More Than a Moment: Why Discipleship Takes a Lifetime

Discipleship is the lifelong journey between the moment God declares us holy and the day He makes us fully holy. While justification and glorification are entirely God’s work, sanctification is where He invites us to join Him in the daily pursuit of becoming more like Christ.

To grasp the theology behind discipleship, it’s essential to understand the difference between three key terms:

• Justification – the declaration of holiness
• Sanctification – the process of holiness
• Glorification – the completion of holiness

Justification is the moment when God declares you “not guilty.” Imagine standing before the eternal Judge in the courtroom of heaven. The evidence against you is overwhelming—repeated rebellion, undeniable guilt. But upon hearing the gospel of Jesus and trusting in Him as your substitute, everything changes. At that moment, the gavel falls. Christ takes your sentence, and you are justified. Your sin is removed, your status is changed, and you are spiritually reborn. That verdict can never be overturned (John 10:28).

Justification is when God declares you holy. Your scandalous record is wiped clean, and you walk out free. It’s a very, very good day.

If justification is the declaration of holiness, glorification is the completion of it. When you receive the gospel, you are declared holy; when you reach heaven, you will be fully holy. There are no partial percentages in glory—no more sin, no more striving. On that unthinkable day when you behold Jesus face to face, you will be completely glorified.

The God who justifies us also promises to glorify us (Rom. 8:30). Whether Christ returns in our lifetime or we pass from this world beforehand, we will see Him in glory (Col. 3:4). At that moment, the veil is lifted (2 Cor. 3:18), and our lowly bodies will be transformed to be like His (Phil. 3:20–21). All sin, sorrow, and suffering will be banished forever (Rev. 21:4).

Glorification is the day we finally see Jesus and are made perfect—no more battles with sin, no more shame, just eternity in holiness. That, too, is a very, very good day.

Justification makes me legally not guilty. Glorification fully realizes that reality. I was declared holy at justification, and I will be revealed as holy at glorification.

• Justification is entirely the work of God.
• Glorification is entirely the work of God.
• Sanctification is the work of both God and us.

It makes sense that the one element not accomplished in a single moment is the one which we participate. Christians love to talk about the day we met Jesus and the day we’ll see Him again—but what about all the days in between, when we’re supposed to become like Him?

Even our worship often includes songs of salvation and heaven but rarely focuses on the daily struggle of sanctification. Yet that process is vital. We remember justification, we anticipate glorification, but we often neglect sanctification.

Sanctification is the process of holiness worked out between our conversion and completion. From God’s perspective, it’s His work in making us more holy. From our perspective, discipleship is our effort to become more like Christ.

While justification and glorification are solely God’s doing, sanctification is a joint effort. It’s hard. It won’t be completed until the day we die—but it must be pursued every day until then.

After professing faith in Christ, our lives should be spent in the glorious, gritty pursuit of spiritual growth.