Justification, Sanctification and Glorification

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Rom. 8:29-30 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

We all know Romans 8:28 well. Many of us have had times when we have had to lay everything upon that foundation – that solid rock of a verse. This time, I want you to look at verse Romans 8:29-30. Do you remember from Genesis that when God went to make man He said “Let us make man in our image and in our likeness…”? That was the desire from the beginning. It was a plan that mankind could and would reflect the image and likeness of God. But we did not achieve that due to the fall. God’s ultimate plan was to restore that image. True believers are “Predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son”. If you read verse 30, you will notice that this plan cannot fail!

The Bible speaks of three different aspects of our salvation. They are given the fancy names of Justification, Sanctification and Glorification; think of them as the past, present and future aspects of our salvation. For the believer, Justification is a past event which occurred in calvary where we are declared totally righteous because our Lord paid our sins. Sanctification on the other hand is the present ongoing aspect of salvation where we are set free from the power of sin in our lives by renewing our soul. It means to be holy or set apart from sin and unto God in this life. Lastly, Glorification is the future aspect of salvation where we are set free once and for all from the presence of sin where we will be changed instantaneously into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. We receive a new glorified body at that time. Praised be the name of the Lord!