Larger Catechism – Day 37 of Lent
Question 77: What
is the difference between justification and sanctification?
Answer: Although sanctification is inseparably joined to justification, the
two are distinctly different. In justification God imputes the righteousness of
Christ to believers; in sanctification his Spirit infuses believers with grace
and enables them to use it. In the former, sin is pardoned; in the latter, it
is subdued. The one exempts all believers equally and completely from the
avenging anger and condemnation of God in this life; the other does not work
equally in all believers, nor is it completed in any believer in this life, but
only grows toward perfection.
The moment I received Christ
Jesus as my Savior and Lord my sins were forgiven. Jesus took his righteousness and placed it on
me. He took my sin upon himself. In that moment I experienced
justification. I did not earn it. I did not deserve it. It was God’s free gift.
That conversion experience was
the beginning point of my sanctification.
The Holy Spirit came into my life and began the process of
transformation that would last my entire lifetime. Through my lifetime the Holy Spirit will help
me to grow towards perfection—only reaching it upon entering the heavenly
realms. Sanctification is that process
the Holy Spirit is working in my life.
The plan for this summer is
for Brenda and me to walk a half-marathon (possibly a 10K if family members are
only going 10K). I can walk three miles
at this time (we haven’t started training yet) but it would be quite slow and
my legs would be very sore this evening.
A month from now I should be able to walk four or five miles at a faster
pace with less soreness. Two months from
now I should be able to walk six miles at a fairly brisk pace. In July I hope to be able to walk 13.1 miles
at a 17 minute per mile pace. In July I
will look differently than I do today; I will walk differently than I do
today. Becoming a half-marathon walker
is a process—it doesn’t happen overnight.
The process of sanctification is
a similar type of process—each day yielding more of my life to Christ; each day
acting a little more like Christ; each day becoming a little more Christ-like.
Sanctification.
(note: Our walking a half-marathon is not an April Fools joke.)
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