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Justification is immediate and complete upon our salvation, but our sanctification, while had in part at the time of our salvation, is an ongoing continual process that will last our whole lives. Hebrews 10:14
When you see the word "sanctified" do you see that it is past tense? Sanctification is not the process you speak of. Sanctification is being set apart unto good works. That is not after we die do we start. No that is immediately.
Then comes the process of perfecting, or "glorification." You may believe that only has to do with our bodies of flesh, but that is only one part of our being. He gives us the "mind of Christ." We are new creatures/new nature. We are dead to willful sin. We are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. But all of this is based on whether or not we actually have the Spirit of God in us.
I was in church for 30 years before this wonderful baptism of the Holy Spirit happened to me. In other words, I wasn't a Christian, just a sinner going through the motions of "church." But when we are baptized in the Spirit we literally are born again. We pass from death to life. During that whole 30 years of going to church unsaved, I had no power over sin, the struggle of Romans 7 was constant, and not one prayer was answered. Then on February 9, 1977 around 8:00 pm when my church was to pray for the nation, I couldn't. I knew something was wrong with me. How could I pray for the nation and expect it to be answered. So right there I repented. I asked God to scrub me clean. I asked Him to do all the things through me He wanted, because I couldn't do them and be righteous on my own. I had tried, and failed, many times. During the next few moments I had what some would call, a religious experience. I saw a vision and God spoke to me. Based on His words, I repented again, but this time for the right reasons He just revealed to me. Instantly I was filled to overflowing. It started at the top of my head and quickly engulfed me to the bottom of my feet. I was justified, I was sanctified, and I was born again with a spirit that had extreme power to no longer commit sins I never could stop doing before. Not just practicing them, but committing them even once! It just wasn't my nature any longer.
So study for yourself, but do yourself a favor. The Reformation infected the church with the doctrine of weakness that you, and many, many others believe. That is not the gospel. The gospel is good news? What, for the next life in heaven, but not this one? That is nothing like the power of the Holy Spirit - the creator of the whole universe with a single word and the stretching forth of His hands.
So work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For the state you die in will be your state forever. Whether in hell, or in heaven. This doctrine of demons that says you will finally be righteous after you are dead, is Satan's final victory over you.
Revelation 22:11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
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