LESSON ON FAITH ( PART 5 ) | JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION ( PART 1 )

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3199

LESSON ON FAITH ( PART 5 )

JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION ( PART 1 )

In Bible class, we were taught that Justification removes the PENALTY of sin, while Sanctification deals with overcoming the POWER of ongoing sin of our old sin nature so that one day we may attain Glorification which spells complete freedom from the PRESENCE of sin.

To begin with,  Sanctification is just as much a gift as Justification - both are gifts from God and ours by virtue of our union with Christ. Both are found in Christ alone. Both are necessary for Salvation–Justification being the root and Sanctification being the fruit. 

Sanctification is thus defined as the process of the renewal of our fallen nature by the Holy Spirit, received through faith in Jesus Christ, whose blood of atonement cleansed us from all sin; whereby we are not only delivered from the guilt of sin, but are washed from its pollution, saved from its POWER, and are enabled, through grace, to love God.

The PENALTY of sin is dealt with at Justification while the POWER of sin is a present ongoing encounter between our old sin nature and our new nature as the "One New Man in Christ ". That is why preachers and pastors call us  "works in progress".

ABBA FATHER, Justification is Your declaration about us while Sanctification is Your work in us.

One calls us to rest; the other to fight.

One reckons us righteous; the other makes us righteous.

So we must never separate Justification and Sanctification. The former cannot help but produce the latter, and the latter must flow from the former.

But we need faith in both - faith that You saved us and ongoing faith that You are saving us...and ultimately that You will save us in Glorification.

As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new"