Best Christian Books on Sanctification: 11 Classics on Growing
If you want one short book on how a Christian grows, read Marcus Dods' How to Become Like Christ. It takes under an hour, and its one idea will stay with you: we become like Christ by looking at Him. Then read Evan H. Hopkins' The Walk That Pleases God, a clear two-hour study of Romans 6 and the believer's freedom from the power of sin.
Sanctification is God's work of making His people holy. The classic writers taught it with care. Justification is a verdict: God declares the sinner righteous for Christ's sake, once and for all. Sanctification is a process: God changes the sinner, from the inside out, for the rest of life. Both come from union with Christ. The believer has died with Him to sin and been raised with Him to new life, and the Holy Spirit now works in us what Christ has won for us. That does not make us passive. We are called to put sin to death, use the means of grace, and walk by faith. But the power is His.
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
Here are eleven of the best books on sanctification in TheWay Library, all free to read. Our guide to the best Christian books on holiness has more, including Ryle, Owen and Murray.
Start here
1. How to Become Like Christ, by Marcus Dods
A short address on 2 Corinthians 3:18. Dods admits that most Christians excuse themselves from aiming at likeness to Christ, then shows how simple the way is. As Moses' face shone after he had been with God, so we take on a little of Christ's glory every time we stand before Him in spirit and let Him win our love.
And He says all that you have to do in order to be like Christ is to carry His image with you in your heart. That is all.
How to Become Like Christ
Read How to Become Like Christ.
2. The Walk That Pleases God, by Evan H. Hopkins
Hopkins starts from Romans 6. Christ's death was a death for sin, which brings pardon, and a death unto sin, which brings freedom. Many Christians struggle, he says, because they do not see that deliverance, like pardon, was bought by Christ and is received by faith.
Deliverance is the purchase of Christ's death, and is to be claimed by faith, just as we claim pardon.
The Walk That Pleases God, chapter 2
Read The Walk That Pleases God.
3. The Self Life and the Christ Life, by A. B. Simpson
An hour's reading on Galatians 2:20, "Not I, but Christ." Simpson shows the difference between improving the old self and dying to it, then traces the self-life through Saul, Agag and Jonah.
If God is going to make anything of you, let all your will go into His hands.
The Self Life and the Christ Life, Not I but Christ
See our guide to A. B. Simpson's books. Read The Self Life and the Christ Life.
Union with Christ, the root of it all
4. The Twofold Life, by A. J. Gordon
Christ does a work for us and a work in us. Gordon pairs the two through the whole Christian life: regeneration and renewal, conversion and consecration, peace with God and the peace of God, power for sonship and power for service. His shorter In Christ lays the foundation, our death and resurrection with Him, and has a fine chapter on sanctification in Christ.
We do not work for life, but from life; we do not by our own power attain unto Christ, but we receive Christ in order that we may have power to attain.
The Twofold Life, chapter 8
5. Shall We Continue in Sin?, by Arthur T. Pierson
Paul answers that question three times in Romans 6 to 8 with "God forbid!" Pierson follows the argument through seven sides of the believer's union with Christ, from being reckoned dead and buried with Him to sharing His victory over Satan.
In His victory every believer is a victor, and for him also, so far as he is in Christ, Satan is a vanquished foe.
Shall We Continue in Sin?, chapter 4
See our guide to Arthur T. Pierson's books. Read Shall We Continue in Sin?.
6. The New Life in Christ Jesus, by C. I. Scofield
Short chapters on the inner life. Scofield starts with Job, a good man too aware of his goodness, then explains the struggle of Romans 7, the delivered life of Romans 8 and the life controlled by the Spirit.
The old man under the new gospel is to be crucified with Christ, not improved by higher ideals.
The New Life in Christ Jesus, chapter 2
Read The New Life in Christ Jesus.
Growing day by day
7. Christian Progress, by John Angell James
A sequel for those who have found peace with God and are now in danger of standing still. James explains why all spiritual life grows, what growth looks like, the means God uses, what hinders it and what encourages it.
God's grace comes not upon the idle, but upon the diligent.
Christian Progress, chapter 3
8. Thoughts on the Spiritual Life, by H. C. G. Moule
Moule wrote earlier books on surrender and union with Christ. Here he turns to how that life works out in ordinary days: work and faith, self-denial, the will of God, weakness, conflict and peace, and Christian service.
The life of faith in Jesus Christ is indeed a life of liberty, but not an easy-going life.
Thoughts on the Spiritual Life, chapter 1
See our guide to H. C. G. Moule's books. Read Thoughts on the Spiritual Life.
9. Cardiphonia, by John Newton
Letters of spiritual counsel by the author of "Amazing Grace." The letters to a nobleman trace the stages of Christian growth and the believer's fight with indwelling sin. Newton is patient, honest and never harsh. He knew that growth is slow.
You must not expect habits and tempers will be eradicated instantaneously; but by perseverance in prayer, and observation upon the experiences of every day, much may be done in time.
Cardiphonia, Five Letters to Mr. —
When you have slipped back
10. The Inner Life, by Octavius Winslow
Winslow describes the life of God in the soul, how it slowly and almost unnoticed declines, and how it is revived. The second half is for the believer who has grown cold: the life cannot be destroyed, and Christ has fresh supplies of grace.
Take your deadness to Christ, — take your barrenness to Christ, — take your decay to Christ, — take to Christ your frame of mind just as it is.
The Inner Life, chapter 5
See our guide to Octavius Winslow's books. Read The Inner Life.
A different emphasis
11. Guide to the Saviour, by Charles G. Finney
Lectures from Finney's course on entire sanctification. He clears away false roads, like waiting idly for God or trying in our own strength, and shows that the soul must come to see its own helplessness and receive Christ by faith as its life and its Savior from sin. Finney taught a fuller holiness in this life than many of the writers above.
Until man knows himself to be dead, and that he is wholly destitute of spiritual life in himself, he will never know Christ as his life.
Guide to the Saviour, chapter 3
See our guide to Charles Finney's books. Read Guide to the Saviour.
Where to start
Read Dods, then Hopkins, then Gordon's Twofold Life. Keep Newton's letters nearby for the long middle of the road, and turn to Winslow when you feel yourself going cold.
Sanctification is the Spirit's work, so see also the best books on the Holy Spirit and what it means to abide in Christ. For where the new life begins, see the best books on conversion. And for the grace that carries it all, see the best books on grace.