Sanctification

Definition and Meaning

Sanctification means "being made holy." Protestantism distinguishes it from justification. Justification is God's act of declaring a sinner righteous. Sanctification is the process by which a person so justified actually grows in holiness in daily life with the help of the Holy Spirit. Justification is often described as a change of status, and sanctification as a change of life. Most denominations agree that both belong to salvation. Views differ, however, on how far sanctification can be realized in this life.

Biblical and Historical Background

Scripture calls believers "saints," meaning holy ones, and exhorts them to pursue holiness (1 Peter 1:16; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

After the Reformation, the following understandings took shape among the various traditions:

• Reformed: Sanctification is viewed as a lifelong, progressive process that is not completed in this life. Chapter 13 of the Westminster Confession of Faith treats sanctification separately, confessing that it extends to the whole person yet remains imperfect in this life.
• Lutheran: As expressed in Martin Luther's phrase "at the same time righteous and a sinner" (simul justus et peccator), justification is placed at the center, and sanctification is understood as its fruit.
• Wesleyan: In the eighteenth century, John Wesley taught that "Christian perfection" (entire sanctification), in which the heart is made perfect in love toward God and neighbor, is attainable even in this life (1 Thessalonians 5:23). He explained that this does not mean a state entirely free from mistakes or infirmities. This stream of thought continued into the nineteenth-century Holiness movement.

Sanctification in Korean Churches

• Reformed denominations, including the Presbyterian churches, teach sanctification as a lifelong process that follows justification. They emphasize the Word, prayer, and the sacraments as means of sanctification.
• The Korean Methodist Church has inherited the doctrine of sanctification found in Wesleyan theology as part of its doctrinal heritage.
• The Korea Evangelical Holiness Church and the Jesus Korea Sungkyul Church proclaim the "Fourfold Gospel" of regeneration, sanctification (holiness), divine healing, and the Second Coming. They emphasize the experience of holiness received by faith subsequent to regeneration, and the Korea Nazarene Church likewise holds entire sanctification as a core doctrine.
• Pentecostal bodies such as the Assemblies of God often understand baptism in the Holy Spirit as empowerment for service, distinct from sanctification.

In congregational life, practices such as quiet time, discipleship training, and fasting are sometimes presented as disciplines for sanctification. At the same time, some theologians and pastors have argued that the Korean church, while emphasizing assurance of salvation and justification, has given relatively little attention to sanctification.