Definition
Sanctification is the saving process by which the believer is genuinely conformed to Christ, distinguished from the imputation of a justification status. In the corpus it is one of the most contested concepts: the authors disagree about its nature (progressive vs. crisis-moment), its instrument (Spirit vs. crucifying the flesh vs. feast seasons), and its goal (complete sanctification before the rapture vs. eschatological manifestation).
Usage in the Corpus
Watchman Nee & Witness Lee
Sanctification is the progressive appropriation of the all-inclusive Christ as the Land: the believer “possesses the Land” by experiencing the powers of Christ’s resurrection and death. The cross puts to death the soul-life (the unruly soul); the resurrection empowers the spiritual life. Sanctification is not moral improvement but ontological transformation through the indwelling Christ. [Nee/Lee, The All-inclusive Christ]
George Warnock
Sanctification is the Day-of-Atonement phase in his three-feasts structure. The church has historically never reached complete sanctification — “Real victory over sin and the carnal nature is still ahead for the Church of God.” Warnock distinguishes partial Pentecostal experience from the full sanctification that the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes. [Warnock, The Feast of Tabernacles, Ch. 7]
Cees Noordzij
Sanctification for Noordzij is self-emptying and crucifixion of the flesh with its passions (Gal. 5:24). He connects it to his processual sonship doctrine: sanctification is the way from anagennao to full huiothesia.
Stephen Jones
Jones connects sanctification to the three-harvest structure: Passover (justification), Pentecost (initial Spirit experience), Tabernacles (full sanctification and manifestation). Sanctification is the Pentecost→Tabernacles movement — the firstfruits must complete this first.