What Is Sanctification?

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My Ol’ Buddy Bob

Back when I styled my hair in pigtails and wore pink ribbons, I had two men in my life that I adored. One was my dad, and the other was my Ol’ Buddy Bob, yes that is what I called him. Bob and his wife were my mom’s godparents and to me and my sisters, they were like grandparents.

I spent every weekday at their house after school. It would start with an episode of “I Love Lucy” while I rocked in my wooden rocking chair and ate Bluebell ice cream. My favorite days ended with spaghetti that I got to slurp and see if I could get it to hit my forehead.

I remember only a handful of occasions that Bob was not in his overalls, complete with a measuring tape and carpenter’s pencil. He had a shop in his backyard where he built some amazing pieces that I still have today. I loved my Ol’ Buddy Bob, and I wanted to be just like him.

I would join him for hours in his shop, listening to his AM radio and hammering nails into blocks of wood. Because I wanted to be like him, my mom got me my own overalls and painted “Bob’s Little Helper” on them. I wore them till I couldn’t squeeze in them any more.

Sanctification

Now there is another man I desire to mirror my life after, and that is Jesus. The love I felt for my dad and Bob has no comparison to the love I feel for my Savior, and I want to live a life that is pleasing to Him. This leads us into another word that we find in our christianese vocabulary and that is sanctification.

Sanctification is becoming more like Jesus. It is the process we go through when we accept Jesus in our hearts. The closer we draw to Him, the more we will notice the transformation of our character, our thoughts, and our actions. We will find ourselves aligning with His divine nature. For most of us, sanctification does not happen overnight. It is a lifelong journey of drawing closer to God and allowing Him to mold us into vessels that bring Him glory.

Sanctification derives from the Latin word “sanctus,” which means holy or set apart. In Romans 1:1, we read of Paul being set apart for the gospel of God. When Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, Jesus transformed Paul into a new person. He went from persecuting followers of Jesus to sharing the good news with as many people as possible.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Conforming To The Image Of Christ

Salvation happens when we accept Jesus into our lives. It is a rebirth that reconciles us with God. With salvation, we have the promise of the Holy Spirit, who comes and lives within us. Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in us, renewing our minds and empowering us to live a life that pleases God.

Sanctification is an ongoing process where we have to do our part. We have to want to be more like Jesus. To see more growth in our lives, we need to yield to the Spirit’s guidance. We need to seek God and ask Him where He would like to see a change in us.

Spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible study help us conform to the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in the journey of sanctification. He convicts us of sin, empowers us to resist temptation, and enables us to live according to God’s will. The Spirit guides us, gives us spiritual gifts, and produces fruit in our lives. It is through the Holy Spirit’s work that we transform from the inside out, as we surrender to His leading and depend on His strength.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Many times, I wish I could be like Paul and have this transformation happen quickly, because the process is challenging. We come face to face with our own weaknesses, and the enemy does not want us to succeed.

But God

When we come before Him in absolute surrender with the desire to conform into His image, the rewards are abundant. As we grow in holiness, we experience a deepening intimacy with God, a greater awareness of His presence, and a growing love for Him and others. Sanctification also equips us to fulfill our purpose and serve as effective witnesses to God’s grace and truth in the world.

“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Hebrews 9:13-14NIV