Justification, sanctification, and glorification are presented as three essential doctrinal truths for every believer, stemming from God's grace through Christ's redemption. The sermon explains that justification means being cleared of all charges of sin by God's grace, freely offered through faith in Christ's atoning blood, which paid the full penalty. Sanctification is then described as being set apart for God, with a positional aspect (belonging to God forever upon salvation), a practical aspect (living a holy life through obedience to God's Word and the Holy Spirit's power), and a future permanent aspect. The ultimate conclusion is glorification, where believers will be made like Christ and share in His glory, a hope grounded in Christ's redemptive work.
Restored with Diffio
Audio restored with Diffio. Diffio processed the original archive recording to reduce noise and produce a cleaner listening version; the original stays available.
Speech quality score (model-estimated, SCOREQ): before 2.00 → restored 4.18
And verse twenty-three, and read through verse twenty-six, by the Spirit of God, the beloved Apostle Paul has written, For all that sin, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of things that are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
First Corinthians chapter one, if you see. First Corinthians, the next book over chapter one in verse thirty. The words of the Apostle Paul again writing, But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who as God is made unto us, Wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Go back to Romans chapter eight, if you don't mind. The eighth chapter of Romans, let me read verse twenty-eight and twenty-nine, or twenty-nine and thirty rather.
Or begin at twenty-eight, be a good beginning of that section, reading through thirty. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his perfect. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called, then he also justified. And whom he justified, then he also justified.
glorified. May God bless the reading and the hearing of his precious word. There are three words that I would like to bring to your heart this morning from the word of God and the scriptures which we have read. And they are these. Justified. Sanctified. Glorified. Can I repeat it? justified before God, sanctified to God, and glorified by God. Three words, justified, sanctified, glorified.
Now one thing is very sure, unless a person has been justified, they'll never be sanctified. And if they've never been justified, they'll never be glorified. And here are three precious words of doctrinal truth that every man, woman, boy, and girl should understand. To be justified, to be sanctified, and to be glorified. And may I say, my beloved... friend, brother and sister, as well as anyone that may be unsaved. These are three words that God would have you understand and know and experience to be justified, to be sanctified, and to be glorified.
Look with me in the chapter of Romans three, where we read, and in Romans chapter three, We read those wonderful words from verse twenty-three through verse twenty-six that tell us very plainly how we can be justified. May I raise the question kindly, lovingly, is there anyone here that has never been justified? For may I say to you, God wants you to be justified. And I'm sure you may be asking the question if you never have. What does it mean to be justified? The word justified means to be cleared of every charge of sin that God has against you.
For the opposite meaning of justification is condemnation, to be condemned. And may I remind you, if you've never believed under Lord Jesus, you are already condemned. When the Lord Jesus in John three seventeen said, He that believeth on me is not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already. God wants you to lose that condemnation. To be freed from that condemnation. For he condemned it. Now look, look at our chapter please in verse twenty three. Here you read the condemnation in verse twenty three.
For all have sinned. and comes short of the glory of God, there is the condemnation. And if you please notice, God doesn't miss anyone. He says, everyone has sinned. Everyone has sinned. I remember a dear servant of God when he questioned the lady about being saved as a sinner coming to Christ. The first thing she said, she drew herself up orderly and said, I'm not a sinner. Well, she was lying then. But thank God she found out she was a sinner later on and trusted the Savior. But here's the universal condemnation.
All have sinned and consured of the glory of God. Now please note from those three words, justified, sanctified, and last of all, glorified. You'll never be glorified if you're a sinner when you die that's never been saved. But how can a sinner who is condemned be saved? How can a sinner be justified? Let's read on. Let's ask the question. As you have in verse twenty-four, what does it cost to be justified? What must I do to find my sins taken away?
How much will it cost? Let me point out to you, being justified freely by God's grace. Can I point you down once again? You can be freed from your sins condemnation by God's grace freely. For you it will not cost a penny. For me it will not cost a penny. God will justify you freely according to the riches of his great. Meaning, he is merciful and gracious to offer you this justification freely.
Have you refused this? Are you still refusing it? God says, I offer it to you freely. The cost of it for you is free. Paul writing to Timothy says, There is one mediator between God and man. The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all. But please, if the cost for you and for me is free, please will you know, why can God do it? What is the source of this grace? Read the rest of the verse. It is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
It is because the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, paid the penalty for your sins upon the cross of Calvary. Can I repeat it again? I wanted to sink in if it needs to, don't do. It is only because God's Son came from heaven and went to the cross of Calvary to be your sacrifice for your sins. and paid the penalty. He gave himself a ransom, the price for all. For you, priest. He paid it.
