"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." (Genesis 3:6).

In order to create man capable of genuine love, God created him with the capacity to make his own decisions. This capacity is often referred to as "the freedom of choice," "free moral agency," or "the free will." Both before, after the fall, man has retained a free will. For the most part, people do just about what they will to do.

Even the seasoned veteran of the Faith is morally and intellectually capable of being willing to commit sin, if he or she really wanted to do so. The truth is, the sanctified are not above sinning. This is not to say they have to, but they can if they want to.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7).

After the Holy Spirit cleanses the fallen nature of its inclination to sin, and empowers man for holy living, a person's want to is so changed that what they want to do more than anything else is to be at peace with God. This becomes the Spirit-empowered inclination of those who have received God's wonderful second work of sanctification. Consequently, the will to do the things known to be in keeping with His holiness becomes the primary motive for all of life's choices. Those who have received this cleansing of the heart have experienced a literal change of attitude toward life. Certainly, every born-again believer is filled with the new life of the Spirit, but through the second work of sanctification that new life penetrates deep down into the inner being to such a degree that little room is left for things other than those which knowingly please God.

Here is a humorous, and true illustration. A clergyman told one of his parishioners that he willingly sinned all he wanted to, and without any ill effect on his salvation. His shocked parishioner asked, "How much sinning do you do?" With a twinkle in his eye, the clergyman replied, "None! That's all the willing participation in sin I want to do!"  Get the point?

"Because He (Jesus) Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2:18).

Sanctified people are tempted. In fact, the sanctified may at times, be tempted even more severely than the unsanctified (unsaved). If Satan is going to be successful in deceiving the sanctified to sin, he will need to persuade them to act in a manner contrary to their deepest desires, and against the will.

Many Christians are confused about this. They confuse the heat of temptation with the fires of backsliding. Temptation in and of itself cannot be sinful since Jesus was tempted, yet was without sin.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16).

God's grace is not some pseudo-supernatural source of help which is nothing more than a by-product of the power of positive thinking. God's grace is a genuinely supernatural force which goes far beyond the limits of mere will power. Will power is alright in and of itself. In fact, no one will ever be a victorious Christian unless he or she exercises will power. But will power alone cannot supply the strength needed when the limits of human endurance are reached (and these limits are easily reached).  It is not by works!

Sanctification is not some self-help trip into the meditative powers of mind over matter. Sanctification is the application of God's grace, and God's grace is the supernatural force which picks us up and empowers us when will-power has vanished and failed us. It takes God's supernatural power to reject the devil's clever and persistent schemes. Sanctification is the means by which God supplies that power.

"Elijah was a man, just like us." (James 5:17).

"A man, just like us." Elijah was just an ordinary everyday variety of Homo sapiens. Yet, by the power of God's grace, what a man he became! Yet, he was just a man, like us.

It is perfectly normal for a human being to be a human being! And because we are human, like it or not, our humanity will often impose hardships upon us. Often, it is not a matter of being devoted, or being less than holy; it's a matter of being imperfect flesh and blood. People cannot perform perfectly in this life.  Even the most mature Believers must seek God's forgiveness during the course of everyday living.

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (II Corinthians 9:8).

This Scripture promises grace "in all things" including the supernatural insight of the Holy Spirit which helps sanctified people to understand the unique nature of their own individual humanity. What troubles one person may not bother another. We are all different. The Holy Spirit will supernaturally assist the sanctified so that they may successfully deal with their individual weaknesses and strengths.

"Continue to work out your salvation..." (Philippians 2:2).

Maturity takes time. We should not expect all sanctified people to act the same. Given the various individual human characteristics and the length of one's walk with the Lord, sanctified people will be at differing stages of spiritual and mental maturity. Some mature faster than others.

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." (Philippians 2:13).

Prior to sanctification spiritual maturity is impossible and mental maturity is greatly hindered, because of the fallen nature. It's hard enough with all the excess baggage of the fallen nature for even the sanctified to make progress toward maturity. The unsanctified have the added weight of a fallen nature which is bent toward total selfishness, and a physical body prone to give the intellect difficulty when it needs it least. Not to mention an unregenerate heart and an unforgiven record of sin! Is it any wonder that the world is in such a mess?

"Now the body is not made up of one part but many. You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part." (I Corinthians 12:14,27).

Some of the old religious groups prided themselves in dressing alike, keeping their hair alike, and even requiring that each person talk alike. But underneath the dress, the hairdo and the talk, they were all quite different. Sanctified people are persons, and persons are all different.

"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit---just as you were called to one hope when you were called---one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." (Ephesians 4:1b-7).

Although no two people are exactly alike, people do share some traits that are exactly alike in some ways. In the things essential to holiness, God's people are to be the same. In the nonessentials, we should be no less godly, but surely different.

1. Sanctification will not destroy the freedom of choice, but it will so quicken the will that the sanctified are no longer the victim of a cyclical attitude toward righteousness.

2. Sanctification will not place anyone beyond temptation, but it will make it possible to accept the grace of God necessary to reject the temptation.

3. Sanctification will not destroy our humanity, but it will give the human intellect a quickened awareness of the dangers of one's own particular weaknesses.

4. Sanctification will not create instant maturity, but it will instantly make it possible to mature beyond what would otherwise be possible without God's grace.

5. Sanctification will not make us all the same, but it will make all things essential to holiness the same.

Q. 2. What is the difference between the fallen nature and the human nature?

Q. 3. How does sanctification affect temptation?

Q. 4. How does sanctification help us to mature?