What does it mean to be “sanctified”?

 

What does it mean to be “sanctified”?

 While enjoying a women’s Connection Group recently, I made a comment about “sanctification.” All talking stopped for a long moment. I wondered, “Is this a word Christians are not familiar with, or one that is not readily understood? On the other hand, sanctification is something only a few Christians reach, and others sees this word as “out of reach for them? Or is sanctification a term for what God does within all believers? I decided to read every Scripture about “sanctification” so I could gain a good grasp of it myself. Below is a compilation of what Scripture reveals:

Sanctification within Scripture

Sanctification is God’s will for all His people. Scripture addresses the whole community of believers when it calls them to holiness. This study considers what it means to be sanctified in both the Old and New Testaments, for reflection and future writing.

All Scriptures quotations are from the New King James Version (NKJV); explanations are paraphrases unless quotation marks appear.

1. What sanctified means

At its heart, to sanctify means to make holy, to consecrate, or to set apart for God. When applied to people, it includes belonging to Him and being shaped to live in ways that reflect His character.

One helpful passage is John 17:19, where Jesus speaks of sanctifying Himself. He means dedicating Himself to the Father’s purpose; He had no sin from which to be cleansed. Thus, the word includes consecration as well as the cleansing and transformation that sinful people need. In the same prayer, Jesus asks the Father to sanctify His disciples through the truth of His word (John 17:17–19).

2. Holiness involves the whole people in the Old Testament

Leviticus 20:7–8 brings together two truths: God commands His people to consecrate themselves and obey Him, and He identifies Himself as the One who sanctifies them.

Verse 26 explains the purpose: they are to belong to Him and reflect His holiness. Although priests had sacred responsibilities, this call was addressed to Israel as a people. God’s work and their willing obedience belong together.

Other helpful Old Testament readings are:

·       Exodus 19:5–6: Israel’s calling to be a holy nation.

·       Leviticus 19:1–18: holiness expressed through everyday conduct, honesty, justice, care for the vulnerable, and love of neighbor.

·       Ezekiel 36:25–27: God’s promise of cleansing, a new heart, and His Spirit enabling obedience.

These passages show that holiness reaches beyond worship ceremonies into the way people live together.

3. The New Testament calls sanctification God’s will

First Thessalonians 4:3 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”

Paul immediately applies this to sexual purity, honorable conduct, and refusing to exploit another person. The surrounding passage addresses the believing community and urges them to keep growing in a life pleasing to God.

The call belongs to all God’s people. Its practical expression includes how we treat others and what we do with our bodies.

4. Believers can already be sanctified while still needing to grow

Paul addresses the Corinthians as people sanctified in Christ Jesus in 1 Corinthians 1:2. Yet in that same chapter he confronts their quarrels and divisions.

This is an important distinction: belonging to Christ does not mean that every part of our conduct has already matured. Their sanctified identity gave them a reason to change how they lived.

Hebrews 10 brings together two expressions. Verse 10 says believers have been sanctified through Christ’s offering. Verse 14 describes believers as “being sanctified.”

Read together with the commands to grow in holiness elsewhere, these verses support understanding sanctification as both a consecration grounded in Christ’s completed sacrifice and a continuing transformation of life. Christians differ over how particular stages should be described, but both belonging to God and growing in holiness are biblical themes.

5. How sanctification takes place

These passages provide a useful reading guide:

·       John 17:17–19: God sanctifies through His truth; consecration also involves His purpose for our lives.

·       Romans 6:19–22: Offering ourselves in obedience leads toward holiness.

·       Philippians 2:12–13: We actively obey while God works within us, shaping our willingness and actions.

·       Galatians 5:16–25: Walking by the Spirit bears fruit in our character and relationships.

·       1 Thessalonians 5:23–24: Paul prays for God to sanctify the whole person and emphasizes God’s faithfulness.

The picture is of God working in people who respond to Him in faith and obedience. Prayer, Scripture, repentance, and daily choices become part of that relationship.

6. What to look for in a sanctified life

Galatians 5:22–23 directs our attention to the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Together these nine qualities are frequently referred to as “the fruit of the Spirit,” each one portrays the Holy Spirit at work in the life of a sanctified person.

In ordinary life, that might mean becoming more truthful, more willing to forgive, quicker to acknowledge a wrong, or more patient with someone who needs us. These are meaningful signs of spiritual growth.

First John 1:8–9 also keeps us honest: believers must acknowledge sin and receive God’s cleansing. A continuing need for repentance does not make the call to holiness meaningless; repentance is part of responding to it.

7. Whether one particular experience is required

Christian traditions differ here. Some emphasize a distinct experience of entire sanctification; others emphasize growth throughout the Christian life. A careful study of the Scriptures brings clarity to this question, as each passage speaks explicitly within its own context.

The passages above establish a firm foundation: God calls His people to holiness, Christ provides its foundation, and God works to bring it about as His people respond. John 17 also connects sanctification with being sent into the world to carry out God’s purpose.

A synthesis of these Scriptures: To be sanctified is to belong to God, to be dedicated to His purposes, and to have our lives increasingly reflect His character through His gracious work in us.

For a first quiet reading, begin with Leviticus 20:7–8, John 17:15–20, and 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8. Together they bring the question into clear focus: God sanctifies His people, and He calls His people to live accordingly.

Scripture sources for further reading

The passages discussed are the primary sources for this study. The following NKJV texts were consulted online at Bible Gateway:

Leviticus 20 — biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20&version=NKJV

John 17 — biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17&version=NKJV

1 Corinthians 1 — biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1&version=NKJV

Hebrews 10:10–14 — biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10:10-14&version=NKJV

1 Thessalonians 4–5 — biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+4-5&version=NKJV

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Author’s note: In order to gain quick access to all Scriptures within both the Old Testament and the New Testament, I sought help from ChatGPT.