Martin Luther wrote, "There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow."
In Scripture, all believers are sanctified in Christ. Sanctification is not the "second blessing," coming as a distinctly separate stage in the Christian life. One who believes in Christ is immediately justified and sanctified by the Spirit of God.
As a true believer you are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). The blood of Jesus sanctifies every true believer in Christ. We are sanctified, set apart, as God's people in Christ.
Believers are immediately sanctified, or "set apart" as the purchased possession of Christ. We are bought with the price of His blood shed at the cross. The cross work of Christ is applied to our lives in regeneration as well as sanctification.
For the believer, justification happened in the past upon trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. However, sanctification is past and present, leading to glorification at the return of Christ. Until then, believers are sanctified in Christ.
