SANCTIFICATION

Position or Practice

By Myrna D. Hughes

Many Christians today do not have the slightest inkling as to what the doctrine of sanctification entails, as with most aspects associated with salvation, many attribute their own works into it. You may have even heard someone say." I'm a Christian . but I'm certainly no saint. Little do they know that if one were to truly understand the essence of sanctification, they would come to understand that if you are not a saint, then you are not a Christian. This misapprehension is based solely on the fact that many believe that their practices constitute their status of holiness. When in actuality to be sanctified is a position not a practice. This is contrary to what is taught in much of Christendom today. Most teach that sanctification is a spiritual phenomenon, which can be measured in the natural, utilizing physical means as a standard of comparison to their state of holiness.

One may wonder where did the philosophy that man plays an active role in his sanctification come from? The answer is synergism (the belief that man + God = salvation). Many denominations historically teach this, for example: The Roman Catholic's view is that there is no difference between sanctification and justification (our legal standing of righteousness before God). They hold that the sacramental water of baptism removes all the stain of original sin from man. If a Christian commits a "mortal sin", the stain is placed back on his soul by the act of the sin. This sin can only be removed by an act of penance (good works), only after one has confessed to a priest. The Catholic view holds that sanctification is "a job of improvement" which enables God to justify man while the job itself is done by man.  This view is equal in essence to the Arminian or Palagian view, who also teach that man is capable of holiness through works. John Wesley the founder of the Methodist Church, taught that sanctification is a process of improvement, which may be completed while the believer is in the flesh. That it is a work, which is a partnership between God and man. and that man may reach perfection while in this life," if we walk the earth sinless and without blame."  This was also taught by Charles Finney who was known as the founder of the Evangelical movement. His views of sanctification can be summed up as follows: When asked the question; "Does a Christian cease to be a Christian, whenever he commits a sin?", Finney answered. "The sinning Christian and the unconverted sinner are upon precisely the same ground." With ideas such as this, it is no wonder that some evangelical ministries preach "It's holiness or hell." If this was the case we would all need premium fire insurance. This quote from our former pastor, who was knowledgeable in the doctrine's of grace, summed it all up, when he used to say "The worst saint is better than the best sinner" This was not said to infer that there are degrees of being a saint for there are none, as with righteousness, saint is an absolute term, either you are a saint or you aint. Positionally one is either holy or unholy.

Reformed theologians such as Jonathan Edwards and John Calvin, believed and taught that sanctification is a continuing process directed by the Holy Spirit, whereby the believer is improved in maturity through study of the Word of God. Jonathan Edwards making the following statement said of the Christian's inevitable desire for sanctification, "Tis as much the nature of one that is spiritually new born, to thirst after growth in holiness, as 'tis the nature of a newborn babe, to thirst after the mother's breast. If this were truly the case, there would be some serious failure to thrive spiritual babies walking around. 

John Calvin wrote: 'We are justified by faith alone - but the faith that justifies is never alone!' meaning, that true saving faith is always accompanied by a holy life and by good works.   These theologians taught that, justification is God's declaration that a believer is righteous because of the merits of Christ imputed to him. Sanctification is the believer leaving the courtroom where God has once and for all time declared him righteous, and immediately beginning the process whereby the Holy Spirit enables him to increasingly conform to Christ's righteousness, both inwardly and outwardly. Some teach that one is justified by God's grace and then sanctified later, progressively, as one improves themselves and grows in obedience and dedication. This is the false notion of progressive holiness or progressive sanctification. Those who believe this claim that, by God's grace the believer in degrees progressively dies more and more to sin and advances towards holiness. They will admit that one is positionally sanctified based on the blood of Christ, but then a believer must be practically sanctified by his efforts to be holy. Those who promote this believe sanctification is accomplished by their separation from the world, their obedience to religious customs and traditions, and their abstinence from the use of things they consider evil. Those who believe this reckon themselves as sanctified because after all" They don't drink rub, dip or chew. Neither do they associate with them that do." They teach that sanctification is a progressive increase of a believers "personal holiness" They imply that the child of God attains higher degrees of holiness by their own efforts in sanctification, until at last one is ripe for heaven. Quoting such things as " You know Jesus is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle, so don't let Him catch you with your work undone. Or pray that I might be what the Lord is calling for in these last and evil days." In order to back up what they are saying They quote passages such as

Now from the Greek translation

The verb sanctify is in the subjunctive aorist tense and the active voice which signifies a past completed probability with the stipulation on whether you are the elect or not. Meaning if you are a part of the body of Christ you were set apart (sanctified or made holy in eternity). It is an completed action, if you are of the elect, having the same connotation as an indicative future( future fact). The active voice indicates that the subject (Jesus Christ) is performing the action on the direct object which is the church. Thus the context bears out. that mankind has nothing to do with sanctification (position of holiness).

The erroneous doctrine which teaches that there are different stages of sanctification also known as progressive sanctification. got its foundational bases from theologians who were rooted in synergism. Even for some who were illuminated to the fact that God has chosen/elected some in eternity unto salvation. continue to bring sanctification down to a level of human achievement.

