What I believe about sanctification.
I went back to my study on 2 Peter 1 and reviewed the NASB 1995 and KJV versions of the scripture, since those are the 2 I typically study.
2 Peter 1:5–8 (NASB95):
Now for this very reason also, applying (KJV says “adding to” below) all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5–11 (KJV 1900): And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
If you are 100% entirely sanctified, then you are in heaven and it means that you have lived a life in cooperation with God.
Jesus saves us, Jesus forgives us, Jesus justifies us completely when we accept Him and Jesus sanctifies us. Christ did it all on the cross and there is nothing we can add to that by our works, but sanctification starts when we accept Jesus. It is a growth process and a life of us cooperating with with God. Our sanctification is 100% guaranteed when we truly accept Jesus. We are fully justified and saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Justification is a one-time event and sanctification is a continual growth process from the moment we accept Christ until the day we see His face in heaven, but not until then. When Jesus died on the cross, He justified us and made us righteous and Holy in the eye’s of God. Even though we are positionally righteous, we are practically, not perfectly, righteous. Sanctification is a growing process of becoming practically what we are positionally (righteous).
Once we are saved…..we continue to work out our faith and salvation. Faith without works is dead. It takes work and our "good works" are the fruits that are produced, because of our changing hearts. Yes, our work is most definitely that of a dirty rag and there are no works that we can or will ever do to get us into heaven, that is for certain. I do not believe whatsoever in any works based salvation doctrine. That said, working out our faith and growing are what we are to do nonetheless. The process of sanctification work is 100% completely under the direction, guidance and conviction of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. We can’t do it on our own , it’s impossible without the Holy Spirit. He guides us to become sanctified, it is Him, not us.
2 peter 1:10 says to be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble. That isn’t saying, do works to be certain you’re going to heaven, because Jesus’s death and shedding of His blood on the cross took care of that forever and always if we truly accept Him. But, I believe it is saying that it is still very important to continue to grow and become more sanctified until the day we go home and become entirely sanctified. I believe strongly that is impossible to have entire sanctification before we get to heaven. So what do we do, we work out our salvation, grow and become more and more sanctified. I have heard people say that they remember the day they became sanctified and stopped sinning and I completely disagree with that belief. No, you are not entirely sanctified and you are still a sinner. You won’t be entirely sanctified until you die and you will also be a sinner until you die……..I personally, like Paul, feel like I am the chief sinner, even though I am saved and becoming more sanctified. I am growing in area’s that I had zero growth in 1,2,3, 5 years ago.
It is impossible to be a true Christian and not want to grow, become closer to Jesus and become more sanctified, even if we have been made Holy and Justified in the eye’s of the Father.. Just as a mustard seed starts out tiny and becomes the largest bush in the garden, it’s all about growth. Sanctification is also being devoted to do what God wants us to do. That is sanctification in practice.
When we become sanctified, we cooperate with God with a greater desire, devotion and passion. The Holy Spirit will work through us in a divine manner.
Hebrews 2:11 says, He who sanctifies and he who is being sanctified are all of one. For which reason, He is not afraid to call them brethren.
God is doing the sanctifying and we are being sanctified throughout our life and the reason that happens is because we are one. He has positionally sanctified us.
Hebrews 10:14 says, By that one offering He has perfected forever, those who are being sanctified.
We, as believers; are being sanctified, have been sanctified and shall be sanctified. It's an ongoing process that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit and will not end until we are face to face with Jesus.
How is this primarily accomplished......get more of the Word and develop a close and intimate relationship with Jesus. If we are going to cooperate with God, then we need a greater understanding of God's will for us. We have to apply ourselves to the changing process, we have to show up for the game of life and play to our best ability and let the Holy Spirit take over.
2 Peter 1:8 says, For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe I am justified and made holy in the eye’s of God, not by anything I have done or will ever do, but by the crucifiction, shed blood, death of Jesus on the cross. I believe I am becoming more sanctified, but I am also guaranteed entire sanctification when I see Jesus,
I, nor anyone else, will ever be sanctified while living this earthly life.
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