Sunday, June 28, 2015

Instant and Permanent Sanctification

Is there a difference between sanctification and justification? Sure there is. Sanctified means "holy, purified, set apart" (to God) and Justified means "to declare one to be just, righteous" (with God's very own righteousness, not your own). Both of these are not something we do, but are conditions that we have received freely as gifts, by grace through faith.

While some people correctly believe that justification is instantaneous, they yet believe that sanctification is a process over time.

So what does the Bible actually say?

"By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb 10:10

"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." Heb 10:14

"I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." Acts 20:32

"...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:18

"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus..." 1 Cor 1:2

"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption..." 1 Cor 1:30

"But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor 6:11

Again, Sanctification means "made holy" and "set apart." Our sanctification was just as instantaneous as our justification! It's not an ongoing process.  It already happened and it remains who we are at all times. It's something we received as a gift when we first believed ("by grace, through faith"), not something based on what we do or don't do.

1 comment:

  1. Many confuse this as I have for years not realizing that Satan desires to drag us back to a two tree walk with God. And a fig leaf or two to hide behind.Sanctification has been a BAIT OF Satanos for years and years. Satan will use it for years to come. He seeks to bewitch believers who started out by Grace and theSpirit to look upon themselves and fall from their original heaven or lamp of their first love....Joel, keep defending the faith once delivered to the Saints. ...The gospel of grace. ...and Grace is the very person of our Savior. He is the Way...theTruth...theVeryLife of God....john peter

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