We have briefly examined historically why this erroneous explanation of sanctification is so widely accepted in Christendom today.

So what exactly is sanctification? We go straight to the Word of God to answer this question. Well one thing is for certain, it is not a natural process involving the spiritual development of the believer, whereby we become holy. The Bible teaches that, we are considered holy and without blame before God, because we were chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world (in eternity).

From the Greek Text, we read Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord of us Jesus Christ. To one having blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world for us to be holy and blameless in the sight to him. In love having predestined us to sonship through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of the will of Him

These verses bear out the fact that sanctification is a position not a practice. The Greek word ahy-ee-os,rendered holy is the same word translated as saint.. These verses bring clarity to the fact that it was God, who in eternity elected or chose us, in Christ to be holy/saints. His sovereign act of electing or choosing us, grants us the position of being in Christ, therefore, blameless in God's sight.  All of our spiritual blessings are in Christ Jesus.

Here we reference 1 Corinthians 1:30

Now from the Greek text

Our righteousness, sanctification (position of holiness) as well as our deliverance is in Christ.

We look also to the verse found in 2 Thessalonians, which correlates with the passage of Ephesians in that sanctification (our position of holiness) is based on the actuality of God's love for those whom He sovereignty elected/ chose unto salvation.

Greek text-

As stated previously, the Greek word ahy-ee-os, rendered holy is the same word translated as saint or holy one. The Bible's lucid examples of the word saint, verify that it is not by actions that one is a saint, but rather the position of being in Christ. For example, in the apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he still refereed to them as saints, despite the fact that they were carnal, having envying, strife and divisions. among one another (1 Corinthians 3:3). The church at Corinth was guilty of many things even fornication. Paul warned them against such practices, however they were regarded as saints based on their position in Christ.

We read from the Greek text. 1 Corinthian 1;2

Also in 1 Corinthians 6:11 the Bible teaches us that it was the Holy Spirit which completed the action of sanctification in eternity.

From the Greek text:

Note that all the verbs (washed, sanctified and justified , utilizing the Greek grammar, are in the indicative mood (statement of a fact) aorist tense (past completed action).

In summation, there are no degrees of holiness, therefore no degrees of sanctification. Holy is what God is, our position of holiness or sanctification is found in Christ Jesus. Salvation is by grace alone, without works. Believers were never commanded to do anything to become a saint. The Sovereignty of God in election unto salvation has given us all spiritual blessings in Christ which includes: justification, imputation, regeneration, redemption, adoption, predestination, reconciliation and sanctification.

The flesh in a believer is no wise better than the flesh in an unbeliever. If you take a tomato and ground, pulverize, or burn it , it will always chemically be a tomato. By design, God made the flesh to be fallible. Romans 8:20) The "old nature", is capable of springing up to show it's vile totally depraved self. In the flesh dwelleth no good thing (Romans 7:18). Therefore how can one possibly rely on the efforts of the flesh to progress towards holiness. Oh what peace to know that it is not good works, obedience, nor improvements in character or conduct that sanctifies anyone. But rather the fact that we were completely justified and sanctified in Christ alone, positioned back in eternity as saints with no part of our salvation conditioned on obedience.

The doctrines of dispensationally dividing the Word of God as well as God's Sovereignty in Election allows us to dwell on an illuminated plane. The ability to distinguish between the many dispensations allows one to examine the intent and purpose of the covenants of God. Through progressive revelation given to the Apostle Paul, we now know that, the law itself is holy Romans 7:12). But it was not God's intent that man could keep the law of Moses to be considered holy. The purpose of the law was to bring about the knowledge of sin, (Romans 3:20) and to reveal that righteousness could not be obtained by works of keeping the law, but rather, by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-31).

Our knowledge of the Sovereignty of God in election, gives us the vantage point of understanding, how the Word of God, demonstrates that the believer plays no part in sanctification (position of holiness).

The saint is from the Greek text: is a masterpiece having been created in Christ Jesus for good works which previously prepared God that in them we should walk. (Ephesians 2:10)

The verbs having been created, previously prepared and should walk are in the aorist tense ( past completed action), which denotes a done deal. Note that the word {per-ee-pat-eh'-o} rendered walk is in the subjunctive aorist, meaning a past completed probability with the stipulation on whether you were a master piece having been created in Christ Jesus. In our daily lives the sovereignty of God governs our walk, for God is the one working in you both to will and to work on behalf of His good pleasure. Greek text (Philippians 2:13). Every detail of our lives was predestined in eternity and if God is pleased with our good works, there is no boasting in the flesh, for it is Him that has ordained them in eternity.

In essence the term of sanctification has been used in an inappropriate manner, because what most of Christendom denotes as sanctification should be referred to as maturation. God has designed our earthly walk to foster maturity. Based on His sovereignty and purpose, each of the elect develop on different levels. But glory be to God, the one giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ(1 Corinthians 15:57).