JESUS OUR SANCTIFIER

Nathan Kliewer, Executive Pastor of Ministries

Many Christians can clearly articulate when they were saved, but far fewer can describe how they are being changed. We rejoice in forgiveness, yet often live as though transformation were optional. Over time this leaves the church spiritually thin: forgiven, but powerless; informed, but unchanged. Into this quiet anemia, the Christian and Missionary Alliance proclaims a bold and hopeful truth: Jesus is not only our Savior—He is our Sanctifier.

Sanctification begins with God Himself. Scripture declares that God is holy, utterly set apart, untainted by sin. In Christ, that holiness is no longer distant or unreachable. Through Jesus, holiness moves from the temple into the human heart. In the New Testament, believers are described as already holy—set apart in Christ—yet continually being made holy as they grow in obedience and intimacy with Him. This is the beautiful tension of sanctification: we are declared holy and we are being made holy.

Jesus our Sanctifier does not merely forgive sin; He confronts it, heals it, and replaces it with His own life. As A.B. Simpson insisted, sanctification is not about self-improvement or moral effort, but about union with a living Person. We are not filled with an influence or an experience—we are filled with Christ Himself. Holiness, then, is not behavior modification; it is shared life.

This sanctified life is made possible through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. At conversion, the Spirit comes to live within us as God’s gift. Yet Scripture consistently calls believers to be filled with the Spirit—to live under His influence, direction, and power. Sanctification is not a one-time spiritual achievement; it is a daily surrender. As Paul writes, we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, learning to present our whole selves—body, mind, and will—to God.

Jesus illustrates this life of sanctification in John 15 with the image of the vine and branches. “Remain in me,” He says, “and you will bear much fruit.” Apart from Him, we can do nothing. The sanctified life flows from closeness with Jesus—abiding, listening, obeying. As we remain, the Father lovingly prunes what hinders growth, shaping our character, so that Christ’s life might be seen more clearly in us. Pruning is rarely comfortable, but it is always purposeful.

As Christ sanctifies us, visible fruit begins to appear. Desires shift. Old habits lose their grip. Love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control slowly replace the restless striving of the old self. But sanctification does not end with inner change alone. A Spirit-filled life also overflows into mission. Jesus our Sanctifier empowers His people to serve, to witness, to pray with authority, and to bring freedom to those bound by sin and darkness. Holiness is never an escape from the world—it is God’s means of engaging it with redemptive power.

Simpson reminded the church that the sanctified life is not a reservoir we fill once and draw from indefinitely, but a spring—a moment-by-moment dependence on Christ’s fullness. This life requires hunger, surrender, and availability. The Spirit fills those who are willing to be emptied of self, openhearted toward God, and yielded to His will.

Yet sanctification also brings challenges. Pride resists surrender. Comparison distracts us from our own growth. Pruning exposes attachments we would rather keep. Still, the invitation remains: a deeper life with Jesus, marked by increasing freedom, greater love, and genuine spiritual power.

Jesus our Sanctifier calls us beyond settled faith and comfortable Christianity. He invites us into a holy life—not withdrawn or joyless, but vibrant, surrendered, and fully alive in Him.

Some Questions to dialogue with Jesus about:

• Where have you settled for forgiveness without transformation in your walk with Christ?

• What might the Holy Spirit be pruning in your life right now and how are you responding?

• Are there areas where you are resisting surrender or trying to manage holiness on your own?

• What does it look like, practically, for you to “remain in Christ” each day?

• How might Jesus be inviting you into a deeper, more Spirit-filled life of holiness and mission?