There are a number of words in the Bible that discusses the salvation experience. They are redemption, deliverance, preservation, remission, reconciliation, propitiation, atonement, and sanctification. Of course, the one condition to have salvation is faith. Faith is a gift from God but is also the responsibility of man to exercise that faith.
In this matter it is up to us that we live a godly life separated from the world. God has done his part in allowing his Son to die in our behalf. Thereafter, it is our responsibility to live out that spiritual experience to continually divest ourselves of the fallen nature under which we once lived. That process is called sanctification. Out of all the biblical words that I earlier mentioned today, we are going to discuss an understanding of what sanctification means.
The intent of sanctification is to recognize what is special to both God and man plus what will be ongoing in the future. It is a cooperative experience between the redeemed person and the work of the Holy Spirit within him. That is the reason that water baptism is so important. When it occurs, this becomes a declaration to those who are witnesses. The new convert is declaring when he goes under the water his desire is for the old man to be buried like Christ who was buried in the tomb. Once the new convert rises from the water it is both a statement and a promise that the new man will live out his submission to Christ.
Some would teach that at the moment of baptism sin is removed and its effect is negated with a periodic confession satisfied by penance. Others would teach that it is possible for a new Christian to attain perfection in this life. This belief rests solely on good works without the benefit of the work done by the Holy Spirit.
A better and more biblical approach is to say that we are first sanctified in Christ at the point of confessing him as Savior. We can say sanctification is positional at the cross. However, as the believer lives out his life sanctification continues to develop by which we grow in holiness and submit to God’s will and his ways. This is experiential sanctification. Our ultimate sanctification occurs when Christ raptures the believers. That is a time in which our fallen nature is completely removed, and we receive a resurrected body glorified in life that is our Savior. That will be our ultimate sanctification.
In our spiritual growth we progressively realize sanctification through the Word of God as Jesus prayed. (John 17:17) While the believer lives out his Christian experience the work of the Holy Spirit guides and comforts him; he enjoys sanctification from the influence of God’s Spirit. (Romans 8: 3,4) This is the definition of being filled by the Spirit. He tutors us and convicts us while nurturing us. The sovereign work of God with our responsiveness combines to give us the growth we need called sanctification.
Christian Writer 