Sanctification in Christianity

In Christianity, sanctification (or in its verb form, sanctify) literally means "to set apart for special use or purpose", that is, to make holy or sacred (compare Latin: sanctus). Therefore, sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i.e. "made holy", as a vessel, full of the Holy Spirit. The term can be used to refer to objects which are set apart for special purposes, but the most common use within Christian theology is in reference to the change brought about by God in a believer,[1] begun at the point of salvation and continuing throughout the life of the believer. Many forms of Christianity believe that this process will only be completed in Heaven, but some (particularly conservative Quaker and Methodist traditions, inclusive of the Holiness movement) believe that entire sanctification is possible in this life.[2][3]

  1. ^ Justo L. González, Essential Theological Terms, Westminster John Knox Press, USA, 2005, p. 155
  2. ^ "Christian Perfection: Works of Piety and Mercy". The United Methodist Church. Archived from the original on 2 February 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2011. Christian Perfection is "holiness of heart and life." It is "walking the talk." John Wesley expected Methodists to do not only "works of piety" but "works of mercy"--both of these fused together put a Christian on the path to perfection in love.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stewart1992 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).