The Narrow Path Ministries

It seems popular opinion is that a person is justified right at salvation and then they are sanctified as an ongoing, lifelong process of reaching "perfection."

Anybody up for giving me their thoughts on this?

It seems in 1 Corinthians 1:2 that Paul's audience was far from perfect yet he called them "those who HAVE BEEN sanctified..." - past tense.

I think words are pretty flexible.

Salvation can apply to justification... or the whole entire process of God's work in us (justification, sanctification, glorification).

We have been saved
We are being saved
We will be saved

Likewise, the term sanctification has some flexibility (even in terms of definition). It can mean 'put to proper use' as in 'I sanctified the microphone by using it to amplify my voice.' Christians are put to proper use the moment that they begin living for the glory of God. But sanctification can also refer more specifically to the actual progress being made in one's practical purity.

There may also be a sense in which Paul labels people what they are to become rather than what they actually are. Goals are important. So are labels. This could fit into the 'now and not yet' sort of theology.

Just some random thoughts

I believe salvation to be a PROCESS—we are being saved from sins (actions which harm others or ourselves). This is tantamount to sanctification.
Often the word translated as "sanctification" means the process of being rendered righteous.

...he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

It seems in 1 Corinthians 1:2 that Paul's audience was far from perfect yet he called them "those who HAVE BEEN sanctified..." - past tense.

When God decides to do something, it's AS GOOD AS DONE even before it has been accomplished. For example in Hebrews 2: 6-8

It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

Hi Jaydam,

Paul went on to write:

1 Corinthians 1:7-9

7. so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8. who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And he also wrote:

Romans 8 (NASB)

8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.


Given that, as James wrote, "we all stumble in many ways", I can't see how we can be accounted as "blameless" except by God's gift by grace. Regarding blameless (Grk anegkletos):

Strong's #410: anegkletos (pronounced an-eng'-klay-tos) from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 1458; unaccused, i.e. (by implication) irreproachable:--blameless.

About anegkletos Zodhiates comments:

Not merely unaccusable but unaccused, free from any legal charge at all.

When Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians I'm sure he had reference to God's view of us, not our fellow man. We will never escape being blamed in this life, especially for standing for what is right.

As I have long contended we are both justified and sanctified in Christ Jesus. Sanctified positionally when we are "in Christ" and sanctified progressively as we walk the narrow path, putting to death the deads of the body. And when we stumble, as we all do, we do not become unjustified/unsanctified unless we persist in willful sin, turning from Christ. As you probably see I am convinced in the validity of the doctrine of imputed righteousness. We will never come to a place where we no longer need grace.

I guess accepting two kinds of sanctification, one "having been sanctified" and one "currently being in the process of sanctification (Heb 10:14)" question then is, is there any distinction worth a difference between positional sanctification and justification. Sanctification seems more about two things: being separate from sin and being set apart for service. But justification seems about being freed from the penalty of sin in particular and also fulfilling the positive obligation of righteousness. I've seen preachers try to make a big deal that sanctified only means a once for all past tense act, yet there seems more than enough Scripture that describes it as a current and future process.

dizerner wrote:

I've seen preachers try to make a big deal that sanctified only means a once for all past tense act, yet there seems more than enough Scripture that describes it as a current and future process.

jaydam wrote in the OP;

It seems in 1 Corinthians 1:2 that Paul's audience was far from perfect yet he called them "those who HAVE BEEN sanctified..." - past tense.

The "sanctified" in 1 Corinthians 1:2 is a perfect passive participle. Paul is speaking of an action those he is writing to received, was completed in the past, and the status continues to the present. This is not the same as progressive sanctification.

Further on Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NASB)

11. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.


Here Paul speaks of being sanctified along with being justified, both of which are aorist passive. The sanctification here is no more accomplished by the Corinthians than their justification.

Do you think initial sanctification can be defiled in some way?

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God. (2Co 7:1 NAS)

Remember holiness and sanctification are all from the same Greek word.

Dizerner wrote:

Do you think initial sanctification can be defiled in some way?

Certainly; I am definitely not OSAS. We are "created in Christ Jesus for good works", or sanctification. And this sanctification has two aspects: do not do bad stuff. Do good stuff. And neither "saves" us, but shows we are a new creation in Christ.

You think good works is sanctification? So if we do enough good things it makes us holier? Wouldn't it rather be the inward conviction and molding of the Spirit?

So we're still pushing the idea that sanctification is a completed fact. It seems the passage I quoted from Hebrews has been entirely ignored.

Please consider it:

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet(PAST TENSE).”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. [PAST TENSE] At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. (SO AT PRESENT NOT EVERYTHING IS UNDER HIS FEET)

So what God has determined to bring about, he speaks of as if it has already occurred, even if it has not yet occurred. That indicates just how certain it is that it will come to pass. We can be certain that:

...he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6)

Thus it can be said that "you have been sanctified" even though it is NOT a completed fact. You are in the process of being sanctified, and since God is doing it (with your coöperation), it shall surely come about.