Sanctification

Sanctification is used in a theological context to refer to the process of declaring something holy or sacred. It is most associated with Judaism and Christianity, with each faith following a different approach to the sanctification process. In Judaism, the emphasis is on the way an individual’s good and righteous acts glorify God’s name, while their sinful acts defile it. Christians generally see sanctification as the process by which a person models their life to imitate that of Jesus Christ, thereby following his path into holiness. However, different sects or branches of Christianity envision this process in varied ways.

Background

The word sanctification comes from the Latin root word sanctus, which means “holy.” “Sanctify” was incorporated into Middle English about the fourteenth century through the Old French word seintfier or saintifier, meaning “to make like a saint.”

In the original Greek in which the Christian Bible’s New Testament was written, the word translated as “sanctify” or “sanctification” is usually a variation of the Greek word hagiadzo. The word means “holy,” but also has the meaning “set apart for service” or “different from anything else.” When sacred texts refer to something being sanctified, it is usually in the context of being different in that it is more holy and in some way closer to God. This can refer to people being made holier by their actions or by objects or actions being made holier by being used to honor God. For instance, the vessels used for religious rituals are sanctified by their being used to worship God, the act of getting married is sanctified by being conducted in a house of worship and following God’s rules for marriage, and martyrs are sanctified because their refusal to denounce their faith honors God.

Common dictionary definitions of “sanctification” include reference to holiness or consecration. However, some sources note that there is a more generic meaning for the word. This meaning refers to something that is restored to its original way of functioning. In this variation, a cup is sanctified when it is used to drink a beverage and not sanctified if it is used as a pencil holder.

This meaning connects with the religious definition in that both Jews and Christians believe people were once holy like God but lost that status when the first people disobeyed God’s command and turned away from God. Since God is the creator and his intent was for humankind to also be holy, the sanctification process restores humanity to God’s original and intended purpose.

In Judaism

In the Jewish tradition, the concept of sanctification is known by the Hebrew term Kiddush ha-Shem. It encompasses the most important duty of an observant Jew: to show the world God’s honor and glory by their actions and words. It is closely associated with the Hebrew hillul hashem, which means to act in a way that defiles or desecrates God’s name. Hebrew sacred texts, most notably the Book of Leviticus, instruct the ancient Israelites to bring honor and glory to God through their actions and to avoid acting in ways that profane his name, or to treat it with contempt.

Jews believe that acts involving non-Jews have a greater potential to sanctify or desecrate God’s name because non-Jews represent “the world.” Ancient Israelites were under a holy command to surrender their lives in God’s service rather than commit hillul hashemby publicly breaking God’s laws, especially in a way that affected non-Jews. For example, while God’s laws always prohibit theft and murder, it was considered far more sinful to steal from or kill a non-Jew. In these cases, the Jew’s actions not only disobeyed God’s law, but their disobedience showed public disrespect towards God, thereby diminishing the outsider’s perception of God.

Contrarily, a Jew who acted in a way that honored God put God’s glory on display for others. Actions such as returning money when given too much change or helping someone in need were seen as Kiddush ha-Shem. These actions brought honor to God by demonstrating his goodness and how beneficial his rules are. In their obedience to God’s rules, Jews show that their devotion to God and his laws are more important than anything else. For this reason, Jews consider martyrdom for the faith to be sanctification of God’s name.

In Christianity

The Christian approach to sanctification also has its roots in the Hebrew sacred texts, including the Book of Leviticus. Christians also believe that their good actions honor and glorify God, but they emphasize doing these things as a way to become more holy themselves. Leviticus 20:7-8 notes that God sanctifies those who obey and honor him. The passage includes instructions for believers to set themselves apart to serve God and keep his rules as a way of achieving sanctification.

The Christian view of sanctification involves a real transformation of a person’s character. Christians do not just do good things because God commands them or because of what others think. Instead, they are increasingly transformed by the combination of their desire to show love and honor for God and the power of God’s grace. Grace is God’s undeserved favor that is bestowed on those who, though imperfect and sinful in many ways, still strive to obey God. Through this transformation, the person becomes holier and closer to sanctification and less and less likely to sin or act in ways that do not honor God.

