2. The nature of sanctification in the strict sense as distinguished from justification.
We repeat what has often had to be said in another binding: justification is an act of God on man (circa hominem), by which God declares a man to be justified who is not just in himself but unjust (ασεβές). It is true that the faith through which subjective justification takes place is in man. It is not the Holy Spirit who believes, but man who believes, through the action of the Holy Spirit. But the function of faith in justification is merely that it takes hold of a righteousness external to man, namely, the divine judgment of justification pronounced in the Gospel or the forgiveness of sins available through Christ's vicarious satisfaction and proclaimed in the Gospel. Faith, though it is in man, is nevertheless opposed in justification to all righteousness that is in man or man's own righteousness (iustitia inhaerens) (Rom. 4:5; Phil. 3:9). Thus, with respect to the righteousness of faith remains true: tota nostra iustitia extra nos (F. C. 622, 55 [Trigl. 935, Sol. Decl., III, 55 🔗]), and with respect to the divine act of justification remains true: actio est non in homine, sed circa hominem. On the other hand, sanctification in the narrower sense, that is, the sanctification that follows justification, is a divine act in man (in homine), by which God inwardly transforms the unjust man into a just one, terminologically expressed: an iustitia inhaerens, habitualis, vitae, operum works in man, in distinction from the iustitia imputata that is set by justification. That the sanctification flowing from faith consists in an inner moral transformation or in an iustitia vitae, inhaerens, is expressed especially in the statements of Scripture, where man who has become a believer is presented as the object
sed etiam internas et animi affectus motusque voluntatis. Est enim bonum opus, cum fit id, quod a Deo iubetur et eo affectu et modo, quo iubetur. [Google] Chemnitz points out (Loci, L. de bonis operibus, de vocabulis p. m. 9 sqq.) that, e.g., Rom. 4:5, faith and works are opposed to each other, and that therefore by the expression "good works" is signified the whole sphere of the new life in which faith is active. Finally he adds the admonition: Si de rebus ipsis sit consensio, ne de vocabulis certamina non necessaria moveamus.
6 > Sanctification and good works. [English ed. ~ 6-7]
of sanctification according to his essential nature, namely according to soul and body. Thus 1 Thess. 5:23: "May the God of peace sanctify you through and through (όλοτελεΐς), and your spirit wholly, together with soul and body" (καί ή ψυχή καί το οώμα, both soul and body) "be kept blameless unto the future of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 7:1: "Therefore, since we have such promises" (ch. 6:18), "beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit6) and continue in sanctification (έπιτελονντες αγιωοννψ) in the fear of God." 1 Cor. 6:20 the apostle opposes the defilement by fornication with the admonition: "Praise God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." Rom. 12:1-2: "I exhort you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable worship; and be not conformed to this world, but be ye changed (μεταμορφοϋοϑε, be ye transformed) by the renewing of your mind."7)