Sanctification is an important word found throughout the New Testament. The Greek word translated as “sanctification” or “sanctify” is hagios, and it means “to be, or to be made, holy,” with the additional idea of being “set apart for divine purposes.” If you recall, “justification” (a word that we considered three weeks ago), means to be brought into a right standing before God in which a person who has received the forgiveness of sins through Christ is declared to be “righteous.” The Bible tells us that the same person who has been “justified” and declared “righteous,” is also “sanctified” and made “holy” and “set apart for God and His purposes.” 

But there is more about this word that may shock you, and that is the fact that the person who has been “sanctified” is considered to be a “saint.” In other words, one who has been “made holy” is considered to be a “holy one,” or a “saint” No need to go through an extensive process by church leaders to determine if you qualify to become a “saint,” you become a “saint” the moment you receive new “LIFE” in Christ. 

I suspect that you have noticed that in Paul’s initial greeting to various churches, he consistently refers to his readers as “saints.” In his first letter to the Church at Corinth, Paul combines the twin thoughts of believers being “sanctified” as well as being “saints.” Here is what Paul says,  

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God…to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…” (1 Cor. 1:1-2).

And, in his second letter to the same church, Paul writes,

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia…” (2 Cor. 1:1).

Paul not only greets the church at Corinth as “saints,” but all the other believers scattered throughout the province of Achaia as well. And, his greetings as “saints” is also found in his letters to the churches in Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae.

But there is more that we need to consider regarding this word. When describing the various ungodly lifestyles that many of the Corinthian believers had once lived, Paul says,

“…but you were washed…and sanctified…” (1 Cor. 6:11).

In other words, Paul is assuring them that they had already been “sanctified,” that is, “made holy” and “set apart” for God’s purposes.” 

It is important to note that Scripture suggests that “sanctification” is both a completed act as well as an ongoing process in the life of the believer. In theological circles, this is referred to as “positional” sanctification and “practical” sanctification. Yes, “sanctification” is a completed act the moment one finds new “LIFE” in Christ, but it is also a process whereby a Christian is called to become increasingly “holy” in both character and conduct. Notice what Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonian church,

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thes. 4:3.), 

And then in his concluding prayer, 

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely…” (1 Thes. 5:23).

In a “positional” sense, the Thessalonian believers had already been “sanctified,” but Paul was praying for them to become “entirely sanctified” as they lived out their lives as “saints” for the glory of God. If you are a “saint,” then continue to grow in your walk with God by making your “practical” sanctification match your “positional” sanctification. In other words, let’s all seek to become in our daily lives the “saints” by which we are called.