The subject of Biblical Sanctification is a very controversial for various reasons. As with any subject there must be definitions, distinctions and clarifications so we do not talk passed each other. The following is from a brief conversation online, which seemed to be helpful for the one I took the time to explain these things to. My hope is that it will be edifying to the readers here.

The doctrine of Sanctification deals with consecration, separation, purification, holiness, etc. Much of the controversy comes in the area of whether sanctification is a state, position, process or somewhere in between because of combination.

Usually the focus of the subject is in the realm of Sanctification, in time, by the work of the Holy Spirit. Let me first address the two other aspects that happened before any reading this was born:

1) God the Father set His affection on a people, “in Christ”, before time, based on Christ alone. He elected or chose these people “in Christ” (the manner in which He loved and elected was because of Christ, on His behalf, for His sake or conditioned on Him). This is the first aspect in which we see a setting apart of God’s people from the non-elect.

2) The elect are Sanctified by the Blood of Christ. Heb 10:10 says; “By this will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” And; Heb 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.”

Christ ONLY died for the elect, who the Father loved and chose. His death was a taking on of the elect’s sin by having it charged (imputed) to His account, taking on the guilt and punishment for those sins, satisfying Law and justice completely, thereby bringing in and establishing a perfect righteousness that would enable God to be, both, a just God and Savior. This work of Christ FOR His elect allows the Spirit’s work IN the elect (Rom 8:10).

This death sets the elect apart from, not only the rest of the non-elect, but also from the elect’s own sin. The are imputed with righteousness of Christ and put in the state of Justification and the non-Imputation of sin (the cannot be any longer charged with sin).

3) The 3rd aspect and most popular is Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. This work of Sanctification is built on the foundation of election and the effectual Atonement.

2Th 2:13-14 “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Holy Spirit of God comes at the appointed time in the life of the elect, in power, with the means of the truth of the gospel of grace. The Spirit regenerates the elect, giving them spiritual life as they are born again with a new heart given, a revelation of truth, a new understanding, faith, repentance with the will and ability to come to Christ by God-given faith, turning from idols to serve the living God. This is the start of the good work (Phil 1:6) and will continue that work for the life of the believer.

This work of the Spirit separates them from the rest of the world of unbelievers and is a Monergistic (God-energized) and Definitive (definite, successful and complete) work that lasts as the Spirit indwells the mind of the elect and all by God’s sovereign grace. The believer is as holy as they will ever be now by the holiness of Christ - 1Co 1:29 so that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; 31 so that, according as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."

The flesh of the believer cannot and will not improve. The believer has no confidence in the flesh nor seeks to be accepted by the flesh but lives and walks in the Spirit and by faith, who Christ is the Author and Finisher of.

The believer learns things with the same means that separated him in the first place, THE TRUTH. The Spirit will take the word and lead the believer into all truth. John 17:17 “Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.”

The believe will live by faith in Christ and persevere in the gospel of grace to the end. The Spirit of God will work in the believer to will and to do the good works they were ordained to do beforehand by God (Phil 2:13-14, Eph 2:10).

There will be a warfare taking place within the believer and this will last as long as the believer lives. This war does not determine the final or even present acceptance of the believer to God. The believer is always accepted in Christ whether it be at their best or worse because all the conditions for salvation are in Christ, YES and AMEN.

- The believer is not under law but under grace.

- As such, the believer NEVER has an excuse to sin.

- The believer is clearly told in the word of God NOT to sin.

- The believer WILL have good works to the degree God ordained them to walk in them, according to (Eph 2:10)

- The believer is considered a “good tree” and the Spirit WILL produce good fruit in them.

- The word of God clearly teaches it is God who works in His people, BOTH TO WILL and TO DO of His good pleasure. (Philm2:13)

- The believer’s motivation for obedience is not by works of righteousness which he has done in the law, but because of the thankfulness he has for the established righteousness of Christ on his behalf, by grace.

- The believer will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 2:18).

- The Spirit of God accomplished the work of Sanctification in an effectual manner and after that work believers are always called “saints” because they are already sanctified and that will not change.

- The word of God commands believers to assemble with other believers to exhort one another to love and good works. (Heb 10:25)

- Believers love God because God first loved them. God chastens (lovingly corrects) His children when they sin.

- When the believer sins he has an Advocate with God; Christ Jesus the Righteous.

- The believer recognizes Christ as Lord over them and has a reverential fear of the Lord.

- The love and grace of God are the motivating factors in all obedience and NOT fear of punishment or promise of reward. God’s people are not mercenaries fighting and working for merit points.

So, all of Sanctification is done by sovereign grace, monergisticly and in an effectual, definitive way.

Knowing this, allows believers the liberty in Christ to freely serve God with the proper incentive, knowing Christ paid the price and earned eternal salvation for them already.