For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ~ Romans 8:13
The last topic addressed the believer’s union with Christ. An aspect of one’s union with Christ concerns sanctification. One way to break down the sanctification process is by studying what theologians call its “tenses;” in other words, past-tense sanctification, present-tense sanctification, and future-tense sanctification. Therefore, one can say that salvation for the believer is past (Eph. 2:8; 2 Tim. 1:8,9), present (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:5), and future tense (Rom. 5:9,10; Heb. 9:28). In other words, one has been saved, one is being saved, and someday one shall fully be saved from the wrath to come. Salvation will not be complete until the Christian receives their resurrected body and are fully in the presence of God. Sanctification also occurs in Scripture in past (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:19; Acts 20:32), present (Rom. 6:22; 2 Cor. 7:1), and future tense (Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Thess. 3:12,13). In other words, one has been sanctified, we are being sanctified, and someday one shall fully be sanctified. The sanctifying process begins at regeneration and ends in heaven, to which we all look forward.
Past-tense sanctification has commonly been called positional sanctification. This facet of sanctification finds its relationship to regeneration and justification. Louis Berkhof states, “At the same time regeneration is the beginning of sanctification. The work of renewal, begun in the former, is distinguished from regeneration as growth from birth, or as strengthening of a holy disposition from original impartation of it” (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 457). Then he continues concerning justification, putting it like this, “The very fact that [sanctification] is based on justification, in which the free grace of God stands out with the greatest prominence, excludes the idea that we can ever merit anything in sanctification” (Berkhof).
Speaking to the believer’s positional sanctification, Morton Smith teaches one’s connection to their union with Christ. He states, “Every believer thus regenerated, and called is represented in the Scripture as being united to Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4). We are all declared as having received victory over sin (Rom. 6:14). As such, we are to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11). Every believer has victory over sin. If he does not have it then he is not a believer” (Smith, Systematic Theology:2, 486).
Finally, God works positional sanctification in the believer. Wilhelmus Brakel stresses this point, “We repeat, sanctification is an efficacious work of God. God alone is its cause. As little as man can contribute to his regeneration, faith, and justification, so little can he contribute to his sanctification” (John 15:5) (Wilhelmus Á Brakel, A Christian’s Reasonable Service:3, 4).
Present-tense sanctification has been commonly called progressive or experiential sanctification. Doug Kelly says it this way, “This union with the crucified risen One impels us in the holy direction of seeking to be like him” (Douglas F. Kelly, Systematic Theology: The Resurrection of Christ, 480). Therefore, progressive sanctification entails a declaration of victory over sin and our experiential victory over sin. We not only reckon ourselves to be dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus but also fight and struggle and battle; we war within ourselves (Rom. 7:23, James 4:1) and fight against the spiritual forces (Eph. 6:12-13).
Thus, sanctification means that the believer works in synergy with the Holy Spirit to kill sin and become more like Jesus Christ. This relationship can only happen when one receives a new nature from God. Only God’s work in the Christian’s life and the “new man” becomes an active participant to be Christlike. Again, Brakel helps us understand: “However, the new nature is not inactive either, but rather opposes the old nature, at one time by mortifying it directly, or at another time by strengthening the new man and becoming increasingly holy—and this is the essential activity of sanctification” (Rom. 8:13; Phil 2:13).
Morton Smith gives an excellent analysis of progressive sanctification when he confers: “Despite the victory over the dominion of sin which belongs to every believer, so long as he remains in this life there remains indwelling sin (Rom. 6:20; 7:14-15; 1 John 1:8; 2:1). Until this sin is completely eradicated, and the believer is completely conformed to the image of Christ, there must be a conflict between sin and righteousness within him. It is this warfare between righteousness and sin that Paul describes in Rom. 7:14-25. It is normal for the Christian in this life to experience this warfare. If the warfare is absent, then saving grace must be absent” (Smith, 487).
What the Christian must understand about progressive sanctification is that as one becomes more like the Savior, the less peace one will have about the sin that remains in them. The believer is continuing to kill it, mortify sin within by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, as the light of Christ grows brighter in their life, the more unclean they recognize their life to be.
Often these questions are asked, “Do I wake up one day and have been fully sanctified with no sin?” “Does progressive sanctification ever stop?” The answer is no. Heath Lambert reminds us, “First, we should understand that [progressive] sanctification is a lifelong process (2 Cor. 3:18; cf. col. 3:10; Heb. 12:14). Paul indicates that we grow in holiness over time and by degrees and that we do it as we look to Christ (Heb. 12:1-2). G.I. Williamson agrees, “The work of sanctification is also gradual” (G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Shorter Catechism for Study
Classes, 160). This process of becoming like Jesus by beholding him will continue until we die, or Christ returns, and we are made fully like him because we shall see him in his fulness” (1 John 3:12) (Heath Lambert, A Theology of Biblical Counseling, 291). Therefore, the Christian never reaches a plateau of complete sanctification in this life on earth. One never becomes entirely holy in this fallen world. The Christian must always be working out their salvation (Phil. 2:12) but must be doing so synergistically, cooperating with God (1 John 3:9; Phil. 2:12-13).
Finally, the believer’s future-tense sanctification comes when they are in the presence of Christ, face to face for eternity (2 Cor. 3:7-18). Smith reminds the believer that as the Holy Spirit works within them, the transforming process has a goal, “Here we have an indication that the transforming process is one from glory to glory, thus a progression” (Smith, 489). Lambert agrees, “Finally, sanctification has the goal of developing Christlikeness in the entirety of who we are. As we saw above, we are sanctified as we look to Christ, who is the aim of our sanctification (2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:2; Heb 12:2). This Christlikeness happens in our whole person as we are changed from our inner person in thoughts, feelings, desires, and consciences as these flow out to the outer person in our physical behaviors” (Lambert, 293).
The progression is the training for complete sanctification in glory. J.I. Packer says it best, “Sanctification, in the last place, is absolutely necessary, in order to train and prepare us for heaven. Most men hope to go to heaven when they die, but few it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven when they got there. Heaven is essentially a holy place; its inhabitants are all holy; its occupations are all holy. To be really happy in heaven, it is clear and plain that we must be somewhat trained and made ready for heaven while we are on earth” (J.I. Packer, Holiness, 22). Christian, are you taking your sanctification seriously? You can bet that the Holy Spirit is taking your sanctification seriously.
Andrews PCA 