Christian Formation

What is sanctification?

Sanctification is the work of God’s grace by which people are made holy and conformed to Christ. Christian traditions agree that holiness is grounded in Christ and the Spirit, but differ over how sanctification relates to justification, sacraments, human cooperation, perfection, and final glory.

The question

Where the disagreement lies

The word can describe a decisive setting apart, a lifelong transformation, and the final completion of holiness. The readings below share biblical language while giving different weight to growth in obedience, participation in divine life, the means of grace, and the possibility of deeper or entire holiness in this life.

Key texts

Different Perspectives

TransparencySources, generation and reviewHuman review pending

AI generation record

System
OpenAI Codex AI assistant
Generated
14 August 2026
Review
Human review pending

The AI synthesized the draft from the listed biblical and theological sources. Associations describe broad affinities, not formal endorsements by every person or tradition represented.

  1. Westminster Assembly, Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 13: Of Sanctification

    A Reformed account of sanctification as God’s work of renewal, with continuing conflict against sin in this life.

  2. Catechism of the Catholic Church, In Brief: Sanctifying Grace

    A Catholic summary of sanctifying grace, renewal, growth, and the perfection of charity.

  3. Orthodox Church in America, The Orthodox Faith: Theosis

    An Orthodox account of holiness as participation in God’s life and transformation in Christ.

  4. John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

    Wesley’s account of perfect love, continuing grace, and the limits of what Christian perfection means.

  5. The United Methodist Church, What did John Wesley mean by moving on to perfection?

    A contemporary Methodist explanation of Wesleyan holiness and perfect love.

  6. Michael J. Gorman, Inhabiting the Cruciform God

    A participationist account of Paul’s cruciform theology and the shape of Christian transformation.

  7. The United Methodist Church, Our Wesleyan Heritage

    A Methodist overview of holiness, grace, discipleship, and the social shape of Christian formation.