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Great Doctrines - Grace Church of DuPage

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L<br />

D OCTRINAL OCTRINAL LLESSON<br />

L ESSON SSECTION<br />

S ECTION 22 PPROGRESSIVE<br />

P ROGRESSIVE SSANCTIFICA<br />

S ANCTIFICA<br />

ANCTIFICATION<br />

ANCTIFICA TION<br />

DOCTRINAL SUMMARY<br />

Sanctification is the continuing work <strong>of</strong> God in the believer’s life which makes him<br />

actually holy ~ simply meaning that we bear an actual likeness to God.<br />

Sanctification is the process by which our moral condition is conformed to our legal<br />

status <strong>of</strong> righteousness, and so it is a continuation <strong>of</strong> what was begun in regeneration<br />

when a newness <strong>of</strong> life was instilled within the believer by the Holy Spirit. And as such,<br />

sanctification is the Holy Spirit applying Jesus Christ’s work to the life <strong>of</strong> the believer.<br />

This sanctification is a moral goodness and spiritual worth which means that not<br />

only are believers set apart in Christ, but that they conduct themselves in purity and<br />

goodness so that they are regarded as being in Christ. Since we are children <strong>of</strong> God and<br />

brethren <strong>of</strong> Christ, we should show a likeness to them in that our lives are characterized<br />

by love, mercy, humility, patience, and righteousness.<br />

And we must always remember that sanctification is a supernatural work that is done<br />

by God, not by ourselves - as our nature cannot produce or accomplish holiness. This<br />

sanctification is a special series <strong>of</strong> works by the Holy Spirit, and therefore this divine work<br />

within the believer is a progressive phenomenon that will operate throughout the entire<br />

life <strong>of</strong> the believer (Phil. 1:6). And obviously, the aim <strong>of</strong> this work is a likeness to Christ<br />

Himself, which has been God’s intention from all eternity (Romans 8:29,30). But while<br />

sanctification is a work <strong>of</strong> God, the believer is constantly exhorted to work and grow in<br />

regard to his salvation; and so the believer has a vital role in his own sanctification ~ to<br />

remove sin and to develop personal holiness.<br />

AS YOU PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER YOUR RESPONSE:<br />

2Cor. 11: 1 ~ I will imitate Christ, as Paul has done before me.<br />

HOMEWORK:<br />

Read the central passages daily.<br />

Read Grudem Chapter 38, sections C-F<br />

Notes<br />

GREAT DOCTRINES III ~ SANCTIFICATION PART 3~SECTION 22~PAGE 3<br />

S<br />

22 P<br />

S

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