Frank Jamerson
A creed says: �They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ�s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them�Although sanctification (is) inseparably joined with justification, yet they differ, in that God in justification imputeth the righteousness of Christ; in sanctification his Spirit infuseth grace, and enableth to the exercise thereof; in the former, sin is pardoned; in the other it is subdued�� (Presbyterian Confession of Faith, 1956 edition, pg. 40,123). This doctrine is sometimes called �the second work of grace.� The first work is justification and the second is sanctification.
In order to understand the Bible teaching on this subject we must have a clear definition of the two words. Justification is defined as �the act of pronouncing righteous� (W.E. Vine). His basic definition of sanctification is �separation to God.� Obviously, the words describe two aspects of salvation, but they do not describe a first and second work of grace. Is a person pronounced righteous (justified) at one point and separated to God (sanctified) at a different point?
Notice some things the Bible says were sanctified, or made holy. Moses was �standing on holy ground� (Ex. 3:5), the temple was called �the holy place� (Mt. 24:15) and Jerusalem was �the holy city� (Mt. 27:53). There were various times that were called sanctified, or holy: the Sabbath (Dt. 5:12), and the fiftieth year (Lev. 25:10-12). People were called holy, or sanctified: the firstborn of men (also of animals, Ex. 13:2), the priests (Ex. 28:41), the nation of Israel (Dt. 7:6), and Christians in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2).
When is a person sanctified or set apart? Jesus said the Corinthians were �washed...sanctified� justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God� (1 Cor. 6:11). This did not mean that they could not commit sins (read 1 Cor. 1-3!), but they had been called by the gospel and �obtained the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ� (2 Thess. 2:12,13). He told the Ephesians that they had been sanctified and cleansed �by the washing of water by the word� (Eph. 5:26).
As a result of being justified (forgiven) and set apart from the world (sanctified) believers are to �grow in grace and knowledge� and �be holy in all your conduct� (1 Pet. 1:14,15; 2 Pet. 3:18), but that is not a �one...two� (or first and second) act. It is a continual process. The beloved apostle John said, �If we (that includes himself) say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us� (1 Jn. 1:8).
The doctrine that those who receive �the second work of grace� (which they call sanctification) lose all desire to sin is contrary to the truth. We are forgiven (justified) and set apart (sanctified) and should �walk in the light as He is in the light� and if we do that and �confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness� (1 Jn. 1:7-9).