Sanctification What is it For Paper Nov 24 

In this article I will define sanctification and describe some things about it. So what is sanctification? By definition sanctification means to make holy. How can we see that in a more practical sense? I like to use the two lists in Galatians 5: 19 – 23 in describing sanctification:

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. “ Galatians 5: 19 – 23

The first list describes our sinful nature that we are all born with. While baptism puts the Holy Spirit in us and removes all sin from us, because we still retain our sinful nature, we continue to sin. So all Christians are described as Saints and Sinners at the same time. For me sanctification is the transforming process in the life of Christians whereby they exhibit less and less acts of the sinful nature and more and more of the fruit of the Spirit. The process of sanctification puts tools into our lives or minds so the Holy Spirit, who was put into us in our baptism, can communicate with us and lead us. It allows us to better hear his voice. Sanctification is a lifelong process whereby we become more and more like Christ. It is a spiritual battle for control of our minds. God wants us to be transformed in our minds so we demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives naturally.

In previous articles I have noted that salvation was entirely the work of Christ in your life. God has to draw and enable, choose and call us in order that we come to faith. We play no part in our salvation, God is the one who calls and chooses, we do not decide to become Christians.

This is not the case with sanctification. While once again, God is the one who works sanctification in our lives, we play a vital role in sanctification by cooperating with God in our sanctification. God will not impose his will on us. When you bring a horse to the watering trough the horse has to do the drinking. In the same way God provides the means to grow up in our salvation, but we have to do the drinking.

And the apostle John shows us the motivation we need to work on our sanctification. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1John 3: 2& 3

Becoming pure like Jesus is sanctification. John tells us that if it is our hope that when Jesus returns we will be like Him, (pure, holy) we will cooperate with God to become transformed in our minds and be more like Jesus.

In my next article I will describe how we cooperate with God in our sanctification.

Blessings,