need to get baptized again. All we need at this point is to wash the dirt off of our feet. If we do not maintain our cleanliness, then maybe infection will set in and destroy us.
There was one of those whom Jesus washed his feet that needed more than a foot washing. There was something terribly wrong in his heart. Judas had that silver plating, but his heart was full of impurity. His actions revealed that his life was not a sanctified one, and temptation found no resistance. Judas maintained appearances of being sanctified, but he was but a shell of a man with no heart. A superficial washing could not cleanse his sin sick soul.
Progressive Sanctification
“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.” (1Th 5:23 NAS)
Progressive sanctification is man’s doctrine, not God’s. The scriptures that are used to promote this teaching are usually referring to spiritual growth, not sanctification. The idea that God would set up a process of removing sin from your life a little at a time did not originate in Scripture. Rather it was developed to describe what does happen instead of what should happen. God wants to free people from the bondage of sin. Problems arise when people will not let go of their sins. When the process of sanctification is stretched out over a long period of time it causes a lot of suffering. It may seem like it makes it easier for people to accept Christianity if you tell them that they can ease into a righteous lifestyle, but this worldly wisdom has wreaked havoc in the Church.
I will keep bringing us back to the “New Birth,” because unless a person is born again, they will not see the kingdom of God. “Progressive sanctification” provides an alternative that would bypass the pain involved in the birth process. The problem is that in the end the person is not sanctified. The person in the process of progressive sanctification is not experiencing freedom from Sin. Self-improvement is beneficial, but it will not make you fit for the kingdom of Heaven.
This doctrine is better described as spiritual evolution. Over time and gradual changes, scholars have proposed that we can produce a sanctified Christian. Biological evolution does not produce humans from animals. Likewise, in the spiritual we can never produce a righteous soul through gradual processes to become pure and perfect, prepared for eternity with God. In the beginning, God created man in His own image. Man has tried to explain his existence through an evolutionary process. Likewise, through a new birth God creates a new man, purified, and blessed. Unlike progressive sanctification, God purifies us through the blood of Jesus Christ. As a newborn babe, we are clean and pure. Our flesh may retain its sinful desires, but the spirit within us has the power to keep the flesh under control.
Spiritual Growth
“1 ¶ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” (1Pe 2:1-3 NAS)
The new birth is just the beginning of our new life in Christ Jesus. God’s plan for us is to bring us to maturity, being conformed to the image of Christ. As in the natural babies need milk so that they can grow. We find our milk in the pure word of God. Basic instructions include the Ten Commandments, which I briefly covered in my book “Ceding the High Ground.” As in the natural, there is more in milk than just nutrients. Within the milk are things that help us digest it and things that guard against disease and infections. In God’s provision milk was provided through the body, not a bottle.
As we are talking about the growth of newborns we must not neglect emphasizing the role of the church (body of Christ) in the care and feeding that is necessary to keep them safe and healthy. To ensure adequate provision for babies requires a great deal of attention. When babies are neglected it retards their growth and development and the risks of injury or death increase. Much instruction is needed about this issue for it is a weakness in our present culture. I simply mention it here as a reminder of this important role of the Church in regard to spiritual growth.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” (Eph 6:1 NAS)
Obedience is one of the first things that we need to learn if we are to develop properly in our spiritual life. Later we will develop wisdom and understanding, but to begin with, we need to simply be in obedience to the Word of God. Often that involves accepting the authority of those who minister to us God’s Word. Honor for our parents is high on this list. How blessed we are when our natural parents are the ones that lead us on the path of righteousness, for this was God’s plan from the beginning.
“14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’” (1Pe 1:14-16 NAS)
Unlike my illustration of the coins, we were not created mature. We begin as babes and grow toward maturity. Because of this, it is important that we do not allow our purity as a child of God to be compromised with impurities. There will be a lot of times that we will require correction for our mistakes. And there may be times when we err from the path and need discipline. If we accept the correction of the Lord these things will be like the dirt that can be washed off and should not affect our sanctification. But as we grow there are dangers that can compromise or destroy the sanctity of our relationship with God. If we compromise our faith by embracing the philosophies of the world we stand in danger of spiritual sickness or death.
“Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.” (Joh 17:17 NAS)
As children, we are vulnerable to the attacks of Satan. But God has provided everything necessary to keep us safe. Our first line of defense is the Word of God. Through the Word, we can determine that which is true and that which is not. To embrace something that was not true would violate the purity of our faith. God’s Church, those who are His faithful children, includes a variety of members to guide, encourage, and comfort us through the application of the Word to our lives. Just as we needed to begin in purity, we can maintain our sanctification as we grow in Christ.
It was our sanctified beginning as a child of God that made it possible for His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. When we are tempted and tested by the world around us we will be checked in our spirit. He will bring to our mind that which is hidden in our hearts. He will empower us to stand on the Word to which we have committed ourselves. He will comfort us with the assurance that He will never ever leave us. It is through the Holy Spirit that the gifts of the Spirit are manifest.
Sanctified Growth
There is much we can learn from our natural life and growth that can be applied to our spiritual life. Our present culture is losing those elements so we would have to go back a few generations to get a clearer picture of those important elements and their application to our spiritual life. The ways in which father, mother, and family interact in the growth of a child are also patterned in the growth of our spiritual life. As we grow toward maturity our roles change also. There are elders in the faith that can teach and guide us, mentoring us in the faith. There are also brothers and sisters that are developing alongside of us, some younger, some older. Our interaction with them as we grow together can provide the necessary fellowship that is needed, as we learn from each other.
