What is sanctification and how does it work?
Sanctification: How God Makes Us Holy
What is sanctification, and how does it actually work in the life of a believer?
🧠 Clarify, Connect, Invite
Can a Christian really change? Can someone who struggles with sin actually become holy? The doctrine of sanctification answers that question with a resounding yes.
Many believers wrestle with the gap between what they believe and how they live. They wonder: If I’m saved, why do I still struggle with sin? Why don’t I feel more spiritual? How do I grow in holiness?
Sanctification is the biblical doctrine that explains how God transforms sinners into saints — not just in name, but in heart, mind, and life. It shows us how the grace that saves also sanctifies.
In this article, we’ll walk through what sanctification is, how it works, and why it matters so deeply for everyday Christian living.
🔍 What Is Sanctification?
A Clear Definition
Sanctification is the lifelong process by which God makes believers more like Christ in character and conduct, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word.
The word sanctify comes from the Latin sanctificare, meaning “to make holy.” In Scripture, the Greek term hagiazō carries the same idea — setting something apart for God’s purposes and making it pure.
In short: Sanctification is God’s work of making us holy.
Justification vs. Sanctification
Let’s clarify an important distinction:
- Justification is a legal declaration — God declares us righteous based on Christ’s finished work. It happens once, instantly, and completely.
- Sanctification is a transformative process — God actually makes us righteous in how we live. It takes place gradually over a lifetime.
Both are essential. Justification changes our status; sanctification changes our selves.
📖 Biblical Support: Rooted in Scripture
Let’s look at how the Bible teaches this vital doctrine.
1. Sanctification Is God’s Will for You
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Paul couldn’t be clearer: if you’ve ever wondered what God’s will is for your life, here’s a direct answer — your holiness. Not comfort, not success, not popularity — but sanctification.
2. Sanctification Begins at Conversion
“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ…” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Paul speaks of sanctification as something already begun. At salvation, God sets us apart as His own. This is sometimes called positional sanctification — the believer is now in Christ, holy in identity.
3. Sanctification Continues Through Life
“And we all… are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
This verse beautifully pictures progressive sanctification — a growing, ever-deepening likeness to Jesus. It’s slow. It’s hard. But it’s certain.
4. Sanctification Involves Effort — Empowered by Grace
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…” (Philippians 2:12–13)
This verse holds the mystery of sanctification: We work, but it is God who works in us. Sanctification is not passive. The Holy Spirit enables real effort, discipline, and change.
🪞 Why Sanctification Matters in Daily Life
Why should this doctrine matter to the average Christian?
1. It Gives Hope in the Struggle Against Sin
Sanctification tells us that we’re not stuck. No matter how deep the sin, no matter how long the habit — God is in the business of transforming lives. The power of the cross is not just to forgive sin, but to free us from its grip.
“Sin will have no dominion over you…” (Romans 6:14)
You’re not fighting sin alone. God is working in you.
2. It Explains the Tension We Feel
Why does the Christian life sometimes feel like a battle? Because it is.
“The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit…” (Galatians 5:17)
Sanctification helps us understand this war within. The presence of the battle is not a sign of failure — it’s evidence of spiritual life.
3. It Shows Us the Purpose of Trials
“He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10)
God uses pain, loss, and even failure to shape our hearts. Sanctification is often uncomfortable — but it’s through pressure that God refines gold.
⚖️ Clarify Common Misunderstandings
Let’s address some common errors about sanctification:
❌ Error #1: “God does it all — I don’t have to try.”
Yes, sanctification is God’s work. But it’s also a call to action.
Paul tells Timothy to train himself for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7). Sanctification involves discipline: prayer, resisting temptation, reading Scripture, repenting of sin, engaging in church life. We don’t earn grace — but grace empowers effort.
❌ Error #2: “It’s all on me — I have to fix myself.”
This is the opposite error. Sanctification isn’t self-help or moral improvement. It’s not about trying harder apart from God.
Real sanctification flows from abiding in Christ:
“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
❌ Error #3: “I’ll never change — this is just who I am.”
This belief denies the power of the gospel.
The New Testament is full of broken people being transformed: Paul the persecutor became a preacher. Peter the denier became a pillar. You can change — because God is faithful.
🌱 How Does Sanctification Work?
Let’s break down the actual process of sanctification.
1. By the Word of God
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
God uses Scripture to renew our minds, convict our hearts, and shape our lives. Reading the Bible isn’t just a duty — it’s the main way the Spirit transforms us.
2. By the Power of the Holy Spirit
“If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
The Holy Spirit gives us new desires, empowers obedience, and convicts us when we sin. Sanctification is impossible without the Spirit’s presence.
3. Through Repentance and Faith
Sanctification involves continually turning from sin and turning to Christ.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive…” (1 John 1:9)
The life of holiness is the life of repentance. Not perfection — but constant realignment to Christ.
4. In the Context of the Church
“Exhort one another every day… that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)
We don’t grow in isolation. God uses the church — teaching, correction, encouragement, accountability — to sanctify His people.
🙌 Application: Living as a Sanctified Christian
How should we live in light of this doctrine?
💡 Believe the Gospel Daily
You are already accepted in Christ. Don’t pursue holiness to earn love — pursue it because you are already loved.
🙏 Confess Sin Quickly
Don’t let sin fester. Bring it into the light. Trust that God is ready to forgive and restore.
📖 Feed on the Word
Make Scripture your daily bread. Let the truth of God renew your thinking and reshape your living.
🛑 Fight Sin with the Spirit’s Help
Identify patterns of sin. Set boundaries. Ask others for help. Pray specifically. Don’t give up.
🪴 Be Patient with the Process
Sanctification is slow. There will be setbacks. But God is not done with you.
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6)
📣 Conclusion: You Can Be Holy
Sanctification is not a burdensome demand — it’s a beautiful promise. God doesn’t just save us from sin’s penalty. He saves us from its power.
He is committed to your growth. He delights to see you become more like His Son.
So press on. Take heart. Yield to the Spirit. Saturate yourself in the Word. Live with your eyes on Christ.
The Christian life is not just about getting to heaven — it’s about becoming holy along the way.
Next step: Spend time this week reading Romans 6–8. Ask God to open your eyes to the depth of His sanctifying work in you. Then pray: “Lord, make me holy — as You are holy.”