Sanctification - digging deeper

12 - SANCTIFICATION - DIGGING DEEPER

We considered sanctification as a life-long process in chapter 10. Now we turn to two further aspects of sanctification.

Sanctification can be spoken of as a standing or a status. For example, in 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul addresses the Christians at Corinth as those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, calledsaints. Now as far as progress in sanctification was concerned, these Christians had a very long way to go - they were among the most carnal Christians that we meet in the New Testament, and yet Paul calls them sanctified, and saints. The words sanctify (the verb) and saints' (the noun) mean set apart or holy. They contain the idea of both position and condition. We are given a standing as God's children in His family, as holy, but we are also in the process of becoming holy, to become like the Lord Jesus Himself. We are called saints (meaning holy), but we also are becoming saints by increasing in holiness. Our standing is becoming a reality in our walk.

This aspect of sanctification is closely linked with our standing in grace in justification. When thinking about justification, we stand acquitted and righteous in relation to God's holy law. When thinking about sanctification, we have a standing or status now as His children belonging to God. To the same Corinthians Paul writes,

you were washed ... sanctified ... justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Because God already sees what we shall be one day, He regards us as holy, as His children, now, while the work of making us holy goes on.

So sanctification may also be viewed as a daily walk and a present experience - "walking in the newness of life and being always filled with the Spirit. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of confusion in connection with sanctification as a life-long process, so we must look into this carefully.

Let us try to illustrate the problem by contrasting two extreme positions.

Some people insist that sanctification is only, or very largely, a life-long process. As a result, their Christian life tends to be an uphill struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil, a struggle to be more holy, to be more like Christ. Those holding this view tend to have little joy and often lack assurance of salvation. There is no light in their eyes, and the glorious note of certainty and victory is missing from their lives. They seem to be motivated largely by duty, and to be under law". In fact, one is bound to wonder whether they are truly born-again.

Then, at the other extreme, there are those who claim that we can reach full sanctification through a crisis experience of the Spirit, a kind of baptism into holiness and spiritual fulness. These people think we can have everything now, in a moment, and that, having had such an experience, they have already reached the destination. Teaching of this kind appears in many forms, and often amounts to an offer of sinless perfection. It is a dangerous delusion.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Again, one is bound to wonder whether such people are truly born-again, because one of the results of new birth is actually a growing awareness of one's own sinfulness.

These two extreme positions show something of the problem, the confusion, and the tension, even among genuine Christians, over this matter of sanctification and what is, or should be, the daily Christian experience.

Well, what does the Bible say? On the one hand the verses we have quoted above and listed below show that the normal Christian life is one of vitality, vigor, joy, peace, boldness, and victory. This is what characterized the early Christians and this is what we find in the New Testament. Such Scriptures rule out the uphill struggle version of Christianity.

On the other hand, we also read of

manifold trials ... despairing of life ... being pressed, perplexed, pursued, and smitten down ... the fellowship of His sufferings ...",

We also read of the Lord's discipline that we may be partakers of His holiness. So the superficial triumphalist and largely emotional version of Christianity is also ruled out. A joyful spirit of praise is not the same as emotional excitement, and true Christian assurance is wedded to humility.

There is, of course, an element of truth in both views. There is much that we can and should enter into and enjoy here and now, but there is also much into which we can only gradually enter. In sanctification there is both crisis and gradual progress, and an infinite variety of experiences, all designed by the Father to achieve His plan in and through each one of us.

In the true Christian life, crisis and growth, joy and discipline, suffering and glory, are all found together.

In summary then, any presentation of the Christian life which does not include the following three aspects will be a misrepresentation of the truth, and will almost inevitably lead to spiritual loss, deception, depression, or disillusionment:

Our normal daily experience should be knowing, in increasing measure, the sufficiency of Christ in joy and peace through His victory, transcending sin, self and circumstances. It is not normal for a Christian to be struggling, defeated and depressed. The Lord said, My grace is sufficient for you."

This daily life experience is usually lived against a background of trial, pressure, perplexity, and discipline. The deep process of sanctification makes this essential. There are no short-cuts to true spiritual progress. Instant Christianity is false Christianity. Superficial, emotional Christianity, with its emphasis on experiences, dislikes this aspect of sanctification and wants to escape it, but it does so at its own peril. The truth will be revealed - if our foundations are unsound, we shall eventually be found out.

Most of the time, this experience will go hand in hand with the first as we abide in Him.

Sometimes the Lord will take us through a dark period, when the sun will be withdrawn, the spiritual weather will be grey and overcast, when He will seem to have withdrawn from us. At such times we shall be shut up to living by faith alone. Our experience of Him, and our joy, will have gone. But His purpose in this will be that we should come to know Him in a deeper way. It will be necessary for our spiritual progress. While we always prefer the sunshine, clouds are essential - no clouds, no rain - no rain, no fruit. But, of course, these experiences of darkness do not last. Should such an experience persist, we should seek the Lord about it, in fellowship with others, to ensure that there is not something else that is happening.

The true Christian life is one of balance. Many of our problems are accounted for by our difficulty in achieving the right Scriptural balance between:

sanctification as a life-long process and as a daily walk,

doctrine and experience,

divine initiative and human response,

standing on our own feet in the Lord and moving in fellowship with others.