Justification and Sanctification: What's the Problem?

Three pastors explore the tricky—and controversial—connection between justification and sanctification.

In this video: Bryan Chapell, Kevin DeYoung, Rick Phillips

[johntobey]

Thank you for this teaching.. God replaces our affections for his own, this is the progressive work of Grace

[robertoesquivel]

I love how these three agree with each other so much, goes to show how preachers in general need a well rounded and balanced view of grace, justification and sanctification, that they can articulate to the brethren they're shepherding

[shaunnyr]

Justification is the saving agent, it saves a soul from sin. Sanctification purges the carnal nature of man.

[abelatan]

The key to understanding justification and sanctification is to be "In Christ". In Christ the believer is justified and is also sanctified. Salvation requires one to be in Christ. To be in Christ necessitates sanctification.

[LaFedelaIglesia]

The Grace of God is given to us to transform us and to do good works that in the final judgement will be rewarded with eternal life. This is not from us (natural powers), but from God through Christ Jesus our Lord! This whole picture truly brings glory to God!

[derrickkorstick]

Grace is the backbone of sanctification and justification. Neither one is possible without God, impossible with our own strengths or striving. Good works come from sanctification, not the other way around

[victormashatt]

If you love Me you will keep My commandments. A statement of fact, not of action. Who are those who love God, those whom He gives to Christ. We love Him because He first loved us.
Teach people who they are in Christ like Paul did.

[DH-vyhw]

Just as the Spirit enables justification, He enables sanctification and glorification. This work is conveyed in our obedience. It's all God, then it's our obedience. This order is crucial!

[TheTale]

I am currently feeling as excited about sanctification as I was about justification some ten years ago when I started to understand gospel truth . What justification gave me enables my sanctification, God works in us with our cooperation. If he is putting his hand on an area of my life I should let him do the sanctification work and not be okay living forever with something God wants to fix

[erichort]

God's grace saves us from both the guilt and the grip of sin. Grace saves is from the penalty of sin AND the power of sin. Grace is a miracle what God can do for us that we can't do for ourselves. Thank you for a good discussion.

[johnrowland]

The word 'sanctify' and related words mean set apart. Most frequently in the NT speak of this as a completed action in the past. See 1 Cor 1:2 and 6:11. Hence because we are set apart we seek to be like our saviour. Most teaching on this subject is plain wrong.

[jjjj-ssdq]

Hebrews 10 14 says for by one offering he hath perfected for ever those that " are" sanctified. We are sanctified at the moment of justification.

[jeffrossman]

I so appreciate this discussion. So many of these questions and concepts have been flying around in my head lately, it's good to know I'm not alone in thinking them.

I'm also of the opinion that John Wesley was on to something with Christian Perfection (that is, if you can hear him and not so much his interpreters). Wesley believed that a person could be so completely sanctified that they attain to a life totally free from sin, where love is the chief motivation of the heart, and where joy and peace and every Christian virtue is present. This does not negate the possibility of sin, only that through constant abiding, we "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

[dunamishub]

Justification is a reconciliation process while sanctification is a purifying/cleansing process. To be justified, you need to accept Jesus as Lord and savior this accepting the fact that he died for your sins while sanctification has to do with a conscious turning away from all that it's sinful as you study and understand the scriptures daily.

[blakeclarkson]

I think anytime I hear people saying we must sanctify really makes me uneasy. when I hear we must it seems we are putting our trust in we, not he! We are sanctified by faith in Christ. Its done to us.

[victormashatt]

We believe in sanctification that flows from our justification. Works are the fruit of an already declaration. We live from assurance not for it.

It's about time we see someone teaching that forgiveness, CANNOT be OBTAINED WITHOUT a life of REPENTANCE.

[russellcurtis]

It’s actually quite simple. We see from Hebrews chapter 2 the connection between the *_fear of death_* and *_bondage to the devil._* Where a man is subject to the fear of death, he *_will_* be subject to this bondage. The only cure for this is the assurance we have through justification from all things, by faith. Justification does not require sanctification. It’s the other way around.
*_And EVERY man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure_*
(1st John 3:3)
Notice this verse is not a commandment, but a promise. It doesn’t require our participation. We are sanctified by hope. And this hope can only be ours when we can *_rest_* safe in the knowledge that our salvation is settled forever. This also puts away the silly “license to sin” argument. “Every man” means exactly what it says, *_EVERY_* man.
Not some. Not most. All.
But when christians lose sight of this hope, this is where problems come in. False teachers who preach against assurance, bringing christians back under the fear of death through false doctrines of works.

[anthonycalipjo]

The concept of justification. As in any mathematical equations, if you get the formula wrong everything follows wrong thus the end result will be wrong. You're a sinner, all have sinned. the verdict, guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Here comes JC, pardoned you. Judicial pardon, final, your slate is clean, every single sin forgiven. Then u die at the same time. Conclusion: you go straight to heaven. Good. The problem is, you didn't die, you're still living. And as you keep on living u cannot avoid sinning, maybe small maybe big. In the end, what do you need??? Another pardon???

[duncannjuguna]

I have been thinking a lot about salvation and it's funny how we don't see the full picture of salvation that is - Justification, Sanctification and Glorification.

It seems to me that we are having a Christianity that is seeking only Justification and Glorification without the Sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost.

Now, we should be careful that we do not get hung on one aspect for if we focus on Sanctification without Justification, we get into works Salvation if we seek Justification and Glorification only, that is humanism.

Romans 8:28-30 shows us the working of God through our salvation and if God is not working, I would be hard pressed to say it may be He never started for He who begun a good work in you, shall bring it into completion.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?