Every Woman a Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Sanctification: How Do We Grow?
Read Chapter 5 of Every Woman a Theologian. Key passages: Romans 12:1–2; Philippians 2:12–13; Galatians 5:16–25; 2 Peter 1:3–8.
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If soteriology answers 'How are we saved?' then sanctification answers 'What happens next?' — and Masonheimer is honest that growth in Christlikeness is both God's work and ours, never one without the other.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Masonheimer draws a distinction between positional sanctification (we are declared holy in Christ at salvation) and progressive sanctification (we are being made holy over time). How does understanding the first protect us from despair, and how does understanding the second protect us from complacency?
2.She emphasizes that sanctification requires both divine empowerment (the Holy Spirit working in us) and human effort ('work out your salvation,' Philippians 2:12). How do you personally balance those two? Do you tend more toward passivity ('just let go and let God') or self-reliance ('try harder')?
a.What does a healthy, Spirit-dependent effort actually look like in a practical daily rhythm?
3.Masonheimer addresses the spiritual disciplines — prayer, Scripture reading, fasting, community, and others — as the means God uses to grow us. Which discipline is most consistent in your life right now? Which is most neglected, and what is the honest reason for that neglect?
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