What Does it Mean to be Sanctified in Christ?
“He gave Himself for us so He might pay the price to free us from all evil and to make us pure people who belong only to Him—people who are always wanting to do good deeds.”-Titus 2:14
When a person becomes a believer of Christ, God starts to work in their lives by changing their thoughts and actions to conform them into the image of His Son (Hebrews 9:14). These changes are known as sanctification. Sanctification is an inward spiritual work in which Jesus works in a believer’s life with help from the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 9:14). The Holy Spirit produces characteristics in a person of God like joy, love, meekness, patience, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The Spirit produces the same characteristics that Jesus has in a believer.
Because of Jesus, sin has no dominion over a believer’s life because all the work Jesus accomplished on the cross sanctifies them from their natural love of sin and the world and puts a new love for God in their hearts (Romans 6:6, Ezekiel 36:26). That person is also considered a new creation and is cleansed from all unrighteousness. Before they were slaves to sin and death but now are children of God (Romans 6:6, Romans 8:14).
Sanctification, a work that Jesus is doing, is a lifelong process that is preparing a believer for heaven. No one can be perfect in this lifetime; it is only after death they are made perfect because of their faith in Jesus and His death on the cross. Jesus paid the price for the sins of His people so they could be holy and blameless in the sight of God (Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 10:10).
Prayer of the day:
Dear heavenly Father,
It is because of Jesus that we are made right with You. Our faith in Jesus gives us the power to change our lives. The change in us comes from the power of the Holy Spirit and not from ourselves because our hearts are deceitful and full of sin. Please continue to change us by giving us the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, and patience. Without You we cannot be sanctified and change. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!