Is Sanctification a PROCESS?

[1stcenturylady]

I recently got understanding, I believe, that what we call "sanctification" as a process, is not a process at all.

When I see "sanctified" mentioned in the New Testament about a Christian it is always past tense, the same as "justified." Sanctified means to set apart for a holy work. Regarding objects in the temple, they were first cleansed, and then blessed and were ready for use. That is justified and sanctified. As soon as we were justified, we were sanctified. Sanctification is not a process.

Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The modern day version of sanctification is a life long process of 'getting sin out of your life.' The implication is crippling, and I now believe a false doctrine or false definition. If we believe in our mind that we are not yet free from sin, that it is a lifelong process, we become apathetic about sin, have our guard down, and quench the Spirit (if that person even has the Spirit), believing everybody willfully sins. "Ill work on that tomorrow - I have time." (Remember, willful sin is lawlessness, and known, as in breaking one of the Ten Commandments). That was not my experience when I received the Holy Spirit 41 years ago. The disabling desire to commit willful sin was gone immediately. In particular, mine was adultery. Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

Therefore, I see justification as when we repented from our sin unto Jesus. And sanctification of when we received the Holy Spirit.

So what then do I see as the process? I see it as "glorification," becoming like Christ. The desire to willfully sin is taken care of and we are no longer slaves to sin, so are free to develop spiritually to the fullest over a lifetime.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

 

[Tree of Life]

Sanctification is both an act of God and an existential process.

We are indeed sanctified in Christ in that we are set apart for his service and made holy. But there is also a sense in which our lives become more and more consecrated to God as we grow in holiness.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Sanctification is both an act of God and an existential process.

We are indeed sanctified in Christ in that we are set apart for his service and made holy. But there is also a sense in which our lives become more and more consecrated to God as we grow in holiness.

Did you read the OP or just the title?

 

[Tree of Life]

Did you read the OP or just the title?

I read the OP. Sanctification is still both an act of God and an ongoing work of God (or a process as you call it).

 

[drich0150]

I recently got understanding, I believe, that what we call "sanctification" as a process, is not a process at all.

When I see "sanctified" mentioned in the New Testament about a Christian it is always past tense, the same as "justified." Sanctified means to set apart for a holy work. Regarding objects in the temple, they were first cleansed, and then blessed and were ready for use. That is justified and sanctified. As soon as we were justified, we were sanctified. Sanctification is not a process.

Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The modern day version of sanctification is a life long process of 'getting sin out of your life.' The implication is crippling, and I now believe a false doctrine or false definition. If we believe in our mind that we are not yet free from sin, that it is a lifelong process, we become apathetic about sin, have our guard down, and quench the Spirit (if that person even has the Spirit), believing everybody willfully sins. "Ill work on that tomorrow - I have time." (Remember, willful sin is lawlessness, and known, as in breaking one of the Ten Commandments). That was not my experience when I received the Holy Spirit 41 years ago. The disabling desire to commit willful sin was gone immediately. In particular, mine was adultery. Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

Therefore, I see justification as when we repented from our sin unto Jesus. And sanctification of when we received the Holy Spirit.

So what then do I see as the process? I see it as "glorification," becoming like Christ. The desire to willfully sin is taken care of and we are no longer slaves to sin, so are free to develop spiritually to the fullest over a lifetime.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Define sanctified. because I don't think it means what you think it means./You seem to be using the words differently than the bible would have us understand it.

For instance you seem to put alot of importance on this word/ process the bible does not. i know it is a religious word in certain circles, meaning it is a selling point or a brand specific item one must seek out in a check list brand of Christianity. But again it is not something the bible uses alot. I found it only 2 other times in scripture outside of your two verses. and even then in those instances one of the verses did not use that word. it simply described a process, which is not something we have any part in. So my recogning to be sanctified not to be sanctified is not a us thing it is a term that upper management uses to describe the process we under go to be set apart.

