Theology of Holiness: Part 6b: Sanctification

This post is a continuation of part 6 and will culminate with part C. Sanctification is a huge topic so I did split it up. Please don't overlook the topic because sanctification is all about walking the talk. I am indebted to the theology of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement for much of this topic.

The first exposure to sanctification that comes to the believer are "the actual changes in a person's thoughts, words, and deeds making that person more like Christ, which occur at or around conversion" (Drury, 2004, p.184). Sanctification "begins in man at the new birth" (Lindstrom, 1980, p.84) and "simultaneously with justification, sanctification begins" (Wesley as cited in Lindstrom, 1980, p. 86). Wesley also stated that "sanctification in the proper sense is an instantaneous deliverance from all sin, and includes an instantaneous power then given always to cleave to God" (Wesley as cited in Wiley, 1946, p.312). In other words, there is an initial sanctification that comes to the converted and regenerated person. This is because the two aforementioned events are directed by the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is directing these changes, he will then continue to direct changes in the life of the new believer. Therefore, the new believer is able, "through initial sanctification to walk in the newness of life" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). Scripturally, an initial call to sanctification may be found in John 17:17, "Sanctify them in truth; you word is truth" (NRSV), which were Christ's words during his High Priestly prayer for his people prior to his trial, persecution and crucifixion. Interestingly, "the word "sanctify" is not the same as "purify"; the disciples have already been declared clean… the prayer seeks the endowment of the disciples for their apostolic mission" (Marsh as cited in Morris, 1995, p.646).
While the position of initial sanctification is the subject of little debate, the nature of sanctification itself is. For Wesley, sanctification was about "the ethical regeneration" of the individual. This stance is reiterated by Steve DeNeff, who agrees that sanctification is more about the moral nature and obligation of a human being (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). Sanctification has also been described as consisting of two components: "being set apart as sacred on God's side and living the way we should" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). Therefore, sanctification can be seen "as an expression of both law and love" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). Furthermore, the distinctive component of sanctification, for Schenck, is the aspect of "being plugged into God. Ethical behavior is of secondary importance" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture).
As the new life of the believer continues, a process of becoming more Christlike occurs. This is known as progressive sanctification. As explained by Drury, progressive sanctification envelops "the gradual changes in a person's thoughts, words and deeds making that person more like Christ as (they) grow toward the crisis of entire sanctification" (Drury, 2004, p.186). As is obvious from the name, progressive sanctification is more about being on a journey than having reached a destination. "It means simply the temporal aspect of the work of grace in the heart, as it takes place in successive stages. Each of these stages is marked by a gradual approach and an instantaneous consummation" (Wiley, 1946, p.317). Wesley explained progressive sanctification in the following way: "after a gradual development in sanctification the Christian life will attain fruition in (entire) sanctification" (Wesley as cited in Lindstrom, 1980, p.117). This has also been described as "growth in grace". (Dunning & Greathouse, 1989, p.92). The imperative for a growth in grace is stated in II Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (NRSV). "As one comes to know Christ better, the grace of God through the Holy Spirit leads one to bring his life more and more into accord with Christ's pattern of living" (Dunning & Greathouse, 1989, p.92).
Eventually, the life of process and growth in a believer will reach a state of critical mass. It is at that juncture that the person has a decision before them. They can choose to consecrate everything in their life to Christ or they can choose to hold areas of their life back for themselves. "Our sanctification depends on the complete surrender of our whole being" (DeNeff, 2004, p.134). What happens next is the subject of debate. The length of time that "elapses between regeneration and entire sanctification… this depends wholly upon the experience of the individual" (Wiley, 1946, p.315). There are those who believe that the only thing that stands in the way of a believer and entire sanctification is the desire of the believer to consecrate and receive. In an opposite fashion, there are those that contend that the act of complete consecration, of total surrender will not necessarily bring that person to the crisis of entire sanctification. Regardless of position, it is held by both camps that "entire sanctification, which is God's work, can't come without the previous gradual work of sanctification" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture).
What, then, is entire sanctification? Wesley described it as follows: "It is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies the being cleansed from sin, from all filthiness of both flesh and spirit" (Wesley as cited in Dunning & Greathouse, 1989, p.93). Wesley "based his doctrine on entire sanctification almost entirely upon thirty texts in the Bible" (Brown, 1910, p.191). Further, Wesley described this work as "the loving of God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. This implies that no wrong temper, no contrary love remains in the soul, and that all the thoughts, words and actions are governed by pure love" (Wesley as cited in Wilson, 2000, p.47). Another synonym for entire sanctification would be "Christian maturity, as called for in Eph. 4:13 and II Cor. 13:9" (DeNeff, 2004, p.77). All of these actions point to the fact that entire sanctification, in my estimation, is about more than entire consecration. It is the freedom from willful, conscious sin and the root of the sin nature inherent in fallen man, as well as being that process which perfects the love.
Christian perfection, another name for entire sanctification, is deemed as having been achieved when a person possesses "a heart emptied of all sin and filled with pure love to God and man" (Wiley, 1946, p.331). Christian perfection is marked by "four characteristics: purity of intention, the imitation of Christ, love to God and love to neighbor" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). It should be noted that Christian perfection in no way tries to be presented as an absolute perfection. "It is not absolute. Absolute perfection belongs not to man, nor to angels, but to God alone" (Wesley as cited in Sawyer, 2006, p.354). Further, it is a "perfected and harmonious personality" that is consumed by a "perfect purity in intention and will" (Schenck, 2006, MIN543 lecture). For Wesley, "the goal of the whole process of salvation is the entire sanctification of man" (Lindstrom, 1980, p.119). Whatever entire sanctification is, what it can never be seen as a quest for spiritual gifts. In fact, we are told to "seek not the gift but the giver" (Brown, 1910, p.130). Again, whatever entire sanctification is, we must know that "this life is really possible… and it means a good deal more than we think it does" (DeNeff, 2004, p.76-7).