And then he quotes the words of another. God will never twice pay and demand. First at my bleeding surety and, and then again at mine. Now may I put it this way? He paid it. You get it right, but don't you try to pay it even afterwards. It's completely done when you trust the Lord Jesus as your Savior. Are you justified? Let's read on. As you know, I want to enjoy to realize the source of that justification. is because Christ redeemed my soul in the cross of Calvary when he paid the penalty for my sin.
That's why God can do it. You know, John three sixteen, God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. What? That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Your justification is free. The price he paid And we sing the old hymn with joy, Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had let the crimson stay, but he washes it wide as snow. And beloved, let me say again, universally none of us deserve this justification. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But here is God saying, freely, by his grace, He offers this redemption, this justification to every sinner. Let's go on and note in verse twenty-six, and verse twenty-and verse twenty-five rather, in verse twenty-five the means, the way you can be justified. What must I do to be justified? We've already stated you cannot pay for it. But let's look and see what must I do to be justified. Verse twenty-five, whom God, that is Christ, God has set forth a propitiation.
He has met the need for my sins. Can I say this again? And I have joy in the knowledge of it. All my sins he met the need of them from the beginning of my life to the end. Can I repeat it again? Look, not only my past sins, not only my expenses, but even my future if there be any. And sometimes there are, unfortunately. But all my sins, he met the need for them. He became the propitiation for them on the cross of Calvary. But how do I get this justification? Through faith in his blood.
My beloved, if you've never been justified, will you do this? Just what we were singing. I do believe, I will believe that Jesus died for me, that on the cross he shed his blood. There it is. From sin to set me free. That's what he said. Through faith in his blood. My friend, let me pause for a moment and put it clear to your heart and conscience. If God has never justified you yet, you put your faith in the blood of Christ. What can wash away my stain?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me holy again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other sound I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. I think of a dear man as he was, I knew he was, last time I saw him alive, and he died very soon afterwards. But as I asked him, how do you know you're going to be in heaven? You know he answered, I wanted to hear him tell it. He looked up and said, Brother Bramall, I'm trusting the precious blood of Jesus. I said, pray for the Lord. My friend, God will justify you if you'll trust the precious blood of Jesus for your salvation.
Just read on. And I want you to note something very special. Very special. God does it righteously. To declare his righteous. What? A holy God for giving the guilty sinner? Is he right to do it? Who take it in? He has a right to do it. And he declares his righteousness in doing it. Thank God. I know I don't have any righteousness. All of sin.
And you can read in the preceding part of the chapter. There is none righteous. No, not one. But please may I present to you the wonderful truth. God is doing the right thing when you trust Jesus' blood for your salvation. to declare his righteousness. Read on. For the forgiveness of your sins, for the sins that are passed through the forgiveness of his righteousness. Oh, my beloved, I wish every sinner knew God is doing the right thing when he forgives a believing sinner.
And if you've never believed on the Lord Jesus, please do it now. You don't have to wait till the end of the meeting either. But in your heart said, Jesus, I will trust thee. Trust thee with my soul. Guilty, lost, and helpless. Thou canst make me whole. There's none in heaven nor on earth like me. Thou hast died for sinners. Therefore, Lord, for me, Father, love it. Read on. Let's finish that twenty-six verse. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness. that he might be just, and the justifier of him which only believeth in Jesus.
Thank God for Jesus. Have you put your faith in him? God's saying, I'm just. Well, I tell you one thing, if God wouldn't do it, he wouldn't be keeping his promise. But it's just when he justifies a poor guilty sinner the moment he or she believes on the Lord Jesus. May I raise the question again? Are you justified before God? Now, let me point out. It doesn't say being justified before men, but before God in this chapter.
That's the most important thing. You've got to meet God about your sins. And may I say frankly, lovingly, as well as gladly, I am so glad God's never going to ask me about my sins. They're under the blood of Christ. Gone, gone, gone, all my sins are gone. Flurry in the deepest sea. And thank God. When you trust the precious blood, let me go quote the words of John in first John one seven. The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from how much?
All things. Are you justified? Look with me in Romans chapter five for just a moment please. A reference is there. I'd like to close this part with it. Let me begin reading if I may in verse nine, just verse nine. the opening part of verse nine, much then, much more than, being now justified by his blood. And my beloved, if you have some hesitancy about trusting him, as you say, you look, his blood will justify you. Meaning, clear away the charges of your sin and give you the forgiveness that God offers you.
