Abiding in Christ: The Daily Work of Sanctification

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vassal

vassal

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Abiding in Christ: The Daily Work of Sanctification
​
Sanctification in the Bible is God’s loving work of setting a person apart for Himself and slowly shaping that person to live in truth and goodness. It is not a cold religious idea. It is the way God takes a real human life, with struggles and weakness, and patiently cleans it, guides it, and teaches it how to walk with Him.

Jesus shows us the heart of sanctification in His own prayer. He says, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth”(John 17:17, ASV). This tells us something very important. Sanctification does not come from feelings, titles, or claims. It comes from God’s word entering a person’s life and changing the way they think, choose, and live. Truth is not only something to know. Truth is something that works on the heart and reshapes the path of life.

When someone comes to Jesus in a real way, sanctification begins. Jesus says, “Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3, ASV). This means God starts the cleansing when a person receives His word. But Jesus immediately adds, “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4, ASV). This shows that sanctification is not a single moment that ends the work. It is a living relationship. To abide means to stay, to remain, to continue. Sanctification grows as a person stays close to Jesus and does not walk away from His words.

Sanctification changes how a person lives. Jesus never separates holiness from obedience. He says, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ASV). Love for Jesus is not proved by words alone, but by a willing heart that listens and follows. This obedience is not about earning God’s love. It is the natural fruit of a heart that trusts Him. Jesus also says, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32, ASV). Freedom from sin grows as a person continues in His word. Sanctification is the path from being trapped by sin to being freed from its power.

This process is compassionate and patient. God does not demand instant perfection. Jesus Himself teaches us to live one day at a time when He says, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34, ASV). Sanctification is daily. Each day, a person learns again to trust God, to turn away from sin, and to walk in His ways. The struggle may continue, but surrendering to sin is not acceptable. God works with those who keep coming back to Him.

The disciples taught the same truth. Peter writes, “Like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living” (1 Peter 1:15, ASV). Holiness touches every part of life, not just religious moments. In Acts, we read that God cleanses hearts by faith, “cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9, ASV). This faith is not empty belief. It is trust that opens the heart for God to clean it. As God cleans the heart, the life begins to change.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for this understanding. God says, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them” (Leviticus 20:7–8, ASV). Sanctification and obedience have always gone together. The psalmist asks how a person can live a clean life and answers, “By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9, ASV). God’s word has always been the tool He uses to cleanse and guide His people.

So what should a person do? Come to Jesus honestly. Listen to His words. Stay with Him. When His word shows something that needs to change, do not resist it. When you fail, return to Him instead of hiding. Read His teachings. Pray with a willing heart. Choose obedience even when it is hard. Trust that God is patient and faithful to complete the work He has begun.

Sanctification is not about fear. It is about belonging. It is God saying, “You are Mine, and I will teach you how to walk with Me.” It is a life being slowly shaped by truth, guided by love, and prepared to stand in God’s presence. This is the path Jesus sets before His followers, a living path of truth, obedience, and growing holiness.
 
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vassal said:
Abiding in Christ: The Daily Work of Sanctification
​
Sanctification in the Bible is God’s loving work of setting a person apart for Himself and slowly shaping that person to live in truth and goodness. It is not a cold religious idea. It is the way God takes a real human life, with struggles and weakness, and patiently cleans it, guides it, and teaches it how to walk with Him.

Jesus shows us the heart of sanctification in His own prayer. He says, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth”(John 17:17, ASV). This tells us something very important. Sanctification does not come from feelings, titles, or claims. It comes from God’s word entering a person’s life and changing the way they think, choose, and live. Truth is not only something to know. Truth is something that works on the heart and reshapes the path of life.

When someone comes to Jesus in a real way, sanctification begins. Jesus says, “Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3, ASV). This means God starts the cleansing when a person receives His word. But Jesus immediately adds, “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4, ASV). This shows that sanctification is not a single moment that ends the work. It is a living relationship. To abide means to stay, to remain, to continue. Sanctification grows as a person stays close to Jesus and does not walk away from His words.

