These days it seems that there is a focus on how to live the Christian life (progressive sanctification) but a neglect of how to actually get saved (positional sanctification); this is a reversal of what the Bible teaches about sanctification.[1] Being set apart and sanctified at salvation is positional sanctification as opposed to progressive sanctification, which is transformational.[2] Positional sanctification must necessarily take place first; we must get saved first. We are first positioned in Christ through faith, immediately, upon putting our faith and trust in him. Over a life time we are transformed into his image by the process of progressive sanctification.

Sanctification has to do with holiness. It is God’s will that those who are His be separated from uncleanness, hence we see in the Old Testament that Israel was “severed from the nations” (Lev. 20:26). The classic consensus is that God requires holiness / sanctification from us; this is His will for believers, even in the New Testament, hence Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44 when he says that the one who has called, that is, invited us is holy and therefore, we are required to be holy in all our conduct (Matt. 5:48; 1 Peter 1:15-16). Our position, however, is that we are not holy. Until we recognize this, the notion that the human race needs a Saviour will sound quaint.[3] To deceive ourselves about our sin has a tranquilizing, narcotic effect, and is a disorienting suppression of our spiritual central nervous system.[4] The truth is that evil proceeds out of our hearts: blasphemy, murder, adultery, evil thoughts, theft, fornication, false witness, foolishness, pride, lasciviousness, deceit, covetousness, wickedness, an evil eye, malice, slander, and hypocrisy flow out of our hearts (Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-23; 1 Peter 2:1). Galatians 5:19-21 extends the list further by adding drunkenness, heresies, variance, envying, emulations, uncleanness, idolatry, hatred, seditions, wrath, reveling, and strife. We are defiled by what comes out of our mouths and by what flows forth from the heart (Matt 15:18). Paul points out that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Our position is most miserable, but the good news is that there is salvation available in Jesus Christ. Although we were like that before, now, in the name of the Lord Jesus we have been washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor. 6:11). That this should be the means of salvation, is the will of God. All who call on His name will be saved (Romans 10:13). In Christ we have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Paul asks the logical question of how people will call upon one whom they have not known, and how they can know him if they have not heard, and how they can hear without a preacher (Rom.10:14-15). Hearing comes by the Word of God (John 17:17). Jesus asks of God, “Sanctify / hagiazō them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Hagiazō is used, meaning “to hallow, sanctify,” in the passive voice, “to be made holy, to be sanctified” is translated “let him be made holy” (Holiness, Holy, Holily – Vine’s Expository Dictionary). Hagiazō does not only relate to “rendering hallow, but also to consecrating, dedicating to God, cleansing, purifying by expiation (free from the guilt of sin), and purifying by renewing the soul” (G37 – Hagiazō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon). In light of sanctification / hagiazō and the word (John 17:17), we see in Scripture that the truth makes us free (John 8:32). The word makes us clean (John 15:3). The Word of God makes the simple wise. It converts the soul and brings light to the eyes when it is received (Psalm 19:7-8). Furthermore, taking heed to the word cleanses one’s ways (Ps. 119:9); the word in our hearts keeps us from sin (Ps. 119:11); the word gives us understanding (Ps. 119:104); the word is sanctifying, it is cleansing, it washes (Eph. 5:26); the engrafted word is able to save our souls (Jas 1:21); obedience to the word purifies our souls (1 Peter 1:22); we are born again by the word of God (1 Peter 1:23); repentance and acknowledgement of the truth go together and may lead to one being recovered from the snare of the devil (2 Tim. 2: 25-26); belief of the truth brings sanctification and salvation (2 Thess. 2:13).

Salvation is offered to all as a gift from God, so that all who call upon the name of the Lord in every place, will be sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2). All who turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God for the forgiveness of sins, become part of the same group who are sanctified by faith in Christ. When Jesus speaks of “them which are sanctified / hagiazó by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18b), He connects belief in the Saviour to sanctification / hagiazó. The same verse connects forgiveness of sins to repentance, that is, turning from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. While repentance is sometimes used synonymously with faith, it is not required as a separate act in any of the passages that teach salvation by faith / belief alone,[5] because turning is encapsulated in having faith. Such faith “is a committal of oneself to Christ (2 Tim. 1:12), and it is a definite turning [i.e., repenting] — an act of the will — to God from every other confidence (1 Thess. 1:9).”[6] We are saved by faith in Christ who died on the cross for us that we may be sanctified by His blood (Heb. 13:12). Sin is washed away when we believe (Acts 22:16). Jesus spoke of this to Nicodemus when he said that we “must be born again…of the Spirit.” He also said, whoever believes will be saved (John 3:3, 5-7, 15,16). When we believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), washed, regenerated, and renewed (Titus 3:5). We are washed, sanctified, and justified in Christ and by the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6:11). The reason why faith in Christ results in being made acceptable through sanctification by the Spirit (Rom. 15:16), is because faith in Christ leads to being washed. Sinners are washed (G628 – Apolouō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon), sanctified, and justified (1 Cor. 6:11) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. We are washed of our unclean state, washed of the pollution, washed of the filth of our sins, cleansed of our sin. Acts 22:16 says, “…be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” because when we call upon the name of the Lord our sins are washed away; baptism represents the remission of sin that we have through faith in Christ. The washing is the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) which takes place inside of us when we are saved by calling on the name of the Lord. The waters of baptism represent, on the outside, what the word of God has achieved on the inside for people who put their faith in Christ. Jesus sanctifies / hagiazō and cleanses the body of believers by the washing of water by the word (Eph. 5:26). The water and the word speak of baptism and faith; the outward cleaning of baptism represents the inward cleaning that has taken place through faith. Hence Paul can say to the Ephesians that the body of believers is sanctified and cleansed “with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26 KJV). Receiving the Holy Spirit at salvation is a baptism of the Spirit who rebirths us and makes us new. Therefore, without the Spirit we do not belong to Him (Romans 8:9).

