HOW ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD SANCTIFIED?

Sanctification is an essential part of salvation. Like election, redemption, justification, and regeneration, sanctification is the work of God's free and sovereign grace alone. Sanctification is not something we do for ourselves. It is something God does for us and in us by his grace. Anyone who recognizes that sanctification is an essential aspect of salvation, without which no one can be saved, must surely see that sanctification is altogether the work of grace. Otherwise, he will be forced to say that salvation is, at least in part, the result of human works! Such blasphemy we cannot endure. Our sanctification is three fold.

First, ALL BELIEVERS WERE SANCTIFIED BY GOD THE FATHER IN ETERNAL ELECTION, BEING SET APART FOR GOD AND SEPARATED UNTO HIM BY HIS SOVEREIGN DECREE BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN (Jude l). We were secretly set apart for God in his eternal decree of election. We were legally, judicially set apart for God by the purchase of Christ's blood at Calvary. And we have been manifestly, visibly set apart unto the Lord by the effectual call of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. The doctrine of Scripture is too clear to be disputed by any who reverence the Word of God. Every believer has been eternally sanctified, completely set apart for God forever. And that which God has set apart for himself he will have. The practical force of the doctrine is just this: That which is set apart for God ought never to be used for common purposes again (I Cor. 6:20). We belong to God. Let us therefore serve him in all things (Rom. 12:1-2). We belong to God. We have no reason to fear. God will protect that which he has sanctified for himself.

Secondly, ALL OF GOD'S ELECT WERE PERFECTLY SANCTIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHEN HE ACCOMPLISHED ETERNAL REDEMPTION FOR US (Heb. 10:10, 14). Christ is our Sanctification (I Cor. 1:30). We who believe are "sanctified in Christ Jesus" (I Cor. 1:2). In Jesus Christ all believers are sanctified. We are regarded by God as being holy, declared to be holy, and treated as though we are personally holy, because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us. I do not believe in "Imputed Sanctification". But I do believe in IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, by which believers are both justified and sanctified in Christ. The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ has been imputed to us. And by the imputation of Christ's righteousness we who believe are both justified from all things and declared to be holy, sanctified, in the sight of God: "With His spotless garments on, Holy as the Holy One!" It is this holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ which we must have, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

Thirdly, GOD'S ELECT ARE ACTUALLY MADE HOLY BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN REGENERATION. Through the instrumentality of gospel preaching the Holy Spirit effectually applies the blood of Christ to the hearts of God's elect, purifying our hearts and implanting a new, holy nature within us. This is regeneration. This is our sanctification by the Spirit (II Thess. 2: 13-14; II Pet. l:4; I John 3:9; 5:18). Every believer is a man with two natures: one that is holy and seeks after righteousness, and one that is corrupt and seeks after sin. These two natures are not equal in power. The divine nature rules and reigns; but the evil nature will not bow and will not serve. So long as we live in this world we must continue to live with this old, sinful nature. It is flesh; and it will never be anything but flesh. Yet, there is a new man created in us by the Spirit of God, in the image of Christ. It is a holy nature that cannot sin. The old man sins. He can do nothing else. But the new man cannot sin. He can only do that which is righteous (Rom. 7: 20). The old man will never cease to be evil. Sin will not be gradually eradicated. So long as we live we will have to beat down the sinful passion of the flesh. But a better day is coming! Soon this old man of flesh and sin must die. Then we shall be free! Sin shall be eradicated from us when we are eradicated from this body of flesh, but not until then. Then, at the last day, Christ will come. He will raise these bodies from their graves and change corruptible flesh into incorruptible flesh, in eternal glorification.