Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification
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Justification brings a righteousness that is 100%, but it is not infused. What do I mean by “infused”? It is not poured into us. It is not inside us. Justification brings 100% righteousness, and it is put to our account.
I’m glad He didn’t put it in my pocket because I might lose it, or someone could steal it. If He placed it in me, I might easily misplace it. However, the justification that the blood of Christ brings us is being declared righteous, which is found in Christ, in heaven. He is my righteousness. Christ is our righteousness, and it’s 100% perfect. You’re counted as perfect once you become a Christian, for all your days, as long as you trust in the blood. As long as you trust in the blood of Christ, you are counted 100% perfect, even though you aren’t. That’s justification. It’s 100% but not infused.
Sanctification brings a righteousness that is “infused,” “put in.” The Holy Spirit enters and transforms our habits, minds, loves, and hates. It is internal, but it is not complete. Do you understand? Justification is a complete righteousness, but it is not within me. Sanctification is a righteousness that resides within me – the presence of the Holy Spirit and the changes He brings – but it is not complete. Sanctification is a lifelong process. At each advanced step, there are more to take. Therefore, you should not rely solely on your sanctification. You don’t become disgruntled and say, “Look, I’ve done it again! I’ve said something I shouldn’t have said,” or “I’m just not what I should be.” You shouldn’t allow yourself to feel discouraged.
The more you feel discouraged, the easier it becomes to sin again. The quicker you rise from your sins and say, “Lord, I’m sorry. Forgive me for the sake of the blood of Christ, and help me on my way. Thank you, Lord” – the sooner you do this, the less likely you will sin again. Nothing succeeds like success, and nothing breeds failure like failure.
When we say that the righteousness of sanctification is within us, but not at 100%, we express this so that you will trust solely in the righteousness of justification. That is where your hope resides. When you look within, you might think, “I’m a miserable rotter! How can the Lord put up with me?” But when you turn to the righteousness of Christ, you declare, “There it is! Because of Him!” Remember what Paul said about Onesimus to Philemon? “You count me as a partner, so receive him as though he were me.” That’s what Yahuwah does; He treats us as though we were Christ.
The righteousness of glorification, when He gives us new bodies and new minds, is absolute and internal. You lose the old sinful nature and rid yourself of the traitor within. From that point on, you are perfect by nature and will no longer be troubled by temptations to sin.
In summary, the righteousness of justification is 100%, but it is not within me. It exists in Yahushua, and I cannot lose it as long as I trust Him. The righteousness of sanctification resides within me. The Holy Spirit brings it in and transforms me; however, it is not 100%, so I never rely on it. It is not the righteousness of faith which pertains only to justification.
Sanctification requires more than faith; it demands significant activity, effort, and cooperation. We work out what the Holy Spirit works in. The Holy Spirit doesn’t perform the willing or the doing. He works in us to will and to do, but He doesn’t do the willing or the doing. Only the righteousness of glorification is 100% and inside us.
This is a non-WLC article by Dr. Desmond Ford.
We have taken out from the original article all pagan names and titles of the Father and Son, and have replaced them with the original given names. Furthermore, we have restored in the Scriptures quoted the names of the Father and Son, as they were originally written by the inspired authors of the Bible. -WLC Team
