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What is Sanctification · Deep Dive into Joy

0:23
This is Deep Dive into Joy and I'm your host
0:27
Gina Rueckner. Hey joy listeners, it's your host
0:30
Gina Rickner. Welcome back to deep dive into
0:33
joy. The podcast where we talk about our testimonies,
0:37
our everyday life, health and wellness, and how
0:40
God shows up in the midst of our pain. I want
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you all to know that you are not alone. Before
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So this week we are moving into talking about
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being fully sanctified to God. So whenever I
4:55
first sat down with Bobby and asked her to come
4:57
on, we kind of just prayed over it and we didn't
5:01
really know what we were going to speak on. I
5:04
just knew that I really wanted to have her on
5:06
and her wisdom. So. Both of us were kind of hearing
5:11
she was hearing sanctification. I was hearing
5:13
discipleship. So we just jam them together so
5:17
on this episode For some of us sanctification
5:21
brings up guilt For others that can be confusion
5:24
and for many it's exhaustion Sort of like I can
5:29
barely keep my head above water How am I to be
5:33
holy? But sanctification is not God demanding
5:36
perfection from you It's God inviting you into
5:41
wholeness, and it's not becoming less human.
5:45
It's about becoming fully alive in Christ. So
5:49
today we unpack what sanctification really means,
5:53
what it does, what it doesn't look like, how
5:56
scripture talks about being fully sanctified,
5:59
and how this plays out in real, ordinary, messy
6:03
lives. But first, I want us to welcome back Bobby
6:08
Johnson to the podcast. Hi, Bobby. Welcome back
6:12
to the podcast. Glad to be here, lady. So let's
6:16
begin with grounding ourselves in scripture.
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The word sanctified simply means set apart. So
6:23
in the Bible, something sanctified is not just
6:25
cleaned up. It's claimed by God for his purpose.
6:29
Paul praise this powerful blessing. May God himself.
6:33
the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
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First Thessalonians 523. Notice this, God himself
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does the sanctifying, and he sanctifies us through
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and through. This means it's not self help. It's
6:50
not behavior management. It's not striving harder.
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It's God at work in you, your spirit, soul, and
6:58
body. So sanctification is your spirit made alive
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in Christ Your mind being renewed your desires
7:07
being reshaped and your life slowly aligning
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with heaven. It's a process Bobby, do you have
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anything to add here? I Love the verse there's
7:18
a couple verses in 1st Peter chapter 1 verses
7:21
14 through 16 that say so you must live as God's
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obedient children Don't slip back into your old
7:27
ways of living to satisfy your own desires You
7:31
didn't know any better than but now you must
7:33
be holy in everything you do Just as God who
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chose you is holy for the scriptures say you
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must be holy because I am holy and that last
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part refers back to Leviticus which we know was
7:46
just all the laws that laid out how these people
7:50
could be holy Or found holy in God's sight Had
7:55
to go through all the stuff right to do that
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But sanctification is just all about God's grace
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That is able to address all that we need in this
8:06
life with everything we have to experience and
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it's really and sanctification is really a message
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of hope and You know as a Westland I want to
8:21
use the phrase that we are quote, called into
8:24
holiness, um, who we are as God's people. So,
8:29
you know, that's, that's a lot of how I look
8:31
at that. Yeah. Here's where people will often
8:36
get stuck. Justification happens instantly where
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sanctification happens progressively. When you
8:43
put your faith in Jesus, you are justified, declared
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righteous. You belong to God fully and there's
8:50
no partial salvation. Romans 8 .1 tells us, therefore,
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there is no condemnation for those who are in
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Christ Jesus, but sanctification is the outworking
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of that salvation. So let's think of it this
9:03
way. Justification changes your status and sanctification
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changes your story. You are already God's, but
9:11
he loves you too much to leave you unchanged
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and thank God for that. We may hate change, but
9:18
I'm thankful that he changed me. That's for sure.
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So Bobby let's clear up some misconceptions for
9:25
what being fully sanctified does not mean Okay
9:29
and I think I do think that this whole concept
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of sanctification or the the doctrine of holiness
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is often misunderstood both inside and outside
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the church and I can actually testify that because
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even in my own life Years ago when our kids were
9:54
little You know we we had attended the Wesleyan
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Church then and we were learning more about Wesleyan
10:03
doctrine and On this topic of sanctification
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my husband and I were very confused We misunderstood
10:13
it in the sense that we thought when someone
10:16
said that they were entirely sanctified We thought
10:19
that they were saying that they were perfect
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in this life and without sin and we walked away
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from that like Sounds weird Entitled yeah, what
10:33
was weird is that we actually were the ones in
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the world. We didn't really we did not understand
10:38
What that meant? It's not really taught on either
10:41
No, and I mean it's so and it's such a beautiful.