Free without money and without Christ. We close this part of the message. Are you justified? And if you're not yet justified, why not now? Trust the Lord Jesus as we sang of that precious blood. I do believe. I will believe that Jesus died for me. That on the cross he shed his blood from sin that set me to sleep. May I say lovingly. Maybe I shouldn't be so critical, but I wish everybody preaching the day was preaching that truth. There's a lot of preaching going on that doesn't put in the blood of Christ.
Now let's look at the second one. Justified before God. Scientified to God. Scientified. Now if you're justified... I want you to understand what it means now you should be sanctified. Sanctified, and I must confess, and I should confess. There is much misunderstanding about the truth of sanctification. We might understand the meaning of justification, but there's more difference of opinion regarding the truth of sanctification in the minds of even Christians.
But I would raise the question. How about being sanctified? Look with me in Romans chapter six and verse eleven. I want to read a part of that verse. Romans, our Corinthians, I beg your pardon not that. First Corinthians chapter six. First Corinthians chapter six and verse eleven. And I want you to know something. Let me go back to verse ten. And even in verse nine. Paul speaks about many people who are fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, contaminants, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners.
They can't go into the kingdom of God. Will you please know what he says next in verse eleven? Touch with some of you. He's writing to Christians. He's writing to Christians who were like that before God saved their souls. Such was some of you. But please know what he goes on to say. But you're washed. You're washed. You've been made clean. And know what he says next. But you are sanctified. And you are justified. In the name of the Lord Jesus. And by the Spirit of our God. For everybody that's been washed in the blood of Christ has also been sanctified. But let me please be very careful.
What does it mean to be sanctified? What does sanctify mean? Don't be afraid of the word, for I'm sure it's found so frequently in the word of God, sanctify. In fact, you will find, if I may suggest it and how true it is, if you go to the Old Testament, you'll find the word sanctify one hundred and six times. It's very much used there. Then you'll find it in the New Testament, thirty-one times. Now, what does the word sanctify mean? Please let me say this. Clearly.
Simply. It means to be set apart. To be set apart. For when God saves you, let me quote Peter's word in first Peter chapter three when he said, the just one died for the unjust that he might bring his wear to God. And the moment you're saved, you're set apart to God. You're sanctified. You belong to God. Set apart. And even in the Old Testament, you have the word holy in the Old Testament so many times. In fact, I believe in the Old Testament. You know how many times the word holy is in the Old Testament?
Four hundred times. Four hundred times. And in the New Testament, you'll find it also in the New Testament, and there you'll find it twelve times. The word holy. What does the word holy mean? Listen, to be separated from what is unholy. And there were many vessels in the temple of God, and in the tabernacle were called holy vessels, because they were separated for God and through God, for his purpose. And what joy, let me give you another thought. The word holy and the word sanctified is also included in the meaning of the word saint, which you find in the Bible.
You'll find in the Old Testament the word saint was there. You'll find fifty times in the Old Testament some of God's people were called, the God's people were called saints. And in the New Testament, you know how many times the word Satan is in the New Testament? Sixty-two times. I remember a dear friend of mine up in Michigan years ago. He had just been saved, and he came into the fellowship of God's dear children who gathered together in that particular place where I happened to be Greek king. And he told me, he said, you know one Sunday, he said, when I came to the meeting, he said, somebody said, hello there, Saint Philip. How are you?
Jesus. They said if you looked around, who's the saint around here? My beloved, every believer in the Lord Jesus is a saint. Now I didn't say there's a living saintly. I said they are a saint. It's a title. They are means set apart, set apart as the word holy, as the word sanctified, set apart. Now let me be very careful. I want to show you from the scriptures. There are three aspects to the teaching of this truth to be sanctified. First there is what I would call, and let me mention the three of them together. There is a positional aspect of sanctification.
Then there should be a practical aspect, and someday there will be a permanent sanctification. Let's look at it. For our preciousness is to real. Let me prove to you. God uses the word sanctify when a saint is saved, when a believer is saved, when a sinner comes to the Lord Jesus, he uses the word of God to show that they come to him. Remember in First Corinthians chapter one and verse thirty we read, Christ is our sanctification along with other truths that were there.
Christ is our sanctification. Through Christ we have been set apart to God. And as Peter said, he guides the just wants of the unjust to bring us where? Listen, the moment you take the Lord Jesus as your Savior and trust him and his precious blood, you belong to God forever. Now let's look in the book of Hebrews, chapter ten, if you please. The book of Hebrews, chapter ten. And don't forget what we read in St. Corinthians, chapter six. Paul had some bad Christians he was writing to, they were in trouble.
