Understanding justification and sanctification
1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
By Justification we are saved from the guilt of sin; by Sanctification we are saved from the power and root of sin.
When you are saved by grace through faith in Christ, the blood of Jesus is applied to your soul by the Spirit as an atonement for your sins. It cleanses you and takes away the guilt, consequences, penalty, and condemnation of sin. Then the Spirit of God which dwells in every true Christian begins to witness within you that you are now saved, that you are now a child of God, that your sins are forgiven, and that you are now under solemn obligation to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
But then, there is still a second work of grace to be done in you. Apostle John said, “I write unto you little children because ye have not yet overcome the wicked.” Also Apostle Peter writing by the holy Ghost admonishes babes in Christ to desire the sincere milk of the word of God which will make them grow in grace.
And as you diligently study the word of God, the Spirit of God will wrought sanctification in your heart, which will take away the power and the root of sin out of your life. That same Spirit of God brings God’s grace to our hearts to sustain and conserve the experience.
Sanctification purifies the spirit, and makes us partakers of his divine nature, and God write his laws in our hearts. Sanctification makes us totally consecrated and devoted to God in scriptural worship, and true holiness. No more can Satan and a sanctified soul be in agreement except by willful apostacy. Although sanctification gives us holiness of heart, absolute perfection belongs not to man, nor to angels, but to God.
You may therefore want to ask, is Sanctification a sinless state? I cannot tell, but what the scripture says, I can tel and it says, “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not, and he that is begotten of God keepeth himself.” Possessing his vessel in sanctification and honour, in that God hath not called us unto uncleaness, but unto holiness.
What do you have to do? You strive against sin. Running the race with godly fear, and purifying faith. Because every man that has this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure.
By the grace of God, I believe I have the Spirit of God. And as he has helped me to write this unto you, He is also asking you; Reader, since you said you are born again, has these wonderful graces been wrought in you? or are you still liable to religious rising and falling?
Let’s not deceive ourselves. The foundation of God standeth sure, and the Lord knoweth them that are his. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquty. Without holiness no man shall see Lord.
Also Read: My Secret Sin (Part 4)
Reagan Azoyenime is a born again Christian and an undergraduate student of Ambrose Ali University, Nigeria. He writes edifying Christian messages centred on salvation in Christ and holiness.
E-mail: razoyenime@gmail.com
