Growing in Holiness: Understanding Sanctification and 1 Thessalonians 5:23
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23
What is the goal of the Christian life? One primary goal is our sanctification. Our justification removes the penalty of sin. In the process of sanctification, the power of sin is broken. An old catechism asks, “What is sanctification?” It answers, “Sanctification is making sinners holy in heart and conduct.” The goal of our faith is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. This involves every aspect of our personhood. No part of human life is off limits to the sanctifying claims of God. Our mind, heart, attitudes, actions, and words are to be infused with God’s holy and sanctifying Spirit.
What does this mean for human behavior and ethics? If the goal is to love God and others, does love justify any behavior? No. All our affections and desires, even love, must be brought under God’s authority. Human reason and our natural affections are not reliable sources of truth. This is because our reason and affections are corrupted by the Fall. Our reason is blinded by sin, and our love is directed wrongly. Soul and body alike must be cleansed, justified, and sanctified in order to love God properly.
Where do we find reliable guidance for a life pleasing to God? The answer is that the law of God in scripture guides us into the way of truth. It teaches us what constitutes true love. It helps us avoid error. It guides our affections to what is good, right, and honorable. The scriptures open our eyes to see life, God, and ourselves more clearly. This means that the mind and our reason are not independent of faith. Just because we think something is right does not make it true. Nor is our personal experience a good judge of right and wrong. It is not reason alone that enables us to know God but faith guided by scripture.
Our justification leads to our sanctification, and our sanctification leads to our glorification. We will one day be with Christ and be like Christ. In that day sin’s presence will be removed. We will serve God truly and with unblemished minds and hearts. We will stand before God as his redeemed people. Until that day, we strive to grow in grace, follow Christ’s path, and let scripture be our guide.
Today remember that Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Be sure to read scripture daily if possible. Its words are our very life.