For years, I believed sanctification to be a worthy goal Christians strive towards, but it felt similar to eating Brussels sprouts—good for me but not very enjoyable.
Though I used sanctification in my Christian vocabulary, my understanding of it was fuzzy. I did have unspoken feelings about the word. I saw it as a good set of instructions to live by, but it felt like burdensome work towards an impossible goal.
I believed God wanted me to run a race I’d likely never win until I learned sanctification is a gift to embrace, a partnership in the work God has already begun.
If you have been in Christian circles, this likely isn’t your first introduction to sanctification. Despite this familiarity, it can still feel unclear how to practice it in our everyday lives. Sanctification is tied to deep spiritual realities but not beyond our reach.
What is Sanctification?
Put simply, sanctification is the slow and gradual process of becoming more like Jesus in our everyday lives, beginning at the moment of salvation. When the Holy Spirit saves a soul, He moves in, makes it His home, and begins His ministry of practical holiness there. This is similar to how you’d paint walls, hang pictures, and arrange furniture to make your house a home. He accomplishes this holy work by rearranging, transforming, and tending to the areas that don’t yet resemble Jesus.
This miracle starts in the heart. You and I can do what we consider ‘good things’ without ever affecting our hearts. God desires more for us; He is after changing us from the inside out and transforming our entire lives to reflect the life of Jesus.
This was relieving and a source of rest for me. I was an often applauded straight-A student who grew into a rule-keeping adult. God used discipleship and failure (because it’s impossible for me to be like Jesus in my strength) to show me the tiring trap of legalism. My Bible journal, lined with rules and commands to maintain good grades with God, is now resting in our attic. Being great at doing the right things isn’t the goal; yielding to God's supernatural work is. We don’t create sanctification. God does.
Friend, this is freeing news! You and I are receivers of grace—loved children of God. Our heavenly Father sows His Word into our hearts, and as we respond, we witness and rejoice in the harvest of holiness sprouting from our lives. The Christ-likeness we seek isn’t a holiness we can produce but the fruit of God’s work as we yield to Him. Our submission to God’s gracious work results in a delicious harvest; it’s much tastier than Brussels sprouts!
Take a moment to consider what you long for most. Name it— fulfillment, happiness, security, or something else. As you align these desires with God’s and shift your focus from your hands to His face, you will find God sculpting Jesus’ reflection in you little by little.
Sanctification is a Given Position
If you hope to become more like Jesus, it’s important that you understand your current position. Sister in Christ, you are already sanctified (that means set apart for God). Yes, even in this moment, regardless of any ways you might remember falling short yesterday or this morning. You have been washed of all your sins. You have received a righteousness gifted to you by Jesus Christ. Your set-apart position is entirely secured by Him.
Don’t forget these truths in your attempt to live like Jesus today. You are living from this position and not for it. In your desire for sanctification, aim to live out practically what you already are positionally. You are sanctified (Romans 8:29-30). Loving others, serving the church, being a faithful worker, discipling a believer, and persistently praying are all holy works, but they don’t earn us anything. Confusing our holy and God-given position with the gradual process of sanctification hinders our progress. Understanding our position frees us to obey.
All holiness begins with God, not with us. I need to be reminded of this when tempted to slip back into being a good rule keeper. We see God’s role when Jesus prayed for our sanctification in John 17:17. He said to our Father, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Imitating Jesus in our practical lives requires God’s help. You can’t squeeze good fruit from your branch. Though you are called to participate in obedience, your sanctification is a work of God.
Your Participation in Sanctification
“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
So, why do we desire sanctification if we are already sanctified? That’s a great question! There is a reality in our faith called “already, not yet.” As believers, we often live out truths today that will be completely fulfilled in the future. Sanctification is one of these realities. We have already been made holy — set apart for God. We are being sanctified in our day-to-day lives. One day, we will be sanctified when the presence of sin is removed completely.
I remember the Wednesday night service when I was born again as if it were yesterday. I climbed into the warm and cozy sheets in my dorm room bed that night, freed from the power of sin! But I woke up with familiar temptations and struggles the next day. I’d just begun being sanctified. And though many of those areas of my life look more like Jesus today, I still have a long way to go until my life perfectly mirrors Jesus. This requires my daily participation.
Your practical sanctification also requires your participation. You still have to fight temptations, die to your flesh and say no to sin. There is still wrestling between your flesh and your spirit. The difference is that though sin is still present, you can have victory in Jesus Christ. Now, you have the power to die to yourself, the ability to fight spiritually, and the power of God to love and obey. God’s work doesn’t eliminate your participation; it enables it!
Grace to live like Jesus
Christ-likeness doesn’t happen overnight. It’s gradual. It’s submitting to God in the details of your daily life. As John Piper wisely said, "Sanctification is happening where the Words of Jesus are being obeyed." God’s grace makes sanctification beautiful, doesn’t it? His grace provides both the freedom and the ability to become more like Jesus today.
You will stumble some on this journey, but that’s okay if you get back up and continue following Jesus. You have this gracious promise to stand on when you stumble: “There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1).” The enemy loves to condemn Christians; he is called your accuser for a reason. But God offers grace upon grace.
That’s good news, friend! You will never exhaust His grace, and you can be confident that the work Christ began in you will be completed, just as I can be confident that God is still fulfilling the work He started in my college dorm room. (Philippians 1:6).
Since then, I’ve journeyed through many seasons. God continues His sanctifying work—He is helping me love those around me as Jesus loves me, imitate Jesus in my teaching, and follow Jesus by faith when the view ahead appears foggy. If you examine your life, I wouldn’t doubt you can identify the “little” ways God is helping you look like Jesus today; yield there!
An Invitation To Respond
We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). My sister, look at how God has pursued your heart and wooed you to Himself. He will help you to love Him back. Practical holiness isn’t complicated. We love God by responding to His love through our obedience to Christ. If sanctification had a negative connotation for you, as it did for me, I hope you are beginning to see it as an invitation to become more like your Savior. I hope you will rejoice in the truth that He has given you everything you need to love Him.
The Holy Spirit began His sanctifying work in you and will continue until you meet Jesus face-to-face! One day, your glorified body will fully reflect Jesus. Rest in this truth as you yield to His present work, for sanctification is God’s will for your life (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
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