Sanctification: Separated unto God
As taught in the Pentecostal / Charismatic tradition
Understanding sanctification as both a positional act at conversion and a progressive work of the Spirit.
The question that stands at the heart of the Pentecostal understanding of the Christian life is not merely, "How am I saved from the penalty of sin?" but rather, "How is the believer empowered to live a life that is truly 'set apart' for the purposes of God in a world that is fundamentally opposed to His Kingdom?" In the Pentecostal tradition, the doctrine of sanctification is not a secondary or optional stage of the spiritual journey; it is the vital, ongoing realization of the "Full Gospel" in the life of the believer. To be sanctified is to be caught up in the very holiness of God, a process that is both a definitive act of grace and a progressive journey of transformation.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the dual nature of sanctification as both an instantaneous act of separation and a progressive journey of growth within the Pentecostal tradition.
- **Distinguish** between the Wesleyan-Holiness "second work" view and the "Finished Work" view of sanctification, explaining the historical significance of the 1910-1912 shift in Pentecostal theology.
- **Explain** the meaning of "Separated unto God" in the context of Romans 12:1-2, focusing on the concepts of "living sacrifice" and "mind renewal."
- **Articulate** the role of the Holy Spirit as the primary agent of sanctification, moving beyond mere behavioral modification to internal transformation.
- **Trace** the biblical requirement of holiness from the Old Testament *qadosh* to the New Testament call to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
- **Defend** the necessity of holiness ("without which no man shall see the Lord," Heb 12:14) against contemporary "antinomian" or "grace-only" tendencies that neglect personal piety.
- **Apply** the doctrine of sanctification to daily ethical living, specifically in the areas of non-conformity to worldly values and the dedication of the physical body to God’s service.
- **Compare** the Pentecostal emphasis on "power for living" in sanctification with other traditions' views on the role of the law and the sacraments in the believer's growth.
Scripture
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