“May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together - spirit, soul, and body - and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 MSG)
The root ‘sanct-’ means sacred. When something is sanctified, it is set apart, dedicated for sacred use, consecrated, made holy. Since humans are naturally flawed, it takes some work to make us whole and holy. Sanctification is God directed; it isn’t instigated by our external environment or personal willpower. We can’t make ourselves holy, no matter how hard we try. We have to rely on God. Only the Spirit of Truth can regenerate and renew us. Like a personal trainer, He motivates, instructs, and assists us to reach our full spiritual potential. The changes may be gradual and, thus, not immediately evident. Yet, if we listen to the Holy Spirit and remain dedicated to following His instructions, eventually we are conformed to the image of Christ.
“Everything that we have - right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start - comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:30 MSG)
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