But he says, you're sanctified. But in Hebrews, chapter ten, if you please, and please note the words of the Spirit of God, if he writes, in chapter ten of this wonderful epistle, Chapter ten, verses twelve through fourteen, let me read with you. Here are the words. Well, let me begin in verse nine. When the Lord comes into, the Lord Jesus comes into the world in verse nine, saying, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, he take away the first sacrifices that he may establish the second, by the which will.
Please note. by the which will, God the Lord Jesus, doing the will of God to the death of Calvary. Did you trust that death for your salvation? By the which will he, we are sanctified, set apart through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and all. It would be good of verse twelve, but let me read through verse fourteen. But this man, After he had offered one sacrifice for sin, forever sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his postal and no supporting word.
For by one offering, he has perfected forever them that have sanctified, them that have set aside. Can I repeat it again? The truth is precious. when a poor guilty hell-deserving sinner puts his and her trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as his, her, as her Savior, trusting that precious redeeming blood, God's perfect, then in his sight, forever. They belong to him. He doesn't say that he lived down here perfect forever.
But he perfected them forever in his life because of what Jesus has done upon the cross of Calvary. And what a joy to recognize that, what precious truth it is. Let me go to verse fourteen. I'm going to make a statement. I want you to see the truth of it. For by one offering, he has perfected forever. Can I say this? If you trust the Blessed Lord Jesus as your Savior before God in his holy sight, you will perfect it to him forever.
We'll see more of it as we go on. But oh, the precious truth, the positional place, he set me apart. I'm his forever. Please, his forever, only him. Who the Lord and me shall part? Yes! He gives unto his sheep eternal life. They shall never perish. May I repeat it in another way? If you trust the Lord Jesus as you say, you're going to belong to God forever. Now listen, I'm going to be careful. You might say, well, what about how I'm going to live? I'm going to talk about how you're going to live, how you should live.
But may I say, the moment you trust, Christ, you're his forever. He doesn't lie. They shall never perish, neither so many plus them out of my hands. That's the position of sanctification. In God's sight, I'm his forever, perfect, righteous in Christ. God made him sin for us, that we through him might become the righteousness of God in Christ.
I think of the dear old man that God looks down as he feeds me. First of all, he feeds my Savior. Then he feeds me. Read the Ephesian Ephesians all the way through. And you find this repetition of two words, in Christ, in Christ, in Christ, in Christ. If any man be in Christ, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he's a new creation. In Christ, accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his life. The forgiveness of things according to the riches of his grace.
And what a joy. Three can I say it with joy? When I trusted him back in nineteen fourteen, I became God forever. Have you been justified? You're his forever. But then, think of the other part of sanctification. Very necessary. There's a practical application of sanctification. Practical. or I may say experimental while you heal upon the earth. Look with me in First Peter, chapter one, please. First Peter, chapter one, right following the book of Hebrews, James, Peter, right following the book of Hebrews, chapter one.
Now Peter is writing in verse fifteen and sixteen. Let me read the word. And Peter is writing. As he which has called you is holy. He's writing to... No, let me go to verse fourteen. So you have in verse fourteen the suggestion we should be obedient children. Not fashioning yourselves according to the form of lust in your ignorance. Now let me put this perspective before you. When you're justified and he set you apart forever to be his... You're expected to be obedient to that one, who saved you, who's justified you, who set you apart for himself as obedient children.
Don't live like you used to live. There's got to be a practical sanctification. Now, note in verse fifteen, but as he which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of living or conversations. because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. My beloved fellow believer, you and I who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ as a practical application to this truth of sanctification, that in experience I should be getting holy more and more like him. Well, our dear friends, I'm so happy this time there is all to be like him.
Well, they were singing with the desire of practical sanctification, and suddenly we'll get the whole thing we know to be like him more and more. Well, may I say more? Practical sanctification is what most saints are needing today. Go on into Romans chapter twelve, please. Verses one and two, which I'm sure you're fully acquainted with. And I want to show you from chapter twelve and verses one and two of Romans. After God saves you, after he justifies you, he expects something from you. I read verse one and two.
And notice, I beseech you therefore. Will you please note that? God doesn't say I demand. He says, I beseech. I plead with you. He's been pleading with you to get saved. And after pleading with you and you are saved, now he says, just as you put me, made the decision to trust my son as your Savior. And you listen to my plea to come to him and plead furthermore. I beseech you.
By the mercy of God. What I've done for you. No. He goes on to say, that she presents your bodies a living sacrifice wholly and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. My dear fellow believer, may I say to you as well as to myself, God expects his children to be set apart in their daily living for him in holiness of life.
