skullkrusher
Member
Growth in grace and sanctification aren't the same thing. We certainly do grow in grace and knowledge of Christ and His truth but that isn't sanctification. That is growth in grace. The meaning of the word sanctify, sanctification in the Scriptures means primarily to be set apart as holy. It also means to be declared holy and to be made holy. Now there are not nor can be degrees to holiness or righteousness. You are either holy or you aren't. You are either righteous or you aren't. You can't become more holy or more righteous. It is an impossibility. To be almost holy is to be unholy. To be almost righteous is to be unrighteous. Now with that in mind we see that we were set apart as holy in eternal election, declared holy in justification and made holy in regeneration. That doesn't mean that I hold to any form of perfectionism but I recognize that believers are a people of 2 natures: flesh and spirit. Gal. 5:17 The flesh remains flesh and never gets better. When we are regenerated we become a new creature in Christ with a holy nature that cannot sin because we are His seed and it remains in us. 1John:3:9.
We seem to be talking past each other -- the issue is one of clarifying terms. I don't see any real issue with the use of the term sanctification in relation to growth in grace -- that is what it is, and is described as such in Scripture. It is a question of objective sanctification v. subjective sanctification. These are not my own terms, but are the terms that have been appied for many years by reformed theologians to address and define the different aspects of sanctification. My OP was regarding subjective sanctification, i.e., growth in grace. You really haven't addressed my original point.
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