Is it possible to be SANCTIFIED in this life? (Read before you comment)

[FireOnTheAltar]

Rom 12:1I plead to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that all of you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be all of you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that all of you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

That shows some effort on my part by me.

I would agree. While sanctification is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit in us, I believe the Bible refers to the human effort you are referring to as "consecration" which is the act of abstaining from corruption so that we might hear from the Holy Spirit clearly.

It's hard to hear the Holy Spirit when our minds are concentrating on the lusts of the flesh and the cares of this world.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Rom 12:1I plead to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that all of you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be all of you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that all of you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

That shows some effort on my part by me.

Yes, This is where people get confused I think.

God purchased our eternal life, he paid the price in full. all he asks us to do is trust him.

God purchased our new bodies. He is making our new home as we speak.

But in between. God wants us to grow in him. He does not make us Christians who are all knowledgeable about his will, his word and his way. When we are born again, we are born as babes, and need to grow. As Paul told the corinthain church. they were still babes. Still deep in sin. And needed to grow up. They should be teaching others, but instead they still have to be fed by a baby bottle because they can't handle real meat yet (symbolically) It is up to us to Grow. God will not force us to grow. If we want to sit and be idle. and not receive the wonderful things God wants to give us here. He will let us. he wont force us to do anything.

 

[Abiding]

I agree that the word "sanctify" means to be set apart for God's personal use. However, there is one thing that weighs my mind.

God knows the heart. He knows whether are not we are submitted to the Holy Spirit or submitted to the flesh. How can He trust us with His work, which is basically saving lives from eternal damnation - the most important work anyone can ever do, how can he trust us unless we are fully submitted to the will of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit?

Everyday we witness on these boards people being dominated by the flesh and how it causes bitter feelings and deep division. This is why I feel that sanctification is not some trivial topic but rather it is one of the most important.

Are people ready for ministry just because they memorized a number of verses and the basics of their favorite doctrine? Or should they wait until they the fruits of the Holy Spirit are made manifest through sanctification.

This why we must get to God's heart concerning this matter and not some man made doctrine or tradition. Souls are on the line!

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Very true if we get taken over by our flesh, then the work of the Lord gets an evil reputation. Its
not always that the work is evil or even that the doctrine is wrong, it still gets a bad name. And all
the effort is with no effect. We have to develop maturity in many areas. And the bible teaches us to wait
and to serve at the capacity of the grace we have. So in other words.....Yes we should wait!

 

[AnandaHya]

teachers are held to an even higher standard and require even more mature walk with Christ and sanctification as well as the unction of the Holy Spirit is a requirement of any good teacher/pastor.

I found these verses interesting...

Psalm 119:98-100
New King James Version (NKJV)

98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.

1 Timothy 1:5-8
New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

James 3
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed,[a] we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

 

[FireOnTheAltar]

teachers are held to an even higher standard and require even more mature walk with Christ and sanctification as well as the unction of the Holy Spirit is a requirement of any good teacher/pastor.

I found these verses interesting...

Psalm 119:98-100
New King James Version (NKJV)

98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.

1 Timothy 1:5-8
New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

James 3
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed,[a] we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

\

I agree 100%.

 

[Abiding]

I dont mean wait to serve God, but to do it at our level of grace and maturity.

 

[FireOnTheAltar]

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Very true if we get taken over by our flesh, then the work of the Lord gets an evil reputation. Its
not always that the work is evil or even that the doctrine is wrong, it still gets a bad name. And all
the effort is with no effect. We have to develop maturity in many areas. And the bible teaches us to wait
and to serve at the capacity of the grace we have. So in other words.....Yes we should wait!

Absolutely. I believe this is where our zeal can get us in trouble. We are so eager to go out there and do something for God not realizing that we might do more to hurt matters than help. While we may have pure intentions and be very knowledgeable, we might not be mature enough in the Lord to handle the tough situations that we may face, be it criticism or rejection etc. thus respond with our flesh rather than taking a step back and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us.

 

[FireOnTheAltar]

I dont mean wait to serve God, but to do it at our level of grace and maturity.

Gotchya

We shouldn't put orselves in situations where we might be in over our heads unless specifically led by the Holy Spirit.

 

[zone]

And that WLAKING IN TRUTH AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS THE SACTIFICATION! If you now PERSEVERE, ENDURE UNTILL THE END ...THEN YOU SHALL BE SAVED... Sanctification COMPLETE!! And you are at your DESTINY where you were called too... SAINTSHIP! Now you are as pure as God Himself.

many will agree with you Cobus, that you've a very very slim chance of being saved, and it depends upon you being sinless, perfect, and as pure as God.

some think that's possible. perhaps it is.

only those, then, who are as pure as God before they die will be saved.
the rest will go into eternal fire.

