About Jesus    Steve Sweetman

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What’s Wrong With Entire Sanctification?

When I was young I heard much about being "entirely sanctified". Of course I was not yet "entirely sanctified" back in those days, and may not be today. What do these words mean?

In simple terms, one who is "entirely sanctified", (not just partially sanctified) is one who has reached a state of perfection because he has given himself totally to Jesus as Lord, and not just as Saviour.

This happens in what is known as a second work of grace. In one experience, one gets totally sanctified, similar to the Pentecostal second work of grace called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Both are similar in the sense that the experience is a second work, subsequent to getting saved. I have never seen any clear description in Scripture that there is any such thing as a second work of grace.

The word sanctified means to be set apart, and in this context means being entirely set apart for Jesus as Him being your Lord.

This is the problem. With this thinking, one is dividing salvation into 2 parts. You first get saved by accepting Jesus as Christ, then at some later date you get entirely sanctified by accepting Jesus as Lord. I don’t think this is Scriptural.

Biblical salvation is this. One accepts Jesus as the Lord of His life when he first comes to Jesus. That is to say, you trust Jesus with your who life because He is Lord, which includes your salvation, because He is Christ. In fact you accept Jesus as both Lord and Christ all at once. And really, the word "accept" is not a good word to use in my opinion. More than accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour, you give yourself to Jesus, trusting Him alone for your life, including your salvation.

I don’t believe Paul, Peter, or any other New Testament writer would suggest that you come to Jesus, accept Him as Saviour, then at some later point accept Him as Lord. The New Testament gospel is that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Christ, and once recognizing your sinful state, you give yourself totally to Jesus because He is Lord of all things. From that point onward you begin the road of working out this salvation, becoming more and more sanctified, or set apart to Jesus, until that day of perfection finally comes when you meet Jesus face to face.

We need to preach the Lordship of Jesus, not just that Jesus is Christ.

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