Holiness: For the Will of God Is Your Sanctification – 1 Thessalonians 4:3 [Annotated, Updated]

by J.C. Ryle

Sanctification is the outcome and inseparable consequence of regeneration. He who is born again and is made a new creation receives a new nature and a new creed, and he always lives a new life. If someone claims to be regenerated yet lives carelessly in sin or worldliness, it is a regeneration invented by uninspired theologians, but is never mentioned in Scripture. On the contrary, John directly says that he who is born of God does not commit sin, does righteousness, loves the brethren, keeps himself, and overcomes the world (1 John 2:29; 3:9-14; 5:4-18). Basically, where there is no sanctification there is no regeneration, and where there is no holy life there is no new birth. This is, no doubt, a difficult saying to many people, but difficult or not, it is simple Bible truth. It is written plainly, that he who is born of God is one whose seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9).