1 John 3. And you endured by the LEAD of the Holy Spirit to Saintship... Romans 1..CALLED TO BE SAINTS!! God does not call a sinner to be less sinner, he calls a sinner to repent FROM ALL SIN,, to be saint...SAINT: Morally blameless and spiritually PURE! Now you are only sinles, and not perfect yet....

NOW God gives you something else through HIS APPOINTED and ANNOINTED Teachers... To perfecting you unto a perfect man. EPH 4:11 to 13... The Word says these people were APPO
INTED BY GOD HIMSELF ...FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS... Now how can they perfect an already sinless person if they are not perfect themselves?

some would agree with you Cobus...that man has to be pure and without sin enteriely before God will consider saving them.

they would have to agree with you that the teachers he sends wouldbe pure, sinless, and like God with God in them. perfect.

in fact, there are some who claim to be those very teachers.

apparenly, if we do not achieve this level of santification (absolutel purity like God's) we're going into eternal flames. no more chances when we die.

hellfire forever.

maybe if you keep pleading with God He'll consider perfecting you. or do you have to perfect yourself? i suppose there isn't much time for that, since we don't live forever.

failing will mean everlasting fire. you must be absolutely sinless and completely with spot or blemish, exactly like Jesus was. that means you have to know the Law completely, and obey every single requirement.

i wnder if God hears your prayers, since it is impossible to please Him without faith. is it faith in His ability to make you perfect you need? i wonder how long that will take because if you're not completely perfect you're going to hell.

that's what you're saying, right?

i know that's what many here teach. maybe you and they are right.

And that is why the WHOLE Body of CHRIST is erfect. SAnctified THROUGH His Blood and Resuurected with HIS HOLY LIFE HERE ON EARTH, FOREVER!! Jesus Himself maintains HIS CHURCH, And He does o theough SANCTIFICATION, Jesus SET APART His people to become ONE WITH HIM. AFTER THEY WERE PERFECTED!!!! Not before.

so, we must become perfect (sinless, pure like God) BEFORE we are part of the church?

and we have to maintain that perfection every second, hoping God will examine us at Judgment Day and find us perfect, pure and sinless? otherwise we're going to hell.

i do know many believe that. they claim they are perfect already, so perhaps they are the teachers we need.

Read Eph 4:11 to 13 and see how the Saints become perfect and SEE there is NO SPOT in that church not even ONE!!! Look at this...Eph 4:11 to 13... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

the word perfect there actually means MATURE.

but some say it means sinless, pure like God. perfect. and that unless we do that (with the Holy Spirit's help of course), we're going into the lake of fire.

but according to you, we can't enter the church to be tuaght how to be sinless by those perfect men until we ourselves are perfect and pure like God. or we are going into the lake of fire.

so, how do we become pure and sinless before The Lord considers whether to give us a chance to be saved? does He comes and burn sin out of us? or do we completely stop sinning? some say that's the answer. but how do we become pure like God?

HOW PURE IS GOD COBUS?

You are walking BEHIND THE SPIRIT, untill YOU WALK IN THE SPIRIT! And that transition is a process, called SANCTIFICATION!! And at the END of SANTIFICATION IS THE REBIRTH!!! AT THE END OF SANCTIFICATION IS THE ...NOW YOU ARE SAVED!...You are not saved by following the Spirit 99%, then you are still short by 1%. And that means you did not go to the END! The END OF YOU IS THE BEGINNING OF JESUS! Sanctification is 100% or 0% Those that were sanctified 100% is with God and the others did not persevere, and they NEVER changed places with Jesus.

so, are you walking behind the Spirit at this time? does He allow imperfect sinful men to be anywhere near Him?

when does he allow you to WALK IN HIM? i know you say that is a porcess called santification. but do you mean to say you have to be sanctified before your JUSTIFIED (declared not guilty)? and that this happens only at the very end, resulting (if you manage to be sinless and pure like God), resulting in THE NEW BIRTH?

so, in summation:

i must be 100% sanctified (pure like God, perfect, and sinless) before (?) i can walk in the Spirit, and at the very end, if i persevere in that perfection, then i MIGHT go to heaven by receiving THE NEW BIRTH?
anything less than that and Jesus will throw me into the lake burning with fire where i will be tormented day and night?

is that right?

