Thursday 15 June 2017

What is Sanctification

Many so-called Hebrew-Roots people today, while they concede that justification is by faith, insist that sanctification involves observing the Law.

But that's not what Paul said. Paul said "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified".

Our perfection - our sanctification - our justification - each hark back to a single event in history: the once-for-all offering of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Christ's offering is the true basis for the Jews' justification - through faith, as it was for the original Hebrew, Abraham.

Christ's offering is also the basis of our perfection. Our perfection looks back to a past event: "...he hath perfected..."

Our perfectness is permanent: "...he hath perfected for ever..."

Our sanctification is a past event: "...them that are sanctified". It looks back to the cross. 

What it means is that in Christ Gentiles could eat at the same table as Jews. It meant that through faith in Jesus Christ, the Gentiles, without needing to become Observant of the Law - that is, without needing to become Jews - but by grace alone - were fully accepted, from God's point of view, as the Covenant people of God - justified, sanctified and perfected, forever.

In Christ, Gentiles had become coheirs with Christ. Equal sons of God; equal children of Abraham. 


In fact, Christ is the only way Jews could truly be justified, sanctified and perfected too.

God made one new man, in Christ - which is His body, the Church - comprising both Jews and Gentiles, without distinction.

Without the Gentiles needing to become Jews - that is, without needing to become Observant of Moses' Law. Not that that needs stating today like it needed stating in Paul's day (because Moses' Law can't be carried out anymore today anyway, like it still could in Paul's day).

Becoming Observant wasn't the way to sanctification then - and it certainly isn't today, when it isn't even possible to Observe the Law anymore anyway!

"Christ [alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, regardless of ethnicity, and without the deeds of the Law] is [already, and forever] made unto us [made to you] wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption".

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