Revere Franklin Weidner on Sanctification

First: It is not enough for a man to know that his sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus; he must also grow in grace and holiness. II. Pet. 3:18; 1:5-8; Rom. 6:22.

Second: All exhortations to a holy life take it for granted that we possess salvation in Christ Jesus. Rom. 6:22.

Third: This is illustrated by the argument of the Epistle to the Romans.

• (1) Being justified by faith, we are in a state of grace. Rom. 5:1, 2.
• (2) We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? Rom. 6:1, 2.
• (3) The law hath no dominion over the believer, because he is joined to Christ, that he might bring forth fruit unto God. Rom. 7:4.
• (4) What the believer does not do on account of indwelling sin (Rom. 7:17, 22, 23), Christ has fulfilled in us, who are in Christ Jesus, and who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Rom. 8:1-4.

Fourth: If we live by the Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit. Gal. 5:25.

Fifth: For they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. Gal. 5: 24; II. Cor. 5:17.

Sixth: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Eph. 2:10.

Seventh: Love is to be made perfect in us. I. John 4: 16-19.

Eighth: The new life manifests itself in a two-fold manner, negatively as renovation, and positively as sanctification. Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9, 10.

Ninth: Sin still dwells in the believer after regeneration and justification. Rom. 7:17, 20, 23; Gal. 5:16-18; Heb. 12:1, 2.

• Tenth: Our renovation progresses from day to day, and is to be continued throughout life. II. Cor. 4:16; Eph. 4:16.
• (1) We are to die unto sin continually. I. Pet. 2: 24; Rom. 6:11.
• (2) We are not to let sin reign in our bodies. Rom. 6:12-14.
• (3) We are continually to present our bodies a living sacrifice. Rom. 12:1, 2.
• (4) The believer must daily deny himself, take up the cross, and follow Christ. Matt. 16: 24; Luke 14: 33.
• (5) We must mortify our members which are upon the earth. Col. 3:5-10.

Eleventh: Believers must also resist the world and its lusts. 1 John 2:15-17; Rom. 12:2; Gal. 6:14; James 4:4.

Twelfth: And resist the devil. Eph. 6: 10, 11; I. Pet. 5: 8, 9.

Thirteenth: This gracious act of the Holy Spirit in man, by which the regenerated and justified believer puts off the old man and the dominion of sin, in order that he may be renewed in the image of God, may be called renovation.

Fourteenth: The positive side, the putting on the new man, the obtaining of inherent holiness of mind and heart, may be called sanctification. Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Rom. 13:14; 6:19, 22.

Fifteenth: This thought is expressed in various ways in Scripture:

• (1) We are to grow up in all things into Christ. Eph. 4: 15, 16.
• (2) We are to be rooted and builded up in Christ. Col. 2: 6, 7.
• (3) Always abounding in the work of the Lord. I. Cor. 15: 53.
• (4) A putting on of special graces. Col. 3: 12-14.
• (5) To be holy in all manner of living. I. Pet. 1: 13-16.
• (6) A putting on the new man. Eph. 4: 23, 24; Col. 3: 10
• (7) A putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 13: 14.
• (8) A transformation by the renewing of your mind. Rom. 12:2.

Sixteenth: This life of sanctification is to extend to everything. Col. 3: 17; I. Cor. 10:31; I. Pet. 2:5.

Seventeenth: The essence of the new life is Love. I. Cor. 13: 1-13.

• (1) Which manifests itself in love to God. I. John 4: 19, 20.
• (2) In love to fellow-believers. I. John 4: 11-13; John 13: 34.
• (3) In love to your neighbor. II. Pet. 1:7; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:9.

Eighteenth: Love is the fulfilment of the law. Matt. 5:17; Rom. 13:10.

Nineteenth: He who wishes to see the Lord must possess the graces of love, peace and holiness. Heb. 12:14.

Twentieth: To be exact, therefore, we may say, renovation is the negative side, and sanctification the positive side, of the life striving after purification and holiness, but in popular language these terms are continually interchanged.

Twenty-first: We may distinguish between Regeneration, Justification and Sanctification as follows:

• (1) Regeneration refers to the implanting of the new life, and produces faith.
• (2) Justification refers to the change of our relation to God, and consists of the remissions of sins, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
• (3) Sanctification has to do with inherent righteousness, with the reformation of the mind, will, and affections, with the restoring of the divine image to the soul.
• (4) Both regeneration and justification are instantaneous; sanctification is progressive, increasing from day to day.
• (5) Regeneration and justification do not admit of degrees, but sanctification does admit of degrees, because the inner man is renewed from day to day.
• (6) Regeneration precedes justification, and justification precedes sanctification. Titus 3: 5-7.