You asked for it, so, here it is, the biblical relationship between justification and sanctification.
| New Birth | Justification | Sanctification |
| 1. Work of God the Holy Spirit. | Work of God the Father. A declaration from the throne of God. | Work of God the Holy Spirit in Christians to cause zealous desire for and resulting in good works. Man is not passive, but active. |
| 2. Occurs in the unregenerate sinner. | Occurs in heaven only. | Occurs in the Gospel believer. |
| 3. Breaks forever the tyranny of sin as Master, and deals with both pollution and power of sin | Deals with the legal, forensic guilt status before God and His Law. | God working in us to mortify sin, including our own exertion in stopping the act of sinning. You are not passive. |
| 4. Re-created as a new creature, NOT co-existing with the old nature. | Imputed righteousness (complete conformity to God’s law) of Jesus Christ to the believer. | Imparted righteousness of Christ. |
| 5. Re-created righteous before God. | Reckoned righteous | Continually actually made righteous, in life, made holy, separate from the world. |
| 6. Focus is on what you are – sinful and dead. | Focus is on your legal standing before God. | Focus is on what you’re doing vs mortification of your sin. |
| Done deal. | Done Deal. | Not yet. |
| Instant, one time, never repeated. | Instant, one time, never repeated. | Progressive throughout your life on earth. |
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The seperation between justification and sanctification seems to solve the issue of having “peace with God” now. But how does our pursute for holiness contribute to entering the kingdom, given the many scriptural passages that link justification to holy living? I understand they are evidance of the new birth but we still must pursue them and if we don’t we will be lost. How can we have peace with God now if there’s at lest some chance that we may fall away? “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mat. 24:13) We are aren’t to the end yet. How do out deeds give us enterance into the kingdom? “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”(Mat. 16:27) Perhaps you could write a post about this sometime.
Can you give me a passage you may have in mind that links justification to holy living, so I can get a better idea of where you’re coming from?
Good comparison, Joel. Gonna make good use of this. Many thanks!
Passages that link justification to holy living:
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
“but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:35)
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:6-7)
“For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”(Romans 2:13)
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Cor 5:10)
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”(James 2:24)
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.” (Revelation 22:12)
It seems God grants acquittal, at least in some way, because of what we do.