Biblical Answer

The concept of sanctification plays a significant role in our understanding of Christian growth and maturity. Sanctification is the process by which believers grow more and more in likeness to Christ, and it is a continuation of what was begun in regeneration. This process involves the Holy Spirit's strengthening and augmenting of existing graces, such as faith, hope, and charity, and exciting them to more active and effective exercise. Sanctification is a subjective work affecting the inner person, and it is a process that continues throughout the Christian life.

Sanctification is often misunderstood as a one-time experience or a supernatural event, but it is actually a gradual process of moral transformation. It involves the believer's active involvement, but it is not a partnership with the Spirit in the sense that we each do our respective parts. Rather, sanctification is a work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. This process is a constant reenactment of the movement of stepping into the place that the Son of God is holding open for us.

The concept of sanctification is closely tied to the idea of Christian maturity. As believers grow in sanctification, they become more and more like Christ, and their relationship with God deepens. This process involves a gradual removal of the remains of sin in the outward life, and a growing experience of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives and ministries. Sanctification is not a destination, but a journey, and it is something that the New Testament encourages believers to give effort and attention to. By understanding and embracing the concept of sanctification, believers can experience a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God, and grow in their likeness to Christ.