Sanctification changes how a person lives. Jesus never separates holiness from obedience. He says, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ASV). Love for Jesus is not proved by words alone, but by a willing heart that listens and follows. This obedience is not about earning God’s love. It is the natural fruit of a heart that trusts Him. Jesus also says, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32, ASV). Freedom from sin grows as a person continues in His word. Sanctification is the path from being trapped by sin to being freed from its power.

This process is compassionate and patient. God does not demand instant perfection. Jesus Himself teaches us to live one day at a time when He says, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34, ASV). Sanctification is daily. Each day, a person learns again to trust God, to turn away from sin, and to walk in His ways. The struggle may continue, but surrendering to sin is not acceptable. God works with those who keep coming back to Him.

The disciples taught the same truth. Peter writes, “Like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living” (1 Peter 1:15, ASV). Holiness touches every part of life, not just religious moments. In Acts, we read that God cleanses hearts by faith, “cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9, ASV). This faith is not empty belief. It is trust that opens the heart for God to clean it. As God cleans the heart, the life begins to change.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for this understanding. God says, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them” (Leviticus 20:7–8, ASV). Sanctification and obedience have always gone together. The psalmist asks how a person can live a clean life and answers, “By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9, ASV). God’s word has always been the tool He uses to cleanse and guide His people.

So what should a person do? Come to Jesus honestly. Listen to His words. Stay with Him. When His word shows something that needs to change, do not resist it. When you fail, return to Him instead of hiding. Read His teachings. Pray with a willing heart. Choose obedience even when it is hard. Trust that God is patient and faithful to complete the work He has begun.

Sanctification is not about fear. It is about belonging. It is God saying, “You are Mine, and I will teach you how to walk with Me.” It is a life being slowly shaped by truth, guided by love, and prepared to stand in God’s presence. This is the path Jesus sets before His followers, a living path of truth, obedience, and growing holiness.
Click to expand...

Nice post! 😍👍

One question…. Where does the Holy Spirit fit into our sanctification? :unsure:

You never mentioned the Holy Spirit.
 
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not by name but I mention Holiness, we cannot achieve by ourselves but only by the Holy spirit sent to us. Maybe i assumed that people would know the Holy Spirit is part of the process., unfortunately I cannot edit it but them again it gives an occasion to discuss.

Blessings.
 
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vassal said:
not by name but I mention Holiness, we cannot achieve by ourselves but only by the Holy spirit sent to us. Maybe i assumed that people would know the Holy Spirit is part of the process., unfortunately I cannot edit it but them again it gives an occasion to discuss.

Blessings.
Click to expand...

Correct, we cannot achieve sanctification by ourselves… it is the Work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Salvation is the Work of Jesus Christ in us;
Sanctification is the Work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Our Work is to believe in Jesus Christ and our Work is to receive the Holy Spirit and be sealed, empowered and led by Him.

The Holy Spirit will open God’s Word and give us understanding and thereby renew our mind with God’s Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom by…

Teaching us,
Counseling us,
Guiding us,
Instructing us,
Correcting us,
Comforting us, and
Empowering us with God’s…
- Love
- Truth
- Power to testify of Jesus Christ
- Authority
- Anointing
- Joy
- Peace
- Righteousness
- Faithfulness
- Mercy
- Compassion
- Integrity
- Humility
- Justice
- Everything that pertains to godliness and holiness…

This is how God sets us apart. The finished work is absolutely beautiful! ❤️
 
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Lafftur said:
Correct, we cannot achieve sanctification by ourselves… it is the Work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Salvation is the Work of Jesus Christ in us;
Sanctification is the Work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Our Work is to believe in Jesus Christ and our Work is to receive the Holy Spirit and be sealed, empowered and led by Him.

