Personal View of Sanctification
By Wesley C. McCarter
When
approaching the doctrine of sanctification (that is, the process of becoming holy) one must first consider putting on
paper a clear and concise definition of sin.
Another major task that must first be contemplated is the subject of
justification, specifically what justification incorporates. Every Christian is a theologian in his/her own
right, and holds deep convictions on these two subjects based on knowledge of
Scripture and even from experience. The
chief authority for the content of this paper will be the Christian Scriptures. Experience may be referenced, but only as a
complement to the biblical passages on these subjects. These two questions will first be discussed,
and then three phases of sanctification will be outlined. The three parts are positional
sanctification, experiential sanctification, and eschatological
sanctification. As these three phases
already begin to demonstrate, the Christian’s sanctification is a process.
First, what
we believe to be sin must be clearly defined.
Sin is literally missing the mark.
In this context, it is missing God’s mark with which we are
concerned. It is falling short of the
glory of God (Rom 3:23) by rebellion, selfishness, and unbelief. Sin is the transgressing of boundaries
declared in divine revelation. It
immediately builds a barrier in the relationship between man and God. Its end is death (Rom 6:23), both spiritually
and physically. The Bible, and
especially the New Testament, is clear that all have sinned, all are under sin,
all are slaves to sin, and all will collect the wages of sin (death) apart from
Christ. There is a sin nature that all
have inherited as descendents of the first Adam (Eph 2:1-3; Rom 5:19). Christ is put forward as God’s one and only
answer for the problem of sin.
Second,
justification is that initial declaration of God that a man is forgiven in his
sight. It occurs when someone puts their
faith in Christ (Rom 3:26; 5:1; Gal 3:24).
What is included in the initial faith experience that is called
justification? It can be argued that
Christians are not made completely holy at that time, but are considered holy
in the sight of God. Christians are
called what they are not; just, righteous, holy, blameless, and above
reproach. This is not the case in the
eyes of the world, but only in the eyes of God.
The sovereign God of the universe calls those things which do not exist
as if they did (Rom 4:17b). Though
believers are far from holy, they are called and considered holy by God. Justification is the legal declaration of God
that believers are righteous. It was the
knowledge of this doctrine that propelled the Protestant Reformation, and the
reformers declared that Christians are justified by faith alone.
Now we may
turn our attention to the parts of sanctification. We will begin with positional sanctification
which occurs immediately after justification.
This part may actually be deemed part of an initial faith package along
with justification. This is the time
when the believer really gets started with sanctification. The question may be asked, does this not mean
that justification and positional sanctification are the same thing? No, there is a difference. The declaration of justification must come
first. Then immediately the Christian is
positionally sanctified by his union with Christ. Ideally, one will hear the Gospel (Rom 10:14,
17), repent of his sin (Matt 3:2; Acts 2:38; 3:19), put his faith in Christ
(Mark 1:14; Rom 1:16-17), be declared just in God’s sight (Rom 3:26; 5:1; Gal
3:24), and be immersed (Acts 2:38; Rom 6:4; Gal 3:27). Why would immersion be the ideal point of
positional sanctification? Immersion is
that point in the believer’s life when he has a definite break with the old man
and becomes new. It is a definite break
with sin and the beginning of a new life with Christ. The New Testament is clear that of all the
events of a believer’s life, baptism is the time when they put on Christ, and
are absolutely associated with him.
There is no more wonderful phrase in the New Testament than the concise
statement that the believer is “in Christ.”
This phrase and picture of positional sanctification are found
throughout the epistles, but three specific references are outstanding, Rom
8:1-2, Eph 1:3-14, and Col 1:21-23. Each
passage makes great statements about the initial position of the believer after
justification. Christians are told that
the position that they occupy is free from condemnation. They have been freed from the law of sin and
death. Christians have been blessed with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places precisely because of their
position in Christ. They are now holy,
without blame, and above reproach in the sight of God if they continue in the
faith, that is, if they continue to occupy their place in Christ by faith. Believers are in the first place given a
position in Christ of redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sins.
Next we can
consider experiential sanctification.
This phrase has also been called progressive sanctification. This is the part where the Christian is
actually made into the image of Christ.
It is one thing to be united with Christ; it is another to actually be
made into his image. It is one thing to
be called holy; it is another to actually be made holy. Experiential sanctification begins to match
the believer’s life with his position.
If we are to name one goal of sanctification in this life, then it is
Christian maturity which produces fruit (combining the two seems to be
appropriate). Christians are urged
throughout Scripture to be mature and produce fruit (John 15:1-18; Rom 6:22;
Rom 7:4; Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:8-10).
Experiential sanctification may be viewed as a column. The bottom is apostasy and the top is
Christian maturity. The farther up the
column a Christian is taken by the cooperation of the Holy Spirit and the human
spirit, the farther one separates himself from the things of this world. A Christian who progresses in sanctification
can never relapse into apostasy, if he continues in that progression. There is a regression that can take place if
one does not continue to progress in the faith, that is, if they do not
continue to be sanctified (1 Thess 5:19; Eph 4:30; Heb 6:1-6). A Christian may mature (be sanctified) to the
point that it may be nearly impossible for him to turn away from the faith. It is difficult to measure someone’s sanctification,
thus we should be careful to say that someone may reach a level of maturity
where they are untouchable by sin and this present wicked age. The primary means by which a believer may
progress in the area of experiential sanctification in this life is through the
word of God. The Christian must immerse
himself into the Scriptures in order to grow in the grace and knowledge of
Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself
prayed to the Father in John 17:17-19, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have
sent them into the world. And for their
sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
Lastly, we
may contemplate our eschatological sanctification. Whereas most perspectives title the end phase
of sanctification something like entire sanctification, we may call this last
phase eschatological because entire sanctification is only attainable in the
glorified state. This will come about
when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth. Therefore, complete sanctification is not
attainable for the Christian in this life, but only in the eschaton, the time
of ultimate glorification. This is where
many denominations differ in opinion.
Some claim that there is a second work of grace that provides for the
sanctification process to be completed in this life. Those perspectives become very ambiguous as
they claim that Christians may still sin, but there is no deliberate
transgression of God’s know will. The
truth of the matter is that Christians do continue to have the ability to sin,
are frequently tempted by sinful desires, and often fall short of the glory of
God. The New Testament shows, by the
accomplishments of Christ, how Satan is defeated, but not completely; how
Christians are saved, but not yet; and how we are sanctified, but not
entirely. Entire sanctification is an
eschatological sanctification. It will
be given to us when Christ returns. We
will be changed and glorified at the end of the age (1 Cor 15:35-57).