The purpose of this paper is to explore the practical application of sanctification within the Christian life, examining both personal spiritual growth and the best practices for facilitating spiritual growth in others. By diving into the Biblical foundations of sanctification and reflecting on personal spiritual disciplines, this paper seeks to offer insights that encourage both self-development and effective discipleship. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of how sanctification shapes the Christian journey and how it can be nurtured both individually and within a community. This paper explores the theological understanding of sanctification, its role in personal spiritual growth, and methods for guiding others toward Christlikeness. Additionally, the paper will reflect on the importance of intentional relationships, accountability, and the role of the community in facilitating spiritual growth. This paper argues that sanctification is a lifelong process grounded in Biblical principles, requiring intentional personal practice and communal involvement. By integrating spiritual disciplines into daily life and adopting effective discipleship practices, believers can experience profound spiritual growth and contribute to the transformation of others within the body of Christ.
Biblical Foundations of Sanctification
Sanctification can be defined as a restored relationship to God through faith in Christ as an individual’s greatest need and delight. Sanctification is a continual process of transformation within a life of ongoing consecration. It produces true righteousness characterized by relational holiness. The focus is not on the complete eradication or mere suppression of sin, but rather on a divinely initiated change in character that frees the believer from sinful habits and molds them into Christlike affections, dispositions, and virtues. The Bible teaches a sanctification that is past, present, and future. Past because it begins in a position of separation already gained in Christ’s completed work. Present in that is describes a process of cultivation a holy life. It is clear that God made us righteous the moment we became Christian. First Corinthians 6:11 tells us, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Sanctification has a future culmination at the return of Christ, when the effects of sin will be fully removed. The Process of sanctification requires believers to strive to express God’s love in their experience. The Bible promises success in the process of struggling against personal sin, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scriptural basis for sanctification
The scriptural basis for sanctification is deeply rooted in the Bible, with numerous passages that outline its theological significance and practical implications for the believer's life. Sanctification, which refers to the process of being made holy or set apart for God, is a central theme in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, sanctification is closely linked to the covenant relationship between God and Israel. In Leviticus 20:7-8, God commands His people, "Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you." This passage highlights the call to holiness as a response to God's sanctifying work. The concept of holiness here is not just a moral or ethical standard but is deeply tied to obedience to God's laws and the unique relationship Israel has with God. God's role as the one who sanctifies emphasizes that sanctification is ultimately His work in His people. The New Testament continues the theme of sanctification, emphasizing its fulfillment through the work of Jesus Christ and the believer's ongoing relationship with God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, the Apostle Paul directly links sanctification with God's will, stating, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor." Here, sanctification is connected with the believer's moral purity and self-control, highlighting that holiness is a practical, lived reality in response to God's will. In John 17:17, Jesus Himself prays for His disciples, saying, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." This prayer highlights the role of God's Word in the sanctification process, indicating that sanctification involves a deepening relationship with God's truth. Together, these passages illustrate that sanctification is a continuous, God-driven process that begins with His initiative and grounded in the redemptive work of Christ and the transformative power of God's Word.
Importance of sanctification in the Christian life
Leslie Parrott, in her book What is Sanctification?, describes three practical changes that can be expected in life after sanctification. First, a sanctified life will be marked by a simple faith. The individual learns to entrust their life entirely to God, refraining from worry because their trust is firmly placed in the Lord. They do not criticize, lash out, or harbor anger, understanding that even the unfortunate events in both church and private life will ultimately serve God's glory. Such unwavering faith is something only those fully consecrated can experience. Second, life will be characterized by a poised spirit. The Lord provides an experience that keeps a person steady and calm, even when the world around them is in turmoil. Finally, a sanctified life will be distinguished by a dauntless courage for Christ. J.I. Packer explains that Christians grow more Christlike as the moral character of Jesus is progressively formed within them. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul’s use of the term "glory" reveals that for him, sanctification is the beginning of glorification. The process will be fully completed when we undergo a physical transformation, receiving a body like Christ's, perfectly suited to express our fully transformed character.