29 So think how much more punishment people deserve who show their hate for the Son of God—people who show they have no respect for the blood sacrifice that began the new agreement and once made them holy or who insult the Spirit of God’s grace.

See the above sanctification is the process the new agreement and the blood used to seal the agreement bring fourth.

It is a holiness based on atonement rather than following law/merritt.

Before sanctification there was only one way to heaven, and that was merritt. you had to live righteously/without sin. Now that Jesus died... Sanctification is the process that one can be found acceptable to enter heaven. but again it is not something we put on it is what you call the atonement process.

As far as that goes salvation is not the end goal of the follower of Christ. salvation santification is all milk of the word meant to nourish the young in spirit. when I challenge these thing I am not challenging the process, but our refusal to move on to the meat of the word. There is a whole world beyond the ins and outs of salvation.

 

[1stcenturylady]

For instance you seem to put alot of importance on this word/ process the bible does not. i know it is a religious word in certain circles, meaning it is a selling point or a brand specific item one must seek out in a check list brand of Christianity. But again it is not something the bible uses alot. I found it only 2 other times in scripture outside of your two verses. and even then in those instances one of the verses did not use that word. it simply described a process, which is not something we have any part in. So my recogning to be sanctified not to be sanctified is not a us thing it is a term that upper management uses to describe the process we under go to be set apart.

The "two verses" I used are not both on sanctification as you assumed.

The one in Hebrews 10 about "sanctification" I used to show it is not a process referring to the future, but is past tense. Therefore, at the time of justification/cleansing.

The second verse I used in 2 Peter 1 was to show an unnamed process, I think is not "sanctification," but "glorification."

The rest of your post on our own merit I never implied.

 

[com7fy8]

I think sanctification can mean different things. There is being sanctified when a person first trusts in Jesus. The person is set apart from the world, therefore has become holy by becoming God's child, and so has been sanctified.

But, also, there is the process of how God corrects us > Hebrews 12:4-11 < and the result of this correction is we become "partakers of His holiness"; this comes after we first have been set apart when getting saved by Jesus. This scripture says we all have this correction, or we are not God's children.

Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

I might not understand what you mean by your fruit which had faults.

But I think our fruit is more or less connected to our character. So, in case there are faults of fruit, this could be because of faults in my character which still need more correction which Hebrews 12:4-11 is talking about.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I think sanctification can mean different things. There is being sanctified when a person first trusts in Jesus. The person is set apart from the world, therefore has become holy by becoming God's child, and so has been sanctified.

But, also, there is the process of how God corrects us > Hebrews 12:4-11 < and the result of this correction is we become "partakers of His holiness"; this comes after we first have been set apart when getting saved by Jesus. This scripture says we all have this correction, or we are not God's children.

What you believe are "different things" I see as "different names" for two different things.

 

[bcbsr]

I recently got understanding, I believe, that what we call "sanctification" as a process, is not a process at all.

When I see "sanctified" mentioned in the New Testament about a Christian it is always past tense, the same as "justified." Sanctified means to set apart for a holy work. Regarding objects in the temple, they were first cleansed, and then blessed and were ready for use. That is justified and sanctified. As soon as we were justified, we were sanctified. Sanctification is not a process.

Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The modern day version of sanctification is a life long process of 'getting sin out of your life.' The implication is crippling, and I now believe a false doctrine or false definition. If we believe in our mind that we are not yet free from sin, that it is a lifelong process, we become apathetic about sin, have our guard down, and quench the Spirit (if that person even has the Spirit), believing everybody willfully sins. "Ill work on that tomorrow - I have time." (Remember, willful sin is lawlessness, and known, as in breaking one of the Ten Commandments). That was not my experience when I received the Holy Spirit 41 years ago. The disabling desire to commit willful sin was gone immediately. In particular, mine was adultery. Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

Therefore, I see justification as when we repented from our sin unto Jesus. And sanctification of when we received the Holy Spirit.