With our growth will come added responsibilities. To start with we are engaged only in learning and developing fundamental skills. As we progress, as a part of a family, we are expected to put some of our learning to use. We go from learning to walk and being spoon fed, to being able to walk, run, and feed ourselves. Even at this stage, we can be helpful to those coming behind us that need a steady hand as they are learning to walk or need a spoon feeding. I mention these examples in passing to stimulate your thinking. There is more to life in Christ than just being born and dying.
“2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2Pe 1:2-4 NAS)
Our life in Christ started simply by faith. As we mature our faith grows also. I have mentioned a few other aspects of our growth, but there is not a better list for us to focus on than is found here in 2Peter.
“5 ¶ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” (2Pe 1:5-7 NAS)
Since we have escaped the corruption of sin we ought to be diligent in our faith. Added to this we need to supply moral excellence or virtue. In other words, we need to conduct ourselves in righteousness, reflecting the standards laid down in God’s Word.
And to our virtue, we need to add knowledge. We need to be students of the revelations that have come from above. Diligently we are to be acquiring the information that God has amply supplied for our growth and development.
And to our knowledge, we need to develop self-control. As a babe in Christ we are to be supervised by our elders. As we mature we develop self-control based upon the knowledge that we have acquired. As we acquire knowledge of righteous behavior, we can live according to knowledge by self-control rather than a constant need for correction.
And to our self-control, we add perseverance. We have trusted God to provide us with our standard of moral values. We have continued to learn to apply those values in dealing with life in this world. We have developed self-control and now we set our minds and stand secure in following Jesus’ leading. As we are challenged by the philosophies of the World and their attacks on us, we persevere, standing strong in the might of the Lord. There is a goal set in front of us, we must persevere.
And to our perseverance, we add godliness. Our perseverance is not at the expense of others. Rather it is with godliness, a characteristic that reflects the love and concern for others. Our action will reflect the goals of our Heavenly Father whose love and concern and reaches out to those who are perishing in sin.
And to our godliness, we add brotherly kindness. We recognize that we are not traveling alone. We support and encourage our brethren, both physically and spiritually. We do whatever we can do to make their path easier through our kindness.
And to brotherly kindness, we add love. This is not the love that the world speaks of, but it is “agape” love. This love is an intentional love that is not affected by time or circumstances. It is not based upon our preferences, emotions, or any benefits we reap from this relationship. This is Godly love.
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Pe 1:8 NAS)
Not only are these things to be part of our spiritual growth, but they will be growing and expanding in our lives as we progress toward maturity. As you can see from this verse our growth in these areas greatly benefit those around us. We are becoming useful in the kingdom of Heaven and it will produce fruit for the kingdom.
“For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.” (2Pe 1:9 NAS)
Should we lack these qualities, we are warned that we are in a dangerous place. Blindness is setting in and our memory is lapsing. Our sanctification is at risk. We have become useless and unfruitful.
“10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” (2Pe 1:10-11 NAS)
This is a dire warning, but with a wonderful promise. If we practice these things we can be certain of our salvation and entrance into God’s eternal kingdom. Diligence in these things will keep us from ever stumbling. May we heed this exhortation and grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord.
Our Seal
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13-14 NAS)
When we put our trust in Jesus Christ and repented of our sins, God forgave us and sanctified us cleansing us from all unrighteousness. Having become a clean vessel, God filled us with His Holy Spirit. It is this infilling of the Spirit that empowers us to live righteously, guiding us in truth, and providing comfort for us, knowing that He is with us until the end. It is also this spirit that dwells within us that is God’s seal on us that we are His child. This seal not only identifies us but it is also a pledge of our inheritance.
With this in mind, we can see how very important it is for us to maintain our sanctified status. Our faith to deny the desires of our flesh and follow Christ was just the beginning of a walk of faith, being led in the path of righteousness. We are warned in Scripture to the point of even avoiding the very appearance of evil. We are instructed in righteousness and perils of sin. We are reminded of our standing before Christ in holiness. In Paul’s letters, he begins by addressing those he is writing to as saints, which literally means holy ones or those who are sanctified.
I am dwelling on this point because of its importance. If we do not maintain our holiness (sanctification) then we will not be a vessel suitable for God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in. It is the Holy Spirit that defines us as a Christian. It is God’s seal upon us, without which we are lost. In our present culture, we have lost this emphasis on holiness. We had better take it seriously.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:30 NAS)
In the middle of a long list of things that should not be found in the lives of believers, Paul issues this warning. We have been called to be saints. We better live like it, lest we grieve God’s Holy Spirit. Should we ever find ourselves in need of repentance for sins we have committed we do have an advocate in Christ Jesus (1John 2:1). Therefore, our prayer should be reflective of the insight shown in this Psalm of David after he had sinned.
“7 ¶ Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice. 9 Hide Thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners will be converted to Thee.” (Ps 51:7-13 NAS)
Progressive Sanctification
I hope you can understand now why sanctification cannot be a progressive process. We need the Holy Spirit to dwell within us as we grow spiritually from the moment of our birth until our last days on earth. Spiritual growth is a better way to describe the process we are going through as we mature. It is a progressive process as our sanctification progressively is becoming more complex. In that sense sanctification is progressive. But by using that term we will create a lot of confusion and delude some to think that revealed sin can be allowed to remain in a vessel that has been purified to be inhabited by the Holy Spirit.
Our sanctification made it possible for us to have an intimate relationship with God. We must be careful not to allow anything to come between us and God, namely sin or impurity. If we are diligent in this area our relationship with God will mature in a manner like our relationship grew with our earthly parents. The intimacy remains but on a higher more mature level.