"Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began." (2 Timothy 1:9)
In this verse we pick up two major words; justification and sanctification.
"Who has saved us" meaning justification, which literally means declared innocent or blameless.
Then "called us with a holy calling" meaning sanctification, which literally means to make holy or consecrate.
We can understand that those phrases are refering to those words by reading the rest of the verse, it goes on to say "not according to our works" it is impossible for us to try and earn our way into heaven, it is only by God's grace, forgiveness, and purpose that we may recieve everlasting life.
Now the way we see the words justification and sanctification being used in this verse is by the next phrase Paul says "but according to His purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" by His grace we are justified and continue to be sanctified and also by His purpose we are sanctified, but first by God's purpose we are justified for Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:25 "if God perhaps will grant them repentance" So we see that to be justified and sanctified it comes from God's grace and purpose. Now when we accept Christ into our life we recieve everlasting life and we are justified and there is no condemnation toward us, (Romans 8:1) but God's plan doesn't just stop there He wants sanctification, He loves us so much that He literally wants us to be just like Him, "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16) So by the power of God's Spirit He allows us to have His character qualities, the fruit of Spirit, (Galatians 5:22-23) that we may imitate God, just as a young boy will imitate his father. (Ephesians 5:1) You see when we imitate someone it is very easy to match up our actions, but when we imitate someone because we admire their objective our actions almost become transparent. With that being said to intimately imitate Christ we must gaze upon His heart and just as the psalmist David was, we must be after God's own heart.
Now scripture declares God's heart a countless amount of times, but the verse I'm going to bring up is, 1 Timothy 2:4 "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." That is the very desire of God, now I bring this verse up because what do we see in this verse, we see once again justification and sanctification, "all men to be saved" refering to salvation which is justification then "to come to the knowledge of the truth" refering to a growth in a believers life which is sanctification.
You see when we literally understand the Christian salvation and consecration; we recognize that our privilege of the fulfilling The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and The Great Commandment (John 15:12-17) is energized, motivated, and put to action by God Himself, for without Him we are capable to do, nothing! (John 15:5) "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)
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