What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 23 Apr, 2025 01:04 PM
Progressive sanctification is the process Christians experience where the Holy Spirit works in us (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2) to make us more like Jesus, where we put to death the deeds of the flesh, and we resist sin. It is progressive in that it is an ongoing process throughout our entire lives. It can be difficult at times, but it is always good. As Christians, we want to honor our Lord, serve Him in truth and in love, and turn away from unrighteousness. In this, progressive sanctification is good and biblical. But is that any different than just sanctification? Yes and no. Basically, sanctification is being set apart for holy use. Progressive sanctification is how that “being set apart” works itself out in our lives. But they are often used interchangeably
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 23 Apr, 2025 02:47 PM
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Home Content Index Spiritual Life God in our Hearts Progressive sanctification
The word translated “sanctification” in most Bibles means “separation.” It is used in the New Testament, according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, of the separation of the believer from evil, and it is the result of obedience to the Word of God. Progressive sanctification is what gradually separates the people of God from the world and makes them more and more like Jesus Christ.
Sanctification differs from justification in several ways. Justification is a one-time work of God, resulting in a declaration of “not guilty” before Him because of the work of Christ on the cross. Sanctification is a process, beginning with justification and continuing throughout life. Justification is the starting point of the line that represents one’s Christian life; sanctification is the line itself.
Sanctification is a three-stage process – past, present, and future. The first stage occurs at the beginning of our Christian lives. It is an initial moral change, a break from the power and love of sin. It is the point at which believers can count themselves “dead to sin but alive to God” (Romans 6:11). Once sanctification has begun, we are no longer under sin’s dominion (Romans 6:14). There is a reorientation of desires, and we develop a love of righteousness. Paul calls it “slavery to righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).
The second stage of sanctification requires a lifetime to complete. As we grow in grace, we are gradually – but steadily – changing to be more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). This occurs in a process of daily spiritual renewal (Colossians 3:10). The apostle Paul himself was being sanctified even as he ministered to others. Paul claimed that he had not reached perfection, but that he “pressed on” to attain everything Christ desired for him (Philippians 3:12).
The third and final stage of sanctification occurs in the future. When believers die, their spirits go to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Since nothing unclean can enter heaven (Revelation 21:27), we must be made perfect at that point. The sanctification of the whole person—body, soul, and spirit—will finally be complete when the Lord Jesus returns and we receive glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-49).
God’s work in sanctification involves all three members of the Trinity. God the Father is constantly at work in His children “to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). He changes our desires, making us want to please Him, and He empowers us to do so. Jesus earned our sanctification on the cross and, in essence, has become our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30) and the “perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The Holy Spirit is the primary agent of our sanctification (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2), and He is the one who produces in us the fruit of sanctification (Galatians 5:22-23).
Our role in sanctification is both passive and active. Passively, we are to trust God to sanctify us, presenting our bodies to God (Romans 6:13; 12:1) and yielding to the Holy Spirit. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and God will have His way.
Actively, we are responsible to choose to do what is right. “Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:4). This involves putting to death the “misdeeds of the body” (Romans 8:13), striving for holiness (Hebrews 12:14), fleeing immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18), cleansing ourselves from every defilement (2 Corinthians 7:1), and making every effort to supplement our faith (2 Peter 1:5-11).
Both the passive role and the active role are necessary for a healthy Christian life. To emphasize the passive role tends to lead to spiritual laziness and a neglect of spiritual discipline. The end result of this course of action is a lack of maturity. To emphasize the active role can lead to legalism, pride, and self-righteousness. The end result of this is a joyless Christian life. We are to pursue holiness, but it is God who empowers us to do so. The end result is a consistent, mature Christian life that faithfully reflects the nature of our holy God.
John makes it clear that we will never be totally free from sin in this life (1 John 1:8-10). Thankfully, the work God has begun in us He will finish (Philippians 1:6).
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 25 Apr, 2025 11:50 AM
When Got Questions exposed false teacher claims of raising the dead, speaking in false tongues and other false teacher claims, moonlight suddenly decided that at least some of the Got Questions blogs were just not biblical.
So, here’s the question for moonlight.
Please describe for the forum audience the process you use in determining which Got Question blogs are biblical and which “aren’t biblical”⁉️⁉️
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 25 Apr, 2025 12:02 PM
One added note for moonlight.
Got Questions doesn’t agree with your false claim that “salvation can be lost”. That’s a GOOD thing‼️‼️
This question is most relevant to the biblical sanctification process currently under discussion here.
It’s especially relevant to those who encounter temptations and trials. Some inexperienced Christians get discouraged when they fall into sin. They mistakenly believe that they’ve “lost their salvation”. This sad fact is true for those dear souls who have unfortunately come under charismaniac false teaching that claims salvation can be lost.
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 25 Apr, 2025 01:54 PM
The idea is that if someone goes to Hell that they were never saved in the first place.
But the Bible does say that if you think you are standing firm, watch out! (1 Corinthians 10:12)
The Bible also says to consider the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:22)
And the Bible says "Remain in me and I will remain in you." (John 15)
Jesus says, "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:6)
Assurance of salvation is for those that remain in Christ and continue in the kindness of God.
Ezekiel 18:24-29
“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die. 25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
Assurance of salvation is for those that remain in Christ.
Yes, there is the story of the Prodigal Son. Hurry back to God!
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 25 Apr, 2025 02:03 PM
Ezekiel 33:12-13 “Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’ If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.
Ezekiel 33:18 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it.
What is progressive sanctification and is it biblical ❓❓
Posted : 25 Apr, 2025 03:45 PM
Ezekiel contains some very stern warnings to folks, who were quite similar to the Pharisees in Jesus day with their man made “righteousness” along with their man made traditions and who depend on past righteous acts to save them from hell and from God’s coming wrath.
But Jesus also makes it clear that he came to save sinners not these kind of “self-righteous” people.
Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” These are the kind of sinners of whom God makes righteous. These are the true righteous people that God and God only has justified and are continually being sanctified.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus
Unfortunately, some may try to use passages such as these from Ezekiel and others selected from throughout the Bible to prove their man made “losing of salvation” tradition. But this passage from Ezekiel says nothing about losing one’s salvation.
