The Misunderstood “S” Word
Written May 3, 2026 by Randy Miller
Growing up being taught an Wesleyan-Armenian doctrine and theology, I heard a word preached from the pulpit a lot: sanctification.
As a kid, it was a bit complicated for me to understand. In a revival service at my local church at the age of 9, I asked God to forgive me of my sins. He did that and I was sincere about wanting to live a Christian life.
But, as I became a teenager and continued to hear sanctification preached, I finally understood it. An evangelist at our denomination’s camp meeting service when I was 16 explained it where I could understand it. When a person asks Christ to forgive them of their sins, He does indeed do it, but there’s still that carnal nature inside our hearts that makes us do and say things we don’t want to do.
He used Romans 8:6-10 as the basis of his sermon. Here are the verses from the King James Version:
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Then, for me, it clicked. God helped me understand that, while I had asked for forgiveness of my sins, I had not asked the Holy Spirit to come into my heart, take my carnal nature out, and replace that carnal nature with his Holy Spirit.
When I did that, I committed my life totally to Him. That’s sanctification.
It’s also defined in the Word, in 1 Corinthians 6:11, among many other verses:
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
And, when I did that, and asked God to direct my life in everything—the big things and the small things—my Christian walk grew deeper as a result.
That’s not to say that Satan still didn’t throw darts at me. He still does. But, with the Holy Spirit in my life, I have a companion, a friend, someone I can always count on, someone that is always there 24/7 to talk to and help me resist temptation.
Remember, Satan isn’t working on those who don’t know Christ. He’s focusing 100% of time on those who asked Christ to forgive them of their sins, and asked the Holy Spirit to take that carnal nature out of their hearts, and replace it with His Holy Spirit.
My walk with Christ is a daily one. Everyone’s is. But, having the Holy Spirit in my life has meant all the difference in the world.
