10/14/18 INSTANTANEOUS AND PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION (briefly stated)
Often Christians verbally acknowledge that salvation includes instant and progressive SANCTIFICATION, but seldom prove it.
THE ORDER OF OUR SANCTIFICATION
There is:
Instantaneous Sanctification at conversion,
followed by,
Progressive Sanctification (deliverance from sin) every day in the life of a believer. I prefer the term "Growth in Grace."
followed by,
Instantaneous Sanctification when the believer makes full surrender and trusts God fully and only for deliverance from the pollution of the Carnal Mind, the Old Man,
followed by,
More Progressive Sanctification (deliverance from sin) every day in the life of the believer, as he trusts, surrenders and follows Jesus. (Again, I prefer the term, "Growth in Grace."
Actually, Instant Sanctification takes place in two steps.
SANCTIFICATION MEANS TO MAKE HOLY (cleanse) AND SET APART.
First, we are INITIALLY SANCTIFIED (cleansed, set apart), at the time of our salvation (justification, regeneration, conversion).
We are sanctified from sin by:
Being cleansed and set apart from our past sins,
Having our conscience cleansed
and
Being empowered to live without sinning.
Second, we are ENTIRELY SANCTIFIED (delivered from our carnal mind, the old man, the sinful nature), when we, as believers recognize and ask God to deliver us from our inherited and unholy bent to rebellion.
God SANCTIFIES us by filling us with His Holy Spirit, flushing out the attitude of rebellion.
Our Entire Sanctification is accomplished through:
the Blood of Christ,
the Word of God
and
the Filling of the Holy Spirit.
Entire Sanctification, like Initial Sanctification is instantaneous, but it is subsequent to our conversion (salvation experience, being born again). Entire Sanctification is complete, entire, whole cleansing from all sin (the remains of sin, being the sin nature).
God delivers from sin.
God does not delver us from being human, from human nature (body, soul and spirit).
Progressive Sanctification is simply trusting, following, learning, obeying God on a moment by moment basis, day by day.
It is GROWTH IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE in Jesus Christ.
I said that people seldom prove that they are Instantly or Progressively Set apart to God. This is because:
So few people understand that live in the reality that salvation saves us from sin and sinning.
So few people quit committing their sins and fewer allow God to change them daily (their views, their attitudes, their culture, their habits, their behavior, their communications).
So few believers are willing to die to self, the world and to sin, in total surrender to Christ.