The Holy Spirit will open God’s Word and give us understanding and thereby renew our mind with God’s Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom by…

Teaching us,
Counseling us,
Guiding us,
Instructing us,
Correcting us,
Comforting us, and
Empowering us with God’s…
- Love
- Truth
- Power to testify of Jesus Christ
- Authority
- Anointing
- Joy
- Peace
- Righteousness
- Faithfulness
- Mercy
- Compassion
- Integrity
- Humility
- Justice
- Everything that pertains to godliness and holiness…

This is how God sets us apart. The finished work is absolutely beautiful! ❤️
Click to expand...
thank you this is a great addition.

Blessings.
 
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vassal said:
Abiding in Christ: The Daily Work of Sanctification
​
Sanctification in the Bible is God’s loving work of setting a person apart for Himself and slowly shaping that person to live in truth and goodness. It is not a cold religious idea. It is the way God takes a real human life, with struggles and weakness, and patiently cleans it, guides it, and teaches it how to walk with Him.

Jesus shows us the heart of sanctification in His own prayer. He says, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth”(John 17:17, ASV). This tells us something very important. Sanctification does not come from feelings, titles, or claims. It comes from God’s word entering a person’s life and changing the way they think, choose, and live. Truth is not only something to know. Truth is something that works on the heart and reshapes the path of life.

When someone comes to Jesus in a real way, sanctification begins. Jesus says, “Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3, ASV). This means God starts the cleansing when a person receives His word. But Jesus immediately adds, “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4, ASV). This shows that sanctification is not a single moment that ends the work. It is a living relationship. To abide means to stay, to remain, to continue. Sanctification grows as a person stays close to Jesus and does not walk away from His words.

Sanctification changes how a person lives. Jesus never separates holiness from obedience. He says, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ASV). Love for Jesus is not proved by words alone, but by a willing heart that listens and follows. This obedience is not about earning God’s love. It is the natural fruit of a heart that trusts Him. Jesus also says, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32, ASV). Freedom from sin grows as a person continues in His word. Sanctification is the path from being trapped by sin to being freed from its power.

This process is compassionate and patient. God does not demand instant perfection. Jesus Himself teaches us to live one day at a time when He says, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34, ASV). Sanctification is daily. Each day, a person learns again to trust God, to turn away from sin, and to walk in His ways. The struggle may continue, but surrendering to sin is not acceptable. God works with those who keep coming back to Him.

The disciples taught the same truth. Peter writes, “Like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living” (1 Peter 1:15, ASV). Holiness touches every part of life, not just religious moments. In Acts, we read that God cleanses hearts by faith, “cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9, ASV). This faith is not empty belief. It is trust that opens the heart for God to clean it. As God cleans the heart, the life begins to change.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for this understanding. God says, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them” (Leviticus 20:7–8, ASV). Sanctification and obedience have always gone together. The psalmist asks how a person can live a clean life and answers, “By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9, ASV). God’s word has always been the tool He uses to cleanse and guide His people.

So what should a person do? Come to Jesus honestly. Listen to His words. Stay with Him. When His word shows something that needs to change, do not resist it. When you fail, return to Him instead of hiding. Read His teachings. Pray with a willing heart. Choose obedience even when it is hard. Trust that God is patient and faithful to complete the work He has begun.

Sanctification is not about fear. It is about belonging. It is God saying, “You are Mine, and I will teach you how to walk with Me.” It is a life being slowly shaped by truth, guided by love, and prepared to stand in God’s presence. This is the path Jesus sets before His followers, a living path of truth, obedience, and growing holiness.
Click to expand...

A believer is positionally sanctified.

“By this will we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” — Hebrews 10:10
 
vassal said:
Sanctification in the Bible is God’s loving work of setting a person apart for Himself and slowly shaping that person to live in truth and goodness. It is not a cold religious idea. It is the way God takes a real human life, with struggles and weakness, and patiently cleans it, guides it, and teaches it how to walk with Him.
Click to expand...

absolutely, thank you Father and Son, I experience this as well, and am daily thankful and willing to learn from all mistakes as well, trusting you Father to lead as in 1 John 2:27

vassal said:
Jesus shows us the heart of sanctification in His own prayer. He says, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth”(John 17:17, ASV). This tells us something very important. Sanctification does not come from feelings, titles, or claims. It comes from God’s word entering a person’s life and changing the way they think, choose, and live. Truth is not only something to know. Truth is something that works on the heart and reshapes the path of life.
Click to expand...

