DONE 240612 BITES: Q31 What is sanctification?

Q31: What is sanctification? A31: Positional sanctification takes place at salvation making the believer holy to God. Progressive sanctification increases as the believer becomes more like Christ, dying to sin and living to righteousness (Hebrews 10:14)

INTERACTION:

What do you set apart as special?

Clothes: We set apart clothes as special, we have special work clothes, church clothes, have you ever seen someone mowing a lawn in a tuxedo… of course not right? We have special clothes

Days: We also have special days like birthdays and Christmas and Resurrection Sunday.

Things: We set things apart as special - maybe its dishes or special toys that we don’t want to play with or eat on just any old day because we don’t want to break them.

What really is the difference between a wedding dress and a pair of pajamas? They are made out of the same fabric as each others right?

What is different about certain days, they have the same weather? What is different about these things?

The difference is how we treat them. We set them apart and we make them special

In a way this is what sanctification is like, its just a long word that means set apart.

Believers are treated differently by God because they have received Christ’s righteousness

But we also, as believers act differently too - we become more set apart to look like Christ because the Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out.

TRANSITION TO CONCEPT

So two concepts, Positional sanctification and Progressive sanctification. One is instantaneous and the other progresses over time.

QUESTION AND ANSWER

So here is tonight’s question: Q31: What is sanctification? A31: Positional sanctification takes place at salvation making the believer holy to God. Progressive sanctification increases as the believer becomes more like Christ, dying to sin and living to righteousness

Hebrews 10:14“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Ask if anyone has questions then define terminology

Breakdown of Terms from Catechism Question: Terms and Definitions

Sanctification: The process of being made holy. Positional sanctification happens when we are saved, making us holy to God. Progressive sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. Example: Positional sanctification is like getting a new membership card that gives you access to a club. Progressive sanctification is like learning all the club's rules and becoming a dedicated member over time. Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Renew: To make new, refresh, or revive something to its original state or better. Example: Like when you update your computer to make it run better, God updates our hearts and minds. Ephesians 4:23 “and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,”

Image of God: The likeness or reflection of God's character in humans. Example: Like being a mirror that reflects light, Christians are meant to reflect God's love and goodness. Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new man who is being renewed to a full knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—”

Dying to Sin: To stop engaging in sinful behaviors and desires. Example: Like giving up bad habits, Christians are called to stop doing things that go against God's will. Romans 6:11 “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Living to Righteousness: To live in a way that is right and pleasing to God. Example: Like following the rules of a game to play well, Christians follow God's rules to live rightly. Romans 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

So how is positional sanctification different than progressive sanctification

Why does this matter to us?

Progressive sanctification is the proof of positional sanctification 2 Peter 1:8“For if these things are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11“for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

Positional sanctification is a great gift - it makes the believer as righteous as Christ is Himself and gives Him access to the Father Colossians 1:22“but now He reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”

Furthermore, positional sanctification gives freedom and assurance because for the believer they know that they have no more sin guilt 2 Corinthians 5:21“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

LAST QUESTION AND ANSWER

Q31: What is sanctification? A31: Positional sanctification takes place at salvation making the believer holy to God. Progressive sanctification increases as the believer becomes more like Christ, dying to sin and living to righteousness

Hebrews 10:14“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Any questions?

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SPG 34. Q. What is sanctification?

A. Sanctification is the work of God’s Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13), whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God (Eph. 4:24), and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live to righteousness (Rom. 6:11).

WSC Question 35 What is sanctification?

Sanctification is the work of God’ s free grace, (2 Thess. 2:13) whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, (Eph. 4:23–24) and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. (Rom. 6:4,6, Rom. 8:1)

WLC Question 75 What is sanctification?

Sanctification is a work of God’ s grace, whereby they whom God hath, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit (Eph. 1:4, 1 Cor. 6:11, 2 Thess. 2:13) applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, (Rom. 6:4–6) renewed in their whole man after the image of God; (Eph. 4:23–24) having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts, (Acts 11:18, 1 John 3:9) and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened, (Jude 20, Heb. 6:11–12, Eph. 3:16–19, Col. 1:10–11) as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life. (Rom. 6:4,6,14, Gal. 5:24)

Mark Initial Draft: Q31 What is sanctification?

Sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s work in which believers are renewed to the image of God and enabled to die to sin and live to righteousness

Mark Second Draft: Q31: What is sanctification? (restructured with ChatGPT and addition of 1st Corinthians 6:11)

A31: Sanctification is the work of God’s Holy Spirit in which He continuously renews believers after the image of God and enables them to die to sin and live to righteousness

1 Corinthians 6:11“And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

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