THE DOCTRINE OF SANCTIFICATION
(Part 2) -
THE SCOPE OF SANCTIFICATION
We have discussed the meaning of the words "sanctify," "sanctified," and "sanctification." The most basic meaning of all these is "to set apart something or someone that is common for specific and speak use." We are now going to deal with the issue of sanctification as it pertains to the salvation of sinners - how the people of God are sanctified. Remember, the sin of Adam imputed to all whom he represented has three principle effects - (1) the guilt of sin is that which makes us liable or subject to God's wrath, the just punishment and condemnation for sin; (2) the defilement of sin is that which keeps sinners alienated from God, unfit for His holy presence, and unqualified for His blessings; and (3) the principle of sin that rules and regulates our nature, our hearts (mind, affections, and wills) as lost sinners having no fear of God before our eyes, making our judgments based on Satan's lies rather than God's testimony, walking after and minding the things of the flesh, walking in unbelief, and seeking to establish a righteousness of our own.
The guilt and the defilement of sin are the two principle legal effects that sin produces which cannot be separated -- the guilt of sin which keeps sinners under condemnation, and the defilement of sin which keeps sinners alienated from God. Salvation from sin, therefore, requires both a clearing (acquittal from guilt) and a cleansing (purification from defilement). Both the guilt and the defilement of sin must be totally removed in salvation. The removal of the guilt of sin is called justification. The removal of the defilement of sin is called sanctification. However, sanctification also has a moral aspect in which a new principle of life and godliness is imparted to the sinner by the Holy Spirit of God in the new birth, regeneration and conversion.
Both justification and sanctification are the product of God's grace in salvation based on the righteousness of Christ. The ground of both is Christ's righteousness freely imputed and received by faith. As the Gospel is God's promise to save guilty and defiled sinners, to give them freely all the benefits of eternal life and glory, and entitle them to all of salvation based on the righteousness of Christ, we must understand that this salvation includes both justification and sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30). Again, we must understand that Christ's righteousness alone secures for us all of salvation, including both justification and sanctification, before we make any efforts to serve the Lord. The removal of the guilt of sin (justification) enables us to stand before God as righteous, having no guilt of sin charged to our account (Rom. 4:6-8; 8:33), "unblameable and unreproveable" in God's sight (Col. 1:22). The removal of the defilement of sin (sanctification) enables us to fellowship with God, to worship Him in His holy presence, and to commune with Him so that "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. 10:22).
Although justification and sanctification can be distinguished and considered separately, they are inseparably connected. God never justifies a sinner without sanctifying that sinner. Sometimes we speak of these two blessings of God's grace as if they are the same because they are so inseparably connected to salvation. A saint, for example, is one who has been sanctified, and every saved sinner begins the Christian life as a full-fledged SAINT, or sanctified one.
As we consider the scope of sanctification as it pertains to the salvation of sinners, we see that each Person of the Godhead has a specific duty in this great work which is fitting to His office in Covenant of Grace. The words "sanctify," "sanctified," "sanctifieth," and "sanctification," are used more than thirty times in the New Testament. We are said to be sanctified by the purpose of God, by the blood of Christ, by the Spirit of God, by faith in Christ, and by the Word of God. It is never taught in God's Word that we sanctify ourselves or that our works and efforts at obedience sanctify us or progressively sanctify us. How, then, are we sanctified?
I. WE WERE SANCTIFIED BY GOD
THE FATHER IN ELECTION.
Jude 1 - Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
We were secretly set apart for God in His secret, eternal decree of election before the world began. All who are saved, all who are born again, all who are redeemed by the blood of Christ and brought to faith in Him, were, before the foundation of the world, sanctified by God the Father in divine election. When God the Father chose us, predestinated us to be made holy, ordained us to eternal life and conditioned all of our salvation upon Christ before the world began, we were sanctified, set apart by God that we should glorify Him and honor Him, that we should be "to the praise of the glory of His grace," "that we should be holy and without blame before Him." Divine election is a truth that gives us honoring thoughts of God's character and purpose. The preaching of this doctrine does not shut sinners out of the kingdom of heaven. Who God has set apart in divine election and who God has not is His secret will. All who desire the salvation that God has provided in and by His Son are insured eternal life. The preaching of this aspect of sanctification simply shows all who believe God's Gospel that we belong to God, separated unto Him for His glory and use, under His protective custody, and kept by the power of God based on the righteousness of His Son. Therefore, we should consecrate ourselves to Him and serve Him in all things as He commands and exhorts us, knowing that He has saved us, preserves us, and entitles us to all of salvation based on the righteousness of His Son, before we make any efforts to obey and serve Him.
