I was reading Colossians this morning and was a reminded about the three major views of sanctification. I drew a picture to help illustrate the differences.

The Keswick view says that sometime after salvation, the Christian has some kind of experience which sanctifies the Christian nearly to perfection. The Christian in this new state will still sin, but not nearly as much.

The Wesleyan view says basically the same thing, except after the Christian has this experience, he or she is now perfect. This can be accomplished in this life.

The Reformed view says that the experience is salvation. The point when God gives the sinner a new heart. After salvation the entire life of the Christian is one of sanctification. The Christian will have ups and down, but the flow will be an upward one of putting off sin, not downward, the putting on of more sin. Perfection is something that can only be accomplished after death, and in heaven.

Colossians 1:5b-6 says "the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing-as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth."


Notice how it says that the gospel is bearing fruit since the day they heard and understood the truth of the gospel. Paul is praising God because this gospel is bearing fruit among people groups of the entire world as it did among the Colossians. It started bearing fruit the day each person became a Christian.

I have a Reformed view of sanctification. I have no expectation to be perfect in this life, and believe that the same grace of God which saved me, will also keep and continually sanctify me. It began the day I understood the gospel in 2003.