In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul writes:
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy…”
— 1 Corinthians 1:2
The word sanctified can sound lofty — almost reserved for stained glass saints or theologians. But Paul was writing to ordinary believers navigating real life: family tensions, misunderstandings, struggles in faith.
And he tells them something remarkable:
They have been sanctified.
Past tense.
Sanctified Does Not Mean Perfect
To be sanctified does not mean we’ve arrived.
It does not mean flawless patience, heroic virtue, or unwavering devotion.
It means we belong.
Before striving.
Before failing.
Before succeeding.
God has already acted.
Sanctification begins not with our effort — but with His initiative. Christ has set us apart for love.
Called to Be Holy
After reminding the Corinthians who they already are, Paul adds something more:
They are “called to be holy.”
This isn’t pressure.
It’s invitation.
Holiness is not reserved for canonized saints. It is lived quietly:
- In patience with our children
- In integrity at work
- In forgiveness when it costs us
- In prayer when it feels dry
- In choosing love when withdrawing would be easier
Holiness is not manufactured. It is received — and then responded to.
Grace and Growth Together
The beauty of sanctification is that it holds two realities at once:
We are already claimed by Christ.
And we are still being shaped by Him.
We are already loved.
And we are still learning how to love.
We are already set apart.
And we are still walking the path day by day.
That tension is not failure. It is formation.
God is faithful to complete the work He has already begun in us.
Go Deeper
In the Faith Formers newsletter, I shared a more personal reflection on why this word has always stirred my heart — long before I fully understood it — and how it reshapes the way we approach holiness in daily life.
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Recommended Reading on Growing in Holiness
- Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
- The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
- Story of a Soul by St. Thérèse of Lisieux
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