Concerning salvation, justification is made right, sanctification is being made right, and glorification is, will be made right. The first is judicial, removing the penalty of sin; the second is progressive, removing the power of sin; and third is completion, removing the presence of sin.
Sanctification is less exciting and joy-inducing than justification and glorification, but I think that may be because we still think on some level that we have to do it. Truth be told, we cannot.
Sanctification is a gift from God like all other parts of salvation. Hear what Paul says about about three parts of sanctification in our lives: “in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:21-24) The three parts of sanctification in these verses are “lay aside”, “be renewed”, and “put on”.
Now you may say, these are things we do, not things God has gifted to us. Hear Paul again: “Consider yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) You don’t make yourself alive to God, you consider that what God has done is true. You are, no doubt, active in the process, but the Spirit within you enables you. How can you “lay aside the old self”? Romans 8:2-17 shows the way by explaining how one walks according to the Spirit. He is the one empowers and enables. This walking in the Spirit is the route to being renewed and putting on the new self. We consider to be true what God has said He has done and we act on it. This is the walk of faith.
Question 39: What is sanctification?
Answer: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace by which we are renewed in the whole person after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Ephesians 4:23, 24; Romans 6:11.
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