Dr. David Jeremiah: What Is Sanctification?

Sanctification means “to be set apart, to be made holy.” It is the process by which believers yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do His work in their lives, changing them from the inside out. Theologians have pointed to three phases of the one process of sanctification: the initial act of setting apart at salvation (positional); the ongoing process of becoming more and more set apart and Christlike (progressive); and the final setting apart from sin when believers are made perfect at the coming of Christ (perfected). First Thessalonians 3 and 4 include these three aspects:

(1) Positional Sanctification: I was sanctified— “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (4:7).

(2) Progressive Sanctification: I am being sanctified— “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (4:3).

(3) Perfected Sanctification: I will be sanctified— “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints” (3:13).

*SOURCE: David Jeremiah Study Bible. Nashville, TN.: Worthy, 2013, p. 1687.

Author: lifecoach4God

I am the Lead Pastor of Marin Bible Church (Bay Area), born and raised in Huntington Beach, Ca., and currently living in Novato, California. I am married to my best friend of 30 years - Dana - and have five adult children; and seven grand children. I have been a Teaching Pastor for over thirty years. I was privileged to study at Multnomah University (B.S. - 1988); Talbot School of Theology (M.Div. - 1991); Westminster Theological Seminary & Northwest Graduate School (D. Min. - 2003). I founded Vertical Living Ministries in 2008 with the goal of encouraging Christian Disciples and Leaders to be more intentionally Christ-Centered in how they live by bringing glory to God in nine key areas of life: (1) Intimacy with God, (2) marriage, (3) family, (4) friendship, (5) vocationally/ministry , (6) emotional and physical health, (7) stewardship of resources, (8) discipleship, and (9) mentoring. View all posts by lifecoach4God