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What is Sanctification?

The Golden Text in this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson is from II Thessalonians (2:13):

“…God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”

Well, that sounds like a good thing and it is – but the language seemed a bit pompous and its wordiness camouflaged for me what it was trying to say.

Firstly, I was grateful for the Biblical confirmation and reminder that we are all made to believe in the truth, since lately I’ve heard some folks say they believe that ethics are what matters, not the truth. This is troubling to me when I value truth so much as to think of Truth as another name for God. Truth is not dispensable and is always expedient.

Beyond that, I really benefitted this morning from slowing way down, and looking up each word in this part of the verse both in the dictionary and the thesaurus. The meanings I found especially highlighted the word “sanctification” for me in a way the illuminated the whole passage, so I thought I’d share my gleanings below. Maybe you are like me and sanctification is not a word you use all the time?

“Sanctification of the Spirit” means:

• I am made holy, sacred
• I am consecrated, set apart
• I am purified and free from sin
• I am legitimate
• I am entitled to reverence or respect
• I am made conducive to receiving spiritual blessings
• I am purged
• I am absolved
• I am acquitted
• I am approved
• I am confirmed
• I am redeemed
• I am supported
• I am condoned
• I am accepted

I have been “chosen” for this and so have you.

Yes, indeed, this is wonderful news.

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