By Bill Starr (Elder)

What do we believe?

Glorification is the culmination of the salvation process at the time of Christ’s return that results in the believer experiencing communion with God throughout all eternity.

Sanctification is the lifelong process whereby the believer is transformed into the image of Christ through progressive growth in holiness, both in attitude and action.

Why do we believe this?

Romans 6:22 – But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Why does it matter?

There is a progressive nature to salvation. Romans 5 teaches that we are justified by faith; we have a legal righteous standing with God because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ; our sins are forgiven; we are declared righteous; we are adopted into God’s family as His children; we have peace with God and we are declared free from the penalty of sin. Once we are justified, the process of sanctification begins and we become more like Jesus; we have victory over the power of sin. Sanctification is the public evidence that our faith is real. Finally, when we enter into the presence of God we are glorified, having been set free from the presence of sin as we await our resurrected bodies to be given when Christ returns to earth to reclaim His rightful place as King and ruler.

The big purpose of Romans 6 is to show why justification by faith always brings sanctification with it. Or as the old-time teachers used to say: this chapter teaches why the faith that alone justifies, is never alone, but always brings a holiness of life with it. It dethrones sin, enthrones God, and makes war on sin in our own hearts and bodies.

God alone is the one who is our decisive deliverer from slavery to sin, and our part – which is real and crucial – is dependent on His. We do not free ourselves – we have been freed! We don’t make ourselves slaves of God as we have been enslaved by God.

This is why all of Christian ministry is so serious. What we do at Living Hope on Sunday mornings in worship and in Sunday School, and what you do in your small groups and what you do in your family devotions and times of teaching your children, and what you do in your personal times of prayer and meditation over the Word – all these things are utterly serious matters because they are the means that God appoints for the triumph of faith over sin. If a person begins to fall away from these precious means of grace, nobody should take it lightly.

Are you becoming more like Jesus? Is He your greatest treasure? Is knowing Him and being like Him and spending eternity with Him your greatest desire? Is Jesus the object of your affections?