The English word regeneration is the translation of palingenesia, from palin (again) and genesis (birth). In chapter 2:1-16 he shows that the self-righteous are equally guilty before God. G. Prayer. In the Divine plan God set apart Jeremiah for His work before ever Jeremiah was born, separating and appointing him to be a prophet to the nations. It will last! Dr. Chafer said, Even if Sanctification were limited to the field of human experience, there would never be an experience that could be proven to be its perfect example, nor would any human statement of that experience exactly describe the full measure of the divine reality. This I say then, Walk in (by) the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). It is the function of the Bible to interpret experience, rather than the function of experience to interpret the Bible. Regeneration finds its continuation in renewal, and sanctification finds its continuation in Spirit-empowered enablement for holy living. The purpose of self-sanctification is to prevent sin in the life of the Christian. This is a clear illustration of the Preparatory Sanctification of God the Father in Election and Foreknowledge. Now the New Birth does not eradicate the old nature, but it does give new life to control it. It is erroneous teaching which says that spiritual life can be transmitted from parent to child. It is dangerous for any Christian to associate Sanctification with sinless perfection in this life. Neither the universe nor anything in it is self-originated. Jesus Christ modeled a holy, sinless life, and his Spirit enables believers to become more Christlike day by day. After he returned from the memorial service he went to the local bank and opened a savings account in the name of the orphaned boy. Several weeks later, another pastoral call brought up the subject again. Regeneration is the term used for this spiritual change wrought upon the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit sent forth from Christ's throne. All Christian parents would bestow eternal life on their offspring if they could, but they cannot. When one makes a study of Practical (experiential) Sanctification, there are some pitfalls to be avoided. He gives guidance to those who sincerely want His will and who are already walking in obedience to the light which they received from the Word. There is never any danger of Christians not becoming perfectly Sanctified. Surely He would not set apart a man for a ministry without providing the enablement to carry out all of the responsibilities attached thereto. Though the words just, justify, justification, right, righteous, and righteousness are all translations from the same root, their individual meanings may differ slightly. Peter likewise stresses the same truth where he writes, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby (I Peter 2:2). This is why people are not being born again in churches where the Word of God is not preached and taught. But let us never lose sight of the glorious fact that our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Death, is the sole ground of our justification. A. REPENTANCE. It gathers up the truth of what precedes and sheds light upon the truth about to be affirmed. And if you are wondering how the Word of God quickens faith, the answer is, By imparting knowledge. Then in clear and bold logic, he listed twenty-five charges against man. The Apostle wrote similarly, But when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood (Galatians 1:15, 16). Romans 1:18-3:20 depicts a court scene. It appears from Acts 8:18, 19 that Simon never did enter experientially into the truth of the Gospel. The Adoption is not experienced in this life while we remain in this mortal body. Man's holiness is progressive as it seeks to match the holiness of God James is stating how a believer who has been justified by God is justified before men, namely, by works. Both have reference to justification before men. The very fact that we are saved people should tell us that the doctrine of Sanctification does not belong in the ring of polemical pugilism. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10). We know that there is something wrong with the human race. And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand (Leviticus 27:14). In the preceding lesson we discussed the doctrine of Regeneration. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE. A healthy growth that leads to spiritual maturity necessitates time. WILL. . It was credited, posited to his account. All who have received Jesus Christ have been sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ (Jude 1). Sanctification by Justification: How Christians Change True to his nature, a caterpillar crawls, and when we see him fly we dont say, What an accomplished caterpillar! But we say the creature has been changed, it has a new nature, it has been born again; it is now a butterfly. But it is no sin to be tempted. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (II Peter 3:11). We have access into His grace. Some who believe regeneration to be hereditary use Acts 16:31 in support of this theory. The very nature of God demands that He justify the righteous and condemn the guilty. The vicarious sufferings and death of Christ are the cause of our justification before God. Romans 9:10-13); Samson before he was conceived (Judges 13:3-5); and John the Baptist prior to his conception (Luke 1:13-17). When a man is justified by faith, he rejoices in the present because of the future glory. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Faith is not the end in itself; it is a means to the end. