3 For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;

7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

8 Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.

— 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7-8

Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

— Hebrews 12:14

21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—

22 to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

— Ephesians 4:21-24

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:23

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

— 2 Peter 3:18

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

Rejecting or resisting sanctification is equivalent to refusing to grow in faith because sanctification is the very process of spiritual growth. In Christian’s real life, while justification is the one-time act of being declared righteous, sanctification is the lifelong, ongoing transformation by the Holy Spirit that makes a believer’s actual life align with their holy status in Christ.  Christians stunted in their growth can be entrusted with little. To live primarily as consumers who demand to be served by God and others leaves us crippled by self-focus and unable to lead others in glorifying God.

Sanctification molds a Christian like an athlete in training. Often unpleasant, Christian discipline includes conditioning, learning from mistakes, selt-sacrifice, and putting others priorities ahead of our own. Sanctification builds spiritual muscle and strengthens believers to grow beyond limits that seem impossible. Sanctification gives room for the Holy Spirit’s supernatural work that empowers believers to become progressively attuned and obedient to God’s will.