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Sanctification
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The word sanctification (see ) refers to the act or process of making holy or setting apart (as special) and occurs five times in the Authorized Version of the New Testament translated from the Greek word a??asµ?? () "purification," which is from the root hagios which means holy or sacred.
To sanctify is literally “to set apart for special use or purpose,” figuratively “to make holy or sacred,” and etymologically from the Latin verb which in turn is from sanctus “holy” and “to make.”
Eastern OrthodoxyOrthodox Christianity believes in the doctrine of theosis, whereby humans take on divine properties. One of the key scriptures used to support this doctrine is 1:4:
Athanasius stated in the fourth century that Christ “assumed humanity that we might become God,” i.e. “God became Man that Man might become God.”
The essence of this is not that man becomes divine, but that man in Christ is enabled to partake of the divine nature. The doctrine of theosis needs to be understood in the view of salvation expressed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Eastern Orthodox view of salvation is about God's image being restored in man.
In the Eastern Orthodox understanding of salvation one of the main themes is “release from the corruption and mortality caused by the evil desires of the world.”
LutheranismMartin Luther taught in his Large Catechism that Sanctification is only caused by the Holy Spirit through the powerful Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses churches to gather Christians together for the teaching and preaching of the Word of God.
- “Thus, until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides with the holy congregation or Christendom, by means of which He fetches us to Christ and which He employs to teach and preach to us the Word, whereby He works and promotes sanctification, causing it [this community] daily to grow and become strong in the faith and its fruits which He produces. We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution, moreover, through all manner of promises of the entire Gospel [...] For although the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh which we bear about with us we are never without sin [...] But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church] [...] Meanwhile, however, while sanctification has begun and is growing daily, we expect that our flesh will be destroyed and buried with all its uncleanness, and will come forth gloriously, and arise to entire and perfect holiness in a new eternal life. For now we are only half pure and holy, so that the Holy Ghost has ever [some reason why] to continue His work in us through the Word, and daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body. Behold, all this is to be the office and work of the Holy Ghost, that He begin and daily increase holiness upon earth by means of these two things, the Christian Church and the forgiveness of sin. But in our dissolution He will accomplish it altogether in an instant, and will forever preserve us therein by the last two parts.”
Luther also viewed the Ten Commandments as means by which the Holy Spirit sanctifies.
- “Thus we have the Ten Commandments, a commend of divine doctrine, as to what we are to do in order that our whole life may be pleasing to God, and the true fountain and channel from and in which everything must arise and flow that is to be a good work, so that outside of the Ten Commandments no work or thing can be good or pleasing to God, however great or precious it be in the eyes of the world [...] whoever does attain to them is a heavenly, angelic man, far above all holiness of the world. Only occupy yourself with them, and try your best, apply all power and ability, and you will find so much to do that you will neither seek nor esteem any other work or holiness.”
MethodismJohn Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught a doctrine known as entire sanctification (in the Holiness movement churches such as the Church of the Nazarene, the Salvation Army, etc.) or Christian Perfection (in "mainstream" Methodist denominations such as the United Methodist Church, the Methodist Church of Great Britain, etc.). Wesley taught that by the power of God's sanctifying grace and attention upon the means of grace, a Christian may be cleansed of the corrupting influence of original sin in this life, though not every Christian experience this. According to the Articles of Religion in the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church, For mainstream Methodists, it is a life-long process of healing humanity's sin-distorted perspective and way of life, but for Holiness Wesleyans, entire sanctification comes in an instantaneous transformative moment.
Holiness movementThe understanding that holiness is relational is growing in the contemporary Holiness movement. In relational holiness, the core notion is love. Other notions of holiness, such as purity, being set apart, perfection, keeping rules, and total commitment, are seen as contributory notions of holiness. These contributory notions find their ultimate legitimacy when love is at their core. It is only as a believer is enabled and empowered to respond to the love of God that they begin to live a holy life. Their goal is to make God their one great desire, to yield their all to God and let Christ be enthroned in their life.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsMembers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe sanctification is a process that changes who they are and makes them holier. Dallin H. Oaks, an LDS General authority and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that trials and adversities can change who they are into what God wants them to become, if they approach it with the right attitude:
See also
Further reading- Alexander, Donald L., ed. Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification. (ISBN 0-8308-1278-4)
- Grider, J. Kenneth. A Wesleyan-Holiness Theology. Kansas City:Beacon Hill Press, 1994
- Gundry, Stanley, ed. Five Views on Sanctification. (ISBN 0-310-21269-3)
- Tracy, Wes., Gary Cockerill, Donald Demaray, and Steve Harper. Reflecting God. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2000
- Wesley, John. A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, reprinted 1968
External links- Vineyard Ministries
- Let Us Reason Ministries
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