In one of my college classes, we went over the terms justification and sanctification. Justification, concerning the Christian faith, is defined as “being declared righteous.” Sanctification is defined as “making one righteous or holy.” There are probably more elaborate definitions, but for the sake of this blog, let’s keep it simple.

As the semester went on, my peers and I touched on other areas of theology, but justification and sanctification were often highlighted. The two cannot be separated from one another - a follower of Christ cannot be only justified or only sanctified - they are a “double grace” as theologian John Calvin put it.

“Let us sum these up. Christ was given to us by God’s generosity, to be grasped and possessed by us in faith. By partaking of him, we principally receive a double grace: namely, that being reconciled to God through Christ’s blamelessness (justification), we may have in heaven instead of a Judge a gracious Father; and secondly, that sanctified by Christ’s Spirit (sanctification) we may cultivate blamelessness and purity of life.” (Institutes 3.11.1)

Therefore, as we receive Christ in faith, we are justified and sanctified because of Him. However, sanctification is a process - a process which Justin emphasized in the sermon on Sunday. We are still broken, fallible people while we reside here on earth. Our failures, our shame, and ultimately, our sinfulness, are constant reminders that we cannot renew ourselves by ourselves. We need Jesus.

Sanctification happens as Jesus rebuilds us and as we let go of our old, dehumanizing ways. It takes time. But isn’t it a wonderful reality when we accept that our failures aren’t here to bring us down, but actually to lift us up to Christ? He is always there waiting to pick us up and take us in. When we sit in the shame of our failures, it puts the emphasis on ourselves and our shortcomings; but when we sit in the grief of our failures, we acknowledge that we have shortcomings, yet there is someone Greater who holds us. Our failures no longer define us. Even our successes no longer define us. It is Christ who shapes us, molds us, defines us.

~Chelsea Warren