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several ways. It describes it as a work of God, I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20,21, as a fruit of the
union of life with Jesus Christ, John 15:4; Gal. 2:20; 4:19, as a work that is wrought in man from
within and which for that very reason cannot be a work of man, Eph. 3:16; Col. 1:11, and speaks
of its manifestation in Christian virtues as the work of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22. It should never be
represented as a merely natural process in the spiritual development of man, nor brought
down to the level of a mere human achievement, as is done in a great deal of modern liberal
theology.
2. IT CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS.
The two parts of sanctification are represented in Scripture as:
a. The mortification of the old man, the body of sin.
This Scriptural term denotes that act of
God whereby the pollution and corruption of human nature that results from sin is gradually
removed. It is often represented in the Bible as the crucifying of the old man, and is thus
connected with the death of Christ on the cross. The old man is human nature in so far as it is
controlled by sin, Rom. 6:6; Gal. 5:24. In the context of the passage of Galatians Paul contrasts
the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit, and then says: “And they who are of Christ
Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” This means that in their
case the Spirit has gained predominance.
b. The quickening of the new man, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
While the former
part of sanctification is negative in character, this is positive. It is that act of God whereby the
holy disposition of the soul is strengthened, holy exercises are increased, and thus a new course
of life engendered and promoted. The old structure of sin is gradually torn down, and a new
structure of God is reared in its stead. These two parts of sanctification are not successive but
contemporaneous. Thank God, the gradual erection of the new building need not wait until the
old one is completely demolished. If it had to wait for that, it could never begin in this life. With
the gradual dissolution of the old the new makes its appearance. It is like the airing of a house
filled with pestiferous odors. As the old air is drawn out, the new rushes in. This positive side of
sanctification is often called “a being raised together with Christ,” Rom. 6:4,5; Col. 2:12; 3:1,2.
The new life to which it leads is called “a life unto God,” Rom. 6:11; Gal. 2:19.
3. IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE MAN: BODY AND SOUL; INTELLECT, AFFECTIONS AND WILL.
This
follows from the nature of the case, because sanctification takes place in the inner life of man,
in the heart, and this cannot be changed without changing the whole organism of man. If the
inner man is changed, there is bound to be change also in the periphery of life. Moreover,
Scripture clearly and explicitly teaches that it affects both body and soul, I Thess. 5:23; II Cor.
5:17; Rom. 6:12; I Cor. 6:15,20. The body comes into consideration here as the organ or
instrument of the sinful soul, through which the sinful inclinations and habits and passions
express themselves. The sanctification of the body takes place especially in the crisis of death