Everything about Sanctification totally explained
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 (
1 Corinthians 1:30
,
1 Thessalonians 4:3,
4,
2 Thessalonians 2:13,
1 Peter 1:2) translated from the
Greek word αγιασμος (
hagiasmos) "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.”
Definition and description
The concept is widespread among
religions, for example modernly, among the branches of the
Protestant-
Reformed and
Wesleyan-
Arminian Christian traditions. The term denotes both inanimate objects set apart for special purposes (for example the
Solomon's Temple vessels) and the change brought about by God in a
believer. Inanimate objects and people are “made holy,” for example by the
Roman Catholic doctrine of
transubstantiation in which the bread and wine of
Holy Communion are sanctified by being transformed “literally” into the flesh and blood of
Jesus.
Eastern Orthodoxy
Orthodox 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 (
NRSV):
Athanasius stated in the
fourth century that Christ “assumed humanity that we might become God,” for example “God became
Man that Man might become God.”
The
essence of this isn't 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.”
Roman Catholicism
Sanctity according to the
Catholic encyclopedia:
» The term “sanctity” is employed in somewhat different senses in relation to God, to individual men, and to a
corporate body. As applied to God it denotes the
absolute moral perfection which is His by nature. In regard to men it signifies a close union with God, together with the moral perfection resulting from this union. Hence holiness is said to belong to God by essence, and to creatures only by participation. Whatever sanctity they possess comes to them as a Divine
gift. As used of a society, the term means
» *that this society aims at producing holiness in its members, and is possessed of means capable of securing that result, and
» *that the lives of its members correspond, at least in some measure, with the purpose of the society, and display a real, not a merely nominal holiness.
It is further manifested that the Church's holiness must be of an entirely
supernatural character —— something altogether beyond the power of unassisted human nature.
» *Another characteristic of holiness according to the Christian ideal is love of
suffering; not as though pleasure were evil in itself, but because suffering is the great means by which our love of God is intensified and purified. All those who have attained a high degree of holiness have learnt to
rejoice in suffering, because by it their love to God was freed from every element of
self-seeking, and their lives
conformed to that of their Master.
Lutheranism
Martin 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 [thiscommunity] daily to grow and become strong in the
faith and its
fruits which He produces. We further believe that in this Christian Church we've
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're never without sin [...] But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there's 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 [fromthis 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're only half pure and holy, so that the Holy Ghost has ever [somereason 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've the Ten Commandments, a commend of divine doctrine, as to what we're 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's 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'll find so much to do that you'll neither seek nor esteem any other work or holiness.”
Methodism
John 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's 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 movement
The 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 (
Thomas Jay Oord and
Michael Lodahl). 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 Saints
Members of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe sanctification is a process that changes who they're 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're into what God wants them to become, if they approach it with the right
attitude:
»
» Further Information
Get more info on 'Sanctification'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://sanctification.totallyexplained.com">Sanctification Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