There is an internal reformation of soul through knowledge of the truth (John 17:17, 19; John 8:32; Rom. 10:17) and through being in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2), and imbued with the Holy Spirit for service (Rom 15:16). Paul confirms that positional sanctification is received upon belief when he speaks of “salvation through sanctification / hagiasmos of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). Since positional sanctification is secured in Christ, Paul could say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). According to Chafer, one hundred and fifty passages in the Bible condition salvation on faith / believing alone.[7] See Jonathan Perreault’s list of verses at the author’s blog,[8] showing that the sole condition for salvation is to believe, (pisteuo), or, synonymously, to have faith (pistis). 

Positional sanctification is therefore founded on being in Christ, that is, made righteous, acceptable, redeemed, holy, perfect, blameless, justified, purified, sanctified, forgiven all trespass, and cleansed by the blood.[9] Jesus obtained redemption for us by his blood; by the sacrifice of himself he put away sin; he did this once, and he did it for the whole world (Heb. 9:12, 26, 28; 10:10; Gal. 6:14; 1 John 2:2). Righteousness and forgiveness of sins is declared “through faith in his blood” so that God is just when He justifies “him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:22-26 KJV). The fact that we can put our faith in Christ, is a gift of God (Romans 3:24). God prepared the body for the sacrifice (Heb. 10:5). God established that faith in Christ would be the way of salvation (Heb. 10:10). By His grace we can be saved through faith; it is a gift, and we cannot attain it by works. The righteousness of God is ours by faith in Christ. It is to all who believe, and there is no difference. Positional sanctification is therefore what God does for us when we put our faith in Christ. In this manner, God sanctifies. Those who put their faith in Christ are sanctified. When God sanctifies / hagiazō’s the believer, He makes the believer holy. He purifies and consecrates the believer. He makes them free from the guilt of sin. He renews their soul internally (G37 Strong’s Greek Lexicon). God is “the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). It is a gift of God that we can have this through faith: we are imbued with the Holy Spirit, made new, consecrated, set apart, internally purified, righteous, pure of every fault, and immaculate. The believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30), never to be unsealed. It is a completed transaction of divine ownership, and none can snatch us out of Jesus’ hand or God’s hand (John 10:28-29).[10] Some refer to positional sanctification as the first phase of sanctification, or the past tense of salvation. It is a once and for all deliverance from spiritual death and the penalty of sin (Luke 7:50; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; Eph. 2:5, 8; Tit. 3:5; Heb. 7:25; 2 Tim. 1:9). The work of God in Christ is considered so perfect that the believer is considered to be safe forever and permanently saved (John 5:24; 10:28, 29; Rom. 8:1, 37-39; 1 Pet. 1:3-5)”[11] It starts with salvation. We must have faith in Christ. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6a).

The Bible closes with one last reminder in the last chapter that anyone who is thirsty can take of the water of life, freely. It is free because it is a gift (Rev. 22:17). Whosever may come (John 3:16). Those who do not believe are not prevented by not being elected, since election is never to salvation but always to service; they are not prevented by not being given the gift, since the gift is offered to all; they are prevented by their own unwillingness and free choice to not accept the gift. Jesus himself says that they are not willing to come to him for eternal life (John 5:39-40). In fact, Jesus would have ushered in the Millennial kingdom, had Israel accepted him when He came the first time, but they were not willing (Matt. 23:37-39). They were not willing to respond in faith. There are those who would call a response, a work. Responding to Christ in faith is not work. Faith is the root (salvation) and works are the fruit (progressive sanctification). The book of James makes it clear that faith and works are two sides of the same coin. Without works there is no evidence of faith. The tree needs fruit. For this reason the early church believed, as per John 15, that believers had to maintain their obedience (see the blog that summarizes David Bercot’s book about the early church and eteranal security).

[1] Strobel, “The Christian Doctrine of Sanctification,” 260-268.

[2] Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, 244.

[3] Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1995), Kindle location 144.

[4] Plantinga, Ibid., Kindle Location 135.

[5] Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, 376-7.

[6] Chafer, Ibid, 392-3.

[7] Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, 376.

[8] Tersia Voskuil, “250 Verses on faith alone and belief alone as the only condition for salvation” Theology Stuff, Tersia Voskuil, March 21, 2023, https://thesispoints.blogspot.com/2023/03/250-verses-on-faith-by-justification.html Accessed March 25, 2023.

[9] Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. 7, p. 279-280.

[10] Chafer, Ibid., Vol. 3, 338.

[11] J. Hampton Keathley III, “Soteriology Study,” SOTERIOLOGY 101, March 21, 2015. https://soteriology101.com/2015/03/21/soteriology-study/ Accessed April 21, 2022