We Believe In: Sanctification Part 5: Future Sanctification: Perfect, or Ultimate, Sanctification -- By: Arthur L. Farstad

Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 08:1 (Spring 1995)
Article: We Believe In: Sanctification Part 5: Future Sanctification: Perfect, or Ultimate, Sanctification
Author: Arthur L. Farstad


We Believe In:
Sanctification
Part 5: Future Sanctification:
Perfect, or Ultimate, Sanctification

Arthur L. Farstad

Editor
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Dallas, Texas

I. Introduction

To dwell above with those we love,
That will indeed be glory;
But here below with some I know,
Well, that’s another story!1

Why is it that our fellow-Christians (and we mean believers, not mere professors) will seem so much more lovable in glory than they do at present? (This is to leave aside the issue of our own less-than-glorious reputations in the eyes of others.)

The answer lies in this last in a series of five articles on sanctification. In heaven we will be perfectly, or ultimately, sanctified. “Here below,” however, while positionally perfect in Christ through past sanctification, our present performance (our progress or sometimes lack of it) shows how far we still have to go.

We have spent two and a half years of Journal articles on this subject because sanctification is so important and so crucial to our success in the Christian life.

Readers may remember that the first article, which was introductory, was by your editor, and the next three—the most difficult subjects theologically—were assigned to our director, Dr. Wilkin. Now it is my turn to close the series with a discussion of the future aspect of sanctification—

where all will “indeed be glory.” At that time we will be able to reverse the clauses of the bumper-sticker theologian who wrote:

“Christians Aren’t Perfect—Just Forgiven!”

to

“Christians Aren’t Just Forgiven—They’re Perfect!”

Happily, the time is actually coming when believers will be not only forgiven, but actually perfect!

Since many readers may be new to our Journal or may not have carefully digested (or even read!) all of the previous articles, I would like to quote a nice summary paragraph by the late Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer:

The Bible teaching in regard to sanctification, then, is (1) that all believers are positionally sanctified in Christ “once for all” at the moment they are saved. This sanctification is as perfect as He is perfect. (2) All believers are being sanctified by the power of God through the Word, and this sanctification is as perfect as the believer is perfect. So, also, (3) all believers will be sanctified and perfected in glory into the v...

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