Salvation Basics - Born of God

[for_his_glory]

I mentioned above that Colossians 3:1-17 is part of one of many lenghty passages that call us to godly living. If we want to relate it to sanctification, then it must be self-sanctification (i.e., us setting orselves apart from sin and the sinfulness of our flesh to God, and serving Him in the newness of life). The reason for this is that virtually all the forward looking verbs (mostly imperatives) are actions we must take (e.g., "seek those things which are above (Col 3:1)", "Set your mind on things above (Col 3:2)", "put to death your members which are on the earth (Col 3:5)", etc). And all the past tense (or perfect tense) verbs that relate to God's sanctification of us are completed and not ongoing (e.g., "you were raised with Christ (Col 3:1)", "your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3)", and "the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Col 3:10)".

You said, "we no longer walk in fleshly ways". But we do walk in fleshly ways when we fail to walk in the Spirit. That is why there is an imperative for us walk in the Spirit. It is the only way to avoid walking in fleshly ways.

You said, "the sin we commit becomes less every day as we walk in the Spirit". This is true only if we walk in the Sirit more consistently every day because the only way to avoid sin is to walk in the Spirit. If we walked in the Spirit all day every day we would not be committing any sin.

Do you walk in the Spirit 24/7?

Paul struggled with sin in his flesh even after his conversion, Romans 7:14-25. Sanctification is an ongoing process of being set apart becoming holy and growing in holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit. It's a continuous journey of Spiritual growth and transformation as true believers in Christ strive to live lives that reflect God's holiness. It's only when Christ returns and and we will be changed from this corruptible to incorruptible and this mortal body into immortal as death is swallowed up in victory, 1Corinthians 15:50-58.

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

Do you walk in the Spirit 24/7?

No. Nobody does that. My point was that walking in the Spirit is a choice we make to set ourselves apart to God (i.e., it is self-sanctification). Do you not agree that we must choose to walk in the Spirit and that it is not something God does for us? And would you not agree that every instance where we choose to walk as God desires instead of as the flesh desires is an identical choice each time? If so, how is the resulting fruit of the Spirit counted as progressive sanctification and not as being the result of our many choices to walk in lock step with the Spirit?

Paul struggled with sin in his flesh even after his conversion, Romans 7:14-25.

Perhaps I would choose a different word than "struggled", maybe "contended", but that is knit-picking. However, I don't see his struggle against the his flesh to be any different than our struggle with the flesh. And our victory is also the same... therefore there is now no condemnation (Ro 8:1).

Sanctification is an ongoing process of being set apart becoming holy and growing in holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit. It's a continuous journey of Spiritual growth and transformation as true believers in Christ strive to live lives that reflect God's holiness.

Do you have any Scriptures to support the concepts that 1) God's sanctification of us is an ongoing process, 2) that God's sanctification of us makes us more holy over time, or 3) that God's sanctification of us is the same thing as spiritual growth? On the 3rd point, isn't it clear that our spiritual growth is dependent on our excercise of our God-given spiritual senses (Heb 5:14)?

It's only when Christ returns and and we will be changed from this corruptible to incorruptible and this mortal body into immortal as death is swallowed up in victory, 1Corinthians 15:50-58.

True. At least we agree on this one thing.

 

[for_his_glory]

Do you have any Scriptures to support the concepts that 1) God's sanctification of us is an ongoing process, 2) that God's sanctification of us makes us more holy over time, or 3) that God's sanctification of us is the same thing as spiritual growth? On the 3rd point, isn't it clear that our spiritual growth is dependent on our excercise of our God-given spiritual senses (Heb 5:14)?

Sanctification is part of our Spiritual growth as we mature more everyday in the ways of Jesus, 2Peter 3:18; Hebrews 5:12-14; Colossians 1:9. Our Spiritual growth depends on feeding on the word of God until the day Jesus returns for us. We could never exhaust the teachings found in the scriptures as we need to study and learn everyday. None of us are perfect, but being perfected the more we press into the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

Sanctification is part of our Spiritual growth as we mature more everyday in the ways of Jesus, 2Peter 3:18; Hebrews 5:12-14; Colossians 1:9. Our Spiritual growth depends on feeding on the word of God until the day Jesus returns for us. We could never exhaust the teachings found in the scriptures as we need to study and learn everyday. None of us are perfect, but being perfected the more we press into the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Pe 3:17–18)​

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12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12–14)​

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9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Col 1:9–12)​

You are right that our spiritual growth is important. But my question was to find Biblical evidence in support the concepts that 1) God's sanctification of us is an ongoing process, 2) that God's sanctification of us makes us more holy over time, or 3) that God's sanctification of us is the same thing as spiritual growth. None of the verses you referenced (see quotes above) Biblical support for these concepts. It is my contention that these concepts are extra-Biblical and I'm looking for evidence to the contrary.

 

[for_his_glory]

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Pe 3:17–18)​

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12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12–14)​

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9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Col 1:9–12)​

You are right that our spiritual growth is important. But my question was to find Biblical evidence in support the concepts that 1) God's sanctification of us is an ongoing process, 2) that God's sanctification of us makes us more holy over time, or 3) that God's sanctification of us is the same thing as spiritual growth. None of the verses you referenced (see quotes above) Biblical support for these concepts. It is my contention that these concepts are extra-Biblical and I'm looking for evidence to the contrary.

2Peter 3:18 grow in grace and in knowledge

Hebrews 5:11-14 somethings are yet hard to understand if we are only on the milk (little knowledge) until we mature in the meat of the word (coming into the full knowledge) being of full age to the knowledge of God's word.

Colossians 1:9 to be filled with the knowledge in all wisdom and understanding through Spiritual growth as we continue in studying the word of God through the Holy Spirit whom teaches us all things.

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

2Peter 3:18 grow in grace and in knowledge

Hebrews 5:11-14 somethings are yet hard to understand if we are only on the milk (little knowledge) until we mature in the meat of the word (coming into the full knowledge) being of full age to the knowledge of God's word.

Colossians 1:9 to be filled with the knowledge in all wisdom and understanding through Spiritual growth as we continue in studying the word of God through the Holy Spirit whom teaches us all things.

I agree with everything you are saying. I just don't see where the Bible calls this "sanctification".

 

[for_his_glory]

I agree with everything you are saying. I just don't see where the Bible calls this "sanctification".

1Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

2Tim 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.