What Sanctify Means in the Bible

In Plain English

To sanctify is to make holy and set apart for God. It's the lifelong process of becoming more like Him.

What It Means

To make holy, set apart, purify for God's purposes. Sanctification is both a position (we are set apart in Christ) and a process (we are being made more like Him).

What We Usually Mean By It

To make sacred or approve

Word Origin

From 'hagios' (holy, sacred). To hagiazō is to make or declare something holy, to consecrate it for divine use.

What English Loses

The Greek word 'ἁγιάζω' (hagiazō) carries a rich semantic range beyond the English 'sanctify.' It implies setting apart for a divine purpose, making something holy, and involves both a transformative process and a positional status. This word encompasses purification, dedication, and consecration, suggesting a dynamic relationship between the divine and the human. Reading it in Greek highlights the active, ongoing nature of sanctification, which is both an immediate act and a continual process of being made holy.

How It Is Used

In biblical Greek, 'ἁγιάζω' often appears in the aorist tense, indicating a completed action, or in the present tense, suggesting ongoing action. This grammatical usage emphasizes both the decisive nature of God's sanctifying work and the continuous process of being made holy. The verb frequently appears in the imperative mood, highlighting the call to holiness as an active response to divine initiative.

Life in Biblical Times

In the biblical world, 'ἁγιάζω' would resonate deeply with Jewish concepts of holiness, where objects, people, and places were set apart for God's purposes. This cultural understanding reflects a community-oriented holiness, where sanctification involves both individual and collective identity. The term connects to temple practices, where sanctification was a prerequisite for approaching the divine, adding a layer of reverence and awe to its use in the New Testament.

Why It Matters

We are sanctified positionally at conversion, set apart as God's own. We are also being sanctified progressively as the Spirit transforms us. We will be sanctified completely at glorification.

How to Apply It

Sanctification is God's work in you, but you cooperate with it. What habits, relationships, or thoughts is God asking you to set apart from? What needs to be consecrated to Him?

Did You Know?

Jesus sanctified Himself for our sake (John 17:19), not that He needed purifying, but He set Himself apart for the mission of redemption. His sanctification enables ours.

Key Passage

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”John 17:17 (KJV)

Related Words

Holy (hagios), Purify (katharizō), Consecrate (teleioō)