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Glory · Our Walk with Him
Sanctification is the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit by which God makes us progressively holy, conforming us to the likeness of Christ. It is rooted in our union with Christ, who became to us sanctification; it is worked in us by the Spirit through the Word; and it calls for our active participation. By grace, God sets us apart and is at work changing us from one degree of glory to another, so that our lives increasingly reflect our holy calling.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/what-is-sanctification-and-how-does-it-happen · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
As you read: God's will is our holiness, and the path is spelled out in how we live, especially in purity.
1Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,
4that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;
6that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
7For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
8Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
As you read: The prayer that the God of peace would sanctify us entirely, spirit, soul, and body, blameless.
16Rejoice always.
17Pray without ceasing.
18In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
19Don’t quench the Spirit.
20Don’t despise prophesies.
21Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.
22Abstain from every form of evil.
23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
As you read: With unveiled face we behold the glory of the Lord and are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit.
12Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
13and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
14But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
15But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
1 Peter 1:13-16
As you read: As He who called you is holy, be holy in all your behavior.
13Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ—
14as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
15but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
16because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”
John 17:14-19
As you read: Jesus prays for His people to be sanctified and set apart by the truth of His word.
14I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
16They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
18As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
19For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Paul does not present holiness as an optional extra: 'this is the will of God: your sanctification.' And he prays that 'the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,' that your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless. Sanctification begins as God's own purpose and action: He sets His people apart as His own and intends to make them holy, a work He does rather than a project we volunteer for.
“For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,”1 Thessalonians 4:3
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”1 Thessalonians 5:23
Our holiness is not something we import into our relationship with Christ; it grows out of it. Paul says Christ 'was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,' and Hebrews adds that both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one. Because we belong to the holy Christ, we are being made holy; sanctification is the working out of our union with Him.
“But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:”1 Corinthians 1:30
“For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,”Hebrews 2:11
Sanctification is the Spirit's labor in us. Paul writes that 'we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.' God's purpose is that we be 'conformed to the image of his Son.' Little by little, degree by degree, the Spirit is reshaping us into the likeness of Christ.
“But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.”2 Corinthians 3:18
“For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”Romans 8:29
Jesus names the instrument: 'Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.' Paul pictures Christ cleansing His own by 'the washing of water with the word.' And the calling is urgent and concrete: 'as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.' The Word is how the Spirit works holiness into daily life.
“Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.”John 17:17
“that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,”Ephesians 5:26
“but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;”1 Peter 1:15
“because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.””1 Peter 1:16
Sanctification is neither passive nor self-powered. Paul joins the two together: 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.' We are to follow after 'the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.' The growth is God's work in us, and our calling is to respond: to pursue it, to live it out, and to keep walking in the holiness He gives.
“So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”Philippians 2:12
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.”Philippians 2:13
“Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,”Hebrews 12:14