Hey mamas, sisters, and friends! I want to chat about sanctification today. What an awesome aspect of the Christian faith to reflect on as we walk with Jesus each day. I’m continually being sanctified and it is by the grace of God He has brought me to where I am today.
Sanctification is defined by google as, “the action of making or declaring something holy.” I agree with that, but I’m going to take it a step further in layman’s terms: sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ–how your day to day walk with faith is lived out to be more Christ-like. In my bible study, we always compare sanctification to that of a roller coaster, going up and down, up and down. Take your hand and move it in the pattern of a roller coaster. This is how sanctification looks as a believer. You may be thinking, why are you going down? Isn’t a Christian’s life supposed to be linear as they age and get closer to heaven? One straight line on the up and up to the pearly gates, you say. Sorry, sis–that’s not how it actually works.
Christians, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want my life to be a linear line of perfection. I’d have no room for growth and for making mistakes! Anyways, the only person that is equivalent to perfection is Jesus Christ. For the rest of humanity, we’re sinners who struggle with sin. As someone who shares the gospel of Christ, I wholeheartedly fall to my knees and cry out to the Lord, “I am a sinner, and I need you Lord!” Without the Lord, I am nothing. My whole identity is found in Christ and that’s the good news of Jesus that we see written all throughout scripture.
So back to sanctification…it truly is a beautiful thing that Jesus and His disciples preached about. It is something we, as believers, need to be aware of when we commit our lives to Christ. Being a Christian is a day in and day out choice we make to put away the sin in our lives, and choose to put on the love of Christ. Are we always going to come out on top? Or will we fall short and make mistakes? The hope is the first one, but the reality is the second one. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Did you catch that? ALL. There is nothing you or I could do that will get us to heaven besides claiming that Jesus Christ is my Savior and having a personal relationship with Him. Through your personal relationship getting to know your Savior, you should have fruit in your life that shows you are a follower of Christ. Things like reading the word of God, prayer, attending church to be a part of the body of Christ, seeking fellowship with like-minded believers, walking in obedience to the Lord’s teachings, confessing your sin and repenting where you fall short, and being sanctified throughout it all! I believe these are non-negotiables when claiming Christ as your Savior–but you can read your bible and see what the word of God says, too 🙂
Through the process of sanctification, we are walking in obedience but also repentance. There will be times, days, and seasons in our lives where we may be repenting more than we are obeying, and vice versa. Hopefully though, you are obeying more than missing the mark (sin). But through my own honest testimony, it took me a little bit of time to get there. I believe it was because after I committed my life to Jesus, I didn’t have a strong group of believers to lean on in the beginning of being a Christian. That’s why it’s so important to find bible study/fellowship opportunities to surround yourself in. Relationship with the Lord, and with other Christ-followers is necessary. Just look at all the verses about the body of Christ…
As far as verses on sanctification go, here are some that we should touch on that include the word ‘sanctification’ –however; there are plenty of other verses all throughout God’s word that teach us how to be more Christ-like.
- “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified.” –John 17:17-19
- “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” –1 Thessalonians 5:23
- “But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” –1 Corinthians 6:11
- “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” –Hebrews 10:4
One of my favorite verses when committing your life to Christ is 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” There should be evidence of Christ working in and through your life to show how you are no longer your former self. He has made you brand new! Let us rejoice in that, along with His new morning mercies!
Peace be with you as you go through the rest of this week. Whatever you may be struggling with–just give it to God, who is the giver and taker of all things. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8). Nothing is too big or too little for our Lord. Rest in His word and the peace He gives to those who know Him. And if you don’t know Him as well as you should, then seek His truth. Open your bible, friend. Ask God to move in your life, right now, in this very moment. Call on the name of Jesus, which is above all names, and He will free you from the burdens of this life.
Talk to you in the next one, friend.
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