Sanctification Is a Lifelong Work

28 September 2026

The Christian life does not end at conversion. God saves us by grace, but He does not save us so that we can remain unchanged. He calls us to grow. Philippians 2:12–13 gives us a clear picture of sanctification. God works in us, and we work out what He is working in. Mike put it simply: “The will of God is that we grow in our obedience, that we grow in Christ’s likeness.” Sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more like Christ.

There are two ditches we can fall into. We can become like Carl, the “couch potato Christian,” who expects God to make him holy while he remains passive. Or we can become like Tanya, the “tired but trying Christian,” who believes everything depends on her effort. Both approaches miss the biblical balance. Paul commands us, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, CSB). He does not tell us to work for our salvation. Christ has already accomplished our salvation. Instead, because we belong to Christ, we actively pursue holiness. Grace does not make us passive. Grace makes us willing and ready to obey.

Mike reminded us that “Obedience is not the cause of our salvation. Obedience is the result of our salvation.” That distinction matters. Justification is God’s once-for-all declaration that we are righteous in Christ. Sanctification is the ongoing work of transforming us into His likeness. Romans 6:11–12 says, “So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires” (CSB). The Christian life involves a daily battle. We cannot simply wait for holiness to happen. We must put sin to death, pursue righteousness, open God’s Word, pray, and obey. We do not do these things to earn God’s favour. We do them because Christ has already saved us.

So where have you become spiritually passive? Perhaps you have stopped praying consistently. Perhaps God’s Word has become occasional rather than daily. Perhaps you keep excusing the same sin instead of fighting it. Identify one area today and take one practical step toward growth. Do not wait until you feel motivated. Open the Bible. Pray. Confess the sin. Make the difficult choice to obey. If you have children, let them see that following Jesus involves daily obedience, not merely attending church or knowing Bible stories. Your children need to see a father who is actively pursuing Christlikeness. Remember the balance: you are responsible, but you are never alone. God is working in you.

Father, thank You that You have not left us to figure out the Christian life on our own. Thank You for saving us by grace and for continuing Your work in us. Forgive us for our spiritual laziness and for the times we have tried to live in our own strength. Help us to take responsibility for our growth while depending completely on Your Spirit. Make us more like Christ. Give us strength to put sin to death, courage to obey, and a growing desire for holiness. Help us to live today knowing that You are working in us both to will and to work for Your good pleasure. Amen.

Watch the sermon here.

This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.