Personal Practice of Spiritual Growth and Development
Sanctification is not only a theological concept but a lived reality, deeply connected to the daily practice of spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines are practices grounded in Scripture that nurture spiritual growth among believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible presents both personal and interpersonal disciplines, each serving as a means of blessing and a path to greater godliness for followers of Jesus. Edman emphasizes that Jesus Himself practiced both types of disciplines, with the ultimate goal of these practices being to grow in likeness to Him. In my personal life, the spiritual disciplines I incorporate include Bible intake, prayer, and serving.
Bible Intake
Spiritual growth involves the process of replacing lies with truth, as Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Sanctification requires revelation, where the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to mold us into the likeness of the Son of God. Each day, I prioritize beginning my day with the Lord, worshiping Him through reading His Word. I find that I benefit most from Scripture when I first calm my heart and mind through prayer, asking the Lord to illuminate my heart through the reading of His Word. Growing up in the Presbyterian church, I developed a love for the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which I apply to my Bible reading. The catechism asks, "What does the Bible primarily teach?" The answer is, "The Bible primarily teaches what we must believe about God and what God requires of man."
Prayer
Each day, I dedicate time to prayer, pouring out my heart to God and laying every emotion at His feet. Scripture makes it clear that we are to continue steadfastly in prayer, as God has created and redeemed us for fellowship with Himself, which is the essence of prayer. My time in prayer begins with thanksgiving to God, followed by the requests on my heart, including prayers for provision over my family. I conclude by reflecting on the truth of who God is. Jesus teaches us that we can approach Him with fervent persistence when bringing our needs before Him, and He promises to respond to such prayers positively.
Serving
"Do Something" were words my dad used to encourage my siblings and me throughout our lives, and they were exemplified by the Rock Churches' ministry model, which greatly influenced me. Located in Southern California, Rock Churches inspires its congregation to actively contribute to building God's kingdom. Pastor Miles encourages each member to act on their ministry ideas, with the church supporting them in their calling. My dad instilled in us the belief that if we wanted to effect positive change or improve something, we should get involved and do something. This principle has become central to my own experience in serving at my local church. I've learned the importance of engaging actively and using my gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ. Serving has also cultivated a more generous and helpful spirit within me, deepening my commitment to supporting others.
Evaluation of personal growth and areas for improvement
In evaluating my personal growth, I see a need to improve my organization in my Bible devotionals and reduce distractions during prayer. I am also working on being more selfless in my service to others, recognizing that my routines and alone time as a single woman can sometimes lead to selfishness. Despite these areas for improvement, I have noticed significant growth in my relationship with the Lord through these disciplines. My commitment to Bible study and prayer has strengthened my personal and interpersonal connections with God. I feel a deep hunger for these practices and sense something missing when I neglect them, highlighting the importance of discipline in nurturing my faith.
Best Practices in Facilitating Spiritual Growth in Others
Just as sanctification is a process for the individual, so too is the journey of guiding others toward Christlikeness. When Jesus called men and women to follow Him, He extended an invitation to enter into a personal relationship with Himself. This relational model, as presented by Jesus, is the most effective approach for facilitating spiritual growth in others. In Following the Master, Wilkins emphasizes that discipleship begins with this new life of intimate fellowship with a living Master and Savior. He further explains that the goal of discipleship is not just to establish a relationship but to help others become like Christ. Jesus declared that to be His disciple is to become like Him through abiding in His word, loving one another, and bearing fruit. Once we truly believe in Jesus' words and recognize His worth, we realize that His purpose goes beyond being our personal Lord and Savior. His death on the cross was not centered solely on us; rather, He is the Lord and Savior of the entire cosmos, worthy of everyone’s eternal praise. This understanding compels disciples of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. After entering into a relationship with Jesus and pursuing Christ-likeness, a natural outcome is the desire to share this transformative experience with others. Being compelled by the cosmic Savior, disciples are driven to help others grow spiritually, guiding them to not only know Jesus but also to become more like Him.
