What Sanctification Really Means
In a time when many are unfamiliar with theological language, Rev. Leon Stevenson offers a heartfelt and accessible explanation of a word that can sometimes feel out of reach: sanctification. In this inspiring interview clip from Day1 Episode #4192, hosted by Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime, Rev. Stevenson shares how sanctification is not about perfection—but about persistence, prayer, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
With wisdom drawn from both scripture and his own walk of faith, Rev. Stevenson reminds us that growing to look more like Jesus means bringing our whole selves—failures and all—to the cross. His reflections offer encouragement to believers at every stage of their journey and challenge us to pay attention to the subtle signs of spiritual maturity.
Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime
You did a beautiful job of unpacking a word that, especially in a time of declining religious literacy and declining familiarity with some Christian terms—sanctification. Would you unpack that again for us? Because it was just one of the most approachable and fresh ways I'd really heard.
Rev. Leon Stevenson
Yeah, I believe sanctification is this process of looking more like Jesus, and the more we grow and look like him, the more our sinful patterns are revealed. And so we need to constantly be forgiven. Not because we need to constantly get saved again and again, but because we need to constantly realize that. There's aspects of who we are that need to be brought to the cross so that we can look more like Jesus. And thankfully, He gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us to do it.
We can't do it by ourselves, we don't have the strength in and of ourselves. But when he presents it to us, I think that's one of the litmus tests of the mature—what does it look like for you as a mature believer? As God shows you something, to respond in faith, to pray, "God, show me, help me, give me the power to say no," so that the next time I'm not here. And if you are there again, and you are there again, and you are there again, to constantly want to not be there again. That's the true evidence of faithfully walking with Christ.
You might mess up 20 times, but number 21—do you still really hate that you did that? As long as that fire is there, then I think that that's a sign of our desire and maturity.
Rev. Leon Stevenson’s wisdom about sanctification challenges us to view spiritual growth not as a destination, but as a daily journey. His reminder that “we need to constantly realize” what in us still needs refining resonates deeply for those who preach, teach, and live the Christian life.
For preachers, this is a beautiful reminder that sermons are not calls to perfection but invitations to transformation. For theology educators, it’s a way to reintroduce an important concept in a way that resonates beyond the classroom.
Sanctification is not a solo endeavor—it is a Spirit-led journey that calls us to pay attention, confess boldly, and ask for help. It’s a pattern of persistence, not performance.
Reflect on these questions:
- Where in your life are you being shown a pattern that needs to be brought to the cross?
- What does “looking more like Jesus” mean in your current season?
- Are you carrying shame—or are you responding in faith and hope?
- How can we better teach sanctification as a joyful, Spirit-filled journey?
Explore Rev. Dr. Leon Stevenson’s full sermon from episode 4192 >>>
