Mar

30

Understanding Sanctification

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Understanding Sanctification
Dr. Johnson C. Philip

ScreenHunter 01 Apr. 15 00An improper understanding of Justification produces spiritual bondage, and a wrong understanding of Sanctification produces spiritual subjectivity. Only a Biblical understanding of these doctrines will motivate us towards proper spiritual commitment.

The word ‘sanctification’ is derived from two Latin words, and it means “to make holy”. The predominant meaning of the Greek and the Hebrew words used for sanctification is “to set apart”. The same word-groups are translate holy, holiness, sanctify, saint, etc. This implies that we are sanctified or made holy by a process of setting us apart for God’s use. This setting apart of our lives is predominantly the work of the Holy Spirit who, in God’s grace, renews us every day so that we are enabled to die more and more unto sin and live unto righteousness. The ultimate aim of this daily process is to render us fully set apart for God. But this potential aim is never fully reached in this life due to the constant opposition of our threefold spiritual enemies-the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. God has made all provisions for our sanctification, but these enemies hinder us from appropriating these provisions fully so that we will never, in s life, fully reach our final target (Phil. 3:12-21).

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