Summary Reflection on Key Personal Learnings
Three major insights I have gained from this course focus on personal holiness, Biblical stewardship, and making disciples. First, because God is holy, His people must also be holy. Every facet of God’s nature and character is holy because it belongs to Him. The core concept here is that God's purity cannot tolerate any form of sin. J.I. Packer’s lecture on personal holiness particularly stood out to me, where he outlined five principles: being is basic to doing, knowing is basic to acting, God's work of salvation is fully paid for, God's work of sanctification fuels our desire to obey, and the purpose of pleasing God is fundamental to avoiding sin. Throughout this course, we explored several spiritual disciplines for the purpose of godliness. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life was my favorite textbook, as it covered spiritual disciplines found in Scripture that are sufficient for knowing and experiencing God and for growing in Christlikeness. Regarding Biblical stewardship, I learned that it encompasses every area of life, not just money. In week five, the discussion board highlighted a video from Taylor University on Biblical Stewardship, which emphasized how we manage our time, care for our bodies, control our emotions, and make decisions in our careers. A narrow view of stewardship might lead one to overlook these areas, neglecting the holistic approach that God calls us to. True stewardship requires self-control in all aspects of life, prompting us to reflect on how well we manage all that God has entrusted to us, not just our financial resources. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter on stewardship by Donald Whitney in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. He emphasizes that godliness is the result of a Biblically disciplined spiritual life, and at the heart of such a life is the disciplined use of time. To be like Jesus, we must view the use of our time as a spiritual discipline. Lastly, making disciples has been a central theme of this course, highlighting that the Biblical teaching of discipleship offers a bridge from Jesus’ world to our own. I appreciated diving deeper into the study of the discipleship model Jesus developed and exploring what it means to follow Him in the third millennium. We are called to reproduce and participate in disciple-making by reading God’s Word, sharing God’s love, serving the body of Christ in our local churches, proclaiming the good news to all people, and making disciple-makers. This final week’s discussion post highlighted Gregory Ogden’s insights on disciples making disciples. He discussed creating micro-groups of 3 to 4 people, fostering an environment of honesty and openness where individuals can grow together in their faith. The reproduction of disciples is central to Christian doctrine, reflecting the long, focused process of nurturing others to maturity in Christ. Discipleship is not a short-term endeavor; it requires dedication and a clear understanding that growing people in faith takes time. Ultimately, this course has challenged me with the truth that I have been called, loved, created, and saved to make disciples of Jesus who, in turn, make disciples until the grace of God is enjoyed and the glory of God is exalted among every people group on this earth. Through these insights, I have been challenged to grow in the truth and reality of personal holiness. I aim to experience more of heaven on earth and walk in the fullness of who God created me to be. Specifically, I want to deepen my ability to rejoice, hope, thank, and please God consistently. I yearn to behold the beauty of the Lord more profoundly in my daily life, to embrace Christ's perseverance, and to draw ever closer to the Lord. Additionally, I have gained a richer understanding of Biblical stewardship, recognizing that it requires self-control in all aspects of life and encouraging me to reflect on how well I am managing everything God has entrusted to me, not just my financial resources. Lastly, the call to make disciples has reignited a passion within me to finish strong and to pursue the King’s business of disciple-making both individually and corporately.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the journey of sanctification is a transformative and lifelong process that deeply impacts both the individual believer and the broader Christian community. By grounding ourselves in Biblical principles, we recognize that sanctification is not merely a theological concept but a lived experience that shapes our character, aligns our desires with Christ, and calls us to a life of holiness. Through intentional practice of spiritual disciplines such as Bible intake, prayer, and serving, we can cultivate our own spiritual growth while also guiding others in their walk with Christ. The course of this paper has demonstrated that sanctification involves not only personal dedication but also communal responsibility, as we are called to disciple others, helping them grow into Christlikeness. The lessons learned—personal holiness, Biblical stewardship, and the call to make disciples—serve as foundational elements for a life committed to glorifying God and advancing His kingdom. As we continue to pursue sanctification, may we do so with a heart that seeks to honor God in every aspect of our lives, fostering spiritual growth within ourselves and in those we have the privilege to disciple.
Bibliography
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Edman, Raymond. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2014.
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