Are you fluent in Christianese? Christianese is the insider language that church people speak, which may sound confusing or odd to non-Christians. Words or phrases like traveling mercies, hedge of protection, the balm of Gilead, justification, any unspokens, if that don’t get you fired up your wood’s wet, wanna join my d-group, my small group, my cell group, my Sunday School class, glorification, hallelujah, we had a sweet time of fellowship, can I get an amen.

Oh man, we could go on and on. Some of them are just words or phrases that have risen up in the church culture, but others are true Bible words. And one of those words that is total Christianese but also a Bible word is the word “sanctification.” That’s a word that’s probably never used outside of Christian circles, but it’s a word every Christian should know because it’s in the Bible. More importantly, it’s a concept every Christian should pursue.

That was Apostle Paul’s heart for us as he closed out the book of 1 Thessalonians. He wrote, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Thes 5:23).

To be sanctified or to experience sanctification is to grow in holiness. It’s to remove sinfulness from our thoughts, desires, and actions. It’s to be more like Jesus, who was perfectly sinless. And that’s what God wants to do in your life. He wants to sanctify you and cleanse you of any and all junk.

If you are a Christian, you’ve probably already seen the Lord do this to an extent in your life. But He wants to do more. And there are likely some places He had already cleaned out but have gotten messed up again. So, take a look at your life. In your thoughts, desires, and actions, what do you see that’s not holy, what’s not godly, what’s not Christ-like? Those are the areas where God wants to sanctify you. Will you repent of those things and ask God to cleanse you of all unrighteousness?

And if you are not a Christian, Jesus wants to begin your sanctification process by saving from your sins and beginning a relationship with God. Don’t try to clean yourself. You can’t. Let Jesus do it. He’s the only way.

And then maybe you will start speaking some Christianese. Can I get a witness? Every head bowed and every eye closed!

Change begins in you!