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I said You know this whole concept of holiness,
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and I'll just jump back just a minute, something
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I forgot to add earlier. You know, as you said,
10:57
it means to be set apart. And set apart to what?
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From the world, yes, but set apart to God as
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our most important relationship. It's relational.
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And that we then can be in proper relationship
11:12
with other people. And we're called to be salt
11:16
and light. right? And the world expects that
11:18
from us. You know, we get a lot of pushback from
11:21
people, you know, that don't understand or, oh,
11:25
you profess to be a Christian, that kind of stuff,
11:28
right? But the reality is that the world expects
11:32
this from us. We need to focus on being more
11:41
like Jesus and being Christ -like in how we live
11:45
and in our character. that we don't just talk
11:48
a talk, but we walk it. And I think that's one
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of the things that you hear, you get pushback.
11:54
And in Ephesians 4 -1, Paul said, he begs us
11:57
to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you
12:00
have been called by God. So, you know, again,
12:03
setting that foundation just like what you've
12:05
talked about, but then understanding how the
12:11
world, again, in and outside of the church, see
12:16
holiness sanctification it thinks that it's not
12:20
it's not rigid confining or judgmental um sometimes
12:27
people see it as a religious subculture like
12:31
only the people who are really holy like those
12:34
are god's special forces you know i mean um or
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that people who claim to be sanctified Kind of
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entering into like this level of perfection that
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few will ever attain But I'm like what my husband
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and I thought like what yeah, that doesn't seem
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right. It's not a state of being free from temptation
12:55
struggle Above it all I wish it was and so the
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reality is that holiness is the expectation.
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We know that we just heard that It's the biblical
13:08
norm for anyone who claims to walk with God God's
13:13
people should live by this example and conviction
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We cannot do it in and of ourselves. It's a work
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of the Holy Spirit in and through us So sanctification
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is not sinless perfection it is Increasing surrender
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and it's not about falling. It's about getting
13:34
up quicker running back to God faster So can
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you go a little further into what it is being
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fully sanctified and what that looks like? Yeah,
13:44
so we know that sanctification is biblical, but
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again, different communities of faith are going
13:52
to maybe interpret that maybe a different way,
13:55
different doctrine. I'm sorry, different doctrine
13:58
concerning sanctification. So as a Westland,
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you know, we recognize that it is as I said a
14:06
work of the Holy Spirit by which a believer is
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separated and Enabled to love God with a whole
14:12
heart and walk in his commandments as blameless
14:17
We see it as kind of in three steps if you will
14:23
Initial progressive and entire so initial sanctification
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would be what we receive at that moment of salvation
14:32
of justification that you talked about and regeneration
14:38
being made new in Christ and then it becomes
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progressive right because it's as a believer
14:44
walks with God and they daily grow in grace it
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is a work a continuing work a growing in obedience
14:52
to God's Word that the Holy Spirit enables us
14:56
to do and then through this we are prepared for
14:59
what we call entire sanctification. which is
15:03
another way that people historically have put
15:06
it in the Wesleyan Church as a second act of
15:08
grace, when we give ourselves over fully to God.
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And this is where, when I had expressed to Pastor
15:19
Stephen, when I talked to him about being called
15:22
into the ministry, and we were talking about
15:24
all these things, and I told him about how my
15:27
husband and I had misunderstood what it meant
15:29
to be entirely sanctified. and he so Beautifully
15:36
just and simply said to me it is about being
15:40
all in And I will never forget that I use that
15:44
terminology a lot And so it is about When we
15:49
get to that point where we're saying kind of
15:52
like what we were saying there like before about
15:54
you get at the end of yourself right When we
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can get to the end of ourselves and put all of
16:01
it back in and be fully surrendered to God Truly
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submitting as living sacrifices wholly and acceptable
16:08
through faith in Jesus It's about perfect love
16:12
Empowering us for effective service That's entire
16:17
sanctification. And again, it doesn't stop there.
