What Is the Point of Sanctification?

[JonahLynx]

A common teaching I have come across is that after salvation, we undergo the process of sanctification (growth/being made into the image of Christ). My question is what makes this necessary - when ultimately we are all raised with restored and sinless bodies, in perfect communion with God.

What exactly is the purpose of sanctification, here on Earth?

Some Scripture to look into would be much appreciated.

 

[LW97]

Well, salvation is more than just getting saved from hell. Jesus wants to clean up our lives.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

As the one who called you [is] holy, [you] yourselves be holy in all [your] conduct, for it is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28​

 

[Dino246]

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

The enemy, knowing that he can't take away your salvation, will do everything in his power to steal from you... health, joy, provision, truth, relationships, etc. "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Sanctification is partly undoing the damage already done, and partly avoiding further damage.

You already touched on being made into the image of Christ. What we don't realize is how deeply we are unChristlike. Sanctification is God's continuous process of refinement, cleansing and instruction to bring this about. God does this so that we can enjoy life to the full and fulfill His purposes for us while in this life.

There is another nuance to sanctification: in terms of our eternal status, sanctification is complete; it was finished at the cross. We are made fully clean at the touch of Jesus' blood, and we are then fully accepted in God's sight.

Of course there is much more relevant Scripture... I'm only scratching the surface.

 

[Nehemiah6]

My question is what makes this necessary...

The same thing that makes it necessary for a child who has been playing in the mud to leave his muddy boots outside, and to get washed up before he sits down to dinner.

 

[Joidevivre]

Through the blood of Christ, we are sanctified to come into the presence of God and inherit eternal life. But there is another layer of sanctification pertaining to our fleshly nature.

We are changed through the work of the Holy Spirit (sanctified) as we cooperate with Him so that we can be vessels for Christ to be glorified through every action and choice we make. This is an ongoing process as we abide in Him.

 

[JonahLynx]

The same thing that makes it necessary for a child who has been playing in the mud to leave his muddy boots outside, and to get washed up before he sits down to dinner.

I appreciate this analogy. I suppose my question is more along the lines of what the point of "getting washed up" is if at the end everyone is washed clean. The person who is saved early in life has the same resurrection as someone who is saved late in life. I'm not seeing the purpose behind the "cleaning up" prior to the final "clean up" - which is the one that matters.

 

[Nehemiah6]

I appreciate this analogy. I suppose my question is more along the lines of what the point of "getting washed up" is if at the end everyone is washed clean. The person who is saved early in life has the same resurrection as someone who is saved late in life. I'm not seeing the purpose behind the "cleaning up" prior to the final "clean up" - which is the one that matters.

If we go back to square one, every human being has been defiled and tainted with his sins. Repentance means TURNING AWAY from sins and idols and turning to Christ. That not only includes a change of mind (the literal meaning), but a change of heart, mind, will, priorities, goals, objectives, direction of life. This is best illustrated in the conversion of Saul to Paul.

So when we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" what you are expected to do is to progressively separate yourself from the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Indeed we are required to mortify or crucify the flesh in order to walk in the Spirit.

Since those who are born again are children of God, God expects them to live like children of God, not children of the Devil. Hence the need for purification from the sins of the flesh and of the spirit. And that is what sanctification is all about.

In spite of that, none of us will be sinlessly perfect in this life, and that is why God will totally perfect every saint at the Resurrection/Rapture, so that we are in fact "conformed to the image of His Son", and are then glorified (having been given immortal bodies). The ultimate objective of God's salvation is the transformation of those who have borne the image of the first Adam (sinful) into the image of the last Adam -- Christ (perfected).

 

[loyaldisciple]

If we go back to square one, every human being has been defiled and tainted with his sins. Repentance means TURNING AWAY from sins and idols and turning to Christ. That not only includes a change of mind (the literal meaning), but a change of heart, mind, will, priorities, goals, objectives, direction of life. This is best illustrated in the conversion of Saul to Paul.

So when we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" what you are expected to do is to progressively separate yourself from the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Indeed we are required to mortify or crucify the flesh in order to walk in the Spirit.

Since those who are born again are children of God, God expects them to live like children of God, not children of the Devil. Hence the need for purification from the sins of the flesh and of the spirit. And that is what sanctification is all about.

In spite of that, none of us will be sinlessly perfect in this life, and that is why God will totally perfect every saint at the Resurrection/Rapture, so that we are in fact "conformed to the image of His Son", and are then glorified (having been given immortal bodies). The ultimate objective of God's salvation is the transformation of those who have borne the image of the first Adam (sinful) into the image of the last Adam -- Christ (perfected).

That right there was extremely well said Nehemiah. One cannot get any more truthful than that. It is often difficult for one to look at themselves and renew their minds and hearts in Christ and turn away from the ways of a sinful society, but that is what we are to try our best to do.

 

[graceNpeace]

All the answers given so far, in my humble opinion, miss the real point!

Every Christian is CHRIST"S REPRESENTATIVE on earth - in order to actually achieve this we need to be Christ-like!
Our role as Christian's is NOT to sit in a pew somewhere and polish our halo's for the rest of our lives!