II. WE WERE SANCTIFIED BY GOD
THE SON IN REDEMPTION BY HIS BLOOD.
Hebrews 10 - {10} By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. {11} And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. {14} For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
We were set apart in Him by representation and by imputation from Adam's fallen race by Christ when purchased us and ransomed us from the curse of the law as He established the righteousness required for our complete salvation. As God the Father chose a multitude of guilty, defiled sinners out of Adam's fallen race and determined save them and bless them, He could not save even one of them or give them even one blessing apart from His holy law and justice being satisfied. God must be holy, righteous, and just, as well as gracious, loving, and merciful in the salvation of sinners. Therefore, God appointed His Son to be the Representative, Surety, Substitute, and Mediator of His chosen people and sent Him into the world to establish a righteousness that would demand and secure their complete salvation.
When Christ paid our sin debt by satisfying law and justice, and establishing a righteousness for us that answers the demands of God's law and justice, we were sanctified, not in our own persons but in the Person of our Substitute, Surety, and Representative. Christ's obedience and death is the only ground of both our justification and our sanctification. He provided that "double cure" of which we sing. So in His substitutionary work, He removed both the guilt of sin that kept us under condemnation (Rom. 5:19) and the defilement of sin that kept us alienated from God (Heb. 10:10) in His own Person as it was imputed to Him (2 Cor. 5:21a), and He insured the application of salvation, both legally and morally, to each and every one of God's elect in each successive generation (2 Cor. 5:21b). Based on His righteousness and holiness alone, God's elect, who were set apart before the foundation of the world, in time are saved. His righteousness in time is imputed to them, and they are born again by the Spirit of God, brought to faith in Christ and repentance of dead works. They in time in their own persons, based on Christ's righteousness alone, become "dead to sin" (dead to sins's guilt and defilement legally) and "free from sin," (liberated from sin both legally and subjectively). Herein we see how that Christ is our sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30) and that we are forever "sanctified in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 1:2).
We might add here in anticipation of an objection or some confusion - We do not believe in imputed sanctification no more than we believe in imputed justification. We believe in imputed righteousness based upon which we are both justified and sanctified. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us; and we are by His righteousness justified from all things, declared to be holy, and sanctified by the Spirit of God in regeneration and conversion, the new birth.
III. WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY GOD
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW BIRTH.
2 Thessalonians 2 - {13} But we are bound to give thanks alway 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: {14} Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
We are effectually and manifestly set apart in our own persons and separated unto God by God the Holy Spirit in regeneration and conversion. This refers to the moral aspect of sanctification and is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Whenever we talk about the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we have to make a vital distinction between His work within us morally and the work of Christ for us. Remember, Christ's righteousness alone entitles us to all of salvation, including the blessed and necessary work of the Holy Spirit in us, before we make any efforts to obey and serve God. Christ's righteousness is the only ground of salvation. The work of the Holy Spirit in us is the fruit and result of the righteousness of Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit in us is necessary for salvation, but it neither demands nor secures our salvation, nor does it entitle us to any part of salvation.
We see then that in the salvation of sinners as applied to their persons in time, first, Christ's righteousness must be imputed to them, then God the Holy Spirit must give them life and by the preaching of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, bring them to faith in Christ and true repentance - the new birth. God the Holy Spirit effectually applies the blood of Christ to the hearts of God's elect, purifying our hearts by faith in Him. With this in mind, what exactly is this sanctification of the Holy Spirit. It is the new birth - regeneration and conversion. This is the application of eternal life, and all of this takes place at once. Where righteousness is imputed, life is immediately given by the Spirit and the sinner, by the instrumentality of the preaching of the Gospel, is brought to faith in Christ and godly repentance. God's testimony shows this (John 3:18,36; 16:8-14; 17:17; 1 John 5:11-13).