“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through 1) the washing of regeneration and 2) renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
Notice, we are saved through 1) the washing of regeneration (justification from past sins) and 2) renewing of the Holy Spirit. And this renewing and refashioning of our mind and character is a process. It takes time. Progressive sanctification is as much a part of our salvation as our justification. Both justification and sanctification are essential elements of salvation. Once one is justified, having all the sins of his, or her, past wiped out, obliterated, forgotten by God never to be remembered anymore, the salvation experience has only begun. Now comes the equally important part as essential and necessary as justification. Acting as our High Priest, Jesus our Justifier becomes our Sanctifier. Our sanctification can be accomplished rapidly or ever so slowly. Regrettably, it can also be abandoned. We, ourselves, determine the timing of this phase of our salvation.
Some will cite the example of the thief on the cross to bolster their argument that one’s sanctification, or lack of the same, plays no part in our inheriting eternal life. What they do not realize is that Jesus could have said, “Thou shalt be with me in paradise” to each of the Roman soldiers gathered at the foot of the cross when He was crucified by them! (See Revelation 1:7). Many read into John Chapter 23 what they have been programmed to believe. Jesus was not telling the thief on the cross beside him that he was imparting eternal life to him at that moment. He was merely stating that someday that thief would be resurrected and would see Jesus Christ in His kingdom. A misplaced comma makes all the difference in the world as to what Jesus was and was not saying. Was He saying, “I say unto you today, you shall be with me in paradise” or was He saying, “I say unto you, today you shall be with me in paradise?” Jesus Himself didn’t go to paradise that day. (See Luke 23:39-46 and John 20:17). Neither did the thief!
Without holiness no one will see the Lord! (See Hebrews 12:14). “You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say ‘Wherein have we wearied him?’ When you say, ‘Everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord,’ and he delights in them!” (See Malachi 2:17). Multitudes of professing Christians believe that is so. They believe that when God looks on a sinful believer all He sees is the purity and righteousness of Jesus Christ. When the Lord looked on two lying Christians in Jerusalem named Ananias and Sapphira he saw two liars and killed them on the spot. (See Acts 5:1-11). When He looked on the congregation of the Laodiceans at the close of the First Century A.D. He said that they made Him want to vomit!!! (See Revelation 3:14-22).
“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely….and come and stand before me in this house (of worship), which is called by my name (the church of God), and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?'” (See Jeremiah 7:8-11). Many argue,”God doesn’t see our sins anymore. All He sees when He looks on us is the righteousness of His beloved Son!” That is utter error, yet it is wholeheartedly believed by literally millions of professing Christians!!!
God dwells in and walks in the true believer. (See 2 Corinthians 6:16). And God IN YOU will express His presence through righteous, holy conduct. Paul wrote that our Lord’s administering God’s Holy Spirit to a surrendered and faithful human being was something to behold. (See 2 Corinthians 3:8-9). The life of Jesus Christ is actually made manifest in our bodies! (See 2 Corinthians 3:10-11). “For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them…And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters…Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness (a process) in the fear of God” (See 2 Corinthians 6:16, 18 and 7:1). Justification is accomplished rather quickly (belief of the truth immediately followed by God’s gift of living faith resulting in baptism), but sanctification is a lifelong endeavor requiring the full cooperation of the redeemed one.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley