Struggle for Sanctification

Sanctification is hard.  Sanctification is the process of growth by which believers are made into the image and likeness of Jesus.  It is a life-long journey, one in which we assess who we are in light of His Word, repent of that which is not inline with it, and fix our eyes upon Jesus' example.  What makes sanctification so challenging is that we start to see ourselves clearly and honestly.  This can be utterly devastating.

Getting face-to-face with those parts of ourselves that are opposed to Christ is what sanctification is all about.  Unfortunately, this means that we have to confront what is most undesirable within our own depths.  More than unsettling, this is terrifying.  In each of us, behind the layers of propriety and pretense, each of us has a root sin nature.  It is this sin nature that tugs and pulls us to make poor decisions.  Sanctification seeks to strike at the root of sin with the axe of the Word, cutting out the parts of ourselves that are at odds with Christ's desires.

Sanctification is God's work.  He does it by the power of His Word and the action of the Holy Spirit (John 15:3; 17:17; 1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Thes. 2:13).  Practically speaking, there is a two-part method in dealing with the Word.  First, consistent reading and disciplined, guided interpretation is essential to mine the wealth of riches that is the Word.  Second, the principles and truths of the Bible must be applied to our lives.  In both of these steps, the Holy Spirit guides and causes everything to occur.  However, we do play a role in the process.  We are to be obedient and active in the process.

The process of sanctification is what separates mature Christians from immature Christians.  Apart from  sanctification, no believer can grow into the person God intends them to be.  It is this process that helps us develop beyond our current state and past the stumbling block that is our sin nature.  The Lord wants so much for us and He promises to deliver us from our lowly states.

He wants us to devote ourselves to Him, hook, line, and sinker.  The difficulty is that it requires us to address the reality of ourselves in light of what God wants of and for us.  This tough and crippling.  Luckily, the Lord heals us by His Word and helps us to overcome our shortcomings.  Praise be to God, for He is the plumb line to guide our ways!