"WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?"

Forest Grove Reformed Church ^ | 9-27-2010 | Rev. Judson Marvel

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Justification and Sanctification are two extremely important concepts to understand, even though they are not everyday words. But they are more than concepts; justification and sanctification help us make sense out of the world, ourselves, and God. In other words, they are not simply "up there" but very relevant to "down here." These concepts are practical.

Justification is the teaching that God declares us right in Jesus Christ. Paul writes in Romans, "For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, though the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (3:22b-24). God declares us right in his sight through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Now, while this might not seem like much, pay attention to what Paul wrote about who we were before Christ: we were sinners who fell short of the glory of God. Paul tells us elsewhere that we were children of wrath, under God's wrath, apart from Christ. By his grace, however, he gave us the gift of Christ whose blood satisfies and atones for the wrath of God, making us children of God. Therefore, we were children of wrath, but now in Christ we are children of God. We were declared sinful and destined for hell, but in Christ we are declared right and destined for glory.

Justification is not our work at all. It is a gift, as Paul writes in Romans 3. It is a perfect gift. Nothing can be added to our justification, for Christ is perfect. For those in Christ, when God the Father looks at you, he sees his perfect Son.

Think of justification as a legal status. Once we were children of parents who didn't want us, but now God has adopted us into his family. We are legally his. There is nothing that can be added to declare us more his. It is done. It is finished.

Sanctification is the teaching that God makes us right through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul again writes in Romans, "I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." God makes us right -- sanctifies -- through the Holy Spirit.

What's the difference between justification and sanctification? Think about that same analogy of adoption. Legally, an adopted child is a member of that new family. It is a done, perfect deal in the eyes of the law. Nothing can be added to declare it more perfect. However, the child now experiences the new family. He grows to know what it means to be a member of this new family. He changes and becomes more like that new family. This is sanctification.

Whereas justification is a perfect deal done once on the cross by Christ, sanctification is an imperfect process done by the Spirit and us. Whereas justification is a legal status, sanctification is an experience. Whereas justification was done apart from us, sanctification is done in us to make us more like a member of that family.

How does this matter to our daily lives? Well, we easily confuse these two, basing our righteousness on our sanctification, by how good we've been, rather than on the perfect righteousness of Christ. We become either anxious or self-righteous, then. We don't see ourselves as worthy because we aren't focusing on the worthiness of Christ. Or, we think we don't need to do anything to grow because Christ has done it all, forgetting that sanctification is a work between the Spirit and us.

Know the difference between these two concepts. Remind yourself of these every day. One grants us a peace and joy that the world cannot offer. The other gives us purpose in battling indwelling sin and putting on Christ.

[Zuriel]

One of my former co-workers could put many, that claim to have the Spirit, to shame with his polite, helpful attitude, and willingness to donate to worthy causes. The man is an admitted aetheist (totally sold on evolution, that it just happened).

Doing good works, as they found and performed in the Bible, does not prove Spirit birth. People see that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’, and that the ‘golden rule’ are just sensible ways to live.

Cornelius was most devoted to the God of the Israelites, praying and giving alms, yet did not have the Spirit until later.

The Holy Ghost leads and guides one into all truth. God’s Spirit does not teach contrary to the Word. The Spirit makes it initial presense in someone so dramatic, the receiver is overwhelmed, amazed. Why settle for some feeling of a new attitude, just because someone tells you that you received the Spirit when you believed?

[Cronos]

VErdugo — what you do think of this?