What does it mean to be sanctified? To be sanctified means to grown in Christ-likeness. When we receive the Lord as our personal Savior, we begin the sanctification process. We are positionally sanctified at the moment of our confession of Christ. As we grow in our faith and obedience to Christ, we are said to be in the progressive sanctification process. This maturing process is one that continues throughout the life of the believer (Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15; Col. 4:12; Heb. 5:14; and Jas. 1:4). The sanctification process will end with the perfection of the Saints of God at the return of Christ (Phil. 3:12-14). This perfecting of the Saints of God, or perfective sanctification, is the goal of our Christian walk. It is the blessed hope that motivates believers to grow in their holiness before the Lord.