Doctrine of the Week - Sanctification

Sanctification as God’s Will for Christians

The Doctrine of the Week for this Sunday is Sanctification. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 3, the Apostle Paul tells Christians that the will of God for their lives is their sanctification. So what does that mean?

Well the Greek word hagios mas translated sanctification can also be translated as holiness. For example, in Hebrews 12, 14, the Bible says pursue peace with all men and holiness. So pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

So the concept of sanctification or holiness can refer to either being set apart unto God for a specific purpose or it can, as it is more commonly used, refer to growing in grace, living a life of purity, different from the world around you.

So for the Christian, the will of God for your life is your sanctification. Second Peter 3, 14, the Apostle writes that we should be diligent to be found by him in peace without spot and blameless. He then goes on to encourage believers to remain steadfast, do not be led astray by the error of the wicked.

Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ

And then he says in verse 18, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So this is all about holiness and how through the working of the Holy Spirit, we are being conformed to the image of Christ.

So in conclusion, a believer may have been saved in a moment in time, but over time, the goal is to become more and more like Jesus.