“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become[c] my disciples.” – John 15:7-8
God has always called his people to holiness. A refrain throughout Leviticus is God’s command: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (11:45; see also 11:44; 19:2). The call echoes throughout the New Testament: “as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).
“Sanctification” is none other than the process by which we respond to this summons to holiness, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit—a holiness that pervades our attitudes and affections (“holiness of heart”) as fully as it pervades our actions (“holiness of life”).
We dedicate ourselves to the Spirit’s inner work of producing in us its fruit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23), all of which guides us in our outer work of abstaining from sin and investing ourselves in loving, just, and holy pursuits (Rom. 6:12–14).
Works of piety take us back to the “means of grace,” the activities by which we intentionally keep ourselves close to God, mindful of God, and responsive to the Spirit rather than the flesh. These include prayer, whether privately or together with other Christians (Rom. 12:12; 1 Thess. 5:16–18; James 5:13–16), Scripture reading (Rom. 15:4), Communion (1 Cor. 11:23–26), and congregational worship (Heb. 10:24–25). These all require the investment of our time, but we will give them our time to the extent that we prioritize nurturing the mindfulness of the Spirit that empowers sanctification.
Works of mercy take us to the many ways in which we can show love for our neighbor by investing ourselves in relieving their need (Matt. 25:31–46; Deut. 15:10–11; Acts 2:44–45). Some of these needs are physical, such as hunger, thirst, shelter, clothing, and medical intervention. Some are relational, such as the need for companionship in times of difficulty or marginalization. Some, indeed, are spiritual, and so bearing witness to God’s work in us and promise for others outside the church, reaching out to those who have drawn away from fellowship and creating opportunities for deeper discipleship are also manifestations of sanctification.