What?
I don't mean to be cryptic in my titles, but those are the questions that are coming to me as I start on this writing journey.
"What" is the question as to sanctification and what it really means. Sanctification is my dad's favorite word. I heard him teach his 5th grade girls Sunday School class yesterday and he must have said 4 or 5 times that it was his favorite. I know that is because he is working on it, too. He loves the learning he is doing and he really likes being able to share that with others. Maybe I will convince him to let me blog his thoughts. *scratching my head* Hmmmm.........maybe.
According to Webster, Sanctification is: the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion.
According to the Dallas Theological Seminary's Doctrinal statement: We believe that sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Christ’s position. Since the believer is in Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God. We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to “grow in grace,” and to “be changed” by the unhindered power of the Spirit. We believe also that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him” (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:24; 5:25–27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:10).
Those verses are good at explaining what sanctification is and where it comes from, now I need to dig deeper to see how to go about it. I see in 2 Corinthians 3:18 "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit," that this is a gradual change. Not something you can do in a day and something you will never be able to fully achieve in this lifetime. How merciful is He that he doesn't give us all now. I know that seems odd, but if we could be like him here, think of the heartache we would have. We would see clearly those around us who don't believe and never will. Too much pain for me. Thank you, Lord, for the little-by little you provide as I study you.
See, that is another important point. If I dont' read His word and study him, I won't grow either. It is like having a plant and never watering it. It will die. It will still be a plant, just a dead one.
Lord, make me seek you and learn more about you as I progress on this journey to more sanctification.
"What" is the question as to sanctification and what it really means. Sanctification is my dad's favorite word. I heard him teach his 5th grade girls Sunday School class yesterday and he must have said 4 or 5 times that it was his favorite. I know that is because he is working on it, too. He loves the learning he is doing and he really likes being able to share that with others. Maybe I will convince him to let me blog his thoughts. *scratching my head* Hmmmm.........maybe.
According to Webster, Sanctification is: the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion.
According to the Dallas Theological Seminary's Doctrinal statement: We believe that sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Christ’s position. Since the believer is in Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God. We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to “grow in grace,” and to “be changed” by the unhindered power of the Spirit. We believe also that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him” (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:24; 5:25–27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:10).
Those verses are good at explaining what sanctification is and where it comes from, now I need to dig deeper to see how to go about it. I see in 2 Corinthians 3:18 "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit," that this is a gradual change. Not something you can do in a day and something you will never be able to fully achieve in this lifetime. How merciful is He that he doesn't give us all now. I know that seems odd, but if we could be like him here, think of the heartache we would have. We would see clearly those around us who don't believe and never will. Too much pain for me. Thank you, Lord, for the little-by little you provide as I study you.
See, that is another important point. If I dont' read His word and study him, I won't grow either. It is like having a plant and never watering it. It will die. It will still be a plant, just a dead one.
Lord, make me seek you and learn more about you as I progress on this journey to more sanctification.
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