"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32

Paul refers to believers as “those who are sanctified.” Does this mean that we are only saved when we are sufficiently sanctified? Does it mean that our justification is contingent upon our sanctification? No it does not. But let us not think little of sanctification, or that it is somehow optional.

All who are justified (those who upon trusting in Christ are declared by God to be righteous) begin the life long process of sanctification (growing in holiness as we become progressively more like what God has already declared us to be).

The Roman church confuses this, teaching that justification is dependent on sanctification—works = justification (salvation.) Biblical Christianity teaches that justification, solely the work of God, is necessarily followed by sanctification, which is the work of God, that we participate in by God’s grace.

All who are justified will be sanctified (some more, some less), and then glorified when taken to Heaven. Those who are not sanctified do not end up not being justified—they never were justified.

Sanctification is a validation that one has already been justified by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. So let us cooperate with the Holy Spirit and grow in holiness as we are sanctified.