THE EFFICIENT CAUSE OF SANCTIFICATION

By Gary Ray Branscome

The words, “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and they are opposed to each other: so that you cannot do the things that you would,” tell us that the improvement in our behavior that follows justification comes as a result of the Holy Spirit working in us (Galatians 5:16-17). As it is written, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

The words, “Having been freed from sin, and become servants of God, you have your fruit unto holiness,” tell us that sanctification is a fruit or by-product of our salvation (Romans 6:22). The words, “May the God of peace sanctify you entirely… He who calls you is faithful, and will bring it to pass,” tell us that it is God who sanctifies us (1Thessalonians 5:23-24). However, in contrast to our justification – which is totally the work of God; even our faith being a “gift of God” Eph. 2:8-9 – in our sanctification we cooperate with God; not in the sense that we produce the improvement in our behavior, but in the sense that we yield to the Holy Spirit. As it is written, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

The words, “Yield your members as servants to righteousness to sanctification,” // “Being confident of this, that He who has begun a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ,” tell us that in sanctification we are to yield to righteousness, but it is God who is working in us to produce that righteousness (Romans 6:19, Philippians 1:6). That means that no matter how hard we struggle with the flesh, if God is not at work in us we will not have the will or strength to resist the flesh.

The words, “Sin will not have dominion over you: because you are not under the law, but under grace,” tell us that because we are saved sin no longer has the power to overwhelm us (Romans 6:14). As it is written, “God who is faithful, will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear; but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1Corinthians 10:13).

Having “these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and soul, following holiness to its goal in the fear of God,” and, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (2Corinthians 7:1, Hebrews 12:1).