Bible Question: Can someone explain sanctifacation |
Bible Answer: The following is what has been revealed to me through my study of the Scriptures, my experience, and the writings of other saints: Sanctification is a process in which we (believers) are freed from the POWER of sin. The Bible says, in 2 Thess 2:13: "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth." According to Scripture there are three "tenses" of salvation. 2 Cor 1:9-10 says: ...trust in... God...who DELIVERED us from so great a peril of death, and WILL DELIVER us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He WILL YET DELIVER us..." That is to say, "I AM saved, I AM BEING saved, and I WILL BE saved." Sanctification is the "I AM BEING saved" part of the salvation process. When we are saved, we are saved from the PENALTY of sin and are positionally righteous in the sight of God. Romans 5:8-10 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." The Bible says in 2 Peter 1:4: "...He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." Hence, our salvation will not be completed (i.e., we will not be saved from the PRESENCE of sin) until we have been perfected and our bodies glorified, which won't happen until the Lord's return. Hope this wasn't too confusing. |