There is a difference, and today's church only wants to think about Justification as a one time event that the individual did to "accept Jesus into his or her heart"...
Justification is what Jesus did for us, not anything we did at one time or other. He did it on the cross, and it was a one time event, that part is true.
Sanctification BEGINS in each of His "called out ones" after we have heard (because He opens our ears) and answered His call. Sanctification is like sand paper that rubs against our rough spots, revealing our sins and our fleshy nature, that God in His mercy because He is HOLY has to remove as He reveals them to us, and as we pray for strength and endurance, and His grace, and as He allows satan to sift us like wheat (like He did with Peter: Luke 22:31,32). Whatever gets removed through that sifting process is gone forever, chaff...don't hang on to it, it is wood, hay, and stubble. But what God purifies in us is like gold, silver and precious stones.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
Let's be encouraged by what God has done, and continues to do, for those who are called by Him. None of us are "innocent". We are all guilty before a holy God. Either we are forgiven, or headed for hell. There are no other categories, and it isn't what we do that counts, it is what He has done, and is doing, in the lives of His true believers, and that belief even is a gift that He has given to those who seek Him diligently... and even the seeking is a desire that He puts into our hearts. All praise is to Jesus alone, Who alone is worthy of all praise. That is our comfort, our strength, and our only hope. All the rest is "wood, hay, and stubble".
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
Yesterday I felt prompted to read Ecclesiastes again...all the vanity, vanity, vanity (emptiness and hollowness of this life):
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
There's gonna be a huge amount of wood, and hay, and stubble, that will be burned up and thankfully so, all that we did for what "seemed like" good reasons, etc, etc...but what will remain will be what God actually did through us and in us, and that will shine for eternity. :)
Justification is what Jesus did for us, not anything we did at one time or other. He did it on the cross, and it was a one time event, that part is true.
Sanctification BEGINS in each of His "called out ones" after we have heard (because He opens our ears) and answered His call. Sanctification is like sand paper that rubs against our rough spots, revealing our sins and our fleshy nature, that God in His mercy because He is HOLY has to remove as He reveals them to us, and as we pray for strength and endurance, and His grace, and as He allows satan to sift us like wheat (like He did with Peter: Luke 22:31,32). Whatever gets removed through that sifting process is gone forever, chaff...don't hang on to it, it is wood, hay, and stubble. But what God purifies in us is like gold, silver and precious stones.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
Let's be encouraged by what God has done, and continues to do, for those who are called by Him. None of us are "innocent". We are all guilty before a holy God. Either we are forgiven, or headed for hell. There are no other categories, and it isn't what we do that counts, it is what He has done, and is doing, in the lives of His true believers, and that belief even is a gift that He has given to those who seek Him diligently... and even the seeking is a desire that He puts into our hearts. All praise is to Jesus alone, Who alone is worthy of all praise. That is our comfort, our strength, and our only hope. All the rest is "wood, hay, and stubble".
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
Yesterday I felt prompted to read Ecclesiastes again...all the vanity, vanity, vanity (emptiness and hollowness of this life):
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
There's gonna be a huge amount of wood, and hay, and stubble, that will be burned up and thankfully so, all that we did for what "seemed like" good reasons, etc, etc...but what will remain will be what God actually did through us and in us, and that will shine for eternity. :)
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