THE SECOND STAGE OF SALVATION

 I thank God you are Born Again, but your temper still rages and your thoughts still wander, and your pride still drives you.

You nod when someone says that you are a work in progress, but never ask if that progress is actually happening, or you’ve just stopped progressing all together.

Today, we shall be looking at “THE SECOND STAGE OF SALVATION!” “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30).

 

Sanctification is the second stage of salvation; it always follows justification.

 

Sanctification is the will of God for your life. “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour” (1 Thess. 4:3-4, KJV).

 

“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep My statutes, and do them…” (1 Thess. 20:7-8).

 

Look at a specific instruction to you that is Born Again and have turned away from all forms of evil. It is your responsibility to: “Abstain from allappearance(s) of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22-23).

 

In Ecclesiastes 8:9 God said, “Let your garments always be white…” Your garment of righteousness can remain spotless only through the process of sanctification. 

 

Salvation is not only what has happened. It is also what is happening right now. Throughout the Bible you will find that in the issue of sanctification, you will always see the part you are expected to play, and then God’s response when you have played your part.

 

What then is sanctification? Sanctification is a Christian teaching about how God transforms a person, making him to conform to the image of His Son.

 

Sanctification is the process by which a believer is purified to the point of being totally free from sin. 

 

Sanctification, is the ongoing Spirit-empowered process of becoming like Christ. Here, God gets rid of everything in your life that contradicts His Word. He removes anger, pride, lust etc. (Gal. 5:19-21) from your life.

This is what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 15:2 when he said, “By this Gospel, you are being saved if you hold firmly to the Word I preach to you.”

Look at God’s responsibility toward you as you say no to anything that contradicts God’s Word. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole 1) spirit and 2) soul and 3) body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:22-24).

What is the purpose of God in sanctification? The entire purpose of God in sanctification is that we conform to the image of Christ. 

In Matthew 5:8 Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Justification takes place in an unbeliever, while sanctification takes place in a Born-Again believer. After you’ve heard the Word of God, genuinely repented of your sins, been justified, then you are positionally sanctified.

Once you get Born Again, you receive the gift of righteousness. “For God the Father hath made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Sanctification is God’s gracious work that enables Christians to follow God’s moral code. Sanctification is the work that the Holy Spirit initiates and sustains (Gal. 3:1-3; 5:16-18).

Sanctification is supernatural. Sanctification results from the supernatural presence and power of the Holy Spirit working in the life of a Christian (Gal. 5:22-26; Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 12:9-10).

Sanctification involves the transformation of a person in the depths of his heart and soul.

Sanctification is a process. It does not happen all at once. For instance, Christians don’t immediately become loving, kind, humble and self-controlled. As a process, sanctification makes a person to become more like Christ through time. Like a child growing up into adulthood, Christians become more sanctified over time (1 Pet. 2:2).

This means that Christians should expect to make progress, to grow and become more loving, kind, humble and self-controlled over their lives.

For instance, Apostle Paul explains that while he was a follower of Christ, he was not already perfect, but continued to pursue God’s call to new life (Phil. 3:12-14). Even as a missionary, and an eye witness to Jesus’ resurrection, Paul continued in an imperfect love (Rom. 7:15).

Sanctification results in good works (Jam. 1:27).

 

What happens in sanctification? At the moment you got Born-Again, there is no sin in your life anymore. You are completely free and you instantly become the righteousness of God because of what Christ has done for humanity.

 

So, you are said to be positionally sanctified. This is then followed by the process of progressive sanctification (Jn. 15:3), which continues until you see Jesus face to face.

 

In sanctification, the Holy Spirit “works in you to will and to act” according to God’s purpose. What He does is to prompt you to “work out your salvation” (i.e., express it in action) by fulfilling these new desires (Phil. 2:12-13). 

 

Christians become increasingly Christ-like as the moral profile of Jesus (the “fruit of the Spirit”) is progressively formed in them (2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:22-25).

 

Conclusion: Without sanctification, you can never remain holy. And without holiness, you cannot see the LORD (Heb. 12:14).

 

To be continued!

 

Watch out for the next Edition of the Good News from the Pulpit!

 

Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor, HOG).