thank you, Father has given insight, I see this too, woe is mey67y
vassal said:
Sanctification changes how a person lives. Jesus never separates holiness from obedience. He says, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ASV). Love for Jesus is not proved by words alone, but by a willing heart that listens and follows. This obedience is not about earning God’s love. It is the natural fruit of a heart that trusts Him. Jesus also says, “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32, ASV). Freedom from sin grows as a person continues in His word. Sanctification is the path from being trapped by sin to being freed from its power.
Click to expand...

Truth, thank you Father and Son and all you chose to see and will still choose as the next person decides to believe you too Lord

Thank you for the entire post Vassal
 
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The Work of the Holy Spirit in Sanctification

Sanctification is not something a person can produce by effort alone. It is the work of God inside a person. Jesus makes it clear that this inner work is done by the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit of God, the words of God remain only words on a page. With the Spirit, those words become living truth that shapes the heart and the life.

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth.” He says, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13, ASV). This means the Holy Spirit does not bring new teachings of His own. He takes what Jesus has already said and makes it clear, real, and personal. Sanctification happens as the Spirit leads a person deeper into the truth Jesus taught.

The Holy Spirit works first on the heart. Jesus said that what defiles a person comes from within, from the heart. In the same way, holiness must begin within. This is why God promised long ago to work inside His people. He said He would place His Spirit within them so they could walk in His ways. The Spirit changes desires, corrects thinking, and makes sin visible instead of hidden. A person begins to see sin as God sees it, not to condemn, but to heal.

The Holy Spirit also convicts. Jesus said, “And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8, ASV). Conviction is not the same as accusation. Accusation drives a person away from God. Conviction calls a person back to God. When the Spirit shows something that is wrong, it is an invitation to repent and be restored, not an excuse to despair.

The Holy Spirit strengthens obedience. Sanctification is not passive. A person must choose to listen and follow. But the strength to obey does not come from pride or self-confidence. It comes from God. The Spirit gives understanding, patience, and power to do what is right, even when the flesh resists. This is how obedience becomes possible without becoming legalism.

The Holy Spirit also keeps a person abiding in Christ. Jesus said the Spirit would dwell in His followers. This is how Christ remains with them after His ascension. The Spirit reminds, teaches, warns, and comforts. When a believer strays, the Spirit pulls the heart back. When a believer grows tired, the Spirit gives endurance. Sanctification is steady because God Himself is present within the believer.
Finally, the Holy Spirit works patiently. He does not rush the process, but He does not excuse sin either. He works day by day, shaping a life over time. The goal is not outward appearance, but inward truth. The Spirit prepares a person to stand before God with a clean heart and a faithful walk.

So sanctification is God at work within a willing heart. The Father sets the purpose. The Son provides the truth and the example. The Holy Spirit applies that truth to the heart and gives power to walk in it. This is how God completes the work He begins in those who truly belong to Him.
 
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Cooperation in Sanctification – God’s Work and Our Response

Sanctification is God’s work, but it is never meant to make a person passive. God does not force obedience or faith. He invites, teaches, and strengthens, but a person must respond. The Bible shows clearly that sanctification requires both God’s Spirit working within and a willing heart acting in faith and obedience.

Jesus calls His followers to abide in Him (John 15:4). This is not optional. Abiding is a choice, a daily decision to stay connected to Christ, to listen to His words, and to follow them. “If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32). The Spirit works in the heart to guide and remind, but the person must choose to listen.

Faith and obedience are not separate from God’s work—they are the response that opens the heart to His Spirit. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). God gives understanding, strength, and desire, but the believer must act. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”(Philippians 2:12–13). Notice carefully: God works in us to will and to do, but we are called to work out what He is doing.

The Old Testament also shows this balance. God calls His people to obey, but He provides His Spirit to enable it. “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them”(Leviticus 20:7–8). Obedience is not a burden when God’s Spirit is at work. The Spirit transforms the desire to obey from a duty into a delight.

