Salvation and Sanctification

How often over the decades have we heard the dialog regarding "grace alone?" "Grace is how we are saved, period, end of subject, and there's nothing else involved." The battle still wages, and is even raising its seductive head within the COG. The confusion on this subject is potentially misleading even some of God's own elect. Perhaps if we looked at the subject in a different light, we may be able to better understand the difference between "grace" and "works" and how both are part of the process God is working out here on Earth with human beings.

No one argues the fact that we are saved by grace...

Eph 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved..." NKJV throughout.

Throughout the New Testament we have countless scriptures that clearly tell us that salvation is through God's grace, based on the blood of Christ being shed for the remission of our sins. Christ's blood saves us from death, period. Our works do not save us, and cannot save us. Many use this truth to point to the "law" (including God's commandments, Holy Days, etc.) as being either "done away with," or not having anything of vital importance to do with actual salvation.

If we stop at "being saved from sin," we could accept this doctrinal position, however, there is clearly more to the story. Being "saved" begs the question... "Saved for what?" What is God doing and what is He saving us for? Where are we headed in this "salvation" process? How about "the rest of the story."

Looking at the New Testament once again, we can see a major theme being taught that indicates that mankind is being saved for a great purpose:

Eph 4:13 "...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;"

Being "saved" by Christ's blood does NOT bring us to this stature of Christ, and to believe it does shames Christ and the Father. So what DOES bring us to this Holy stature? We need to move from "salvation" to "sanctification."

1 Thess 4:3 "For this is the will of God, your sanctification..."

2 Thess 2:13 "God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth..."

The word "Sanctification" comes from a word that means: "properly, purification, i.e. (the state) purity; KJV - holiness, sanctification." This word comes from a word that means "to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: KJV - hallow, be holy, sanctify.

This is a process... "salvation THROUGH sanctification." Notice the warning Christ gave the church in Revelation 3:

Rev 3:18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

These are God's own people, part of the Church, already "saved" through faith, but something was lacking. This sure doesn't indicate that "being saved" was enough for this group, does it? "I'm saved by grace alone" could be their conclusion, clearly making them lukewarm in the salvation process if there's more to it than "salvation alone." God is working with our free will for a greater purpose...

Mal 3:2 "For He is like a refiner's fire."

Isa 64:8 "But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay , and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand."

God's will goes beyond "salvation" for mankind and enters the realm which includes God Himself; HOLY! But, one might ask, HOW does this "sanctification" process, or "being made Holy," take place? Many believe it is instantly applied to any human who accepts Christ and is "saved," but is this scriptural?

Hundreds of scriptures could be listed showing that God's work in His people takes time, and includes such things as repentance, overcoming, enduring, prayer, study, fasting, meditation, obedience, submission, etc. They also include those "pesky" little things such as the 10 Commandments, the Holy Days, God's 7th day Sabbath, and other established guidelines God provided for the sanctification process.

In other words, despite some belief to the contrary, such things as commandments, principles, laws, Holy Days... are all "TOOLS" God uses for the sanctification process. They don't save anyone. However, with God's spirit working in us, these tools DO lead us to "sanctification," better known as being conformed to the image (Holy) of Christ. It isn't rocket science.

So a question we need to ask is, Can "salvation" be concluded (the first resurrection) without "sanctification?" Can stopping with salvation alone still sanctify us, make us Holy like God... bring us into the family of God? Going further, can "sanctification" occur without the 10 Commandments, Holy Days, including the Sabbath, and other commands Christ gave us to follow? If we disregard the tools God has provided us to mold and shape us, using His Holy Spirit, the power which performs the change in us, how can we become Holy like He and Christ?

Do the Holy Days or commandments save us? NO! Forgiveness comes from Christ's sacrifice and God's grace. Can we disregard the commandments, Holy Days, etc., as having no part in the salvation process? Equally, NO! Tools are tools, not salvation, but they ARE vital in the sanctification process. Sure God could have created different tools to use in His sanctification process, but He didn't. He doesn't do things with no purpose in mind. He didn't create His laws and Holy Days as just some way to trip us up or demand compliance to. To think we can disregard one or more of these tools as being unnecessary to salvation, His creative efforts to reproduce Himself... is not a wise or safe position to take.

The tools God gave us reflect His nature in some spiritual dimensional way. Perhaps if we view them as more than simple "do's and don'ts," we'll come to experience their power and change in our lives and in the collective Church much more significantly. Salvation AND Sanctification. That is the rest of the story.

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