Lesson Eight
Sanctification

The Definition Of Sanctification. 
•	Scriptural Reference: "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication" (I Thessalonians 4:3).
•	Sanctification means a separation from evil and a dedication to God and His service. 
•	The Scriptures made clear that Sanctification has to do with the turning away from all that is sinful and defiling to both soul and body. 
•	However, it means not only a separation from but also a separation unto. 
•	In order to be sanctified a person must be separated from sin, but also separated unto holiness. 
•	Whatever is set apart from a profane to a sacred use, whatever is devoted exclusively to the service of God is sanctified.
•	References: II Chronicles 29:5, 15-18; Leviticus 27:14-1 6; Ezekiel 36:23; Exodus 19:20-22; Numbers 8:17; and Hebrews 9:3.

The Three Tenses Of Sanctification. 
•	Scriptural References:"And such were some of you: but ye are washed but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (I Corinthians 6:1 1). "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).
•	In these Scriptures we read of sanctification as being already in the past. 
•	Notice that in the first of these Scriptures Paul names sanctification before justification. 
•	Therefore there is a definite work of sanctification that takes place early in the experience of salvation. 
•	Some folks canonize people after they are dead, but the New Testament canonizes them while they are living. 
•	Every true believer is a saint and set apart (sanctified) for the service of God; otherwise he is not a Christian.
•	Sanctification may be viewed as past, present and future, or we may speak of Instantaneous Sanctification, Progressive Sanctification And Complete Sanctification. 
•	A person may experience definite acts of Instantaneous Sanctification in his life. 
•	This may take place at Repentance, Water Baptism, or the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
•	 Complete Sanctification will take place at the Rapture, while Progressive Sanctification continues throughout the Christian's Life.
Progressive Sanctification. 
•	Scriptural References: "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18). "But we ...are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of our God" (II Corinthians 3:18).
•	Justification differs from sanctification in this manner: Justification is an instantaneous act with no progression; while the latter is a crisis (decisive point) with a view to a process, an act which is instantaneous and at the same time carries with it a growth unto completion.
•	In II Corinthians 3:18 the tense of the verb is interesting. 
•	We are being changed from one degree of character or glory to another.
•	Since sanctification is progressive we are exhorted to:
•	1. Increase and abound in love (I Thessalonians 3:12);
•	2. Increase more and more (I Thessalonians 4:10);
•	3. Perfect holiness in the fear of God (II Corinthians 7:1).
How Are We Sanctified? 
•	Scriptural References:"...Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it..." (Ephesians 5:25-26)."By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).
•	Both God and man contribute and cooperate towards the desired end in the work of sanctification. 
•	Man must turn from sin and dedicate himself to God, but it is actually God Himself who does the sanctifying.
•	We may illustrate this by comparing it to a cold man bringing himself to the fire to be warmed.
•	Man brings himself to the fire, but it is the fire, which does the warming. 
•	Likewise it is with God who does the sanctifying although man has the responsibility of bringing himself to God.
Some Erroneous Views On Sanctification.
•	There are definitely some wrong views on the work of sanctification. 
•	We shall mention three of them:
•	1. Eradication.
•	Those who believe this, claim that the sinful nature is eradicated, pulled up root and branch, and after this takes place it is impossible for the saint to sin. 
•	This view, or course, is very much in the wrong. After he is saved, a man may still sin and by so doing lose his soul.
•	2. Asceticism.
•	This is the belief that there is merit and reward in the punishment of one's body in some form.
•	 The Bible does allow a place for the right kind of asceticism such as fasting for example. 
•	However, there is no merit in perverted asceticism such as celibacy and the doing of penance. 
•	3. Legalism.
•	This is being brought under bondage to the law. 
•	The child of God obeys the Word of God because he is a child of God. 
•	He lives on a plane above the law and is not in bondage. 
•	In our zeal for holiness it is easily possible to become legal in our attitude which is not Scriptural.
Lesson Eight
Self Help Test

A. Write a complete definition of "sanctification."
B. Define the following terms:
1.	Eradication -
2.	Asceticism -
3.	Legalism -
C. When will complete sanctification take place in a man's life?
D. Give one verse of Scripture with reference to prove "progressive sanctification."