Instead we are called to be a powerful witness for the reality of Christ as evidenced in our life - whether we are "ministering" or not!
Seen in this way changes the way one views sanctification....it certainly is NOT about "personal holiness" - whatever that really means! A Christian is a follower of Christ, a disciple, and so, yes, our personal (and private) behaviour and values are important, but, no less significant is our ability to be Christ to the world - and that is why we need to be Christ-like (sanctified)!

Bottom line: Christians have work to do, and most of us are not prepared (sanctified) to do it, ergo, most Christians are not sanctified!

 

[OneFaith]

Sanctification is being set apart and made spiritually clean (holy). We are in the world, but we are no longer of the world. We are called out and given the Holy Spirit. We are called out on Sunday mornings. We leave the tables of drunkards and mockers. Our cross even separates us from some family members. We are called to live for God instead of our own pleasures, and He graciously shares His holiness with us.

 

[Adstar]

A common teaching I have come across is that after salvation, we undergo the process of sanctification (growth/being made into the image of Christ). My question is what makes this necessary - when ultimately we are all raised with restored and sinless bodies, in perfect communion with God.

What exactly is the purpose of sanctification, here on Earth?

Some Scripture to look into would be much appreciated.

I do not believe that becoming a saint is a process..

Becoming a saint is a decision to believe Jesus and trust in the atonement He secured for us..

Most people go through positive changes in their lives as a result of becoming a Saint..

But no one becomes a Saint because of that change.. We are Saints right from the day we are saved..

 

[graceNpeace]

I do not believe that becoming a saint is a process..

Becoming a saint is a decision to believe Jesus and trust in the atonement He secured for us..

Most people go through positive changes in their lives as a result of becoming a Saint..

But no one becomes a Saint because of that change.. We are Saints right from the day we are saved..

Agreed...

When one reads "saint" in the Bible just read "Christian"!
Unless one is RCC, of course.......

 

[Nehemiah6]

Seen in this way changes the way one views sanctification....it certainly is NOT about "personal holiness" - whatever that really means!

You just contradicted Scripture.

... most Christians are not sanctified!

Once again, you just contradicted Scripture.

A word of advice: study the subject properly otherwise you will mislead yourself and others.

 

[Nehemiah6]

I do not believe that becoming a saint is a process.. We are Saints right from the day we are saved..

Both things are true. The process is called "sanctification" (becoming a saint).

 

[graceNpeace]

You just contradicted Scripture.

Once again, you just contradicted Scripture.

A word of advice: study the subject properly otherwise you will mislead yourself and others.

I figured my post might rattle some cages - clearly it has yours!

Sanctification is not about personal holiness (only) - that is my point, no contradiction of anything except maybe your fixed belief system...

As for the second objection - I stand by this!
Sanctification is a process, not completed in this lifetime.
In this sense NONE of us, who are alive, are products of the completed process...
In the sense that I have explained the point of sanctification then very few are sanctified - purely because we miss the point of the process - I re-iterate: sanctification is NOT about shining halo's!

When Paul, in particular, refers to people as saints he is not suggesting that they are sanctified, i.e. process complete. In the sense that Paul uses the term we are all saints because we will, eternally, all be fully sanctified!

As for the word of advice - perhaps you should take it yourself. From what I see so far you have a miserly, truncated and unbalanced view of sanctification - and that also holds for several other theological positions you have taken on this forum...

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

I appreciate this analogy. I suppose my question is more along the lines of what the point of "getting washed up" is if at the end everyone is washed clean. The person who is saved early in life has the same resurrection as someone who is saved late in life. I'm not seeing the purpose behind the "cleaning up" prior to the final "clean up" - which is the one that matters.

The purpose is if you practice living dirty before the final cleanup, you won't get a final cleanup.

 

[mailmandan]

The point of initial sanctification is we are made holy in standing before God postionally in Christ, 1 Corinthians 6:11 - Such 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. 1 Corinthians 1:2 - To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified (past tense) in Christ Jesus..

Yet I also see progressive sanctification in which the reality of that holiness becomes more and more evident in our actions, words, thoughts, attitudes, and motives. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, - For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain (present tense) from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. Hebrews 10:14 - For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

So becoming washed, sanctified and justified in Christ is a one time event, yet abstaining from sexual immorality is not a one time event. Here is how I see it. The believer possess a positional, judicial standing of righteousness in Christ and, second, a remaining need for practical, progressive holiness that becomes more and more evident in our actions, words, thoughts, attitudes, and motives.

Sanctification as an event, positional - I am set apart/made holy because of my position in Christ, I have been united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.

Sanctification as a process - I am progressing and increasing in practical holiness/growing in grace/maturity in Christ.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

We are made perfectly holy, but since there are so many defiling influences in ourselves and in the world, we must continually practice standing apart from the world to be cleansed in order to continue abiding in holiness. Remember that the priests of the temple who attended the altar had to continually bath themselves in the water of the brass/bronze laver by the altar lest they die.

 

[Ralph-]

I appreciate this analogy. I suppose my question is more along the lines of what the point of "getting washed up" is if at the end everyone is washed clean. The person who is saved early in life has the same resurrection as someone who is saved late in life. I'm not seeing the purpose behind the "cleaning up" prior to the final "clean up" - which is the one that matters.

Paul explains why here:


"20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life."-Romans 6:20-22


To walk in your former life is death. To walk in the righteousness of your new life is to live. God wants us to live. And that leads to sanctification. You won't live in the abundance of God's eternal life, and you won't change, by living in your old ways.