But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who
became for us…sanctification… —1 Corinthians 1:30
The Life Side. The mystery of
sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a
gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once I enter by faith into the
realization that He “became for [me]…sanctification….” Sanctification means
nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my
life.
The most wonderful secret of living a holy
life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of
Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you…” (Colossians
1:27). It is His wonderful
life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign
gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me
as it is in His Word?
Sanctification means the impartation of the
holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love,
holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every
sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy—
it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that
He now exhibits in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.
Imitation is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in
Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect
qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin
to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “…kept by the power
of God…” (1 Peter 1:5).
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