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Bro. Turner:
 What,
if any, is the difference in justification and Sanctification? RM
Reply:
The
querist knows, of course, that the terms have different meaning.
Justification refers to a judicial declaration that one is
"free of guilt," while Sanctification refers to the
"setting apart" of one, on the basis of holiness. (Use
Concordance, Word Studies, etc., for details.) The Corinthians
had been thieves, drunkards, etc., "but ye were washed
(washed yourselves, f.n.), but ye were sanctified, but ye were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the
Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:11). Both justification
(forgiveness of their sins), and sanctification (set apart from
the world on the basis of this cleansing) took place when they
were converted.
Both
were made possible to sin stained man by God-provided means.
He loved us, gave His Son to die for us, and revealed the good
news by His Holy Spirit. Having sinned, man can not free himself
from guilt, nor make himself holy. We must throw ourselves on
the mercy of God— "by Grace are ye saved.' But God's
grace, expressed in Christ, while offered for the whole world
(Jn. 3:16), is effectual only to those individuals who put their
trust in Him (1 Tim. 4:10). Man is capable of being taught, and
can come to God (Jn. 6:45). The Spirit operates upon free-agent
man with His sword, the word of God (Acts 2:37; 41; Eph. 6.17).
There
is no validity in the "evangelical" concept that the
Holy Spirit must operate
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directly or immediately upon the alien sinner — most of
our brethren readily agree to that. But there is a growing
acceptance of the equally false concept that there must be some
"apart from the word" indwelling, to
"enable" the Christian to remain and grow in holiness
(sanctification). The K.C. Moser books fostered this idea, and
later writers give it impetus. We can not call that consistent
theology. If they deny total depravity of man, and think he is
capable of coming to God, by what logic do they conclude the
saint must be mystically "enabled" to stay with
Him?
Truth
is, man can only become justified (free from guilt)
through forgiveness; and man can only remain sanctified
(set apart, holy) through further forgiveness. Whatever man must
do to have sins forgiven initially, that is what he must do to
be justified, and sanctified initially. And as Abraham's
"righteousness" was not static (once-for-all-time
achieved) but repeatedly reaffirmed on the basis of continued
faithfulness (Rom. 4: 3,22; Jas. 2:23); so our righteousness.
The progressive sanctification which follows one's coming to
Christ is the result of spiritual growth toward maturity — man
follows the way set before him by divine revelation. But he is
no more self-sufficient here than in his initial obedience.
Walking in light, he prays without ceasing, confessing his
dependence upon Christ and asking forgiveness for his sins.
Until
finally, through the mercies which God extends to the faithful
in Christ Jesus, justified man is wholly sanctified in heaven (1
Thes. 5:23).
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