Pricical holiness. Pricical holiness. And how can it be done unless we do what he says? I beseech you that he presents your body. Here's the whole thing. Just as much as I was willing to take Christ as my Savior, I should be willing to let him have my life. I should be willing to let him have my body. Listen, with this body I ascend. And with that body that you ascend with and I ascend with, the Spirit of God has taken his presence in it that you and I might live for the Lord Jesus. Yieldiness to God.
My fellow believer, please may I ask, my heart as well as yours, am I fully yielded? Am I fully yielded? Present your body. Will you please notice something? A living classified. It will cost you something. It's not a dead sacrifice, but it's a living sacrifice. But it's a sacrifice. There's a cost to pay. But it's worth it. But there's no question about, look, just as you and I were willing to trust Christ as our Savior, we should be just as willing to give Him what we are and who we are, these bodies and lives of ours, to do the will of God.
that she might, and Paul has it very clearly, that she might prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Can I pause for just a moment? Consider again. Am I doing the will of God? My fellow believer, are you doing the will of God? In your life, am I? Let me give you some suggestions of how the divine provision how can we more and more become like that blessed Lord Jesus our friends with singing our brother and sisters I know all to be like him for I'm sure that you recognize that if there's a practical holiness it's because Christ is being manifest and him alone.
How can I become more practically dead apart? John chapter seventeen and verse seventeen. The Lord Jesus prayed for you and me and for all of his own. To the Father. Sanctify them. Set them apart by thy truth. Thy word is truth. Now it raises the question, look, don't you think you'll be a sanctified Christian in practical experience if you neglect the Word of God? It can't be done. The Word of God is a source of help to set you apart.
Then he quotes the words of the psalmist, Psalm one-nine-tee, where he quotes, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed there too, according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against it. Please let me say this. If you're troubled about not living right as a Christian, get to the book. You need the word of God if you've been neglecting it. The word of God alone. can help you and me grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And God's provision is found in his word.
It is not only that. We have a living intercessor in heaven above the Lord Jesus as you have in Hebrews seven twenty five. He ever liveth for us in heaven above. Making intercession for us. He is able to say to the uttermost Them that come to God by him. Seeing ye ever live it to make intercession for us. Have we got a Savior who's pleading for his immorality? He is able to keep us from falling. You're troubled about falling as a Christian? There's only one that can help you. The Lord Jesus is able to keep you from falling.
He's at your disposal. A great high priest. in Hebrews chapter four. And then further may I say, not only do you have the word of God, not only do you have a living Savior pleading for you in heaven, but you've got the Holy Spirit within your heart. Can I just put it together? Many things could be said, but to put it very completely and compactly. The word of God in the life, the word of God in the heart, touched in contact with that living Savior who prays for us daily momentarily and the Holy Spirit within my beloved you couldn't ask any greater help to live the life he wants you to live and be practically sanctified then there's a last phrase of sanctification it's a permanent one as you have in first John three and verse two.
Someday I shall be like him. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Please may I put them in that order again carefully. There's a position of sanctification that soon as you're justified and saved, you're set apart to God forever. There's a practical manifestation of sanctification in your godly life is to live for him according to his word and when he comes spirit soul and body will be completely sanctified and redeemed and that leads us to the last thought for the last thing god's going to do i'm going to be glorified justified by faith in his blood sanctifying and then when he comes I'm going to be glorified you know let me say something to my fellow believers you're not glorified yet but oh what a joy will be when we see each other glorified every
saint of God appearing in glory with Christ Let me quote the words of Paul, Colossians three, four. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we appear within in glory? Let me quote Romans chapter five and verse one and two. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God and standing in grace and in hope of the glory of God. As a sinner, I came short of the glory of God. As a believer who's trusted Christ, you're going to see me in the glory of God.
And I'll see you, my fellow believer, in the glory of God. Then you ask the question, are you justified? Let's raise the question to our hearts as believers. How much am I sanctified experimentally? Those set apart positionally and someday permanently. How about my life? And then thank God by His grace. Someday I'll be glorified. Why? Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Shall we pray before we sing our closing hymn, number three, fifty-four. Father, we pray in thy precious name, Lord Jesus, thou has blessed the truth.
If anyone here is not justified, please, Lord, convict them. and save them. They can trust the Lord Jesus if they will. And Lord, if they trust him now, may they tell him. We'll be glad to hear about it. And Lord, we pray too that we always think we'll be more practical in our sanctification while we're living. For we thank you we are set apart forever by these. We thank you, Lord, someday we'll be completely like these. And, oh, Lord, it will be a day of glory and nothing but glory. Though we once came short of the glory of God, even we have the hope of the glory of God in our hearts.