Sanctification

The true nature of the Christian life which is unpredictable and expanding called "sanctification".

In sanctification, God has to deal with us:
1. On the death side (spiritual death became spiritual alive as in born again). This is Salvation. By His stripes we are healed.

2. As well as on the life side that our bodies still CARRIES sin even though we are sinless spiritually. The struggle begins. "If any man come to Me and hate not his own life, he cannot be My disciple."

The key to sanctification then, is to know and obey the truth which is the Word of God in our hearts. When we got saved, we were justified which is "declared righteous". Justification cannot be separated from sanctification. We are declared righteous in justification, and then the process of making us righteous begins to function in this sinful world. A person's heart is always found running in the direction of his/her desires. The Bible illumines the dark corners of heart and mind by exposing our personal sins while at the same time, reveals the way of holiness. The Word of God (Bible) rebukes in order that we may see our faults. God's Word (the Bible) sometimes wounds us deeply and it is imperative because through the Bible, God speaks loudly.

Sanctification is a progress towards holiness which is spiritual growth. Some grow slower than others. Some grow faster than others.

Progressing in our sanctification and our spiritual growth can only happens as we live in the environment of the truth and respond to that truth, and obey that truth. We are to avoid anything that diminishes our understanding of that truth or perverts that truth.

God must have all our thoughts it we would experience the sanctification of our minds. A.W. Tozer

One of the heaviest problems in the Christian life is that of sanctification: how to become as pure as we know we ought to be and must be if we are to enjoy intimate communion with a holy God. A.W. Tozer

To give God back to us was the chief work of Christ in redemption. To impart Himself to us in personal experience is the first purpose of God in salvation. To bring acute God-awareness is the best help the Spirit brings in sanctification. All other steps in grace lead up to this. A. W. Tozer