Sanctification

Sanctification

Sanctification is not, as is generally believed, the same as coming to a life of victory over sin. Sinning—committing sin—is the same as doing what we know we should not be doing, or not doing what we know we should be doing. When we do what we know we should be doing, and do not do anything of what we know we should not be doing, then we can say that we have victory over sin: we do not commit sin; we do not sin.

Sanctification denotes the step-by-step condemnation of sin in the flesh as we voluntarily acknowledge the judgments of God’s light, which He lets shine over and into our works after they have been executed. Or: sanctification is a cleansing from what we do not know to be evil but which, nevertheless, is evil—which we acknowledge either by God convicting us or by light shining into the situation.

If the light judges something, then we also condemn it; thus we are saved from it by faith. This is the work that God desires to do with us after we have had our sins forgiven, after we have been born again, after we have come to a life of victory over sin, so that it no longer rules in our mortal body, and we are no longer obeying its lusts.

Sanctification is the cleansing that is mentioned in the verse, “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2. In other words, I need to purify myself while I am bearing fruit in and by God—not from the work itself, but from something else that manifested itself because a certain deed was to be done.

The person who will be most sanctified is the person who is most faithful, because he is the one who keeps God’s works the most. He is watchful and reflects on his works.

He who has tried nothing does not know what he can or cannot do. And if he does not know that he cannot do a certain thing, how can he have a desire to be able to do it? And if he does not have this desire, how can he seek to be able to do it? And if he does not seek, how can he find anything?

This agrees with the old saying, “The beginning of wisdom is to know your own folly.” If I am of God, I will receive a desire for wisdom if I find folly in myself instead of wisdom. God fills our desire, our longing, and our need according to His riches in glory.

He who is not aware of his lack of patience cannot become more patient; neither can he learn to know his lack of patience without being tested in works that require greater patience than he already possesses.

Now we can understand the significance of keeping the works of God (Rev. 2:26), of being diligent in manifesting virtue (2 Pet. 1:5, ff.) and examining our own works (Gal. 6:4), and on the whole to be very attentive and reflect on all our works.

By doing this we have opportunity to discover our folly—our lack and incompetence— which, in turn, gives us the opportunity to have it replaced by the content of the fullness of the Godhead.

But who wants to go to all that trouble! “Such striving! It is so painful to see your own hidden folly time and time again, never knowing that you are free from it! Such bondage!”

“No, away with it! Give us Barabbas. We don’t want to be plagued by this incessant judgment! This penetrating light does not please us! Only speak to us about peace and love, music and song, wine, strong drink, and rejoicing. That is what we like to hear.” Micah 2:6, 11; Amos 5:23-24.

This is the voice of the multitudes even today.

But blessed are those who have learned to deny themselves in this world.