16:19
It continues to be a process of progress of progression
16:23
of growth and grace acknowledging acknowledging
16:28
learning more every day about who Jesus is until
16:32
we pass from this life and it's only then when
16:37
we're present in glory that we're truly perfect
16:41
as Christ was you know it's it's it's never going
16:45
to happen until then but it is that ongoing process
16:49
and so it's it's just entire sanctification As
16:53
our goal is just to be all in it's to be completely
16:57
sold out and saying to God whatever You want
17:02
from me I will do it a Past there is one of the
17:09
the books that I had for my doctrine of holiness
17:12
class actually was a compilation of different
17:16
Works by different people within the West Lane
17:20
Church and there was one Pastor Tom Kinnon, he
17:24
was a whistling pastor I think out in Kansas,
17:27
but he wrote on holiness at the grassroots level
17:30
and I was going back over that and preparing
17:32
my notes today and I really loved what he said.
17:35
He highlighted like four aspects in both individuals
17:40
and the church as a whole that demonstrate holiness
17:43
in our lives. Things that You know that are kind
17:47
of like trademarks or aspects of our lives and
17:50
those four things are this forgiveness relationships
17:53
Service and lifestyle and so with forgiveness,
17:58
you know, we are forgiven Yes, we we love that
18:02
part of it, right? We love that Jesus forgives
18:04
us But in living holy lives, we too then must
18:07
be forgiving of people and that oh man that hits
18:11
that is hard. Yeah, right and And what we're
18:17
doing in that, when God forgives us, it's because
18:19
he values us. And so are we looking at other
18:22
people and valuing them the way that God values
18:26
us. And one of the examples that he used, and
18:31
I love this, in fact, later on today, I'm going
18:33
to put it on my Facebook page, I love it so much.
18:38
But oftentimes we find ourselves, and we may
18:41
say it, we may hear other people say it and say,
18:42
you know what, life is just unfair. Especially
18:45
in regards when we're talking about forgiveness.
18:47
Well, I can't you know, I can't forgive that
18:49
person I mean, it's I'm sorry, but life is just
18:51
unfair. Yeah, it is unfair If life were fair
18:55
and this is what pastor Tom says if life were
18:58
fair, we wouldn't need mercy and grace So yeah,
19:03
you're right it's not fair it is very unfair
19:07
But you know what God gives us grace and mercy
19:12
we don't deserve that no he's not being fair
19:16
because being fair would be giving us what we
19:19
deserve yeah and we don't deserve that um and
19:23
so too we are called to extend the same to other
19:25
people that's that's being sanctified yeah right
19:30
um relationships of course which is tied directly
19:33
to that um god relates to me and i'm to relate
19:38
to others and make them feel welcome Extending
19:41
Jesus to them. It's really not more complicated
19:44
than that. It's a lot easier said than done realizing
19:47
but relationships to is I mean that is that's
19:53
centralized in the Trinity itself and Holiness
19:58
is central to God's presence. So again the relationships
20:01
and then the service links to humbly serving
20:05
and what does that do that glorifies God and
20:09
that's all That's what sanctification all about
20:11
is being more like Jesus so that we can glorify
20:13
him and then fourth is a lifestyle you know watching
20:17
where we should be going and He also turns it.
20:23
I love just the way he uses the words is turns
20:26
things around Oftentimes we can in this feel
20:29
like What we here's what we can't do. It's all
20:34
about what we can't do and holy living isn't
20:39
about that. The focus should really be on what
20:43
can we do. It's actually very freeing. It allows
20:48
us to live freely for Christ because we're living
20:51
for something of the highest value. It's not
20:56
like we're taking away. It leads us to an abundance,
21:01
an abundant life to stand for Christ. So I thought
21:05
those were cool things that he pointed out that
21:09
are You know really again. I love that. He called
21:13
it holiness at the grassroots level It's making
21:15
it real for us because it can be one of those
21:18
topics that people It just get it gets lost or
21:23
it's not properly explained or we don't have
21:25
people you don't always necessarily maybe hear
21:28
it in a in a sermon or is a topic of a small
21:32
group or whatever yeah fills over your head sometimes
21:35
yeah um so let's move into the role of the holy
21:38
spirit so the holy spirit is the agent of sanctification
21:43
paul says in second corinthians 3 18 we are all
21:47
being transformed into his image with ever increasing
21:51
glory the spirit convicts gently empowers obedience
21:56
renews your mind and produces fruit over time
21:59
You say yes, and God does the work. So sanctification
22:03
in real life looks like how you respond when
22:06
you're triggered, how you speak when you're tired,
22:09
what you turn to when you're overwhelmed. I can
22:12
tell you that whatever advice you choose isn't
22:16
going to help you. How quickly you repent is
22:20
How quickly your pet instead of justifying your
22:23
sin. It means you start noticing I don't want
22:26
that anymore That doesn't fit who I'm becoming
22:29
God is changing my appetite that sanctification
22:33
and I will even go as further as saying Sometimes
22:38
it looks like cutting certain people out of your
22:40
life as well setting boundaries So it's quiet.
