To sanctify the Lord God in your hearts means to set Him apart as holy, to regard Him with reverence and awe, and to make Him the absolute focus and priority of your life. This phrase comes from 1 Peter 3:15, which says “But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord” (ESV). Let’s break down what this means.
Sanctify Means to Make Holy
The word “sanctify” means to make holy, to set apart. To sanctify something is to devote it to a sacred purpose, to purify it and make it holy (Exodus 28:41, Leviticus 8:10-30, Ezekiel 37:28). When Peter says to sanctify Christ as Lord, he’s telling us to set Jesus apart in our hearts as holy, as Lord and God. We are to reverence Him, be in awe of Him, and regard Him as supremely sacred.
In Your Hearts
Peter specifies that we are to sanctify Christ “in our hearts.” This means more than just an intellectual acknowledgement of Christ’s lordship. It’s not just knowing the fact that Jesus is Lord. Sanctifying Him in our hearts is about having a deep, inner conviction that Christ is Lord and God, and living in light of that inner reality. It’s a matter of the affections and will, not just the intellect (Psalm 37:4, Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 5:8).
Sanctify Christ as Lord
To sanctify Christ as Lord means He has absolute, supreme authority in our lives. We submit to Him as our highest Lord, Master, and Ruler. Sanctifying Christ means He takes first place above all else in our priorities and desires. We seek to obey Him, fulfill His purposes, and align our lives with His will. He becomes the focal point of our lives.
Practical Implications
When we sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts, it will have profound practical implications in our lives:
- We will spend time daily in prayer, worship, and studying God’s Word.
- We will seek to obey Christ’s commands and emulate His character.
- Our speech, conduct, and lifestyle will increasingly align with God’s standards.
- We will actively serve God and seek to advance His Kingdom.
- Christ’s values and priorities will shape the way we think, act, and make decisions.
- We will turn away from sin as we reverence Christ’s holiness and authority.
- We will tell others about Christ and seek to make disciples.
In summary, to sanctify Christ as Lord is to set Him apart as supreme in our affections, thoughts, and way of life. He becomes our highest priority, absolute ruler, and the focal point of everything. When Christ is truly sanctified in our hearts, our lives will never be the same.
Old Testament Background
The concept of sanctifying or hallowing God has Old Testament roots. The Hebrew word for “holy” or “sanctify” is qadash. God told Moses, “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44 ESV). Israel was called to regard Yahweh as holy through their obedience, worship, and reverent fear of Him (Exodus 20:7-8, Leviticus 10:1-3).
One key text is Isaiah 8:13: “But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread” (ESV). The people were commanded to show honor, fear, and awe for Yahweh’s holiness. So in the New Testament, Peter calls Christians to have a similar posture toward Christ by sanctifying Him as Lord.
New Testament Teaching
The need to sanctify Christ as Lord is reinforced throughout the New Testament:
- Matthew 6:24 – We cannot serve two masters; Christ must have absolute loyalty.
- Luke 9:23 – We must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.
- John 13:13 – We must receive Christ as both Lord and Teacher.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Our lives are not our own; we were bought at a price.
- 2 Corinthians 5:15 – We should live fully for Christ who died for us.
The New Testament writers echo Jesus’ call for wholehearted commitment to Him as Lord. Half-hearted, lukewarm devotion is unacceptable to Christ (Revelation 3:15-16). To be His disciples, we must sanctify Him as absolute Lord in our hearts and lives.
Set Apart from the World
To sanctify also carries the sense of being set apart. When we sanctify Christ as Lord, it means we are set apart from the world and its sinful ways, devoted completely to Him. Romans 12:2 says we must not be conformed to this world. Colossians 3:1-4 calls us to set our minds on Christ, not earthly things. When Christ is sanctified in our hearts, it creates a radical distinction between the lifestyle of believers and unbelievers.
Lord of All of Life
Sanctifying Christ as Lord means He is not just Lord of our religious life, but of every area of life. He is Lord of our time, relationships, work, finances, talents, possessions – everything. There is no segment of life that rightfully falls outside of Christ’s absolute authority (Colossians 1:15-18). Where He is sanctified as Lord, He becomes the center around which everything else orbits.
Motivations for Sanctifying Christ
Why should we set apart Christ as Lord and sanctify Him in our hearts? Scripture gives many motivations:
- Christ is our Creator and deserves our full allegiance (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17).
- Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, redeeming us with His blood (Romans 5:8, Galatians 2:20, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
- All authority and sovereignty belong to Christ (Matthew 28:18, Philippians 2:9-11).
- One day every knee will bow before Christ; better to willingly sanctify Him now (Isaiah 45:22-23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10-11).
- This is God’s will for us, and brings glory to Him (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Peter 4:2).
- Wholehearted devotion is the only reasonable response to Christ’s infinite worth.
In light of who Christ is and what He has done, sanctifying Him as Lord with all our heart is the only proper response. He merits nothing less.
Aided by the Holy Spirit
Though sanctifying Christ in our hearts begins with our will and choice, it is ultimately a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within us. 1 Peter 1:2 says we are sanctified by the Spirit. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says God sanctifies us by His Spirit. It is the Spirit who illuminates Christ’s beauty and glory to our hearts, filling us with love and awe for Him.
We cooperate with the Spirit’s work by saturating ourselves in God’s Word, communing with Christ in prayer, fellowshipping with believers, practicing spiritual disciplines, and availing ourselves to His sanctifying grace. But only the Spirit can produce genuine inward holiness and consecration to Christ.
An Ongoing Process
Sanctifying Christ as Lord is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process as believers. We never reach a point of full sanctification or complete consecration. Throughout life we must continually re-devote ourselves to Christ, guard against idolatry, realign our priorities with His will, and deepen our adoration of Him.
God uses everything in the believer’s life – trials, blessings, hardships, spiritual dryness – to highlight areas not yet surrendered to Christ’s lordship and to draw us into deeper sanctification. As we grow spiritually, Christ is sanctified more fully in the affections of our hearts.
For God’s Glory
The ultimate purpose of sanctifying Christ in our hearts is that God may be glorified. Peter says we are to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you” (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
When our lives overflow with praise, obedience, and selfless love because we have sanctified Christ as Lord, unbelievers will see it and God will be glorified. May we sanctify Christ with all our hearts, for the fame of His name.