Sanctification: The Path of Surrender, Not Self-Improvement
📖 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus… He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” —Philippians 2:5,8
The Christian life is often misunderstood as a journey of self-improvement—an obligation to strive toward Christlikeness by adopting His virtues. Many well-meaning believers attempt to develop patience, love, humility, and obedience, thinking that spiritual maturity comes through their own disciplined effort. But Scripture presents a far different reality: sanctification is not about becoming better but about surrendering deeper so that Christ’s life alone is seen.
Sanctification is not a process of gradual self-improvement, where we work on character development and add godly attributes to our lives. Instead, it is the Holy Spirit leading us into a continual yielding—a deeper and fuller recognition that we have no life of our own and that Christ is our only source of life. True transformation comes not through effort but through abiding in Him, ceasing from self-effort so that He may live through us.
The Mind of Christ: Humility, Emptying, and Obedience
Philippians 2:5-8 gives us the defining characteristics of Christ’s life:
Self-emptying – “He made Himself of no reputation.”
Humility – “He took upon Him the form of a servant.”
Obedience to death – “He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death.”
Many attempt to develop these attributes through disciplined effort, thinking that sanctification means trying to be humble, trying to serve, and trying to be obedient. But this approach keeps self at the center—it assumes that the old selfcan somehow be trained to become like Christ. Yet Scripture declares that the flesh cannot be reformed:
📖 “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” —Romans 8:7
Instead of improving the flesh, the Holy Spirit brings us into deeper surrender so that Christ Himself expresses these qualities through us. We do not become more humble—we cease striving so that His humility manifests in us. We do not become more obedient—we yield, and His obedience is seen in us.
Paul’s Struggle: Learning to Cease from Self-Effort
Paul himself had to learn this truth through experience. Romans 7 describes his intense struggle with self-effort:
📖 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” —Romans 7:18
Before fully grasping the exchanged life, Paul was attempting to make his flesh obey God’s law. He had not yet realized that the flesh is incapable of holiness. The breakthrough came when he recognized that there is an absolute distinctionbetween the old life and the new:
📖 “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord… There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus… For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” —Romans 7:25, 8:1-2
He finally understood: victory is not found in trying harder but in ceasing from self-effort and walking by faith in the Spirit’s work.
Christ’s Life, Not Our Own
This brings us to the heart of the matter: sanctification is not about making ourselves more like Christ—it is about yielding so that Christ is seen instead of us.
📖 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” —Galatians 2:20
The Christian life is not self-improvement; it is self-replacement. Christ does not give us strength to become more patient, more loving, or more humble—He Himself is our patience, love, and humility. Our role is simply to yield, allowing His life to be expressed through us.
The Vine and the Branches: Abiding, Not Striving
Jesus illustrated this truth in John 15:
📖 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me… for without me ye can do nothing.” —John 15:4-5
A branch does not strive to produce fruit—it simply remains connected to the vine. The life of the vine flows into the branch, producing fruit naturally. In the same way, we do not produce sanctification through effort—the Holy Spirit forms Christ’s life in us as we abide.
This means that the Christian life is not a call to strive, but an invitation to rest in the sufficiency of Christ within.
Sanctification Through Death and Resurrection
Paul explains that true sanctification follows the pattern of death and resurrection:
📖 “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” —2 Corinthians 4:10-11
We are not being improved—we are being brought into deeper surrender so that Christ’s death works in us, leading to the manifestation of His life.
Conclusion: Sanctification is Surrender
Many believe sanctification means striving to become like Christ, but Scripture teaches that true growth comes through yielding to Christ as our life. The only thing that can truly be "formed" in us is a deeper surrender—the mind of Christ that empties, humbles, and obeys unto death so that His life may be seen.
This means that our focus is not on developing virtues but on letting go of self-effort, trusting that the Holy Spirit is the one who accomplishes the transformation. The more we cease from striving, the more Christ is seen.
📖 “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” —Philippians 2:13
The Christian life is not an obligation to strive but an invitation to rest.
A Prayer of Trust
Father, I thank You that in Christ, I lack nothing. You have already made full provision for my sanctification through the indwelling life of Christ. I rest in Your sufficiency, knowing that I am not called to manage or improve the flesh, but to yield to the Spirit's work in me. Thank You that Christ is my life, and as I abide in Him, His love, humility, and obedience are made manifest through me. I trust You fully to accomplish what only You can do. Amen.
đź“· Photo Credit: Unsplash
đź“– Devotional Credit: Abide Above