Therefore, the Christian view of sanctification involves a reciprocal relationship between God and human. Christians do all they can to follow God’s commandments and turn away from sin, and God provides the grace and power that allows the Christian to become holier and closer to sanctification. However, most Christians believe that full sanctification cannot be achieved until the end of time when all people are judged by God based on their actions in life.

Though Christians believe sanctification is vital, different branches of Christianity approach the concept with varied viewpoints. There are five main Christian views on sanctification. These are the Augustinian view, the Keswick view, the Pentecostal view, the Reformed view, and the Wesleyan view.

The Augustinian view, also known as the Augustinian-Dispensational view, emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in the transformative process of sanctification. Based on the teachings of St. Augustine, this view holds that the Holy Spirit dwells in each person when that person accepts that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross has led to the salvation of humankind from sin. At the same time, humans are still governed by a sinful nature. Sanctification comes about as a person cooperates with God’s grace and the Holy Spirit to resist sinful behaviors and increase behaviors that honor God.

The Keswick view, originating in England in the late nineteenth century, is influenced by a number of earlier Christian theologians and traditions. It emphasizes that Christians have two distinct times of blessing by God; one comes when they accept Jesus as their savior and the other when they make a conscious decision to allow God to control their lives. Though this viewpoint encourages Christians to pursue prayer, studying the Bible and other means of growing in sanctity, it is sometimes criticized for taking too passive a view of the Christian’s role in the transformative process of sanctification.

Pentecostal Christians have been divided in their view of sanctification. This division was mostly resolved when their view of God as the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—was more clearly defined in the early twentieth century. The contemporary view is that there are two forms of sanctification: instantaneous and progressive. Instantaneous sanctification occurs when a person first believes in God and is baptized. It marks the Christian as set apart from the world and is made possible because of Christ’s redemptive work. Progressive sanctification is the ongoing process of cooperating with the Holy Spirit to become more holy in actions and thoughts during life. While some Pentecostals believe it is possible to achieve sanctification in a person’s lifetime, most reject this view.

The Reformed view of sanctification holds that there are three essential aspects of sanctification. Christians must act in ways that are increasingly closer to the actions of Christ, adhere to the truth of God’s word, and have faith that sanctification can be attained. This view emphasizes the cooperative nature of the sanctification process and the roles played by both the Christian and God. The end goal of the process is definitive sanctification, a level of sanctification that allows a sinful person to overcome that sinfulness and live in the power of God’s grace.

The Wesleyan viewpoint is named for English theologian John Wesley. It emphasizes the role of love in the sanctification process. The transformation towards sanctification is helped by obeying God’s commandment to love God and one’s neighbor. This is accomplished by seeing and treating others as Jesus did, a concept often known as “having the mind of Christ.” Wesley’s viewpoint differentiated between inadvertent sins that resulted from living in a sinful world and those that were deliberate disobedience to God’s command to love.

Bibliography

Allen, Michael, and Scott R. Swain. Sanctification. Zondervan, 2017.

Ferguson, Sinclair. “Sanctification Summarized.” Ligonier Ministries, 2 Aug. 2024, learn.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/sanctification-summarized. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

“Kiddush Ha-Shem and Hillul Hashem.” Jewish Encyclopedia, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13170-sanctification-of-the-name. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Naselli, Andrew. “Why ‘Let Go and Let God’ Is a Bad Idea.” Ligonier Ministries, www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/why-let-go-and-let-god-bad-idea. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Payne, Jon. “The Nuts and Bolts of Sanctification.” Gospel Reformation Network, 1 Mar. 2016, gospelreformation.net/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-sanctification. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

“Sanctification.” Bible Study Tools, 2019, www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sanctification. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Sullivan, Mike. “Five Views on Sanctification.” Xenos: Christian Fellowship, www.xenos.org/essays/five-views-sanctification. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Taylor, Justin. “What Is Sanctification?” The Gospel Coalition, 30 July 2013, www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/what-is-sanctification. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

“What Does Sanctification Mean? How Do We Sanctify?” Christianity.com, 26 Feb. 2024, www.christianity.com/jesus/following-jesus/repentance-faith-and-salvation/what-does-sanctification-mean.html. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.