“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12
There are many parallels in Scripture. Perhaps none is so clear, simple, and yet, lifechanging as that which exists between believing on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from sin, self, and the devil, and the wondrous work of the Spirit by which one is sanctified wholly. Justification is the first great aspect of the finished work on Calvary. The application of that work to the lost sinner, by the grace of God, is revealed when he repents of his sins, believes, or commits himself to Christ, receiving forgiveness of sins. Everlasting peace with God is the result of being justified, or rendered righteous, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The second, great aspect of Christ’s work on Calvary, having a very manifest and powerful expression on this earth, in the life of the individual, is sanctification. When the Lord Jesus died on Calvary, finishing His eternal work of redemption, He accomplished a perfect work towards the sinner, first in the forgiveness of all his or her sins, past, present, and future. But there is more. He also took unto Himself the “wretched sinner,” that which is called the “old man,” the representation of all that an individual was outside of Christ, and every present expression of that old life. That “old man” was put to death by Christ in the eyes of God, crucified with Him, and then buried with Him, never to rise again. That which occurred also at that moment, and revealed in a most extraordinary way at Pentecost, was the creation of a “new man,” one that was, in the eyes of God, perfect, just, righteous, accepted in the Beloved. Man was made new, by virtue of the Spirit of Christ, who came to dwell in his heart by faith. The “spark,” that brought Life eternal to the soul, was the quickening power of the Spirit. God, as we see in the illustration of the valley of bones in Ezekiel 37, spoke life into the dead. A new creation in Christ was born, by the Spirit. From that moment on, the call to the believer in the hostile environment of this world, is to follow Christ, abide in Him, walking with, and commune with Him. Out of this truth of this “new creation,” is born a hope of Christ by the Spirit, living and dwelling in the heart by faith, manifesting His life increasingly in this world, that men might “taste and see that the Lord is good,” realizing that there is no other God but Him. This second aspect of sanctification is like the first of justification. Both need not only the truth to be revealed concerning them, but the very power of God, for their realization and expression.
In the letter of Paul to the Colossians, he writes of this great and very significant parallel. We might entitle it the “parallel of power.” He writes: “As ye therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” (Gal. 2:6) What is he saying here? First of all, there is a distinct relationship between the principle of “receiving Christ,” and that of, “walking in Him.” The principle is faith, being manifested in the life by the power of God, working to save, is the same to sanctify. With regard to sanctification, the principle of faith is the same as that of justification, whereby the Spirit sets apart the believer wholly for the accomplishment of the eternal purposes of God on this earth. The Apostle Paul declares Christ to BE the believer’s sanctification, thus, all is provided in Christ for the believer to “receive” the profound, and gracious work of God in the heart. Just as the believer is justified, so is he sanctified, but the realization, or manifestation, of that perfect work in heaven, to be realized in this earth, is dependent upon the “power that worketh in us.” All becomes possible by prayer and faith today.
Father, Thou who hast called us to be sanctified wholly, on earth as in heaven, spirit, soul, and body, accomplish it today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.