Sanctification: A Second Work of Grace?
To recap a bit, I was born again at age 8, but at 17, I met the Lord all over again.
What happened to me then is what the Pentecostals call "Sanctification."
Some people call it a "Second Work of Grace."
To those of Wesleyan theological influence, this is a necessary second step in the Christian life.
Attaining to being "wholly sanctified."
What do they mean by this?
Mennonites say that sanctification is a life-long process. (Which is true, also!)
My beloved pastor of my growing up years often said he believed in "Second, Third, and Fourth Works of Grace, or however many it takes!"
I've come to realize that for most people, the new birth is a matter of receiving forgiveness for the past. Getting right with God.
But by definition, a new-born believer is a baby. Paul told the Corinthians that as long as they needed easy-to-digest spiritual food, they were babies, and they were carnal.
Baby Christians are carnal! That's the very definition of spiritual immaturity: carnality.
What does a carnal Christian need? They need to grow.
In the natural, when babies grow from one phase to the next, it's like suddenly a light goes on. They "get it!" A baby will get up on his chubby little hands and bicycle his feet, trying to crawl.
But when he learns how to coordinate lifting his hands and feet alternately, he's off!
That's how a baby Christian becomes sanctified. He realizes he's stuck, and he wants to move.
He's desperate!
Suddenly, God reveals Himself in a new way to him.
God is Truth.
The Truth sets him free!
What happened to me at age 17 was, I felt constant condemnation, even though I had prayed and prayed for cleansing. I knew I was a mess, and needed changing.
Suddenly, the Lord used a Scripture song to give me the truth that set me free! I KNEW beyond any doubt that I was completely forgiven, and beyond that, was LOVED by my God!
All my childhood, I had felt I was never good enough to be valued and loved.
That experience overwhelmed me completely with Omni-acceptance, and Omni-love!
Yes, it was sanctifying. It set my heart on fire, making it a hallowed altar to the Lord. I wanted nothing of the world.
Now, was that permanent? That experience made a permanent change in me. But it didn't make me permanently perfect. Everyone falls, but the righteous rises up again each time. This experience helped me get up again, over and over. And that's the only way to learn to walk. Keep getting up.
Now, I agree, the blood of Jesus completely cleanses us from sin. A newborn Christian is completely holy.
In this, some Pentecostal denominations have incorrect terminology.
We do not need a Second Work, to make us cleaner than "born again."
A new-born Christian is completely clean and sanctified by the blood of Christ.
The Scripture says "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a NEW Creature... ALL THINGS become new."
But too often, a new-born Christian is congratulated and hugged and then settles down into daily life... and something ensnares him, and holds him in bondage. It might be an incorrect view of God. It might be a besetting sin. He needs to be set free. What is it that sets us free? Truth.
I've seen it over and over, how a Christian is truly born again, and struggles for years... but suddenly, a core truth of the Word comes to life and breathes FIRE into him or her! It can happen at any age.
A dear sister of mine struggled for years with being good enough for God... and suddenly, at age 50, she discovered Grace! And it totally blew her away. She went around talking about the Grace of God, which she had never understood before. She had been trying all those years... and suddenly, she was freed.
That's Sanctification! And it's a divine work of God in the heart.
She knew the Bible all her life. Had read the Scriptures all her life. But one day, the light came on.
God saw her struggle, and her sincere hunger. And He helped her out.
That's a Work of Grace.
We all need it.
And we need it more than once.
As dear Brother Eli Yoder often said, "I've needed many works of Grace!"
Sanctification is not about being superior to others. Quite the opposite. True sanctification humbles us and makes us admit how much we need God and others. True sanctification only draws the heart toward God.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
That's Sanctification.
What happened to me then is what the Pentecostals call "Sanctification."
Some people call it a "Second Work of Grace."
To those of Wesleyan theological influence, this is a necessary second step in the Christian life.
Attaining to being "wholly sanctified."
What do they mean by this?
Mennonites say that sanctification is a life-long process. (Which is true, also!)
My beloved pastor of my growing up years often said he believed in "Second, Third, and Fourth Works of Grace, or however many it takes!"
I've come to realize that for most people, the new birth is a matter of receiving forgiveness for the past. Getting right with God.
But by definition, a new-born believer is a baby. Paul told the Corinthians that as long as they needed easy-to-digest spiritual food, they were babies, and they were carnal.
Baby Christians are carnal! That's the very definition of spiritual immaturity: carnality.
What does a carnal Christian need? They need to grow.
In the natural, when babies grow from one phase to the next, it's like suddenly a light goes on. They "get it!" A baby will get up on his chubby little hands and bicycle his feet, trying to crawl.
But when he learns how to coordinate lifting his hands and feet alternately, he's off!
That's how a baby Christian becomes sanctified. He realizes he's stuck, and he wants to move.
He's desperate!
Suddenly, God reveals Himself in a new way to him.
God is Truth.
The Truth sets him free!
What happened to me at age 17 was, I felt constant condemnation, even though I had prayed and prayed for cleansing. I knew I was a mess, and needed changing.
Suddenly, the Lord used a Scripture song to give me the truth that set me free! I KNEW beyond any doubt that I was completely forgiven, and beyond that, was LOVED by my God!
All my childhood, I had felt I was never good enough to be valued and loved.
That experience overwhelmed me completely with Omni-acceptance, and Omni-love!
Yes, it was sanctifying. It set my heart on fire, making it a hallowed altar to the Lord. I wanted nothing of the world.
Now, was that permanent? That experience made a permanent change in me. But it didn't make me permanently perfect. Everyone falls, but the righteous rises up again each time. This experience helped me get up again, over and over. And that's the only way to learn to walk. Keep getting up.
Now, I agree, the blood of Jesus completely cleanses us from sin. A newborn Christian is completely holy.
In this, some Pentecostal denominations have incorrect terminology.
We do not need a Second Work, to make us cleaner than "born again."
A new-born Christian is completely clean and sanctified by the blood of Christ.
The Scripture says "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a NEW Creature... ALL THINGS become new."
But too often, a new-born Christian is congratulated and hugged and then settles down into daily life... and something ensnares him, and holds him in bondage. It might be an incorrect view of God. It might be a besetting sin. He needs to be set free. What is it that sets us free? Truth.
I've seen it over and over, how a Christian is truly born again, and struggles for years... but suddenly, a core truth of the Word comes to life and breathes FIRE into him or her! It can happen at any age.
A dear sister of mine struggled for years with being good enough for God... and suddenly, at age 50, she discovered Grace! And it totally blew her away. She went around talking about the Grace of God, which she had never understood before. She had been trying all those years... and suddenly, she was freed.
That's Sanctification! And it's a divine work of God in the heart.
She knew the Bible all her life. Had read the Scriptures all her life. But one day, the light came on.
God saw her struggle, and her sincere hunger. And He helped her out.
That's a Work of Grace.
We all need it.
And we need it more than once.
As dear Brother Eli Yoder often said, "I've needed many works of Grace!"
Sanctification is not about being superior to others. Quite the opposite. True sanctification humbles us and makes us admit how much we need God and others. True sanctification only draws the heart toward God.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
That's Sanctification.
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