THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ARE SANCTIFIED

By Gary Ray Branscome

Just as the Holy Spirit works through His Word to bring us to faith, He works through that same Word to produce the improvement in our behavior which we call sanctification.

The words, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” tell us that God works through His Word to bring us to faith (Romans 10:17). The words, “That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith,” tell us that when we are brought to faith by the Word of God we receive the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14). And, the words, “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 Holy Spirit that we receive through faith in Christ works in us to improve our behavior (Galatians 5:17).

Now, just as the Holy Spirit brought us to faith by bringing us to repentance – producing in us “a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin,” once we come to faith that same sorrow for sin causes us to desire a sin-free life (Psalm 51:17). Without faith a person who is sorry for sin might rationalize sin in order to escape its condemnation. However, once we have the assurance of forgiveness in Christ, sin is no longer a terror to us. That should make us willing to examine ourselves, stop making excuses for sin, and shun sinful behavior. Now, although our lives will never be perfect in this world, the words, “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sex perverts, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were: but you are washed, but you are sanctified,” tell us that we can and should be free of gross sinful behavior (1Corinthians 6:9-11). And, the words, “Now, brethren, I commit you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified,” tell us that it is “the word of His grace” that builds us up producing sanctification in us (Acts 20:32).

As the Holy Spirit works in us, both Law and Gospel play a part in our sanctification. While the words, “No flesh will ever be justified in God’s sight by the deeds of the law: because the knowledge of sin comes by the law,” tell us that the law makes us aware of our sin, they also tell us that the law cannot make us righteous (Romans 3:20). At the same time, the words, “We have been released from the law, having died to that which once bound us; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter,” tell us that being released from the law through faith in Christ enables us to serve with a new attitude as the Spirit works in us (Romans 7:6). Walking in the Spirit we should desire to do what is right and praiseworthy and good, and our fruit will be “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). At the same time, the words, “Love one another: for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, You will not commit adultery, You will not kill, You will not steal, You will not bear false witness, You will not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, namely, You will love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” tell us that the law is our guide to expressing love in a godly way (Romans 13:8-10).

The words, “The knowledge of sin comes by the law,” tell us that the law makes us aware of our sins (Romans 3:20). The words, “I buffet my body, and bring it under my control,” tell us that the law lets us know what behavior we should fight against (1Corinthians 9:27). And, the words, “How can a young man keep his life pure? By taking heed to it according to your word,” tell us that the law is a guide to our conduct (Psalm 119:9).

At the same time, the words, “The days come, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel… I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they will be my people,” tell us that it is the gospel that inscribes the law upon our heart (Jeremiah 31:31-33).