The Incredible Ride of Sanctification

My family was blessed to live very near Lake Tahoe for a couple of years during the early 2000’s. If you’ve ever traveled to that region, you know it is one of the most breath-taking places in the United States. The crystal blue lake is crowned on all sides with some of the finest ski slopes in North America. This feels like the right time to tell you that I am not an accomplished snow skier. In fact, I am about as low-functioning of a snow skier as you can imagine. My greatest accomplishment on the slopes was providing entertainment for those on the ski lift as I wiped out at full speed. This wipe-out resulted in my skis and gear flying in different directions, which prompted shouts of “yard sale” for the riders on the lift above. I decided in that moment, as I lay face down in the snow, that I would stick to sports that don’t involve slippery surfaces and steep declines. While I don’t enjoy skiing, I do very much enjoy riding the lift to the top of the mountain and enjoying the incredible views along the way.

As I have reminisced about riding the chair lift on the slopes of Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe, I have come to recognize it as a really helpful way to think about the journey of our sanctification. The illustration in my mind grows out of an incredibly powerful verse found in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 10:14 states, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Stop and think about how profound that statement is for your life. By giving Himself as a ransom for us, Jesus has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. I find that verbiage to be very curious. The whole point of our sanctification is that God is growing us in maturity over the course of our lives. In other words, our sanctification is a journey of sorts, as we are conformed to the image of Jesus. This conformation over time results in us stepping into eternity as Jesus completes the work that He began in us at the time of our justification.

This means that the spiritual journey of our sanctification has a beginning point and an ending point, both of which have been determined by God. However, the starting and ending points (and everything that happens along the way) are controlled by the fact that we have already been perfected by the sacrifice of Jesus. This means that, in one sense, our sanctification has already taken place positionally. And, in another sense, our sanctification is an on-going reality as God grows us in holiness practically over time. But here’s what is most important for us to understand about how all of this works. All of this is God’s work that He is doing according to His timing and His purposes. In other words, while we might determine our disposition and level of contentment along the way, God is really the One doing the work to sanctify us.

I recognize that this can all be a little hard to understand, which is why the illustration of the ski lift is important for me. Just think about how a ski lift works. You don’t do anything to get on the lift. You are instructed to simply stand there and allow the chair to catch you, as you place your weight in it. It is the mechanism of the lift (with it’s motors and cables and chair) that is doing all the work. You simply entrust yourself to the lift. Once you are seated in the chair, there is nothing that you need to do to get to the destination. You will arrive precisely where you are meant to arrive, and you will travel at the pace that has been determined by that lift. The only thing that you can determine is your disposition along the way.

Some people spend the ride clinging to the safety bar with white-knuckles because they are having a hard time trusting the chair that they are in. Some people spend the ride looking at the cable above and the clasp that is holding their chair in place. They are gripped with a constant fear because they aren’t able to control the situation. Some spend their time looking at people in chairs that are behind them and judging them for a position that is not as far along as theirs. Or they spend time laughing at me and my gear which has been strewn all over the mountainside :). Others look at people in the chairs ahead of them and envy that they are closer to the destination. Other people rock their chair in futility wishing that the ride would go faster. But I can tell you from experience that the best way to enjoy the ride of a ski lift is to rest in the chair and enjoy the beauty around you. The more you rest in the chair and the lift, the more enjoyable and life-giving the journey will be.

And so it is with our sanctification. The more we rest in the finished work of Jesus and the sovereign working of the Lord to bring us to Himself, the more joy and contentment we will experience in this life. When we look at other people and compare our position to theirs, the less joyful and content we will be. When we are given to fear and try to control the outcome of our journey, the less joyful and content we will be. The more we worry and get anxious about the trustworthiness of God or the pace at which He is growing us, the less joyful and content we will be. Our calling is to place our full weight in Jesus and find rest in what He has done to perfect us for all time. This life is about experiencing the journey with Him as we grow in grace!

So, the invitation is to enjoy this incredible ride of sanctification as we delight in the presence of God and rest in the finished work of Jesus!


By His Grace,

Jeff Neville