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begets new life, Divine life, so that we are said to become partakers of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4). The Apostle James attributes the sovereign work of God in regeneration to the living Word of God. Answer: he aims to win obedience from the Gentiles. There was but One. An example of the comparative degree is seen in Hebrews 9:11 where we read, But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building. It could be said that a wife is more perfect than her husband, or that the husband is less perfect than his wife, yet neither of them would have at any time attained to sinless perfection.. In the Book of Job we read, How should man be just with God? (Job 9:2), and How then can man be justified with God? (Job 25:4). In connection with the mystery of the New Birth, there is a verse of Scripture which speaks of the mystery of another Birth. Paul says, Do not depend on your good works to justify you. James says, Do not neglect to perform good works if you are justified. Both are right. It is not possible for a Christian to die to self. But to insist that the new birth occurs as the result of water baptism makes regeneration a matter of external ritualism. . (Genesis 1:1). Did you ever question why Christ died on the Cross? Jesus Christ made peace through the blood of his cross . But closely related to guidance by the Scriptures is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Abraham was justified, not by rites of religion, for circumcision was not required until later, nor by the deeds of the law, for the law was not yet given, but through faith in Gods Word. In Regeneration the believing sinner is made a son of God. However, it is equally true that God in His sovereignty has ordained that men should be the means of carrying His Gospel to the unevangelized. The difference between our Lords use of the word and Pauls use of it is obvious. And be very certain that He has a plan for you. Faith is the vital point of contact between the sinner and God. . As to his understanding, he cannot know the things of God (I Corinthians 2:14); as to his will, he cannot subject himself to the law of God (Romans 8:7); as to his affections, he cannot love God (Romans 8:8). The utter inability of the natural man to enter into the Kingdom of God shows the necessity of being born again. . (I Timothy 3:16). Paul wrote, . We properly think of calling, regeneration, justification, and adoption as acts of God effected once for all and not requiring or admitting of repetition. The provision for righteousness is solely through the blood of Christ. Several were more explicit in making Sanctification a state of holiness in which it was not possible for a saved person to sin. In our day of scientific advance, miracles are to some an obstacle to faith. This is the cooperative work of the Holy Spirit and the believer. When we were saved we became partakers of the Divine nature (II Peter 1:4). It is of their nature to be definitive. It is an advance in experience, understanding, and application of Christianity, not only in our. These items are neither moral nor immoral; they are amoral. Spiritually speaking, you are either born or unborn. There was no cause in the words and works of Jesus for which men should hate Him, yet He was hated freely, without a cause. Just as there was no cause that men should hate our Lord, so there was no cause that God should justify man; but He justifies him freely, without a cause. Our Lord said that the Holy Spirit would abide with you forever (John 14:16). Had death triumphed over Him, our justification would have been forever impossible. In further support of the water-Word interpretation of John 3:5, the Apostle Paul wrote how Christ sanctifies and cleanses His church with the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26). That He (God) might be just, and the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus (Romans 3:26). You and I are guilty and condemned. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (I John 4:20). But he who believes the Scriptures, and examines his own heart honestly, must admit that he is an accused and guilty sinner before God. A gift is not a reward nor a debt nor a payment for service. Entire Sanctification: Nazarenes are a Holiness people, open to complete regeneration and sanctification by the Holy Spirit. . (Romans 8:30). Paul wrote, For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (I Corinthians 3:3). At the same time, however, justification and sanctification 'grant the same benefits . Sin manifests itself through the members of the body. So here's what I conclude. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? Regeneration is the awakening and enlivening of the spiritual heart, and sanctification is the ongoing work of recalibrating the affections to cherish what God cherishes. However, a general meaning is common to all. And I am convinced that my own conversion and call to the ministry were of Gods choosing and not mine. For one thing, growth takes time. There is no trace of infant baptism in the New Testament. II. Let us turn to the Scriptures for the answer. Let us put it another way--the only righteous basis for our justification has been provided through the death of Christ. There is no other way of one getting into Christs Church apart from the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. . This is an evil without any authority in the Bible. Another significant passage appears in the opening of the First Corinthian Letter. 4 Reasons Justification and Sanctification Are Inseparable Gifts - Crossway Our Lord left no doubt as to the indispensable necessity of the new birth as a pre-requisite to entrance into the Kingdom of God. Jesus himself told us what the aim of . God justified Abraham before Isaac was born (Genesis 15:6). On account of our offenses He died, and on account of our justification He arose, the latter being the ratifying counterpart of the former, the confirmation of the completeness and satisfaction of the atonement. At the time of Regeneration He sets the believer apart, sanctifying him positionally. The sovereignty of God in sanctifying Jeremiah and Paul to preach His Word, and that before they were born, did not relieve them of their responsibility to obey Gods call when it came to them. The same thing is true of the natural and spiritual man.. Both were inspired by the Holy Spirit, therefore both are correct. The Holy Spirit was the active Agent in the conception and birth of Jesus Christ. 