What is sanctification according to Paul? This is the question that I wrestle with in my upcoming book Holiness in Fresh Perspective: Covenant, Cross, and Kingdom (Wipf and Stock).
Before answering this question, let’s take a step back and ask the same question, yet in a broader sense. Let’s ask, “What is sanctification?” Normally, and historically, when we think about sanctification we think of the state of the individual believer. This certainly is appropriate in that Paul talks about sanctification this way. People become “holy”, or “sanctified” by being cleansed of sin (or going through the process of correcting the sin nature—’progressive sanctification’). We can also say that individuals, by being “holy”, can take on the very character of God. Even John Wesley conceptualized holiness ultimately as self-giving love. When we look upon the cross we see the holiness, the LOVE, of God through Jesus.
This is all wonderfully correct. At the same time, I like to add to this by suggestion that sanctification is something much more than a state, and about something much more than the individual believer—I would suggest that sanctification is a function as well. Holiness is a function in the sense that when we look at the cross, we not only see the love of God but we also see the fulfillment of the mission of God. Since Eden, God has been on a mission to save, not only you and I, but all of the creation. You see, this is one of the problems that I have with the traditional talk about holiness: it’s all about me. I certainly hope that salvation isn’t all about me, or you. I understand according to Scripture that salvation, even sanctification, is ultimately all about Jesus!
I remember listening to a dear and respected friend talk about his passion for the pursuit of holiness. My friend was in tears over his desire to be completely clean before God! This is honorable and, well, saintly. At the same time, isn’t something a bit amiss about this? Is it not more honorable still to be in tears over the desire for the salvation of others?
I think that we’ve come to the wrong place when our passion for our own holiness is prioritized over our passion for the lost.
Once again, in the cross we see not only the love of God, but also the mission of God. It is these two together, I think, that makes up holiness. God’s mission to redeem the world isn’t about me (nor is it all about you), it’s about Him. Once we fully embrace that our existence is about the Other that I believe we’ve arrived at a state of entire sanctification.
