Our Absolute and
Progressive Sanctification
Can you imagine how chaotic the Christian life would be like if
we believed on Christ to save us, but we had to keep ourselves saved by our own sinless
life?
Because of false teachings most non-believers have the
misunderstanding that Christians are to be “perfect” once they believe on Christ
as their Savior. They are led to think that all Christians are hypocrites because they are
not “perfect” in their daily life and practice. The truth is Christians are
“saved sinners” who by the grace of God are striving to live a life that is
pleasing to their Savior. Our goal is perfection, but it will not be reached in this life.
We will be presented “complete,” “mature,” “perfect” before
our heavenly Father in heaven at the end of this life on earth. Only then will we
experience sinless perfection.
I thank God that the same grace that saved me, also keeps me saved.
Every blessing in the Christian life is ours in Christ for all
eternity from the moment we believed on Him. They are ours all because of the pure grace
of God. Yes, we have everything in Christ.
How tragic if we were to trust Christ for salvation, but had to trust
in ourselves for sanctification. We would have a religion that would teach that God only
forgives sin committed up to the time when we accept Christ as our savior, but after that
we would have a lifelong probation proving that we were saved, and would have to forfeit
our justification and reconciliation with God when we sinned. If we did not repent of
unknown sin in our lives we would forfeit our salvation. We would be in a constant need of
a “second blessing” or a further work of grace to keep us saved. We would have
to be saved over and over again. Our salvation would depend upon us rather than the
perfect, all-sufficient atoning death of Jesus Christ.
The problem with a legalistic philosophy of Christian living is one
of sinless perfection. There are no sinless Christians this side of heaven (1 John
1:8-2:1; Phil. 3:8-14).
We are totally dependent upon the grace of God for Christian living.
The same grace that eternally saved us the day we believed on Christ as our Savior enables
us to persevere in the Christian life for all eternity.
Everything we need to live in a manner pleasing to God is found in
the perfect provision Christ has already made for us. We are eternally linked to Christ as
the Head, the Vine, and the Life. There are no bounds, no limits to the enabling presence
of Christ to the believer. The believer has everything in Christ. Therefore, the more we
are occupied with Christ the more power we have for practical everyday deliverance from
the power of sin and temptation.
The more I am occupied with Christ the more I know by experience the
love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit.
Occupation with Christ in the power of the presence of the Holy
Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness in our life, devotion to the Lord and love for
His Word.
God has not promised what He cannot produce in the believer’s
daily life.
Sanctification in the Christian’s life is both absolute
and progressive.
We have been set apart to God and are perfected forever in His sight
by the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We are accepted in the Beloved
and eternally linked to Him.
All Christians are separated to God in Christ. With such a
relationship with Him comes an awesome accountability to live responsibly. God has
sanctified, set apart the Christian. He has reserved us for His holy purpose. Our
sanctification is also a progressive work of divine grace upon the soul that is justified
by faith in Jesus Christ.
By progressive sanctification we mean the Christian believer is
gradually cleansed from the corruption of his nature, and is at length presented
“faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”
Sanctification in the Christian’s life is an act of God’s
pure grace. Holiness and sanctification are equivalent terms in the Bible.
Hebrews 10:14 reads, “For by one offering He has perfected for
all time those who are sanctified.” The Christian has been declared to be perfected
forever. The sanctified believer is forever perfected, and therefore can never lost his
sanctification.
Moreover, even those who have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit are
exhorted to be holy (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 12:14; Phil. 3:13-16; John 17:19). “Be holy;
for I am holy” (1 Pet, 1:1, 2, 15, 16). We, who have been sanctified by the blood of
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, are exhorted to be holy. God expects us to live holy
lives, but that does not imply that we have already arrived in our daily practice.
Therefore, we are to be progressively sanctified through the Word of God.
The Bible does not teach that our old nature is eradicated. We will
never be sinlessly perfect in this life, but we are nevertheless separated to God in
Christ Jesus and therefore sanctified. It is from this work of grace that we have the
resources to live a life pleasing unto the Lord today.
From this position of separation unto God we live our daily life
seeking to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Christ. It is this divine life
within us that enables us to live Christ everyday.
The one perfect cleansing sacrifice of Christ at Calvary sets us
absolutely apart in God’s sight forever.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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