Scripture is clear that believers (as people) were sanctified – past tense – the moment we were saved (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:10). This means we have been fully set apart for God. Our behavior, on the other hand, is being sanctified (set apart) as we learn and grow in our understanding of God’s grace (1 Peter 1:15). We must separate who we are (sanctified children of God) from how we perform (a mix of walking by the flesh and walking by the Spirit) to rightly understand this issue. Unfortunately, the popular idea of “progressive sanctification” conflates these two types of sanctification and practically ignores what has already been done within us.

Two different Greek words are used in Scripture to describe the spirit and the soul. The spirit (Gk. pneuma) speaks of the innermost part of the person, the part that is one with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17) and new at salvation (Ezekiel 36:26-27). In contrast, the soul (Gk. psuché) is the psychology (mind, will, and emotions) of a person.

Some point to 1 Timothy 1:15 to make the argument that Christians are called “sinners” in the New Testament. However, Paul only referred to himself as a sinner in the 1 Timothy passage because of his history of persecuting the church (Galatians 1:13). He was referring to his condition before salvation. We believers are not sinners by nature anymore. We are saints who sometime sin.

Some teach that a believer has a wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9). However, this is not Scriptural. A Christian has a new, righteous and obedient heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 8:10; Romans 6:17). Jeremiah 17:9 describes an unbeliever before the born-again experience. In contrast, every believer has a new heart, a new spirit, and God’s Spirit.

We often hear we need to become more like Christ. But this isn’t the best way to think of our Christian journey. When we believe in Jesus, we are made like Jesus at the core (1 John 4:17), even though our performance (attitudes and actions) do change over time (Romans 12:2).

Righteousness, in a Biblical context, is to be right with God at the core of your being. It means that on a scale of 1-10, you’re an 11! No human is righteous through their own efforts (Romans 3:19-20). But through Christ, we have been imputed and imparted the very righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:21; Romans 4:25; Romans 6:18).

When we believe in Jesus, we become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18). This means we are connected to Christ and partake of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). In short, we are allergic to sin and addicted to Jesus (Romans 6:11). God has the market cornered on fulfillment, and only bearing the fruit of His Spirit will satisfy us now.

Some believe an overemphasis on God’s grace will somehow lead to more sinning in the Christian life. But Titus 2:11-12 says the opposite: Grace is what encourages godly living. So, we need more grace, not less, if we want to overcome temptation. Being afraid of too much grace is like being afraid of too much victory over sin (Romans 6:14).

Many have tried to create a friction between the concepts of grace and obedience. However, grace and obedience are related and beautifully compatible. Romans 6:17 states that we believers have become “obedient from the heart.” By grace, we have been gifted with a new, righteous heart that is obedient to God. This is why we can afford to live under grace and watch as God grows us up as obedient children in His family.

While many promote the importance of the so-called “spiritual disciplines”, the phrase is not found in the Bible. Instead, Scripture teaches the importance of a relationship with God that flows naturally out of grace (Titus 2:11-14). So, we can choose to pray, read the Bible, etc. because we desire to, not because we have to do them.