SOULS ARE ON THE LINE COBUS...PLEASE GET THIS RIGHT FOR ME.

 

[Abiding]

Right!! every part of us can be pure, in our motives, to serve Him, to preach truth.....whatever
if we fail in controlling our tongue and start to strive "a servant of the Lord shall not strive" then
its all over. How many times does it say..about Jesus...."and He held His peace"

 

[Consumed]

I agree that the word "sanctify" means to be set apart for God's personal use. However, there is one thing that weighs my mind.

God knows the heart. He knows whether are not we are submitted to the Holy Spirit or submitted to the flesh. How can He trust us with His work, which is basically saving lives from eternal damnation - the most important work anyone can ever do, how can he trust us unless we are fully submitted to the will of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit?

Everyday we witness on these boards people being dominated by the flesh and how it causes bitter feelings and deep division. This is why I feel that sanctification is not some trivial topic but rather it is one of the most important.

Are people ready for ministry just because they memorized a number of verses and the basics of their favorite doctrine? Or should they wait until they the fruits of the Holy Spirit are made manifest through sanctification.

This why we must get to God's heart concerning this matter and not some man made doctrine or tradition. Souls are on the line!

My old pastor, he is 65 now, meek as a lamb, kind loving the fruit shows, we spent alot of time together when I was at his church, he told me when he started in ministry 35 yrs earlier I would not have like him as a pastor, brash demanding, used the bible as a bowling bowl directing scripture at people in the congregation but he still had the burning desire to forsake his life to do Gods will, God opened the door to seminary school(was a Methodist), a church to minister in, said God sorted Him out, showed the error of his ways, moulded and shaped him into his image. I'd never would have thought that a/ God would have annoited a person of that persausion as he was when he started b/ that I was talking to the same person

 

[AnandaHya]

My old pastor, he is 65 now, meek as a lamb, kind loving the fruit shows, we spent alot of time together when I was at his church, he told me when he started in ministry 35 yrs earlier I would not have like him as a pastor, brash demanding, used the bible as a bowling bowl directing scripture at people in the congregation but he still had the burning desire to forsake his life to do Gods will, God opened the door to seminary school(was a Methodist), a church to minister in, said God sorted Him out, showed the error of his ways, moulded and shaped him into his image. I'd never would have thought that a/ God would have annoited a person of that persausion as he was when he started b/ that I was talking to the same person

it reminds us that who ever we meet is still growing and changing in Christ and that God can raise them up and teach them His ways and we are commanded not to judge the unfinished work being molded in the Potter's hands before the pot is made and formed its but a lump of mud. so if you see someone you think is a lump of mud, you never know what God will make of that person. therefore, love respect and compassion is always needed.

 

[FireOnTheAltar]

Just a friendly reminder. The topic is not sinless perfection but rather what does sanctification mean to us on this side of eternity in the past, present and future tense. What can we do to better cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Please include scriptures if you can. We want to get God's opinion on this matter seeing as His is the only one that counts.

 

[Cobus]

A teacher is way above a deacon and look what the deacons should have... 1 Timothy 3... Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Holding the mystery of faith on a pure conscience... Now let us see what is the mystery of Faith? And how many people do you know with a PURE conscience? I am not one for sure!!! But i think i get to get the mystery of FAITH!! We will see...
And to even show how a teacher should be... LOOK they have to establish the perfection of the saints.. Eph 4:11... And look here in 1 Tim 4: 12.. but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Pretty special charactor this? Only one example of Spirit meant here I believe... This is only possible if the Holy Spirit is the ONLY SPIRIT IN THE MIND!!! And the body does what the MIND TELLS IT!!

So! Maybe that is why this advice was given... Ephesians 4:20 to 24...But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Again!!! True holiness can only be... BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY....And I think it was meant that we should be this Holy HERE on earth... Well if it was meant, MAY GOD PLEASE DO IT FOR ME TOO!!!
Lord bless us with the renewed spirit in our minds, and help us to put n the NEW MAN created in righteousness and true holiness... FOR YOUR GLORY FATHER! AMEN!