So what then do I see as the process? I see it as "glorification," becoming like Christ. The desire to willfully sin is taken care of and we are no longer slaves to sin, so are free to develop spiritually to the fullest over a lifetime.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Good observation. There are two aspects to being sanctified. Sanctified means to be set apart for God. One aspect is our status. That's where it's used in the past tense. But there are other verses that indicate an ongoing process such as:

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality

1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Much the same issue comes up with "save". We have been saved, that is we have been justified and thus saved from the wrath of God. We are being saved from the power of sin (like 1John 3:9). And we will be saved from the presence of sin.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Good observation. There are two aspects to being sanctified. Sanctified means to be set apart for God. One aspect is our status. That's where it's used in the past tense. But there are other verses that indicate an ongoing process such as:

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality

1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Much the same issue comes up with "save". We have been saved, that is we have been justified and thus saved from the wrath of God. We are being saved from the power of sin (like 1John 3:9). And we will be saved from the presence of sin.

Good, something I can finally chew on. I've gotta run.

 

[dreadnought]

I recently got understanding, I believe, that what we call "sanctification" as a process, is not a process at all.

When I see "sanctified" mentioned in the New Testament about a Christian it is always past tense, the same as "justified." Sanctified means to set apart for a holy work. Regarding objects in the temple, they were first cleansed, and then blessed and were ready for use. That is justified and sanctified. As soon as we were justified, we were sanctified. Sanctification is not a process.

Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The modern day version of sanctification is a life long process of 'getting sin out of your life.' The implication is crippling, and I now believe a false doctrine or false definition. If we believe in our mind that we are not yet free from sin, that it is a lifelong process, we become apathetic about sin, have our guard down, and quench the Spirit (if that person even has the Spirit), believing everybody willfully sins. "Ill work on that tomorrow - I have time." (Remember, willful sin is lawlessness, and known, as in breaking one of the Ten Commandments). That was not my experience when I received the Holy Spirit 41 years ago. The disabling desire to commit willful sin was gone immediately. In particular, mine was adultery. Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

Therefore, I see justification as when we repented from our sin unto Jesus. And sanctification of when we received the Holy Spirit.

So what then do I see as the process? I see it as "glorification," becoming like Christ. The desire to willfully sin is taken care of and we are no longer slaves to sin, so are free to develop spiritually to the fullest over a lifetime.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

I believe sanctification requires the repentance of our sin. It takes as long as it takes.

 

[Chinchilla]

I recently got understanding, I believe, that what we call "sanctification" as a process, is not a process at all.

When I see "sanctified" mentioned in the New Testament about a Christian it is always past tense, the same as "justified." Sanctified means to set apart for a holy work. Regarding objects in the temple, they were first cleansed, and then blessed and were ready for use. That is justified and sanctified. As soon as we were justified, we were sanctified. Sanctification is not a process.

Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

The modern day version of sanctification is a life long process of 'getting sin out of your life.' The implication is crippling, and I now believe a false doctrine or false definition. If we believe in our mind that we are not yet free from sin, that it is a lifelong process, we become apathetic about sin, have our guard down, and quench the Spirit (if that person even has the Spirit), believing everybody willfully sins. "Ill work on that tomorrow - I have time." (Remember, willful sin is lawlessness, and known, as in breaking one of the Ten Commandments). That was not my experience when I received the Holy Spirit 41 years ago. The disabling desire to commit willful sin was gone immediately. In particular, mine was adultery. Where I had been completely weak and defenseless, I was now strong and powerful overnight. All that was left was faults in my fruit.

Therefore, I see justification as when we repented from our sin unto Jesus. And sanctification of when we received the Holy Spirit.

So what then do I see as the process? I see it as "glorification," becoming like Christ. The desire to willfully sin is taken care of and we are no longer slaves to sin, so are free to develop spiritually to the fullest over a lifetime.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Yes , autor of Hebrews rebukes the Christians for going back to consuming milk instead of moving on and consuming meat , because they were still arguing on basics rather than getting stronger in faith .