10:10 ). . (Genesis 2:3). Then we saw the record of the pure love and grace of God, in sending Jesus Christ to die in the sinners place and for sin, showing that the sinner could be justified before God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, says Paul, in view of what God in His Son has done for man, these are the blessings that pour forth from God to all who receive His justifying grace.. God was satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son, and never again will He take up a case against those who have been justified by faith. But on the other hand, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6). My own regeneration is to me the miracle of miracles. Even though, as Saul of Tarsus, he waged a fierce warfare against the church, the Lord ruled and overruled, bringing him to the place where Paul himself knew that God had a plan for his life. In ages to come the Church will display that glory because the God of all grace hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus (I Peter 5:10). PDF SANCTIFICATION: THE BIBLICAL BASICS - The Master's Seminary Make up your mind that unless you yield yourself to God you will not experience a life of holiness. This is the golden age, the utopia for which man has sought in vain. Sanctification | Bible.org. It is God that justifieth (Romans 8:33). When they were saved they were set apart through the operation of the Holy Spirit. Church of the Nazarene Beliefs and Worship Practices - Learn Religions How does one mature in the Christian life? The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins . If any person would be saved by keeping the Law, then he must keep it wholly, not merely in part, for . Abraham justified himself before men after he had been declared acquitted by God. The Greek word translated perfect is teleios. The answer is, When he receives the Holy Spirit. He is never merciful at the expense of justice. These are different ways of describing the same work of God in us . It happened in December 1927, and it has been blessedly real. The difficulty arises from a failure to examine the Greek text in which there is nothing to support the theory of self-crucifixion or dying to self. This Scripture stresses the pursuit of Practical Sanctification. Sanctification, he says, 'is continued throughout the whole of life and, by the renewing activity of the Holy Spirit, gradually makes the righteousness of Christ our personal ethical possession.' 6 Holiness must be worked out; it is 'an organic process.' 7. All the doctrines of the Bible are important, but none is more vital to the peace and rest of the child of God than the Bible truth of Justification. Every Christian is tempted, but temptation does not necessarily lead to sin. God is here telling of a day, still future, when He will set Himself apart as the one true and living God, and that all peoples in the earth will acknowledge Him as such. In Romans Paul is merely emphasizing the truth that faith is the means of justification, while James stresses the fact that good works are the fruit of justification. The Doctrines of Salvation A. Repentance. B. Faith. C. Regeneration. D Sanctification in the NT is an integral part of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (e.g., John 17:19; 1 Cor. The verb sanctified means set apart, and the corresponding noun saints are those persons who have been set apart, the set-apart ones. Christians have time for sports, entertainment, travel, and socializing, but little or no time for communion with God in prayer and the study of His Word. Our bodies belong to God by a two-fold right, His right by creation and by redemption. Heaven may be reached without education, wealth or worldly acclaim, but it will not be inhabited by those who have not been regenerated. Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest said, God is the objective standard which determines the content and meaning, and at the same time keeps that content of meaning constant and unchanging, since He only is the unchanging One. A just person is one who has been declared righteous by God. Perfect (or ultimate) Sanctification is that aspect of Sanctification related to the final perfection of the children of God. Ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him (I John 2:29). Forgiveness is wonderful; pardon is wonderful; cleansing is wonderful; but Justification is more wonderful. The New Birth is no less a mystery than is the Virgin Birth of our Lord. No effort on mans part can bring him into Gods order, for it is not by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5), Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9). . Moreover, the word does not always mean the accomplished end as the net result of a process, but sometimes it is the process leading to the goal of consummation. Here the Apostle is drawing a contrast between children and adults, exhorting them, not to sinless perfection, but to show forth the kind of understanding that would be expected of mature adults. The righteousness of God for sinners has been wrought through the redeeming process of Gods Son. Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? (John 3:9). He has set you apart for a definite purpose, and that purpose is Gods perfect will for your life. God could not set apart an unclean sinner for His possession and purpose, therefore, He purchased and purified the sinner by the Blood of His Son. None but the justified who walk by faith can rejoice in the midst of tribulation, for rejoicing in tribulation is not natural to the unregenerate heart. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19). Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Having stated the meaning and a definition of the term, let us look at some Scriptures where the word is used: (1) A day can be sanctified. Paul is here addressing all believers in the Corinthian Assembly, not only those who were spiritual but the carnal ones also. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (II Thessalonians 2:13). For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10, 23). There is no short-cut to spiritual maturity. Like the Corinthian believers, and all true believers, I was at that moment justified by God. Consider well and take seriously the fact of the universality of sin. . . A judicial peace between a holy God and a guilty sinner has been established. Adam, in his original state, was created with the gift of life; this was the implantation of life through the creative process. When Christ was on earth He performed many miracles. One day the pastor visited the home to congratulate the boy and his mother. In one sense, the Christian life is all about sanctification. 4. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13). In all human jurisprudence such a procedure is proper. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father (Galatians 4:6). The Apostle Paul said, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after . . Therefore, he could say, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:19). Sin shuts man out from Gods presence. Only God can justify a man; no man can justify another man. Before the ages God planned to bestow upon the redeemed a glory, unique and appropriate only to the Church in Christ. God said, And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar . When Paul, for example, addresses the believers at Corinth as . Christ said, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:35). Upon this foundation God goes into action. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14).