Our sanctification is a gift from God...

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

"is made unto"

According to Strongs; Strong's Greek Dictionary
1096. ginomai
Search for G1096 in KJVSL
ginomai ginomai ghin'-om-ahee
a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.

"be ordained to be"

My boasting is in Him who birthed in me the power and eternal life force of His Son Jesus Christ.

Sanctification is; "Christ in you the Hope of Glory":
Paul speaking loud and clear by the Holy Spirit Himself;

Colossians 1:25-29 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

His work, my labour.

I live by His working in me mightily.

Galatians 2:19-21 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

"This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long"

Who liveth in us?

Jesus Christ the Son of God.

IN Him: Phillip

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Phillip

Sanctification is a blood-bought inheritance, provided and willed by our Father through Jesus Christ to every child of God.

To open their eyes, to turn from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Acts 26:18

Sanctified by Faith in Christ

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Colin Murray

Philip and Colin very well said!

And salvation in Christ Jesus is a gift of God recieved by faith. Yet Paul admonishes followers of Christ to work out their salvation.

Sanctification may be a gift of God. But there is still an active pursuit if it. It is not a passive reception and sitting on the padded pew. And saying it is all under the blood.

But New Testament practical sanctification is expressed in an active faith in Jesus Christ. It is expressed in an active obedience that comes from faith.

Bearmaster.

This is a good topic for thought and disscussion, I have been thinking about this topic alot recently, reliezing that I have fallin off track somewhat because of a temporal blindness on this area.

some thoughts that I have been thinking are:

Sanctification is to be sought by faith and not by the works of the law.

We must becareful as not to stumbled at that stumblingstone.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

If my Sanctification is based on my effort, action, self denial, voluntary asceticism etc, than I would have a reason to boast of myself. And my heart would be full of comparative righteousness, and I would be very critical and judgemental of everyone else.
very little love and compassion for others would flow from my heart.
I would do things out of a heart of obligation and desire to appease, rather than from a heart over flowing with love, compassion and thankfulness.

the difference in the hearts of Cain and Abel

I want to be moved and work by a heart over flowing with love, compassion and thankfulness.

And not from a heart like I so often have had that works from obligation and desire to appease condemming and judging all of those whom I feel do not measure up, creating within myself a measure impossable for anyone to mete.

I have been thinking alot of the late poster Jimp, whom seemed only to want to post about the love of Jesus. he may not have preached repentance of sins. but from all of his post, I seen very little evidence of a sinful heart.

I do not remember many if any post of his that advocated voluntary asceticism.
But the little bits of personal testimony that he gave, was evidence that his Faith and love for Jesus cost him dearly, but in all of that God kept his heart content in all things.

Give me a Heart over flowing with love, compassion and thankfulness and take away this evil heart of obligation and desire to appease.

Racing after Christ (following hard after Him) is our active pursuit. He is our SANCTIFICATION. Think about that. Let it sink in.

If we are pursuing an "idea" of holiness or sanctification but not Christ (yes it can be done), then we are engaged in works.

1Co_1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

In my mind, the question always is: Am I putting on Christ? Am I putting on the NEW MAN each day and abiding in Jesus? Or am I putting on a false "christ". The NEW MAN is created in true HOLINESS.

Eph_4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true HOLINESS.

The longer I walk with God, the more I see how very, very subtle idols in the heart, are. The old religious man who has been crucified always wants to come back to life and take credit for being something special.

Amen to what has been said. If Christ is the end of the law for righteousness sake for all who belueve. Then Jesus must be the goal and end of our pursuit as He us our sanctification.

Lose sight of Jesus in the race. Then it is legalistic ascetism.

Bearmaster.

I might add also that this is a race or rather a walk of faith. That is faith in Jesus.

Bearmaster.

TrueWitness posted a very good exposition of Romans on this topic of sanctification by faith some time ago. He also offers a perceptive discussion on some of the common distortions of this truth in his second post:

http://assemblyquest.blogspot.sg/2010/10/try-harder.html

http://assemblyquest.blogspot.sg/2010/11/try-harder-reprise.html

Quote: Lose sight of Jesus in the race. Then it is legalistic ascetism.

Amen

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Colin Murray