by Randall "Zeke" Cash, ACBC Certified Biblical Counselor
Progressive sanctification is the process by which God makes us holy, gradually separating us from the world and its ways. This process not only separates us from the world but also causes us to be conformed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). It requires us to put on the new self (Colossians 3:10) and die to our selfish ways (2 Corinthians 5:17). It "conforms us into the image of Christ" and equips His people to fulfill the Father’s will in this life.
My passion is biblical counseling and equipping people by the power of the Holy Spirit and His written Word to overcome sin in their lives. This ministry is an intimate type of discipleship and confronts sins in people’s lives. The sin we inherited from the fall (Genesis 3) naturally entices us to sin. I have found that people struggle with issues that arise from sin that has been committed against them as well as the sins they have committed themselves. This includes those who suffer issues acquired by war, physical abuse, and drugs.
As I have counseled over the years, I’ve seen many factors that have caused major issues in people’s lives, causing so much destruction. This is a result of the fallen human sinful nature. Our hearts are desperately wicked apart from God, and the only answer come from Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and His supernatural Word. His Word tells us the Jesus is the Word (John 1:1, 14). The Bible also says in John 15:5 that we can do nothing without Him.
In Genesis 1:26, God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." The need for progressive sanctification would not exist if it weren’t for God’s creation of humans in His image, as well as Adam and Eve’s original sin (Genesis 3:1–7), and our own sin (Romans 3:23). Our image (we were created after God’s image) was marred, and our hearts became wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). But Christ has redeemed us. He paid the penalty for our sin, opening the door for our relationship with God to be restored.
God sent Jesus to our planet not only to save people from their sin but also to transform them (us) into Christlikeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). God wants us not only to be redeemed and spend eternity with Him but also to die to sin as we live our lives out here and now (Matthew 16: 24–26). Why? Because God desires to be glorified through His people as they walk by faith (Matthew 5:16), through His Spirit (Galatians 5), and become more and more like Christ so people will see Him through them. This accomplishes His will (Philippians 2:13) in our lives because we are the body of Christ. It is God who accomplishes this as we surrender are will, our mind, our hearts, and our souls to Him by faith, because we know that we know that we know we are created by God, for His purpose and will.
As a biblical counselor, I believe our thoughts and actions come from the heart. This is why progressive sanctification is vital for all believers—especially those who have issues that are destructive in their lives. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
One must be saved (receive Christ as personal Lord and Savior) in order to take part in the progressive sanctification process. A person receives the Holy Spirit when saved (Ephesians 1:13). People cannot be conformed into Christlikeness if they do not have the Holy Spirit in them.
So, as believers, we are His, set apart for His purpose and will, which requires us to surrender to Him daily. This helps us accomplish His will in our lives (Romans 12:1–2). The Bible is the story of God redeeming His people (salvation, sanctification, glorification). All are equally important, but in this article, I’m focusing of progressive sanctification. This process begins as soon as one receives salvation as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit. So, not only does God draw people to Himself for salvation, but He also gives us the Holy Spirit and His Word, all three aspects of the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
God is working for our good (conforming us into Christlikeness) and for His glory (Romans 8:28–29). This gives us more of the character of Christ and strengthens our faith and our relationship with Him. Then we can come to understand that we are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8ff).
It is vital for counselees to understand in their hearts that God is sovereign. He is in control of all circumstances, good or bad, whether they cause suffering, or pain, or joy and peace in their lives. When counselees grasp this truth, they can trust the Lord and be healed (rooting out issues in the heart that are not from God).
Followers of Christ are being conformed into His image for His glory and purpose (Matthew 28:16–20). We have an active part in the process of becoming like Him. We must live our lives placing our faith in Him, regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in. There are no perfect sinless human beings walking in this planet we live on. The only perfect human being who has ever lived is Jesus, who was both human and God. He has paved the way for us to follow Him!
Most people I counsel claim to be saved and have a relationship with God, through Christ. This is a must for life-transforming change to happen. We live in a very much fallen world where people get hurt in many ways. We also can hurt others in many ways. So, depending on age, family life, circumstances in life, war, marriage, death, abuse, and more, people suffer from issues of the heart. These challenges may be caused by anything in our lives that creates fear, anger, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, situations of abuse, divorce, shame, and guilt—just to name a few. The only remedy for this is Jesus Christ.
God heals people’s hearts because of His love for us. Healing comes through faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and sanctification—and someday glorification, when we are made completely whole and without sin. One of the most important ways God works is through His supernatural written Word, which is able to accomplish more in us than we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 4:12). So, discipleship in our local churches is very important, along with biblical counseling.
I’m passionate about the progressive sanctification process in biblical counseling, as well as discipleship in the local churches. God revealed this process to me years ago. I had a lot of shame and guilt in my life for thirty plus years because of lack of identity in Christ. My identity was wrapped up in sports throughout my life until I dropped out of college in 1986 when my pitching arm got hurt again after already having surgery on it my junior year. So, for years I was lost. That led to alcohol, drugs, and all that goes with that. Then God freed me from my guilt and shame that had caused me to run for thirty years. When I married a great woman, I knew I could not continue the way I was going. I had been nearly dead several times. I had received God’s gift of salvation in 1992 but was not following Him. Then one day I was worshiping God at home, praying and crying out to Him. As I listened to the song "If these Walls Could Speak," God took the guilt and shame from me that day. Since then, I have not been bound by any guilt or shame.
That’s when I realized what progressive sanctification really meant. God pointed me to Romans 8:28–29. I came to understand that God is completely sovereign over all situations and that He is working for our good, regardless of what situation we may find ourselves in. He is always working for our good and His glory. Since that day, biblical counseling has been my passion. It is the love of God through Christ that brings people to God for salvation, and it’s His love, grace, Spirit, and written Word that transforms lives! For His glory!
Since the day God set me free, I’ve received a B.A. in Biblical Counseling and Equipping. I am certified through Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, and I am a member of Fallen Soldiers March. The process of progressive sanctification is lifelong—or until Christ comes to take us home. As followers of Christ, we get to take part in this process. We do this by applying the Christian spiritual disciplines daily, cultivating a close personal relationship with God by faith and trust in Him, His Word and His Spirit, along with denying our fleshly nature.
by Randall "Zeke" Cash
____________________________________
If you are Veterans or a friend/family member of a Veteran and would like request our counseling, please use the link below:
If you are a counselor and would like to join our network, please use the link below:
Join the FSM Biblical Counselor Network
If you like what you've read , sign up to receive quarterly newsletter articles and updates via email - or SUPPORT our mission by making a donation, even $10 per month can make a huge difference and allow us to grow our counseling and spread the word of God!
Donate Now - One-Time or Recurring Monthly Donations!
If you are a Federal Employee and would like to donate FSM
is a certified Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity.
Designate ID #59846 / Fallen Soldiers March.
_____________________________________________
