Lent - Day 36 (March 31)

Larger Catechism – Day 36 of Lent

Question 75:  What is sanctification?

Answer:  Sanctification is a work of God’s grace for those whom God has chosen to be holy before the beginning of the world and to whom in time the powerful operation of the Spirit applies the death and resurrection of Christ. They are thus renewed in their whole persons after the image of God, have the seeds of repentance unto life and all the other saving graces put into their hearts, and these graces are so aroused, increased, and strengthened that they more and more die to sin and rise into newness of life.

It has been said that over time a dog owner begins to look like their dog.  True?  False?  Maybe?  All I know is that many times a dog owner does look like their dog.  

Dave Ramsey says that if you want to become financially secure (wealthy) then you need to see what financially secure (wealthy) people do and then do those things.  He also says that if you want to be poor (because of bad financial choices) then see what those people do and then do those things.

Many, many years ago Bill Gothard of Basic Youth Conflicts told young people to never say, “I am not going to raise my kids like my mom and dad did,” because if we focus on way our parents raised us (even if we didn’t like it) then that is how we will raise our kids.

Simply put, we tend to become like those things on which we focus.

Spiritually speaking, as we follow Christ, doing the things that he told us to do and modeling our lives after his life we will begin to look and act more like Christ.

Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit enables us to die to sin and live into the newness of life that we have in Christ Jesus.  The more we live into that newness of life the more we will resemble Jesus.

Christ’s followers were first called “Christians” at Antioch.  They were called “Christians” because it meant “little Christs”.  Jesus’ followers resembled their Lord and master.

The sanctification of Christ’s followers is a life-long process.  We will not be perfect in this lifetime.  However, over time the Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christ’s followers to help us be more like Christ.