There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)

 

Both justification and sanctification are faithful works of grace of the Holy Spirit, the Son and the Father in our lives. Justification means being made righteous in Christ by faith in His perfect work. Sanctification is the process through which the Holy Spirit transforms us into Christ's righteousness and wholeness.

Sanctification follows justification.

In justification, we are united with Christ and incorporated into Him, and in sanctification we become like Christ in all His fullness through His Spirit working within us. Let us rejoice and be thankful that Christ has not only given us the gift of righteousness, but also the desire and ability to live righteously.

To live righteously in the New Covenant means relying on the Holy Spirit to help us work out the salvation God has worked into us (Philippians 2:12-13), rather than merely repeating the Law of the Old Covenant. After all, the Law was never a means of salvation or sanctification. The Law shows us our sin and our need for Christ to be our Saviour. As we grow and mature more like Christ, we will produce fruit that is consistent with Christ’s character and conduct.

The Spirit imprints God's New Covenant Law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:16), enabling us to fulfil the perfect righteous requirement of the law through the working of His power (Romans 8:4) rather than our own fleshly efforts. This fulfilment of the law entails loving God and people wholeheartedly. This is possible because the Holy Spirit has given us a new heart that has been so filled with love (Romans 5:5).