MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM: “SANCTIFICATION” 

This series of blogs on “MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM” is our invitation to you to come along and slowly think through these words so that we conform to the nature and character of God.  We will present a word each week to meditate on and conform our hearts.  

WORLD DEFINITION 

“Sanctification” is by its very nature a religious word and arguably a Christian word.  The word comes from Church Latin from a root word meaning “holy.”  It means “to make holy.”  Usage of this word, as far as one can tell does seem to indicate some kind of move towards completeness or fulfillment even when not used in a Christian context.  A notable exception (from a Goodreads search) from a Christian use would be the romance/erotica that uses the word in a manipulative fashion highlighting ‘bringing together’ and ‘fulfillment.’ 

FOLK/CHURCH USE 

Hymn #263 ‘Bring Your Vessels, Not a Few’ (Favorite Hymns of Praise, Tabernacle Publishing Company, 1972) is listed under the theme of sanctification.  The hymn shares the need of the worshipper to fill their hearts to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.  The person is sinful, but “clean thro’ Jesus’ precious blood” (verse 2) and because of this can stand before the throne of God.  Interestingly, the word ‘sanctification’ does not appear in the hymn.  The only other hymn listed in this particular hymnal under ‘sanctification’ is #45 ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’ also does not mention the word.  The beginning of verse 4 is telling however: “Finish then Thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be; let us see they great salvation perfectly restored to Thee.”  That is indeed sanctification. 

BIBLE/THEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE 

Jesus’ act of justification while we were sinners is making available a means of sanctification for us.  Sanctification is the making of something right.  For us, Christ does have a sanctifying act, but then we participate in the sanctifying nature of the cross.  It is a process of human beings abiding in Him (to what He did).  This participation changes the human being and is sanctified.  

Sanctification of humanity is seen clearly in Romans 5.  In Roman 5, just as Adam came into the world and brought sin, so Christ comes into the world and cleanses of sin.  Only in Him is there a sanctification of humanity.  Only under Christ’s lordship (abiding in Him) can we be made right and whole and holy and come together with God. 

The reason God did this is to bring together estranged parties (God and humans) and does so by an act of heroism (the cross) because of His love for us.  Jesus is the only One Who can do this.  Therefore, humanity through Christ Jesus sanctified and made right.  Without the sanctifying act and accepting the Lordship of Christ, we die (Genesis 2:17). 

MEANING 

Sanctification is then the cleansing of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ for our relationship with God the Father and thereafter is personal conformity to that cleaning lifestyle. The offer then in a living power and abided in through relationship with and flowing from that personal power… namely… Jesus the Christ.  That is then an offer to us under the confines of turning away from sin, a turning dealt with through relationship by the process of personal growth conforming to the Lord Jesus’ living standard. 

The practical side of this is that believers need to faithfully abide in Christ and connect in purposeful fellowship with other believers to partake in what Jesus has done for us.   

This series of blogs on “MEANING TO MEDITATE TO CONFORM” is our invitation to you to come along and slowly think through these words so that we conform to the nature and character of God.  We will present a word each week to meditate on and conform our hearts.