Sanctification In Christ

Within Christian circles, sanctification is an important issue that is often discussed but it is an issue that is often misunderstood. To sanctify means to be set a part as God formed us and created us but He also set us apart. Many people ask a part from what and the answer is simple: from the world and its ways. Most people find this concept easy to understand but what throws many for a loop is that sanctification is about growth and we should always grow in our walk with Christ as a relationship with Christ is the most important relationship in the world.

Leviticus 26:12 reads “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” When we are God’s people, we should live apart from this worldly system that we find ourselves in. Why? Christ does not want us to become lost and go away from Him and this is easy to do in the worldly system that we live in. For us to remain steadfast in God, we must continue to wear the armor of God and live by faith as faith is one of the most important aspects in a Christian’s life. Simply put, if your faith isn’t growing then your relationship with Christ won’t either.

1 Corinthians 13:13 even says as much as we are told that faith hope and love are three of the greatest things God has given to us. Hebrews 10:38 reads ”Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” When we are growing with God, it is the Holy Spirit that works in us. He is working within us both to will and to work according to, of course, God’s will which allows us to fulfill these Godly desires: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good” (Philippians 2:12-13).

When we are living for Christ and strive to have His will done, we become Christ-like. We are told that the fruit of the spirit is formed within us as it is written in 2 Corinthians 3:18, ‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” and Colossians 3:3 reads “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.” While we all will mess up and make mistakes, Christ is not expecting perfection but He is expecting true effort from us. After all, we are set apart for Gods work (Ephesians 2:10).

Ultimately, in order for us to do God’s work, we must be obedient to His word and love each other even those who trespass against us but we must not get caught up in the worldly system in which we live. 1 John 4:7 reads “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” and 1 John 2:15 ”Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” While we will never be perfect and do fall short of God’s glory, we are forgiven through grace—a free gift—and because of this grace, we are able to live freely in our relationship with Christ.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”

–1 John 4:7