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Sanctification

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by saved by grace, May 18, 2010.

  1. saved by grace

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    Can someone explain sanctification.? What exactly is instantaneous and progressive sanctification?. How improtant is it? Thanks
     
  2. jaigner

    jaigner Active Member

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    Progressive sanctification is the more common position in which a believer, if they are growing in Christ as they ought, becomes more and more like Christ. This is the position of most Baptists and most evangelicals at large. Name any big Baptist theologian and this is what they believe in.

    Instantaneous sanctification is, I believe, a doctrine held by the holiness Wesleyan traditions, reaching into Nazarene, A of G, Pentecostals, and some Methodists that one can be entirely sanctified at one precise instant (closely related to the doctrine of entire sanctification). There are some who believe that it is possible for a Christian to be completely free from sin during this life. This will not happen for all Christians, but for some. Pretty sure James Dobson believes this, being a Nazarene.
     
  3. Berean

    Berean Member
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    What we as baptist believe that it is a pursuit of holiness in our daily walk as the Spirit reveals the Word in a progressive manner.
    How ever there are denominations (Nazerine, Weslyn Methodist and some holiness Churches) that believe that it is a entirely different then your salvation experience. Once you are santified You no longer sin.
    Yes I think Godly living is important
     
  4. jaigner

    jaigner Active Member

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    Well, technically, once you are sanctified, you do no longer sin. But it's a process begun here that is finished in the next life.
     
  5. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Sanctification is (for Baptists, well most Baptists) the process of Christian maturation, read: growing holiness, that begins after justification. It is process whereby a Christian becomes more conformed to the image of Christ.

    BTW, I always tell people to think of salvation as an umbrella term. Justification is the way in, sanctification is how we grow, and glorification is what we will look like in Heaven.

    I don't believe in instantaneous sanctification if by it one means that someone is, or can be, elevated to a state of permanent perfection/holiness. That is gnosticism, and gnosticism is wrong.

    I don't know enough about progressive sanctification to give you a good answer here. :)

    If, by the referent, you mean sanctification...it is very important. It is how we grow and become more and more like Christ. We are commanded to grow in our spiritual lives. It is part of the salvation paradigm.
     
  6. saved by grace

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    You say we are commanded to grow in our spiritual lives. What if we don't? What if we backslide and never grow in sanctification. Are we still saved?
     
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