Sanctification message of the New Covenant

by | Posted April 29th at 5:02pm

glen001-sm By Glen R. Jackman

“To those who are elect…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (2 Peter 1:1-2)

What do the theological terms justification and sanctification mean? Justification means our declared righteousness before God, made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection for us. Sanctification means our gradual, growing in righteousness, made possible by the Spirit’s work in us. The Apostle Paul taught that our righteousness continues as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He leads us in life:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”. (Romans 8: 1-4 ESV)

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Clearly continued walking with Christ led daily in the Spirit is the only way to be distinctly separated from and saved from the corruptions of the world and the flesh and enter into the process of becoming holy, recognizing that we have inherited eternal life, demonstrated firstly in our lifestyle here and now:

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ”. (Romans 8: 6-9 NIV)

The either/or choice is clear We need to allow Grace  to reign in our life, not sin. Paul has formed a clear message: “just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Romans 5:21) John impresses us with the importance of knowing the source of Life personally. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. (John 14:6) Salvation is only experienced in our lives while we remain in Christ and live our life through Him led by the Holy Spirt in a born again experience.

In the parable of the vine, Jesus makes this clear as He teaches the dependency of union to our life link just as the vine is necessary for the life of the branches: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NAS) A Christian life is unrealistic if not submitted entirely to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

God has numerous legal and judicial terms regarding the potential of falling into apostasy and into judicial scrutiny in the New Testament as taught by the Apostles. He has revealed throughout the entire Word, that He sees everything that resides in our heart. He often calls us in scripture to listen, repent, return to Himself, be born again, and submit to the Holy Spirit and be reformed unto personal spiritual obedience in godliness (some call it victory over temptation with the Holy Spirit of Christ leading in our lives). We see this with regard to Christ’s call to the Laodecian Church in the Book of Revelation to which many Christians can identify:

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches”. (Revelation 3: 15-22)

Many scriptures advocate the necessity of forming a disciplined approach to responsible sanctification only achievable by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are cautioned of the need to be one with God while one with Christ (read John 17).

I believe the entire Word is sufficient to lead us to eternity via the Spirit actualizing the Word in our submitted obedient lives. This is the sanctification teaching of Christ in the New Covenant.

If we walk in the Light we are safe and we can enjoy Peace and Life now even in this world: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

Holiness is a lifelong journey of letting God lead instead of Satan

Aiming at holiness and living a sanctified life is a process that we are to persevere towards as Paul notes: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 12-14)