Differences between our Jusification and our Sanctification

This past Sunday, preaching through Galatians 3:1-5, I made the distinction between justification and sanctification.  I wanted to draw this out more fully here.  Much of my thought on this is dependent upon Wayne Grudem.

Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight.

§         Justification includes a legal declaration by God (Rom 4:5; 8:1; 3:21-22).  God forgives our past, present, and future sins and gives us Christ’s perfect record.   

§         God declares us to be just in his sight.   He declares that we have been made positively righteous (Isa 61:10); Rom 3:21-22).  God can declare us to be just because he imputes Christ's righteousness to us (Rom 5:19; 1 Cor 1:30; Phil 3:9).     

§         Justification comes to us completely by God’s grace, not on account of any merit on our part (Rom 3:23-24).  Grace means it is the opposite of doing something for ourselves.

§         God justifies us through our faith in Christ.  

Sanctification is a progressive work of both God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives."   Outlines are some differences between Justifications and sanctification:

Justification	Sanctification
Legal standing	Internal condition
Once for all time	Continuous throughout life
Entirely Gods work	We cooperate with God
Perfect in this life	Not perfect in this life
Same in all Christians	Greater in some than others

• There are three stages of sanctification:

§         Sanctification has a definite beginning at regeneration (Titus 3:5; 1 Cor 6:11).  At the moment of conversion, we are set apart unto God. He gives us a new heart with new desires and appetites to please Him.

§         Sanctification increases throughout life (Phil 3:13-14; Heb 12:14).  The older we get, the more we should be walking with Jesus.  

§         Sanctification is completed at death (for our souls) and when the Lord returns (for our bodies) (Heb 12:23). 

• Sanctification is never completed in this life (Mat 6:11-12; 1 John 1:8; 1 Tim 4:12-15). 

• God and man cooperate in sanctification (Phil 2:13).  Both God and the redeemed sinner have a role in sanctification.  God changes us, gives us the ability to obey.  And then we need to be active – we strive and work out our sanctification the strength which He supplies.

• Sanctification affects the whole person.