22:44
It's eternal and it's powerful Is there anything
22:48
that you want to close with today Bobby for my
22:51
audience? Well, I just I love how you How you've
22:56
talked about it in this and because it again
22:59
it makes it real to people and Describes the
23:05
way in which we live out That sanctification
23:09
I mean holiness really is as we've said it several
23:13
times. It is the work of the Holy Spirit This
23:16
is not something That we can just do in our own
23:20
ability It's it's internal. It's an internal
23:25
work of the Holy Spirit and And it's not again.
23:31
It's not something that we do, but it actually
23:33
it's really something that happens to and through
23:36
us if we allow it Right so it starts with the
23:43
willingness And I think if you even go back you
23:46
go back to salvation And it's one thing it's
23:52
super important thing right to come before God
23:54
and say I know I need you I know you are the
23:58
missing piece and And I accept you into my heart,
24:02
and I want to live for you And you are saved
24:06
you are justified you are regenerated in that
24:11
And that sanctification begins immediately. But
24:17
it becomes the difference between accepting Jesus
24:22
as a savior and living as if he truly is the
24:26
Lord of your life. And it's making that transition.
24:32
And that's what it's all about. That's how we
24:37
go forth and make disciples. That's how we can
24:41
go forth and share the good news of Jesus Because
24:44
what are they looking at? What's the world looking
24:46
at just like we talked about like they need us
24:48
to uphold us because they are watching The world
24:53
is full. I mean they're everybody's we were all
24:56
both of us were lost at one point in our lives
24:58
But it took somebody Some you know that they
25:03
came around us that the Holy Spirit worked through
25:08
message or whatever that we were able to say
25:12
yes to him and and through his grace we were
25:17
able to do that so too that's us we need to be
25:23
those we need to be that we're not we're not
25:26
the ones providing salvation right right but
25:30
we can lead them towards the one who does and
25:34
Like we said early planning the seeds. Yeah people.
25:37
Yeah. Yeah, just just and again when we talk
25:41
about those small moments How can you minister
25:46
and be Jesus in those small moments if you're
25:49
not all in? If you're not all in he he is not
25:54
that's not going to be at the forefront of your
25:56
mind But when you are all in for him everything
26:00
you do literally You're open to God Not sure
26:07
what you got for me today But help me to be obedient
26:10
help me to see it help me to recognize it. Give
26:13
me your eyes Let me look at people the way you
26:15
do Let me value them allow me to offer forgiveness
26:19
When I don't want to yeah No matter how much
26:24
I can justify it Let me be let me be like you
26:31
And so I just I love I love everything about
26:38
the doctrine of holiness and And what what it
26:43
does in the life of a believer it does not stop
26:47
at salvation That's the that's the tip of the
26:50
iceberg. Yeah for sure So would you mind closing
26:55
out this episode with Paul's prayer? I would
26:59
love to, and what I did is I took it out of the
27:02
message for this one. Sometimes I like to do
27:06
that, and that's what I did for this one, so
27:07
I hope that's okay. So it does read a little
27:10
bit different, but it reads this way. May God
27:14
himself, the God who makes everything holy and
27:18
whole, put you together, spirit, soul, and body,
27:23
and keep you fit for the coming of our master,
27:26
Jesus Christ. Love it. So I'd like to end with
27:34
this. If you have been feeling discouraged in
27:36
your walk with God, hear this. Sanctification
27:39
is not proof you're falling. It's proof God is
27:42
still working and you are not behind. You are
27:45
not disqualified. You are being made holy step
27:48
by step. So I want to thank my audience for being
27:52
here today. If you can share this episode with
27:55
anybody in your life, I would appreciate it.
27:57
And remember, God doesn't just save us from something.
28:00
He sanctifies us for something. Make sure to
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me at gmrickneraticloud .com. As always, go out
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and find the joy today. Bye, friends.