This is more commonly known as: salvation, the new birth or initial sanctification.

"But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions---it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4,5).

The mercy and grace of a loving God is right now reaching out to every living person, offering salvation through Jesus Christ to anyone who will believe.

"'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They replied. 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.'" (Acts 16:30,31).

Faith and obedience equal belief, and if we believe we will have the faith necessary to obey. Faith is belief that accepts Jesus as Savior and acts upon known truth. Obedience is merely the acting out of our faith---faith in action. Faith and obedience will result in repentance. Genuine repentance always involves both deep sorrow for past sins, and a willingness to turn away from sin. Make no mistake, unless faith and obedience are expressed in genuine repentance, there has been no salvation from sin!

When a person accepts God's gracious offer of salvation, a partnership is formed. God instantly bonds this partnership by sealing the person's new relationship to Him. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the person's life. The old record of sin is removed, and a new life begins within. This new life is not a mere psychological acceptance of a reformed lifestyle. Rather, it is the living, supernatural transformation of the inner person, transformed from darkness into light.

This is more commonly known as: a second work of grace, the Christian rest, being filled with the Spirit, total consecration.

"You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit/you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." (Acts 1:5,8).

"To those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy." (I Corinthians 1:2).

"In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope." (I Peter 5:10).

"The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ." (I Peter 1:3).

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32).

Because God's plan for man's sanctification includes the need for man's inner tendency toward sin (the fallen nature), to be cleansed, He has made gracious provision for such cleansing. This provision is an evidence of His great mercy toward us. Such grace and mercy is at this very moment reaching out to any sincere Christian who truly desires to go on into the fuller, richer and more mature experience of heart cleansing (the fullness of the Spirit).

"By giving the Holy Spirit to them/He purified their hearts by faith." (Acts 15:8,9).

"So that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me (Jesus)." (Acts 26:18).

"Though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Romans 6:17,18).

What it takes to be sanctified initially (the first aspect), is exactly what is required of man to receive heart cleansing (the second aspect). Faith and obedience! Faith says: "I know He will cleanse me." Obedience says: "I will allow nothing to knowingly stand in the way of His cleansing. Nothing!" This is often referred to as consecration. Consecration is only an act of obedience to conscious faith. The wonderful grace of God is just now ready to extend mercy and cleansing to every Christian who will accept this second provision of sanctification.

When a person accepts the second aspect of sanctification, God actually performs a type of supernatural scrubbing deep in that person's inner being. The old craving for total selfishness is cleansed. In its place the Holy Spirit gives light to the person's thinking (intellect, mind). Something quite literal takes place within the inner person. That literal something is a cleansing and empowering in the deep recesses of the inner person.

This is more commonly known as: growing up in love, Christian maturity, growth in grace,  progressive or practical sanctification.

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

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it." (I Thessalonians 5:23,24).

By His grace and mercy, God has provided a means of maturity for every Christian. He wants us to be mature in His love and in His Word. He offers that maturing grace just now to any Christian who will accept His gracious help. No, we cannot learn it all at once, but with God's help, we can all at once begin to learn!

"Since we have these promises dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (II Corinthians 7:1).

"Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity." (Hebrews 6:1).

By faith in God's proven past and present reality, sanctified people must press on toward maturity. Obedience is the key. Much of what needs to happen in the life of the average person can only be accomplished by simple, unflinching obedience to God.

When we accept the merciful and gracious offer of God's third aspect of sanctification, God promises to give us wisdom, power and enough varied experiences in life to put that wisdom and power into practice. In this process of maturity we become more like our Lord Jesus Christ. As the old Gospel song proclaims: "Oh to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer. This is my constant longing and prayer. Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear." That is spiritual maturity.

This is more commonly known as: the resurrection, glorification, the rapture, or ultimate sanctification.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and unto an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade---kept in heaven for you." (I Peter 1:3,4).

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." (II Thessalonians 2:16).

By His great mercy and grace, God will someday transform these human bodies into a supernatural substance that will constitute our eternal dwelling. The recreated body of the Believer will be a body fit for the glory of eternal life. Who can actually say what such a body will be like? God can! And He has said it---"Who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." (Philippians 3:21).

To find out more about the resurrected body of Jesus, read the last chapters of the four Gospels, the first chapter of the Book of Acts, and the entire Book of Revelation, especially chapters 1, 5 and 19.

The fourth aspect of sanctification, is all God's business. Our business has only to do with the first three aspects of sanctification. If we, by faith and obedience, participate in these three aspects God will take complete charge of the fourth aspect. Our responsibility will then be finished. We shall rest. "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.'" (Revelation 14:13).

In that moment, every ounce of excess human baggage which has caused so much anxiety in this life, will be forever removed from us, and these earthly bodies shall actually be made like His glorious body. Just think of it!

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen." (Revelation 22:20,21).

By the power of God's grace, the Believer will someday be given a body fit for the wonders of eternal glory along with the entire host of heaven.

1. The first aspect of sanctification: The sinner is forgiven of his sins and given the living presence of the Holy Spirit. A new life is established.

2. The second aspect of sanctification: The Believer's inner person is cleansed and empowered. The power to live above the petty and sinful is imparted by the Holy Spirit.

3. The third aspect of sanctification: The Believer is encouraged, trained, disciplined and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Continued maturity becomes the natural course of life.

4. The fourth aspect of sanctification: The body is resurrected. The old earthly body is reconstructed in the likeness of the resurrected body of Jesus. The mortal puts on immortality.

In writing the biography of her father, Rev. J. Charles Crawford (known as the George Muller of Iowa), Lois Crawford related a time in her youth when she struggled with God over the matter of His will for her life, and a complete surrender to His Lordship. Here are her own words.

"I wanted to be a real Christian, but there were reservations. I was miserable and it seemed the only prayer I could pray was: 'Oh, Lord, hang on to me, hang on to me, hang on to me!' When we got home the night Papa had preached on complete dedication, he kindly asked me why I didn't stand up. 'Because I am not willing to do God's will,' I answered. Papa showed his suffering. 'So you say you are not willing?' 'Yes,' I replied, crying. 'Daughter, are you willing for God to make you willing?' he asked. I gulped a little then said: 'I am not willing, but, yes, I am willing for God to make me willing.'"

Sometime later she wrote:

"Yes, I was willing. God and Papa had won. Furthermore, I was happy, happy, happy! As I knelt there at the altar, into my heart slipped a verse I had known for a long time: 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' (Joshua 24:15). Oh, the happiness in my heart!"

"Lord, show me the person You had in mind when You
created me, and help me to become that person."

To be willing to become that person, is to be willing to begin the journey into mental and spiritual wholeness.

Q. 2. What is man's part in the business of sanctification.

Q. 3. Where are you in relation to the business of sanctification?