Sanctification and the Christian Life Millard J Ericksons

Sanctification and the Christian Life

Millard J. Erickson’s book, Introducing Christian Doctrine, defines sanctification as: “The continuing work of God in the life of the believer, making him or her actually holy. ” (Erickson, 325) It’s not a one-stop shop when it comes to holiness. We don’t just say, “God make me holy, ” and then it’s done forever, as some Christians pretend.

Salvation comes quickly, and we are set apart and considered regenerated, blameless before God and recipients of eternal life. There is that moment of being made Holy (Positional Sanctification) and set apart, but there is also a continuing deeper reality to it. A. B. Simpson, in his book The Fourfold Gospel, describes it this way: “Many Christians are converted and stop there. They do not go on to the fullness of their life in Christ, and so are in danger of losing what they already possess. ” (Simpson, 26)

Paul talks about this deeper work of Sanctification in Hebrews 10: 12: But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Paul says, “Those who are being made holy, ” (Progressive Sanctification) meaning that sanctification is a perpetual event in the life of the believer. We are made perfect by the sacrifice of Christ, but we are forever being made holy by the Spirit.

A. B. Simpson puts emphasis on the “being set apart” feature in his book, Wholly Sanctified, saying: “The aim and motive must be separated from all that is not for His glory; the source of its pleasure must be purified and the spirit separated from all joy that is not in harmony with the joy of the Lord. ” Simpson then goes on to ask the reader, “Is your spirit separated, cleansed and detached from everything that could defile or distract you from the will of God and life of holiness? ” (Simpson, 28. )

He asks a tough and searching question. Are we allowing this separation that God so desires to work in us? This shows that we have a part to play in sanctification; God again gives His creation the freedom of choice. We can choose sanctification or not, which is an act of love by our Father. This process is known as Progressive Sanctification Jesus is not just our Savior, but KING of ALL

We can choose to remain as we are, using salvation merely as “fire insurance” instead of allowing God to completely transform us. Too often, many Christians live this way and don’t embrace the reality of the Spirit’s work within them. Jesus sent the Spirit so we can be made holy, so we can become better people—yet too often we neglect this deeper working. We choose rather to attempt to make ourselves better, and each time find ourselves lacking the ability to do so; there needs to be a deep dependence on His ability to make us better. Then and only then can we truly be the better us we were meant to be.

“Jesus, while on earth, was fully God and fully man. Here He lived out a dependent relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus succumbed to the limitations of humanity in order to show us how to live a life of Holiness—surrendered to the Spirit. He could’ve lived this life without this dependence, but He chose to live this way in order to prove that we, the human race, can in fact lives of holiness. We can become better, more human even, if we succumb to a life of dependence on the Holy Spirit. ” Excerpt From: Marv Nelson. “What Good is Jesus? . ”

A. B. Simpson said in his book Wholly Sanctified: “In the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have God’s fullness. He has given us the very same Spirit that dwelt in Him. . Peter says in connection with the gift of Pentecost that Christ “has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear” (Acts 2: 33 b). (Simpson, pg. 28) It is by the death and resurrection of Christ, but it is through His Holy Spirit that we receive the sanctification promised.

Francis Chan once said in his book Forgotten God “…in their own strength and only accomplish human-size results. . . But when believers live in the power of the Spirit, the evidence in their lives is supernatural. ” pg. 17 “Everything that men do in their own abilities is done for time alone: only what is done through the Eternal Spirit will abide eternally!” A. W. Tozer

“Walking by the Spirit is a twenty-four-hour-a-day, sevenday-a-week lifestyle. It’s not about going to church on Sundays. It requires much prayer and sensitivity. ” Jim Cymbala Walking by the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit is: seeking His guidance on where to Go, asking His help to be holy, and surrendering to His will and letting go of our own.

If the Holy Spirit dwells within you, and you are walking with Him, a number of things should be a part of your life. I am going to explore several, but don’t allow yourself just to read through these items like a grocery-store list. I have benefited so much from taking each of these promises literally, meditating on them, and asking for them. They are bullet pointed • The Spirit BRINGS sanctification (1 Peter 1: 2) • The Spirit helps us speak when we are in precarious situations and need to bear witness (Mark 13: 11; Luke 12: 12).

• The Counselor teaches and reminds us of what we need to know and remember. He is our comforter, our advisor, our encourager, and our strength. He guides us in the way we should go (Ps. 143: 10; John 14– 16; Acts 9: 31; 13: 2; 15: 28; 1 Cor. 2: 9– 10; 1 John 5: 6– 8). • From the Spirit we receive power to be God’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. It is the Spirit who draws people to the gospel, the Spirit who equips us with the strength we need to accomplish God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit not only initially draws people to God, He also draws believers closer to Jesus (Acts 1: 8; Rom. 8: 26; Eph. 3: 16– 19).

• By the power of the Spirit we put to death the misdeeds of the body. The Spirit sets us free from the sins we cannot get rid of on our own. (e. g. , Rom. 8: 2). • Through the Spirit we have received a spirit of adoption as children, which leads us into intimacy with the Father, instead of a relationship based on fear and slavery. The Spirit bears witness to us that we are His children (Rom. 8: 15– 16). • The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin. (Omission and Commission) (John 16: 7– 11; 1 Thess. 1: 5). • The Spirit brings hope (Rom. 8: 10– 11; 2 Cor. 3: 17).

• By the power of the Holy Spirit we abound with hope because our God is a God of hope, who fills His children with all joy and peace (Rom. 15: 13). • As members of God’s kingdom community, each of us is given a manifestation of the Spirit in our lives for the purpose of the common good. We all have something to offer because of what the Spirit gives to us (1 Cor. 12: 7). • The fruit of being led by the Spirit of God includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attitudes and actions will characterize our lives as we allow ourselves to be grown and molded by the Spirit. The Spirit is our sanctifier (2 Cor. 3: 18; Gal. 5: 22– 23).

WHAT THEN IS THE PROCESS? 1. Recognition of our inability to remain, or continue to be Holy 2. Seek to rid ourselves of the hindrances in our lives to holiness (with His help) 3. Submit to Jesus as King of ALL not just as fire insurance and desire obedience for His glory 4. Give the Spirit access to empower you