Growing Up

For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:19

He insisted on creating a garden beside his new country home, but the iron ore boulders stood in the way! Daddy persevered. He’d already sold off the largest ones for the iron, but he had to heave the mid-sized ones over the fence one-by-one. Even though only smaller ones eventually remained, they continued to ‘show up!’ Seems novice gardeners soon discover that stones continue to work their way to the surface of the soil! Clearing the land would never totally end on that rocky hilltop. That’s how it is with our own maturing in Christ, our sanctification. It’s never finished, a principle believers learn just like my gardener daddy learned about rock clearing. We’ll continue to grow up in Christ until the time we actually see Him face-to-face.

John recorded these powerful words of Jesus: For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified. Jesus consecrated himself as God’s sacrifice for sin so that by his sacrificial act we too might be sanctified, consecrated for him. Don’t let yourself feel intimidated by words like sanctification. It joins with others like atonement, reconciliation, redemption and justification. Each word addresses a dimension of God’s grace involved in his gift of salvation. To connect their significance, I came up with a summary. See if this helps you grasp how they fit together.

His atonement (the sacrifice that cancels my sin) brings me into reconciliation (a restored relationship with God) through the process of redemption (setting me free). As a result, my justification (being declared not guilty) leads to a life of sanctification (growing in maturity in Christ).* Hallelujah is the only thing left to say!

Father, thank you for your solution for our sin and separation from you. Thank you for the sacrificial gift of your Son that made a way for us to be reconciled to you, redeemed from our sin, justified in your presence, and sanctified so we can continue to mature in our Christian faith. What an amazing God you are!

*Women at the Cross, Revell Books

Linda L