Human responsibility is a safeguard. It ensures that sanctification is real and personal. If a person refuses to listen, ignore correction, or resist God’s Spirit, growth stops. “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Love is both the reason and the evidence of true response. The Spirit works, but the heart must yield.
 
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Fruit as Evidence of Sanctification

Sanctification is a work of God in the heart, producing change in a person’s life. One way the Bible shows this change is through fruit. Fruit is the evidence that God is at work, not the reason God saves or cleanses a person. A tree is known by its fruit, but the fruit is the result of life, not the source of it.

Jesus taught this clearly. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit”(Matthew 7:17). Fruit reveals what is inside. It shows the condition of the heart. A person may speak well or appear righteous, but if the heart is wrong, the life will show it (Matthew 12:33).

The disciples repeated the same principle. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). Obedience, love, patience, and other godly behaviors are evidence that God’s Spirit is shaping a person. They are signs of sanctification, not the cause of it. The work begins in the heart, through God’s word and Spirit, and the fruit naturally follows.

The Old Testament also teaches this. “Bring forth fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8, quoting Isaiah 1:16–17). True repentance changes the way a person lives. God does not want mere words or rituals. He wants hearts that are alive and produce life in action.

Fruit can grow slowly. God is patient. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” — qualities Jesus Himself taught and modeled (Matthew 5:3–12; John 15:1–11). Evidence of God’s work also appears when the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, changing their hearts and lives (Acts 10:44–46). Growth is gradual, not instant. When fruit is absent, it may show that the heart is resisting, not that God’s work is failing.

This understanding guards against two mistakes. One: thinking that outward works earn God’s approval. Two: thinking that lack of visible fruit means God is not always at work. Fruit is the natural byproduct of a life submitted to God, guided by His Spirit, and built on His word. It is the evidence, not the source, of sanctification.
 
vassal said:
Fruit as Evidence of Sanctification

Sanctification is a work of God in the heart, producing change in a person’s life. One way the Bible shows this change is through fruit. Fruit is the evidence that God is at work, not the reason God saves or cleanses a person. A tree is known by its fruit, but the fruit is the result of life, not the source of it.

Jesus taught this clearly. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit”(Matthew 7:17). Fruit reveals what is inside. It shows the condition of the heart. A person may speak well or appear righteous, but if the heart is wrong, the life will show it (Matthew 12:33).

The disciples repeated the same principle. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). Obedience, love, patience, and other godly behaviors are evidence that God’s Spirit is shaping a person. They are signs of sanctification, not the cause of it. The work begins in the heart, through God’s word and Spirit, and the fruit naturally follows.

The Old Testament also teaches this. “Bring forth fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8, quoting Isaiah 1:16–17). True repentance changes the way a person lives. God does not want mere words or rituals. He wants hearts that are alive and produce life in action.

Fruit can grow slowly. God is patient. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” — qualities Jesus Himself taught and modeled (Matthew 5:3–12; John 15:1–11). Evidence of God’s work also appears when the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, changing their hearts and lives (Acts 10:44–46). Growth is gradual, not instant. When fruit is absent, it may show that the heart is resisting, not that God’s work is failing.

This understanding guards against two mistakes. One: thinking that outward works earn God’s approval. Two: thinking that lack of visible fruit means God is not always at work. Fruit is the natural byproduct of a life submitted to God, guided by His Spirit, and built on His word. It is the evidence, not the source, of sanctification.
Click to expand...

"Fruit" in Matthew when properly understood is connected to the Torah, fruit represents covenant outcomes and the result of a person's leadership..knowing them by their fruit is knowing them by their followers.
 
Cameron143 said:
Fruit in Matthew 3:8 is outward evidence of internal reality.
Click to expand...

As well,

Read it in context .. John the Baptist is telling the scribes and Pharisees to return to the Torah and be ready for the Messiah.

What you asserting does not make sense according to the audience receiving the message.
 
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