 

[Consumed]

Amen.
That's being sanctified, changed into his image

Ps sorry fireonalter

 

[zone]

Right!! every part of us can be pure, in our motives, to serve Him, to preach truth.....whatever
if we fail in controlling our tongue and start to strive "a servant of the Lord shall not strive" then
its all over. How many times does it say..about Jesus...."and He held His peace"

hi Abiding.
but i'm asking Cobus about being pure like God before we are allowed to enter the church.
he says the teachers He gave are sinless and pure like God.
so i'm unclear on how we become sinless and as pure as God while walking behind the Spirit.

and i guess i'm misunderstanding THE NEW BIRTH. i though that happened when we believed the Gospel.

but per the OP: Re: Is it possible to be SANCTIFIED in this life? (Read before you comment),

Cobus says that 100% sanctification (being as pure as God) must happen before we enter the church to become among the perfect and pure men (teachers) and saints, but that even after that, we must persevere in that sinless perfection (100% sanctification in this life) hoping for the NEW BIRTH.

anything less means hellfire.

maybe i'm not getting it.

 

[Abiding]

Zone Cobus admitted long ago he wants to be made perfect now. His obsession controls
all that he sees in the bible. He will never have a clue until he decides to learn Gods way
not his way. Rather than make a few verses fit with the bible he has to make the rest of the
bible fit with a few verses that he is fond of. There is nothing we can do for him but teach
correctly and let him choose.

 

[Abiding]

I think that renewing our mind is the biggest part of our part of the work of sanctification,
since it would include obedience to all we have been told to do, it would include studying
as part of that obedience. It would include controlling our thoughts, trusting, walking by faith.
in full assurance He will finish what He started in us. And would include prayer for the grace necessary
to renew our minds...

 

[Consumed]

A teacher is way above a deacon and look what the deacons should have... 1 Timothy 3... Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Holding the mystery of faith on a pure conscience... Now let us see what is the mystery of Faith? And how many people do you know with a PURE conscience? I am not one for sure!!! But i think i get to get the mystery of FAITH!! We will see...
And to even show how a teacher should be... LOOK they have to establish the perfection of the saints.. Eph 4:11... And look here in 1 Tim 4: 12.. but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Pretty special charactor this? Only one example of Spirit meant here I believe... This is only possible if the Holy Spirit is the ONLY SPIRIT IN THE MIND!!! And the body does what the MIND TELLS IT!!

So! Maybe that is why this advice was given... Ephesians 4:20 to 24...But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Again!!! True holiness can only be... BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY....And I think it was meant that we should be this Holy HERE on earth... Well if it was meant, MAY GOD PLEASE DO IT FOR ME TOO!!!
Lord bless us with the renewed spirit in our minds, and help us to put n the NEW MAN created in righteousness and true holiness... FOR YOUR GLORY FATHER! AMEN!

Ok, hear me out, anyone correct me by all means I'm trying, cobus do you think in the context it was written as to when had anything to do with this as in the safeguard and building of the early church. I know that if we held that as the benchmark today there probably wouldn't be many teachers/bishops/deacons to start with unless patience prevailed. I could be wrong I'm trying to understand the application of it in today's church. That is the benchmark to attain to, the guide to be convicted of His righteousness and the seriousness to their calling.

 

[Cobus]

I will answer with scripture EVERY question Zone... Slim chance of being saved...Answer... Many are called few are chosen... Yes looks like it is a slim chance to be aved...Is perfection of charactor possible here on earth... As many of us that are perfect... Yes it is!! Only those that are MATURE as God will be saved... But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved... Looks like only the ones that goes ALL the way with Jesus will make it yes. ... Only the saved will make it, the others will not! ... Do i have to perfect myself? Only ONE CAN BE PERFECT: Jesus. He is perfect in me when the HOLY SPIRIT ENTERS!!! When the Holy Spirit is in me and I in HIM THEN I am saved and perfect! Scripture... To those that are in Christ is a NEW CREATURE!! EVERYTHING IS NEW!!! And that NEW IS PERFECT!!! Becasue it is FROM GOD, IN GOD and it IS GOD!!
How pure is God? You know He is perfect, and so is HIS SALVATION! ...
Does the Holy Spirit allow a sinner close to Him, Who called the sinner? Who Leads the sinner? And who convinced the sinner of sin? And he works with sinners to get clean! It is HIS LEAD that helps us get clean, He leads before He fills. Scripture.... As many that are LEAD by the Spirit is the children of God!... The Leading role... Men of God spake as they were MOVED/DRIVEN by the Holy Ghost... FILLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT... many times in the Bible.
Lead and fill two parts!! The moment you PASS through JESUS' cross you are completely sanctified, and then God GLORIFIES you with HIS SPIRIT. God's glorifiction s the FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! Rebirth, Born again.. Jesus is born againinto flesh AFTER HE SANCTIFIED AND JUSTIFIED HE GLORIFIED!!! Glorification is to MAKE GODLY- Make PERFECT!! That is it! Hope this will adress your questions!