Key Doctrines of the Faith: Sanctification

by David Chadwick

We are wrapping up week two with our tenth key doctrine of the Christian faith. I pray these keys continue to build you up with revelation, wisdom, knowledge and discernment.

The doctrine of holiness, also known as sanctification, is today’s key.

If you remember, justification is the doctrine of forgiveness, when Christ’s sacrifice made it “just as if we had never sinned.” But it doesn’t stop there.

After justification, the Holy Spirit in us begins the process of inward sanctification. The process of making us holy. Being conformed to his image and likeness (Romans 8:29).

Justification is a one-time event: forever forgiven. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a lifetime process that will continue until we die. We live in fallen human bodies, in a fallen world, with a furious enemy (and all of his demons) who hate us and want us to fail and to fall.

We must put on the full armor of God each and every day and choose to obey Jesus until we meet him face to face (Ephesians 6:10-18). It takes work! Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Jesus makes us holy, but we are to partner with his finished work. God’s truths, found in his Word and by his Spirit, will inwardly sanctify us until we see him return one day.

In the process of sanctification, we can cling to the reality of Philippians 1:6. Jesus began the process of sanctification…and HE will be faithful to complete it! The old has passed away and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17), but we must walk out this reality until the day we die!

Learn the Word of God, my friends. Hide it deep in your heart (Psalm 119:11). Obey it. Be sanctified by God’s truth because his Word is true (John 17:17).

Then watch as your process of sanctification continues until you see Jesus face to face.