Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | 1 Corinthians 1:2 ¶ To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 1:2 ¶ To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (set apart, made holy) in Christ Jesus, who are selected and called as saints (God's people), together with all those who in every place call on and honor the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: |
Bible Question:
biblicalman I would not use 2Thes 2:13 to indicate that the sanctification process starts before we become Christians. Is there any reason to indicate that the "from the beginning" is referring to anything other than God's choosing of us (predestinating us from before the foundation of the world) unto salvation? The process of sanctification of the Spirit doing the work in us starts from the time we believe the truth. In what sense would you say we are sanctified before we believe? Yes, I appreciate that, in the eternal mind of God, we always were His but that speaks more of justification than sanctification, which (if the word means anything distinctive) is a subsequent process. |
Bible Answer: Well of course you may use 2 Thessalonians 2.13 as you like. That is your privilege. But the point is that 'sanctification of the Spirit' comes before 'belief in the truth'. Thus it would appear to be prior. Had Paul meant what you say he would have put sanctification of the Spirit after belief of the truth. Incidentally are you denying that the Spirit works in men to bring them to Christ? How then do they come to Him? They come to Him through the work that He does in their lives by His Spirit. What is that if it is not 'sanctifying', separating out in order to make holy. Would you say that children could be sanctified at birth? Or that an unbelieving man could be sanctified? (Although not by the Spirit). Paul does. (1 Corinthians 7.14). The term has a variety of meanings to be determined in context. I really do not mind how you take 'from the beginning'. But what does happen 'from the beginning'? Certainly not belief of the truth. It is God's choice that is from the beginning and that results in His commencing His sanctifying work on those chosen in order to bring them to belief of the truth. Why should what is in the eternal mind of God be described only as justification? Do you not think that He had in His mind the making of us holy as well as the declaring of us as righteous? I fail to see why the fact that being made holy is distinct from being declared righteous means that it has to be a 'subsequent process' (if we can speak of subsequent when speaking of non-time) as opposed to justification. Clearly both are the result of a subsequent processs by which God brings men to Himself. And I have in fact already previously indicated that Scripture teaches that sanctification is both a status and a process. I notice you do not mention 1 Peter 1.2. There also we have God's election, then sanctification of the Spirit, and this leads to (is 'unto') the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood'. Now whether the obedience of Jesus Christ is His obedience put to our account, or is our subsequent obedience through Jesus Christ, makes no difference to the fact that it is subsequent to sanctification of the Spirit. And more importantly from the point of view of the question, the 'sprinkling of the blood of Jesus' which takes place at conversion is also subsequent to sanctification of the Spirit. Thus salvation follows sanctification of the Spirit in this case. Need I say more? Best wishes |