1.1.1 The progression of sanctification
The progression of sanctification seems to always follow one’s conversion. After one has accepted the gospel and believes in Jesus as their personal Saviour, the need to be sanctified is usually found. It may start with a sermon, by reading the Bible or a conversion with a fellow brother in Christ, but the conviction to mortify the flesh and live for God becomes clear. Some scriptures which may lead to this conviction are:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV)
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6 KJV)
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16 KJV)
When these scriptures penetrate the heart through your spirit, how can one continue to live in sin? When we think “I have been crucified” I am dead to sin, dead to this world, dead to my desires, and now the life which I now live is for Christ Who died for me; I need to mortify the deeds of the flesh for two reasons. First, I now know the consequences of sin. The wages of sin is death, and if I yield myself to my sinful desires, I become a slave or servant to sin which leads to bad consequences and death. Secondly, because Christ died for me. Christ gave Himself for all my past, present and future sins. When I know Hebrews 10:26-27 says, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (KJV). “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” Christ died once for my sins. I would not want to put Him to an open shame and sin willfully and accept my salvation in vain.
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2 KJV)
“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2 KJV)
These verses should express the attitude of the Christian believer as he pursues God and Christ-likeness. How can we live in sin any longer? Sin being pointed out by the law of God and by the laws of the land in which consequences of grief and disappointment come. The laws also point to the paths of destruction we were in but now can avoid. Why would you want to go back to the road of destruction and the grief of negative consequences? We must come to the point and attitude that we are disgusted “And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:6 KJV).
Recognizing these truths, we become aware of our current lifestyle and we also are ready to revenge all disobedience because we realize we have been deceived by the devil’s deceptions. We no longer want to live the rest of our lives to the lusts of mankind or the deception of the devil but to the will of God. We become dead to sin Romans 6:11 says, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (KJV), with a healthy disgust for sin and what it has done to us. We begin to arise and say, I am tired of being deceived and going down the paths of destruction. I will take a stand and not be fooled again, for I am no longer under the dominion of Satan and sin. I am now a child of God under the dominion of God and righteousness. And ready to revenge all disobedience by following and confessing the truth. I am ready to live unto God and our Saviour, Jesus our Sanctifier.
Those who are living according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the natural desires are; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace, because the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8 discusses this same conflict within the believer.
True believers must learn to surrender their will to God and His word to continue to grow iand walk in holiness or progressive sanctification.
Tim Owens Sanctification Part 1 – We experienced the misery of death from sin emotionally, physically and spiritually and came to hate it. Why would we go back to it?
A.B. Simpson – The more definite and thorough this act of surrender, then the more complete and permanent will be the result.