stepping into sanctification
I’ve been learning more about the sanctification process through my church Church of the City (NY). They have an awesome series called Formed, which talks about the steps to salvation — justification, sanctification, and glorification. Sanctification is the process of becoming more like the likeness of Jesus Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Three actions that catalyze the process of sanctification are affliction, mortification, and vivification. Affliction is the process of suffering all Christians go through the same way Jesus suffered, mortification is the process of putting to death sin, and vivification is the renewal of the soul by the Holy Spirit.
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” - Romans 8:13.
Throughout the past year, I’ve been stepping into discipleship with Jesus. I’m reading Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer, and it talks about how apprenticeship to Jesus will lead to eventual glorification and entering the kingdom of Heaven. Not everyone who is baptized will enter Heaven. In Catholicism, baptism is the first sacrament of initiation that is necessary for salvation, but commitment to life with Jesus is necessary to reach glorification.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 7:21.
Repentance is necessary to put to death sin and break out of the cycle of sin and shame. Along with taking Eucharist and fasting, repentance offers Christians a way to put to death their sins. It is part of mortification of the flesh. In Catholic church, we piously kneel before taking Eucharist and afterwards as well, to confess our sins to the Lord and show humility and submission. Going to Catholic church has been transformed me and has helped reform my thinking patterns and my mind. As John Mark Comer says, you can retrain your mind to abide in the presence of God by following practices and habits. This is the process of vivification — being renewed of the spirit to be like Jesus Christ.
Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. - Hebrews 12:6-13.
Through practice, we can train our minds to “rest in God amid the entropy of life.” My study Bible says God is like an Olympic coach in a way, training you and coaching you to help you reach salvation through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has guided me in my spiritual practices. In my daily practice, I start the day with reading John and Psalms and going into a time of prayer and conferring with the Holy Spirit. Throughout the day, I open my Bible and let the Holy Spirit guide me. The Holy Spirit offers guidance and a sense of comfort in the unknown.
In their hearts humans plan their course but the Lord establish their steps - Proverbs 16:9.
The Lord has established my steps in sanctification. Affliction was the first part and it may not be the last I see of suffering. Everyone suffers in this life until Jesus comes again and establishes the new Heavens and the new Earth. Through prayer, repentance, Communion, fasting, worship, and Bible study, I am going further in the sanctification process.
For anyone who wishes to delve deeper in their own sanctification process, here is a simple prayer:
Lord, my Father in Heaven, you are the perfect one, and the perfecter of my faith. Guide my steps in becoming more like Jesus day by day, as in Proverbs 16:9, in their hearts humans plan their course but the Lord establishes their steps. Help me establish the daily habits and rituals necessary to put to death my sins and be renewed in my spirit. I see the prize at the end of the race which is salvation. I pray I will be redeemed by your grace and saved by your love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