 

[dysert]

Good observation. There are two aspects to being sanctified. Sanctified means to be set apart for God. One aspect is our status. That's where it's used in the past tense. But there are other verses that indicate an ongoing process such as:

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality

1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Much the same issue comes up with "save". We have been saved, that is we have been justified and thus saved from the wrath of God. We are being saved from the power of sin (like 1John 3:9). And we will be saved from the presence of sin.

You got it. And if I may piggy-back onto your reply, I would like to expand a bit. This may not be news to the OP, but I don't know. So...

Salvation itself is spoken of in the past, the present, and the future. We have:
Rom 8:24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Rom 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

The best way to handle all three tenses of salvation is to consider that the past = justification (a point in time); the present = sanctification (a process); the future = glorification (a point in time).

Justification saved us from the penalty of sin; sanctification saves us from the power of sin; glorification will save us from the presence of sin.

 

[1stcenturylady]

I believe sanctification requires the repentance of our sin. It takes as long as it takes.

That is justification. In the modern day theory of sanctification you never get rid of sin all your life, which is anti-christ, so you need to be constantly repenting of willful sins. That is false.

Jesus was manifest to take away our sin, and in him there is no sin. When Jesus cleanses us from all our sin, it is so we won't sin again. He takes out the sin nature and replaces it with a born again spirit. We become new creatures. He gives you all the power and tools not to sin again. You will not be committing the "present and future sins" of the anti-christ theory of no power over sin.

 

[1stcenturylady]

Yes , autor of Hebrews rebukes the Christians for going back to consuming milk instead of moving on and consuming meat , because they were still arguing on basics rather than getting stronger in faith .

Yes, you understand.

 

[dreadnought]

That is justification. In the modern day theory of sanctification you never get rid of sin all your life, which is anti-christ, so you need to be constantly repenting of willful sins. That is false.

Jesus was manifest to take away our sin, and in him there is no sin. When Jesus cleanses us from all our sin, it is so we won't sin again. He takes out the sin nature and replaces it with a born again spirit. We become new creatures. He gives you all the power and tools not to sin again. You will not be committing the "present and future sins" of the anti-christ theory of no power over sin.

No, justification is when the Lord justifies us. Sanctification is the process of our repenting of our sin.

 

[1stcenturylady]

No, justification is when the Lord justifies us. Sanctification is the process of our repenting of our sin.

Sin you never get rid of? A life long process? That's where you believe a doctrine not based on scripture or truth, a doctrine of carnal man looking for and making excuses. But carnal man can be changed from sinner to saint. There is hope for the carnal man. He is called Jesus, who makes us born again.

1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin... 8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Roman 6 also shows the opposite of the false doctrine that even in Christ, you will never be free from sin in this lifetime. Romans 6:2 How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Not telling yourself this truth, and preferring the lie is sin. It is clearly written. First is the fact that we are dead to sin, but then comes something even harder, and that is getting it from fact into our minds and believe it:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

 

[dreadnought]

Sin you never get rid of? A life long process? That's where you believe a doctrine not based on scripture or truth, a doctrine of carnal man looking for and making excuses. But carnal man can be changed from sinner to saint. There is hope for the carnal man. He is called Jesus, who makes us born again.

1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin... 8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Roman 6 shows the opposite of the false doctrine you will never be free from sin. Not telling yourself this truth, and preferring the lie is sin. It is clearly written. First is the fact that we are dead to sin, but then comes something even harder, and that is getting it from fact into our minds and believe it:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

People have all these fancy words, "justification," "sanctify," etc. If we repent of our sin, we do well.

 

[1stcenturylady]

People have all these fancy words, "justification," "sanctify," etc. If we repent of our sin, we do well.

People? Don't you mean the Bible?

 

[dreadnought]

People? Don't you mean the Bible?

Don't make things more complicated than they need be. We repent and things go well.