Sanctification — A Comprehensive Provision
The New Testament teaches that the Kingdom of grace can comprehensively reign in God's children. Terms such as wholeness, completeness, thoroughness, and soundness describe the reign of grace in the life of a Christian. One excellent illustration occurs in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonian Christians. The apostle prayed that "the God of peace" would "sanctify [them] wholly" (5:23, RSV, emphasis added). He then adds, "And may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.