Church Alive: Sanctification

Read this statement on sanctification from the historic documents of The United Methodist Church:

>>>We believe sanctification is the work of God’s grace through the Word and the Spirit, by which those who have been born again are cleansed from sin in their thoughts, words and acts, and are enabled to live in accordance with God’s will, and to strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

>>>Entire sanctification is a state of perfect love, righteousness, and true holiness which every regenerate believer may obtain by being delivered from the power of sin, by loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving one’s neighbor as one’s self. Through faith in Jesus Christ this gracious gift may be received in this life both gradually and instantaneously, and should be sought earnestly by every child of God.

>>>We believe this experience does not deliver us from the infirmities, ignorance, and mistakes common to man, nor from the possibilities of further sin. The Christian must continue on guard against spiritual pride and seek to gain victory over every temptation to sin. He must respond wholly to the will of God so that sin will lose its power over him; and the world, the flesh, and the devil are put under his feet. Thus he rules over these enemies with watchfulness through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- from “Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules,” pp. 69-70
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church

In his book Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials, author Ted Campbell puts it this way:

>>>Sanctification denotes in the first place the transformation of our wills and affections. We as human beings come to love and desire that which God loves, so that the pursuit of sanctification is the pursuit of ultimate joy, and we do what is right and avoid what is evil because that is what our transformed wills truly desire.


You will find more on sanctification at this page - "Our Wesleyan Theological Heritage" - go down to the part of the page where it says "Sanctifying Grace."


Here are some important Scriptures on sanctification:

COLOSSIANS 3:1. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above.

COLOSSIANS 3:5. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.

1 PETER 1:14-15. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct.

HEBREWS 12:14. Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

MATTHEW 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

MATTHEW 5:48. You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

COLOSSIANS 1:28. Him [Christ] we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ.

Sometimes the word "perfection" is a stumbling block for us - so perhaps the word "maturity" may better express (in our culture) the desired outcome of a lifetime of growth in Christ.


A focus on sanctification helps avoid the heresies of legalism and antinomianism. Click on these two words to read more about these heresies (false teachings) that stand at opposite extremes.


Some churches have developed strong, clear guidelines about how sustained growth in Christ is to be lived out. A notable example is the Pantego Bible Church in the DFW area. Participants at Pantego do an annual profile which assesses their growth in what the church describes as 30 Core Competencies. The Core Competencies consists of beliefs, practices, and virtues. Look at this site which lists the various core competencies as this church understands them.

Do you find such a process intriguing or distasteful? Is it too mechanical? Or does it help us to focus on specific actions we can take to create a climate for sustained growth?


In addition to the other Scriptures referenced on this page, John Wesley used a number of other Scriptural texts to help explain sanctification. Use these references for a further understanding:

• Ezekiel 36:25-29 (God's promise of a new heart)
• Matthew 6:10 (prayer for God's will to be done)
• Matthew 22:37 (a description of a sanctified Christian)
• John 8:34-36 (what Christ does in us)
• John 17:17-23 (Christ's prayer for us)
• Romans 2:29 (the mark he desires to place upon our hearts)
• Romans 12:1-2 (what the new human being is like)
• 2 Corinthians 7:1 (another description of what God desires for us)
• Galatians 2:20 (the reason such change is possible)
• Ephesians 3:14-19 (Paul's prayer for the sanctification of believers)
• Ephesians 5:27 (the victory over sin)
• Philippians 3:15 (Christian maturity)
• Titus 2:11-14 (what Christ's death means for our present life)
• Hebrews 6:1 (what God can do in the life of those who are already believers)
• Hebrews 7:25 (the full extent of saving grace)
• Hebrews 10:14 (God's design for us)
• James 1:4 (another prayer for believers)
• 1 John 1:5-7 (the present benefits of Christ's blood)
• 1 John 1:8-9 (a description of ignorance before coming to saving faith)
• 1 John 3:3 (the results of the cleansing power of God)
• 1 John 3:8-10 (a bold statement of what is possible in the life of the believer)
• 1 John 5:13 (the confidence God desires for a believer)

Let these words of Scripture be a blessing to you...

1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-24. May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.