Editing Sanctification in Christianity (section)

{{Short description|Act or process of acquiring sanctity}}
{{See also|Divinization (Christian)|Theosis (Eastern Christian theology)}}
{{Distinguish|Canonization}}
In [[Christianity]], '''sanctification''' (or in its verb form, '''sanctify''') literally means "to set apart for special use or purpose", that is, to make holy or [[sacred]] (compare {{langx|la|sanctus}}). Therefore, sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i.e. "made holy", as a vessel, full of the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]]. The term can be used to refer to objects which are set apart for special purposes, but the most common use within [[Christian theology]] is in reference to the change brought about by God in a believer,<ref>Justo L. González, ''Essential Theological Terms'', Westminster John Knox Press, USA, 2005, p. 155</ref> begun at the point of [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]] and continuing throughout the life of the believer. Many forms of Christianity believe that this process will only be completed in [[Heaven in Christianity|Heaven]], but some (particularly [[Conservative Friends|conservative Quaker]] and [[Methodist]] traditions, inclusive of the [[Holiness movement]]) believe that [[Christian perfection|entire sanctification]] is possible in this life.<ref name="GBGM">{{cite web|title=Christian Perfection: Works of Piety and Mercy|url=http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/action.stm|publisher=[[The United Methodist Church]]|quote=Christian Perfection is "holiness of heart and life." It is "walking the talk." John Wesley expected Methodists to do not only "works of piety" but "works of mercy"--both of these fused together put a Christian on the path to perfection in love.|access-date=5 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060202204507/http://gbgm-umc.org/UMW/Wesley/action.stm|archive-date=2 February 2006}}</ref><ref name="Stewart1992"/>