“Sanctification is applied justification. By its very nature justification does not have a progressive character. It is God’s declaration of righteousness.” (i)
Daily applying the truth of your justification, therefore progressively closing the gap between what is true in reality and what is true experientially.
Closing the gap between who you are declared to be and who you are becoming because of who you already are. Chew on that for a minute.
“In sanctification, the believer is simply applying the implications of his or her justification.”
We are on a journey fraught with hills and valleys. As we proceed through life God is making us more like His Son. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29. This journey in which we are progressively being sanctified is from A-Z (‘A’ being conversion and ‘Z’ being glory) but not necessarily in that order for everyone. For some it is A, L, S, F, P, J… Z; for another it is A, R, M, K, S, P, J, O…Z.
God is at work in the life of every believer, manifesting the reality of her justification in her experience as He, by His grace, progressively sanctifies her for His purposes and glory.
May you be encouraged, wherever you are on this journey, that God is at work in your life. He promises so. “…being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
