Sanctification

Sanctification is one of the most misunderstood primary doctrines of the Christian faith. That is in part because Scripture speaks of three distinctive types of sanctification. There is what is called positional or definitive sanctification. There is what is called positional sanctification. And there is what is called glorification. Let’s unpack each of these types of sanctification.

Positional Sanctification

Positional (sometimes called definitive) sanctification describes the position that you are seen as being in as being a part of the body of Christ. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are sanctified, or made holy, in their whole person by virtue of their union with Jesus Christ. It is a radical transformation out of your relationship with sin (as being a slave to sin) and firmly placed, by the sovereign will of God, into your adoption as a part of the family of God permanently. God sees Jesus when He looks at you because you are covered by the blood that was shed for you and imputed with the holiness and righteousness of Christ based on His work at Calvery as being a substitutionary atonement for your sins.

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

1 Corinthians 6:11 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.

Progressive Sanctification

Progressive sanctification is what you hear the pastor mostly speaking of when he is calling you to grow in your holiness, obedience, and Christlikeness. It is the ongoing work of God’s grace through the Holy Spirit who enables the believer to put sin to death in a greater and stronger way over the course of one’s lifetime. It is ongoing and never ends because we still have a sin nature that wants to draw us back into the worldly way of doing things.

“The Christian life is about the imitation of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). We are being molded into His image, so we are to strive to live as He lived. Our Lord was slandered and falsely accused of all kinds of offenses, but He opened not His mouth in protest (Isa. 53:7). Like a lamb, He accepted these vitriolic attacks, and, in the very moment of His passion, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who were attacking Him (Luke 23:34). This is how we are called to react to our enemies (1 Peter 4:13). Therefore, every false accusation, every slander, every ill word spoken about me is an opportunity for me to grow in my sanctification” R.C. Sproul

Glorification

Glorification is the final stage of sanctification; it is when our sin nature is completely removed from us when we stand before God in heaven one day. It is the complete and total removal of sin and the desire to sin from the believer in the eternal state. It is culminated at the return of Jesus Christ or when a believer passes from this life and is present with God.

Romans 8: 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

1 Corinthians 15: 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.