Declared right, then made new
Justification happens once, the moment you believe. Sanctification is the lifelong growth that follows.
Justification: a verdict
Justification is God's legal declaration that a sinner is righteous in His sight. He does this by faith alone, crediting Christ's perfect record to you and placing your sin on Christ. It is complete the moment you believe. It cannot grow and it cannot shrink.
Sanctification: a process
Sanctification is the Holy Spirit's ongoing work of making you more like Jesus. It involves real effort on your part, real battles with the flesh, and real setbacks. Paul calls it working out what God is working in.
Why the order matters
If you mix them up, you'll try to earn your standing by your growth, and you'll either become proud or despair. Keep them in order: because you are already accepted, you're free to grow without fear.
From Scripture
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
Put it into practice
- Finish this sentence honestly: 'I think God loves me more when I…' Then read Romans 5:1.
- Pick one habit to grow in this month, not ten.
These notes are pastoral commentary. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible.