A Layman’s Guide to Sanctification
through His word. One will reach full salvation and sanctification if they promise to perform “perfection” to the best of their ability. Grace, sanctification and salvation will be rewarded to those who keep promises, just as God Himself has kept His through thousands of years.
According to Dr. Dunning in chapter seven, sanctification has both a positive and negative side. The positive side is associated generally with the word “love” along with entire sanctifications brings perfect love - also known as the renewal of God’s love. On the other side, negative sanctification is often referred to as the removal of sin.
How does biblical faith connected with sanctification apply to one’s daily life? Experience is a key word in understanding sanctification in one’s daily life. Experience can refer to the manner in which sanctifying grace operates and is actualized in one’s daily, down-to-earth existence (71). Dr. Dunning, once again, refers to the works of John Wesley about God and experience. John Wesley recognized that the bible did not define the matter to which he wanted, therefore, Wesley began to research experiences of people who had claimed to have experienced the grace of entire sanctification. In doing so, Wesley determined that sanctification is a lifetime process which includes an instance which is perfected in the love of God Himself and called the process entire sanctification and based his theory on four grounds: responsiveness to faith, experience, logic and the nature of sin. Wesley emphasized the practice of regular actions Christians make to further his work and study of sanctification in human life. I believe Wesley did a fantastic job with his work and study. Christians today are being lead by being taught about the “perfect” stage of love – the walk with God.
What is “final salvation?” Dr. Dunning describes and defines (on page 83) final salvation as the final acceptance by God. Does God initially accept one into His eternal presence by just final acceptance? To an extent, I would have to agree with Dr. Dunning’s words. Although, I believe that a person’s walk with God will also lead them down the path of righteousness. By being completely accepted by God one must understand acceptance and righteousness. People are accepted by God on the basis of their walk with God and the level of their faith with God. By having strong faith, does that mean that one is in complete and right relation with God? Just because we are righteous in our faith, it does not mean that we are politically in “right relation” with God. With that in mind, one must wonder if the basis of our final acceptance with God is based on our right relation with him, or the basis of our faith in general.
In conclusion, I believe the novel was a well-written documentation, which thoroughly explained sanctification to any person at an average level. Although at times I believe the writings to be a little [next page]