My Support Forums - View Single Post

(JD) · Mar 25, 2007, 05:32 PM

It has been good to review these strong, important aspects of my faith (((septi))). I will now turn my thoughts to the last term you inquired about: sanctification.

Sanctification is both a noun and a verb. The noun hagiasmos is used of<ul type="square">[*]separation to God[*]the course of life befitting those so separated and also[*] in the NT of the separation of the believer from evil things and ways.[/list]
It is good to notice that there is some difference at times between the Hebrew word that Greek words used in connection to the word "sanctification." This includes words of the same type such as sanctify, holy, holiness, hallow, sacred, dedicate and devoted. There is a distinction between positional sanctification (God's declarative acts) and present and future sanctification (divine works in believers.)

The Greek NT follows the usage furnished by the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the OT Hebrew words.

Most scholars find 4 categories of the word "sanctification." <ul type="square">[*] A pagan cultic use[*]Holy in an ethical-moral sense[*] Biblical religious use and[*] Christian doctrinal use.[/list]
I will try to just focus on the latter.

Acts 26:18 and 1 Corinthians 1:1 States that there is a past declarative act of God where all Christian believers have been rendered holy. Hebrews 10:10 "we have been sanctified" and 1 Cor. 6:11 "you were sanctified." 

This past sanctification was conferred by Christ Christ Jesus..made..sanctification 1 Cor 1:30, and Jesus, in order to sanctify the people...Heb 13:12.

Romans 6:14 Gives us assurance that as a Christian, sin will not lord over us.

Past sanctification is by faith. Acts 26:18 It does not rest on what men do or ought to do, except for saving faith.

It is the present possession of all believing sinners.

It being a declarative act of God is complete, perfect, and finished for each believer. Once, for all. Hebrews 10:10.

Most theologians speak of present or progressive sanctification when they speak of the doctrine of sanctification.

Sanctification is concerned that God "sanctify you completely, whole spirit and soul and body..blameless. I Thessalonians 5:23. WGT Shedd : As apostasy began in the pneuma [spirit] and affected the other parts of human nature, sanctification begins in the pneuma and passes throughout the soul and body. A man can control his physical appetites, in proportion as he has vivid spiritual perception of God and divine things. The intuition of the pneuma restrains the appetites of the psyche (soul) and soma (body.) If spiritual perception be dim, the bodily appetite is strong."

When Adam and Eve sinned, God said in warning they would surely die. This not only meant they would no longer be immortal, but that their soul had died. Through regeneration (accepting Christ, being born again, the second birth etc) we receive spiritual life, a new nature by God's grace, betterment of the thought-life, feelings and use of the body that grow with knowledge. "Sanctification is that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which the holy disposition imparted in regeneration is maintained and strengthened." A H Strong.

It is the Holy Spirit that effects the sanctification, as He takes up residence within the believer. John 14:17 He will be in you" Creates the fruit of the Spirit, Gal 5 22-26 "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."

Complete redemption of the body awaits the resurrection and until then the "motion" of sin affects us still.

RD Culver mentions there are 5 things mentioned by Scripture as the means or causes of sanctification: <ul type="square">[*]faith: sanctification is by grace through faith (Eph 2:8.9)[*]the appointed offices, ordinances, and services of the church Heb 13:17, Phil 1:1[*] the Holy Scriptures. John 17:17, Eph 6:17[*] prayer. John 14:13,14[*]the providential divine chastening in the life experience of believers. Romans 5:3,4[/list]
When we are made complete again at the resurrection, then also will be completed the sanctification of the body. "fashion anew the body of our humiliation" Phil 3:21.

This act of sanctification by God allows us to understand and follow what we find in Matt 5:48 : be perfect as God is perfect. God is conformed to His own nature as God. We, created in His image, should as fast as possible bring our level of thought and deed up to the level of purpose God had for each of us when He created us. This is the correct understanding of the aphorism: to thine own self be true.

Romans 8:28 all things are employed by God for the good of "those who are the called." The means of sanctification are illimitable!