Sanctification means to be set apart unto God for God’s use; to be set apart from sin unto holiness. It is an act of God where He consecrates the believer unto Himself. All believers enter into this blessed position when they trusted Christ as their only sufficient Saviour. This is a once-for-ever separation, eternally unto God.
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” – 1 Corinthians 1:30
In the following verses, the word “Sanctification” implies “set apart unto God.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor;”
2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
1 Peter 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Sanctification is the setting apart of a person or an object for a special purpose. The object is usually indicated in the context. It is a doctrine where the Holy Spirit separate and consecrate every believer unto God for God’s use, and from sin unto Holiness. Therefore Biblical sanctification may be defined as separation from sin, unto God by the Holy Ghost.
There are three distinct tenses of sanctification concerning New Testament salvation:
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Positional, which refers to the initial act.
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Progressive, which refers to the believer’s present life.
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Final, which refers to the completion of its work.
A. POSITIONAL Instantaneous Sanctification – Took Place The Moment We Believed.
“And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” — I Corinthians 6:11
This all happened the moment we got saved. We were cleansed and sanctified. We were set apart by Him, for Him.
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” — Hebrews 10:10-12
From this passage of Scripture, we see that the instantaneous sanctification that separates the believer from sin, unto God is ours “through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.” It is wholly the work of God — once and for all, by the offering of His body as a sacrifice for our sins. That is the past tense of sanctification. It took place when we trusted Christ. The believer was “sanctified” (set apart) by God, one time, and forever, through the death of Christ.
1. This is the instantaneous sanctification the believer receives the moment he trusts Christ.
At that time, Christ sets his soul apart from sin and imparts unto him His own holiness and righteousness. God’s law, a reflection of His nature, demands that man be perfect and holy. This, however, is impossible for the natural man because he is by nature sinful and unholy (Romans 8:8; Ephesians 2:1-4).
2. When God looks at the position of a Christian, He sees the separated, sanctified, righteous, and perfect life of His son Jesus Christ.
The saint need never fear of losing this standing before God because it is his union with Christ that brought it about. This union can never be broken (see Regeneration; Justification; Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30, 6:11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:3-4; Hebrews 2:11, 10:10,14, 13:12,21; 1 Peter 1:2).
3. Also, the instant one believes, his soul is cut loose from his flesh by a spiritual circumcision performed by Christ (Colossians 2:10-15).
As a result, the believer is no longer a slave to his old, Adamic nature (though he can still yield to it); he is set free to serve his new righteous nature which is Christ’s. The saint is now capable of living a holy life that is pleasing to God (Romans 6:11-23; Colossians 3:1-4).
4. Positional sanctification does not depend on the Christian’s behavior, faithfulness, perseverance, or sinlessness; it belongs to both spiritual and carnal believers. Even Christians who are the worst of sinners are sanctified in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:2,30
“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: . . .” “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”
5. In Positional Sanctification, the believer is placed into and identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, through the mechanism of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13).
Every believer is thus in a place, in union with Christ (Gal. 3:27). The phrase “in Christ” is a reference to positional sanctification.
Ephesians 1:3
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
The phrase “all spiritual blessings” means that every divine operating asset is available to the Christian.
Characteristics of Positional Sanctification
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It is not an experience. It is neither emotional nor ecstatic.
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It is not progressive. Positional Sanctification cannot be improved.
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It is not related to human merit. Positional Sanctification cannot be earned. It is Jesus Christ who did the work for our salvation, and it is the Holy Spirit who entered us into Christ.
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It is obtained at the moment of salvation by any person who trusts Christ.
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Positional Sanctification can only be understood through the intake of Bible truth by a Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit.
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It is eternal; It cannot be changed by God, angels, or mankind.
Implications of Positional Sanctification
1. We share the perfect righteousness of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2. We share the eternal life of Christ.
1 John 5:11,12 – And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
3. We share the election of Christ.
He is elect, so we are elect.
Ephesians 1:4 – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
4. We share the sonship of Christ.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
5. We share the inheritance of Christ.
Romans 8:16,17 – The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
6. We share the priesthood of Christ.
Hebrews 10:10-14 – By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
7. We are transferred into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
Colossians 1:13 – Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Positional sanctification puts believers in a position to walk by means of what God has provided. That new walk is the subject of Experiential Sanctification.
B. Progressive, Experiential Sanctification – Takes Place Day By Day
We may say that sanctification is by God, for without His power we could do nothing. It is also unto God, for that is the purpose of sanctification: to draw nearer to Him, to become more like Him and more fit for His service.
In this phase of sanctification, two important concepts are included, spirituality and edification (growth). The term progressive sanctification emphasizes the fact the Christian growth is a process, a process that is interrupted when a person is not occupied with Christ.
In our progressive (ongoing) sanctification we enter into conflict with our sinful nature and must reckon ourselves crucified with Him (“dead unto sin, but alive unto God” Romans 6:11) in order to maintain our daily walk with God — (“Not as though I had already attained” Philippians 3:12).
1. This tense speaks of how the Christian’s present life is to become holier and more Christ like day by day.
Since the believer’s soul is sanctified in Christ, God expects this holiness to affect his behavior and be manifested in his daily walk. He wants him to follow his Savior and live a clean, separated life (Romans 12:1-4; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:22-25; 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 4:1-7).
2. Before a person is saved it is impossible for him to live a holy life. However, after salvation he can; he has the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to assist him. The Spirit prompts him to live “…not conformed to this world…”, but after Christ. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6). See also: Romans 12:1-4, 16:19; 1 Corinthians 6:12-13, 19-20, 7:23; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17, 7:1; Philippians 2:15, 4:8; Colossians 3:5-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-4; James 1:24-27, 4:4; 1 Peter 2:11-12, 24).
The Holy Spirit uses the word of God as the means of progressive sanctification (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The word of God is the indispensable cleanser in our daily walk with God as we see from the scriptures below.
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“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” — John 17:17
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“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” — John 15:3
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“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” — Ephesians 5:25,26
C. Final, Ultimate Sanctification Will Take Place at the Rapture.
Final Sanctification takes place when the believer enters the eternal state. It carries the concept of the resurrection body which every believer will have. At the Rapture of the Church, believers will receive their resurrection bodies. Ultimate Sanctification is the state of being blameless before God, possessing a resurrection body.
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. “– Rom. 8:9-11
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This tense refers to a future event where God sanctifies the believer completely.- I Thess. 5:23
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This has to do with the redemption of our body at the rapture. – Rom. 8:8:23. Eph. 4:30
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This time the believer is completely separated from the presence of sin
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This time also the believer will have a body just like Christ’s glorious body. – Phil. 3:21
Final Thoughts on Sanctification:
1) We have been sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11; Jude 1).
2) We are sanctified by Christ’s blood (Heb. 9:13-14; 13:12)
3) We are sanctified by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Thess. 2:13)
4) We are sanctified by God’s word (John 17:17; Eph. 5:26)
5) We are sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2)
6) Those who are sanctified are one with God (Heb. 2:11)
7) We must sanctify God in our hearts (1 Pet. 3:15)
8) We must possess our bodies in sanctification (1 Thess. 4:4; 2 Tim. 2:21)
Evangelist Rodgie Quirante
The Workman’s Treasure Study Series