Sanctification

 Sanctification 

 

The process of becoming holier

 

Let’s say you’ve got a blank sheet of paper and some paintbrushes and paint. What would you do with that? You’d make something awesome, wouldn’t you? You’d take your time and keep working until your painted picture was finished. 

When God saves us from sin, His Spirit starts working on our hearts, just like painting a really awesome picture. He wants us to become more and more holy, like He is, and He won’t stop working until His work in us is finished. 

On our own, we are selfish and only care about getting what we want. But God changes our hearts so that we love what is good and want what he wants. 

We do our part by choosing to obey. Instead of just going along with whatever our friends are doing, we’ll think, ‘What does God say about this?’ We’ll find out by reading the Bible. We’ll pray, ‘God, help me follow You.’

Life on earth is getting us ready for something. Can you guess what that might be? For living in heaven! Heaven is a holy place. Each time we obey, we become more like Jesus, more like people who will be at home in heaven. 

But when we mess up, God won’t give up on us. The Bible tells us, “God began doing a good work in you. And he will continue it until it is finished” (Phil 1.6) – in heaven.

 

Luke 19.1-8

 

Zacchaeus's job was to gather people ‘s money for paying taxes. He was sneaky and greedy, though – he took extra money from people so he could get rich. But when Zacchaeus met Jesus, he decided he wanted something better than sneaking and stealing. He said, “I won’t do that anymore. I’ll give back what I took – no, four times that! And I’ll give half of my money to the poor!” God was working on Zacchaeus’s heart to make him holier – and that’s called sanctification!

 

 

With a parent’s help, get a piece of foil that is as wide as your shoulders. Close your eyes, then slowly and gently press the foil onto your face until it is touching every part of your face like a mask. Carefully pull it off and see what it looks like. Your face changed the shape of the foil – so it looks like you – just like God changes us to be like Him. 

 

God, thank You for making me holy like You!