Justification and Sanctification (2) - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11

Justification and Sanctification (2)
The Christian is not only justified, he is also sanctified; he is a saint. This may startle some who are accustomed to the usual theological expression, that justification is an act done at once, and that sanctification is gradual and progressive. We do not deny that there is such a thing as gradual sanctification, that is, increasing holiness of walk in him who, by abiding in the Son, grows from a little child into a young man and into a father in the family of God (1 Jn. 2:13). This growth is a matter of deep importance, and God forbid that we should make light of it. Nevertheless, it is boldly stated in Scripture that the Christian is said to be a sanctified one, or saint: by which is meant, not one especially holy in walk, but one set apart for God, by the call of God.

This sanctification will be better understood by our Lord's words: "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth" (Jn. 17:19). It is evident that the Lord could not be made holy, for He ever was holy; but He was set apart as the Holy One for a special purpose. And so believers are set apart as sanctified ones, or saints; not by holiness of walk but by the call and will of God, though the result of this sanctification should be, indeed must be, holiness of walk. Anyone who will take a concordance and look up the word "saints" will find that in the Acts and the Epistles, believers are called saints more than fifty times, and that the word is always applied to all believers, and never to certain special believers whose walk was more holy than that of others. Thus we have seen that all real Christians are justified and made fit for glory; they are also sanctified, made saints.