What About Progressive Sanctification?

Akita Suggagaki

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"Progressive Sanctification" is a Protestant idea that roughly equates to theosis in the Church. The idea that a person strives to become "godlike" over time in this life. And yes, it is real. It is the objective of all men, but few ever achieve it. Christian monks live their lives to attain theosis, and it is said that some do attain it. As a person moves closer to theosis, spiritual gifts such as the gift of healing can appear.

Of course this goes along with virtue. Growing on virtue requires both grace and self discipline. Sometimes I think we (or at least I) forget about the hard work, askesis, involved in this life long journey of transformation...the journey to become a sage, a saint, a true Christian.

How many of us are really willing to change? to become more king, generous and patient? especially when it comes to enduring suffering?
 
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HTacianas

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Of course this goes along with virtue. Growing on virtue requires both grace and self discipline. Sometimes I think we (or at least I) forget about the hard work, askesis, involved in this life long journey of transformation...the journey to become a sage, a saint, a true Christian.

How many of us are really willing to change? to become more king, generous and patient? especially when it comes to enduring suffering?

That's the root of priestly celibacy. Forsaking the material life for the spiritual life. St. Paul said:

1Co 7:32 He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

1Co 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

It's hard to attain theosis with the wife nagging you to mow the lawn.
 
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Akita Suggagaki

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That's the root of priestly celibacy. Forsaking the material life for the spiritual life. St. Paul said:

1Co 7:32 He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

1Co 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

It's hard to attain theosis with the wife nagging you to mow the lawn.

No, even that helps. That nagging is a call to self surrender, self dying that is the real forsaking of self will.
 
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Bruce Leiter

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What About Progressive Sanctification?

I don`t really believe in it.

Tell me why you do.
Tell me why you don't. I do because the Bible expressly describes it. Peter commands us, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:18).

Also, if God didn't want us to progress in our santification, he wouldn't have had the New Testament writers give us many commands in Ephesians 4-6; Colossians 3-4; Hebrews 12-13; and other passages. Those passages are based on what God has already done for us as described in the chapters just before them. Thus, our obedience is from gratitude about what God has already done for us in the power of Jesus' victory.
 
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RickReads

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Tell me why you don't. I do because the Bible expressly describes it. Peter commands us, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:18).

Also, if God didn't want us to progress in our santification, he wouldn't have had the New Testament writers give us many commands in Ephesians 4-6; Colossians 3-4; Hebrews 12-13; and other passages. Those passages are based on what God has already done for us as described in the chapters just before them. Thus, our obedience is from gratitude about what God has already done for us in the power of Jesus' victory.

Kind of an old post but ok. At the time I was having some issues in the works vs grace debate. I was splitting hairs a bit by drawing this line in the sand but my point was/is that if you are saved then you are saved. The Bible says the righteous are scarcely saved (1st Peter 4). The righteous are just barely making it and it's either saved or not.

Having said that, once you are saved, you run in the race and your performance will determine your prize and position in eternity, it will also determine how healthy you are spiritually in this life.

Nevertheless, I denounce religious pride nor do I believe we can help Jesus save us. If we had that power we wouldn`t need a savior. I believe prideful religion does a good deal of harm.
 
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JulieB67

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I definitely believe in sanctification. It's taking me years to even come this point in my life. Over the years I've been able to repent and let go of many silly weaknesses in my life that drove me away from our Father. I thank him for being long suffering and patient.

For many Christians there's not a switch that you can just flip and you're automatically perfect. And no one will ever achieve perfection while living in the flesh. The best we can hope for is to continue to mature as a Christian..and maturation comes with time in some cases. But Father knows our hearts and who's continuing to try put spirit over the flesh.

And I don't think it's an issue of working for your salvation. We are to continually try and mature as Christians, staying in his Word, etc...learning about God's overall plan.

We all will fall short but the mature Christian will get back up and keep trying to put the spirit over the flesh. And yes, it's a constant battle and will always be do. But through sanctification of the spirit it gets easier because you eventually are able to come to true repentance (change of heart) that's the great thing...you honestly "don't" want to do some of the things you had done in the past that, for example in my case, drives you away from God, not closer.
 
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RickReads

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I definitely believe in sanctification. It's taking me years to even come this point in my life. Over the years I've been able to repent and let go of many silly weaknesses in my life that drove me away from our Father. I thank him for being long suffering and patient.

For many Christians there's not a switch that you can just flip and you're automatically perfect. And no one will ever achieve perfection while living in the flesh. The best we can hope for is to continue to mature as a Christian..and maturation comes with time in some cases. But Father knows our hearts and who's continuing to try put spirit over the flesh.

And I don't think it's an issue of working for your salvation. We are to continually try and mature as Christians, staying in his Word, etc...learning about God's overall plan.

We all will fall short but the mature Christian will get back up and keep trying to put the spirit over the flesh. And yes, it's a constant battle and will always be do. But through sanctification of the spirit it gets easier because you eventually are able to come to true repentance (change of heart) that's the great thing...you honestly "don't" want to do some of the things you had done in the past that, for example in my case, drives you away from God, not closer.

It`s been an interesting thread. I got a better idea what people mean when they say Progressive Sanctification and it's what I usually called a man-made term because it isn`t a Bible term.

In my circles, we call it walking in the Spirit or following the Spirit. That is also the way the Bible says it.

Calling it Progress Sanctification IMO is just a way of putting ourselves in the driver's seat and making it all about our own religious activities.

I`m not as oppositional to it as I sound, I`m a whatever gets you serving God kind of person for the most part.

However, the term sanctification only appears in the Bible 5 times. There is never a progressive in front of the sanctification.

3 times the sanctification is an action of the Holy Spirit and has nothing to do with man`s effort and it happens when you get saved. It simply means the Holy Spirit cleaned the filth off you.

The other two times Paul admonishes us to avoid fornication and apart from walking in the Spirit, that is the only other Biblical requirement to maintain your sanctification.
 
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Progressive Sanctification:

#1. 2 Corinthians 7:1 KJB
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

#2. Philippians 1:6 KJB
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Context:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;” (Philippians 1:9) (KJB).

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13) (KJB).

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15) (KJB).​

#3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJB (Part 1)
“...God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 KJB (Part 2)
“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”​

#4. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJB
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

#5. 1 John 3:3 KJB
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Context:

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8).​

#6. Ephesians 5:25-27 KJB

“...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Context:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:17-19).

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3).​

#7. Hebrews 13:20-21 KJB
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”

#8. Colossians 4:12 KJB
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

#9. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 KJB
“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”

#10 Revelation 3:2 KJB
“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”

#11. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJB
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

#12. Hebrews 12:14 KJB
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”

#13. Titus 2:14 KJB
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

#14. 1 John 2:5 KJB
“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

#15. James 1:21 KJB
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”

#16. 2 Timothy 2:21 KJB
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
 
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Soyeong

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What About Progressive Sanctification?

I don`t really believe in it.

Tell me why you do.
We have beer sanctified (Hebrews 10:10), we are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14), and we will be sanctified when he who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it on the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so this ongoing training is an aspect of sanctification, which is progressive.
 
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RickReads

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We have beer sanctified (Hebrews 10:10), we are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14), and we will be sanctified when he who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it on the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so this ongoing training is an aspect of sanctification, which is progressive.

This kind of thinking is the reason I developed issue with progressive sanctification as a term. It`s a replacement for being led by the Spirit by focusing solely on deeds. It becomes focus on religion rather than focus on God.

Works begin to be viewed as the fire instead of as the smoke.
 
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