Sanctification is the word; spiritual growth, the fact.

The word “sanctify” means to “set apart.”

“From what?”

From sin, darkness, ignorance.

But that’s not all. If we were only set apart from, then we’d not be set apart to. You see, we’d be pale nothings, if we were merely removed from something—vacuums.

But the world abhors a vacuum; something always rushes in to fill up the empty space. You don’t want to be like the house swept clean into which seven devils moved, do you?

OK, so you won’t talk. I’ll tell you anyway—the setting apart must be replaced by the setting unto.

“Unto what?”

So you are involved after all!

To what? To righteousness, true light, and knowledge.

So, Christianity isn’t a negative thing, whereby we rid ourselves of something; it’s a positive thing whereby the negative is pushed off by the positive, leaving no space between, where error, sin darkness may creep in during the transition.

So, Christian growth is a matter of replacement—putting on the biblical alternative to the sinful belief, attitude, or behavior that is put off.

“Replacement, eh? I think I’ve got it.”

Let’s get rid of thinking negatively about sanctification. It should be a positive, joint adventure with God as you attain to new understanding of and obedience to God and His will.