entire sanctification

[Guest Geoff Primanti]

Originally posted in Worthy Welcome as part of a discussion unrelated to doctrinal issues.

 

I do believe in the doctrine of entire sanctification in this life and have reconciled this with 1 John 1:8 and other scriptures used to argue against it in my own mind.  My answer is this:  while the element of sin never leaves our flesh until the day we are glorified in our bodies (thus set free from the presence of sin in heaven), it is possible within the scope of our lives here on earth to put the flesh, and sin in our flesh to death so that it has no power to control us, neither any say in what we will do as Christians.  Scriptures in support of this: Galatians 5:24; Romans 6:6-7,13; Colossians 2:11; Jude 24; 1 Corinthians 15:34; 2 Corinthians 13:9,11; 1 Peter 5:10,12; Philippians 3:15; and 1 John 3:3-10 and 4:17. 

 

I also believe that salvation is the gift of God and that we can never accomplish such a thing as entrance into heaven for ourselves in the power of our own strength.  Neither can anyone ever accomplish it by works of righteousness which they have done.  It is accomplished totally and completely through the power of the Holy Spirit in a person's life in making them born again; I teach that good works are the result of such regeneration and that it is impossible that they could ever be the catalyst for such regeneration.

 

My question to everyone is, what are your thoughts about this particular doctrine?

 

Oops, forgot the most important one:1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

 

"And now may the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your entire spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." 

Edited August 12, 2014 by Geoff Primanti

[other one]

I think entire sanctification is something we should strive for every day whether or not we occasionally fail.

[Guest Geoff Primanti]

I think entire sanctification is something we should strive for every day whether or not we occasionally fail.

 

Yes, most definitely.  And 1 John 2:1 tells us that if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 

Of course, also, there is a difference between striving and abiding.

 

Striving means trying to achieve holiness in one's human effort.

 

Abiding means drawing nourishment from the vine as a branch connected to the vine; and to borrow from a different analogy, eating the flesh of the Son of man and drinking His blood, which means reading the word (as Jesus is the Word, John 1:1,14) and taking it into our soul/spirit as nourishment and also appropriating the forgiveness of God (as applicable through the blood of Jesus which we read about in His word.  You can read more about abiding in John 15 and specific verses in 1 John.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Geoff Primanti

[Qnts2]

I believe at the moment of salvation, we are entirely sanctified.

 

Sanctification simply means 'separated for Gods use'. In the OT, utensils to be used in the Temple, are sanctified for use. They are to be used in the Temple and for Gods purposes. 

 

So, at the moment of salvation, we are born again, made new, the old man dies, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, become sons of God, and are sanctified. We are set aside for Gods purposes and use.

 

1 Cor 1:2

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

 

1 Cor 6:11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

 

So, entire sanctification is at the time of salvation. We are now dedicated, and saved, separated from the world, to God for Gods purposes.

Then there is continuing sanctification, which is the continues throughout our lives.  

[Openly Curious]

I believe "santification" is at the moment of being made a new creature in Christ Jesus.  At the moment of the new birth we are cleasned and made holy by the blood of Jesus, seperated and set apart for habitation of the Holy Spirit of God within the life of a believer.  That we become Christ's body in which he resides and lives through.  I agree with all the comments that have been made thus far.  We have to walk in that santification and cleanliness on a continual basis as has been said we have to abide and stay in the vine to continue in that santification. 

[Guest Geoff Primanti]

 

I believe at the moment of salvation, we are entirely sanctified.

 

Sanctification simply means 'separated for Gods use'. In the OT, utensils to be used in the Temple, are sanctified for use. They are to be used in the Temple and for Gods purposes. 

 

So, at the moment of salvation, we are born again, made new, the old man dies, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, become sons of God, and are sanctified. We are set aside for Gods purposes and use.

 

1 Cor 1:2

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

 

1 Cor 6:11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

 

So, entire sanctification is at the time of salvation. We are now dedicated, and saved, separated from the world, to God for Gods purposes.

Then there is continuing sanctification, which is the continues throughout our lives.  

 

 

Qnts2,

 

I am sorry to inform you that your statements are self-contradictory (as I see them: so please clarify what you are saying).  If we are entirely sanctified at the moment of regeneration and at the same time this is a process that continues after regeneration (as the process of being made more holy in practice); how can it be that the sanctification was entire at the beginning?  Are you saying that entire sanctification has nothing to do with how we behave?

 

I consider righteousness and holiness (which is given through sanctification) to be practically synonymous.  Therefore I think that you should take 1 John 3:7 into consideration.

 

Regards,

 

Geoffrey

Edited August 12, 2014 by Geoff Primanti

[Guest Geoff Primanti]

Also it is my own belief that salvation is by faith in Jesus and that our behavior has nothing to do with what saves us but is rather the result of our salvation.

 

And since our behavior is not what saves us, there is a sense in which it follows that we are not saved because we have been sanctified, but rather through simple faith.

 

At this point I believe that entire sanctification is a second blessing given to those who seek it; but I will not be adamant in this view as there is the possibility that salvation itself is only accomplished at the moment that God entirely sanctifies you (with practical results in your life).

 

Which would make the road to actual salvation much narrower than anyone would have ever imagined.

[Littlelambseativy]

We were justified then sanctified. When we accept Jesus God justifies us then we are sanctified through the righteousness of the blood of Christ that covers us. We believe but the rest is God's doing not ours.

[Guest Geoff Primanti]

We were justified then sanctified. When we accept Jesus God justifies us then we are sanctified through the righteousness of the blood of Christ that covers us. We believe but the rest is God's doing not ours.

 

If there is no evidence of it in the way that we practically live then the bottom line is that God didn't do it.

 

Our response is very important.

 

Faith without works is dead, which is not to say that we are not saved by faith alone.

 

But the faith that saves is a living faith.  The fact that a living faith will produce good works in God's timing in no way means that we are saved by works.

 

Also we are both justified by His blood and are sanctified by it also (Romans 3:25 and 5:9, Hebrews 10:29).

 

If the blood is applied I find it hard to believe that it would do one and not the other.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Geoff Primanti

[Willa]

I completely agree with Qnts. We continue to present our bodies a liveing sacrifice and to renew our minds in the Word, to be conformed into the likeness of Christ. We continue to walk in the good works that God prepared for us to walk in. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Only Christ in us can live the Christian life, and without Him we can do nothing.. But we are set aside to God and sealed with the Holy Spirit at our salvation. That is how carnal babes like the Corinthians could be considered sanctified.

Blessings,

Willa