What is the transformation of the sinner from unrighteousness to holiness called?

• A. Conversion
• B. Justification
• C. Sanctification
• D. Redemption

Answer: (B)

Sanctification is the process of becoming increasingly holy. It’s the lifelong work where God, through the Holy Spirit, shapes a believer’s character, desires, and actions so they grow away from sin and toward righteousness. This isn’t just a one-time event; it’s ongoing transformation that begins with new birth and continues as one yields to the Spirit’s guidance, producing observable changes in how a person lives.

By contrast, justification is about God declaring a sinner righteous in His sight, based on faith in Christ, not about inner growth over time. Conversion refers to turning to God—repentance and faith at the point of response to the gospel. Redemption speaks to being bought back or delivered from bondage to sin, a broader idea of liberation rather than the ongoing change in character. Sanctioned transformation best captures the sense of moving from unrighteousness to holiness over the course of a believer’s life.