Sanctifying Grace — Entire Sanctification
This is Methodism's most distinctive contribution to Christian theology. Wesley taught that God does not stop with forgiveness — He intends to make us holy. Sanctifying grace is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that conforms us to Christ. Wesley called the goal "Christian perfection" or "entire sanctification" — not sinless infallibility, but a heart so filled with love of God and neighbor that nothing else competes. These twelve passages anchor the doctrine.
What Scripture says
All quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
-
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
The Methodist classic text. "Sanctify you ENTIRELY." Whole spirit, soul, body. He will do it.
-
Matthew 5:48
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Jesus' own command. Wesley refused to dismiss it as merely aspirational.
-
Hebrews 12:14
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.
Without which no man will see the Lord. Sanctification is not optional spiritual extra credit.
-
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Transformation by the renewing of the mind. Sanctification works in real time and changes how we think.
-
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
From glory to glory — a progressive transformation, not a static state.
-
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
He who began will complete. Sanctification is His project, not ours.
-
1 John 3:2-3
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
We WILL be like Him. And the hope itself purifies us now.
-
1 Peter 1:15-16
but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."
Be holy. Imperative. Made possible by the indwelling Holy One.
-
Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you... I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them.
The new covenant promise. He CAUSES us to walk. The Spirit empowers what He commands.
-
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Fruit of the Spirit grows as sanctification advances. Real character change, observable.
-
Romans 6:11-14
Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore don't let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts... For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.
Sin will NOT have dominion over you. Wesley refused to treat sin as inevitable for the believer.
-
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.
Perfect love. Wesley's favorite description of Christian perfection: a heart so full of God's love that fear is cast out.
A prayer
O Spirit of God, do not stop at forgiving me. Make me holy. Fill me with the love of God and neighbor until it is the dominant note of my life. I cannot do this. You can. Take me on to perfection. Amen.