May 28th: Sanctification.
Speaker: Jide Owolabi
The ‘Higher Life’ movement’s teaching on personal sanctification is refuted in this study which tracks the Baptist Confession of Faith. How does the believer attain holiness?
Introduction
Gradually been given less and less attention within Christian circles. Great shame as deprives the church of much joy, impact in a community. Some levy the charge that because Christian’s believe in salvation by grace then their religion allows them to sin as they like!
The goal of being saved is to be sanctified. And hence to glorify God.
Why is it paramount?
-Shows love for God & Christ Jo 14.15 - If ye love me, keep
-Instrumental (2 Tim 2.19-21) let everyone that nameth..depart from iniquity in order to be sanct...
-Heard prayer (James) Prayer of a righteous man – not just a believer but a striving believer
-Assurance (1 John 3.18-19) let us not love in word or tongue only, but in truth and deed. Hereby we know that we are of the truth
Without holiness..Heb 12.14
What is sanctification? Before we get to sanct, we must briefly take a look at what sin is as the understanding of their relationship is fundamental to really grasping what sanctification is.
What is sin?
-Sin is the transgression of the law of God (1 John 3.4)
-The moral disease that has corrupted every person and every faculty (mind, will, affections).
-Anything done, said, or thought that is not in harmony with the character, decrees or commands of Almighty God.
-Sins against the Father, Son, Spirit
-Law & against the gospel
-Not just commission but omission. Sins of ignornace which only to Omniscience are known (Lev 4,5)
It’s hideous, disfiguring polluting and exceedingly sinful. But the Lord Jesus came to take away sin.
Hagiasmos (Grk) = Set apart. Placed to oneside. Separated to God. Consecrated and made holy. Like the levites and priests of old were separated.
Quadash/Qadas (Heb) Lev 11.44 be ye holy as I am holy
Two main senses in which this term sanctify is used in the NT
1)Separated to God (1 Cor 1.30, 1 Cor 1.2, 1 Pet 1.2) Positional (forgiven, set aside)
2)Holy lifestyle conduct of those (Rom 6.19, Heb 12.14) Process of becoming more holy. Holiness/consecration
I am sanctified (Present). I am being sanctified (Present continuous). Main sense
2 aspects to the progressive sense
A)Set apart from sin: -Purifying: Titus 2.14, 1 John 3.3
B)Maturing & serving the living God: Growth & fruit: 2 Pet 3.18 Grow in grace, 1 Peter 2.1 milk of the word..
Phil 1.9 your love may abound yet more..1 Thess 4.1
Difference between just & sanct
Some get sanctification confused with justification which is disastrous. They are two different things, but inseparable.
Rom 6.1-2. Justification always leads to sanctification. Scripture is replete with this.
-Justification is a declarative act of God without human involvement
Sanc is a gracious act of God in which the believer is involved
-Justification instantaneous
Sanc is a progressive/continuous process
-Justification occurs at the point of conversion
Sanctification (in its progressive sense) occurs immediately after conversion and is lifelong
-Justification & peace with God do NOT grow. Cant be more justified.
Sanctification & holiness does grow and abound more and more.
-Justification saves us from the “guilt & penalty” of sin but sanctification saves us from the “pollution” which is ongoing.
Is Sanctification by grace or works? Active/Passive? Total act of God or am I involved?
Work of grace in the believer but the believer also participates.
We see in scripture clearly that we could never become more holy by our own strength and ability (God must do it), yet we are to strive with the help of God.
This is diametrically opposed to the “let go let God” philosophy of many churches, where God practically does it all. Just put your hand in the hand of Jesus.
Biblical pictures used which demonstrate this battle for holiness
Phil 1.6 He which hath begun a good work..
Eph 4.22-24 (garment), put off, put on
Col 3.5,12 (death & life - war) mortify, be renewed
We are justified by grace alone through faith alone.We are sanctified by grace but we also play an active part. Something for us to do. It contributes nothing to our salvation, as that was entirely a work of Jesus Christ.
Means of sanctification
1)Through union with Christ. Saved first. Cannot grow before being made alive. (Rom 6). Can a friendship between two people deepen, before it exists? Can a baby grow before its conceived?
Understanding our union with Christ.
Not just knowing that Christ died and rose, but that “we died in him and rose with him”.
We died to sin. We rose in newness of life (Rom 6).
We then live our lives not for ourselves, for we have been redeemed and purchased.
John 15 – True vine, the branch has to be attached to the tree in order to do what?
2)Truth/Word- John 17.17, 2 Tim 3.16 (read, preached)
3)Law of God (Decalogue)
Objection: But doesnt Paul say we are no more under the law, but under grace v13?
Rom 3.32 We establish it, Rom 7.16 Law is holy
Law no longer condemns because Christ has fulfilled the law on our behalf.
Law is now our friend and guide into holiness. Law - reflects the character of God.
4)Faith - Exercising faith.
5)Spirit – Gal 5.16 Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill. V22,25 if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit
6)Trials, Afflictions, Persecutions, Hardships, Temptations, Obstacles (Rom 5.2-4, 8.28). Suffering
Fractured family relationships - teach me to forgive in the hardest situation,
Redundancy - trust for my bread (Matt 6.26), Awful manager - Pray for my enemies, bless them
7)Chastening/training: Heb 12.10
8)Sacraments - Baptism & Lord supper
Pattern of Sanctification
A)Likeness to God (1 Pet 1.15) Only God’s communicable (Purity, mercy, wisdom)
B)Likeness to Christ (Rom 8.29)
C)Christ's example - washing feet - serving one another, giving. Not reviling, forgiving (Col 3.19)
D)Mind of Christ (Phil 2.5-11) Lowliness. sacrifice, willing to let go of reputation, selfless, wanting God's will
Objection- Paul' imitators of me texts. Contradiction or hubris?
No, he speaks as the apostle who was the human pattern for the church and did his utmost to imitate Christ.
So in so far as Paul imitates Christ, imitate Paul.
Scope of sancitification
-What areas of our lives are involved in Sanctification/holiness? Rom 12.1
-Can you imagine an athlete perhaps a sprinter, powerfully built upper body and arms, but a shrivled right leg. Not going to perform well. Same with us in our sanctification. We must ensure all areas of our lives are being nurtured, trained, cleansed, improved, otherwise we’ll be spiritually handicapped.
-Minds - thought life, future plans, Hearts - affections, Wills - wills are they in line with Christs, desires, priorities
Words, Actions, Habits - watch, spending, prayer, Attitudes – posture, Time
Characters - deportment, sincerity, upright in public and private
-Bodies - (1 Cor 6,11, 15, 19) Not our own - , what I do with my body, amount I eat, wear. Caveat - we dont all have to dress the same, we all have our own style and personality, but is the way im using my body in line with Christian principles & holiness? Does it convey a consistent message with what I say?
-Is what im doing ostentatious? To draw attention to me or to glorify God?
-Is this thing expedient (profitable)
-Is this thing bringing me under its power/control so that I cant do without it?
-Is this suitable/fitting for a representative of the living God
Relationships
Family life, Marriage, Church life, Business life, Recreational life
Better husband/wife/child/parent/brother/sister/uncle/auntie/friend/colleague/employee/manager/ neighbour/team player/student/teacher
Pursue peace with all – forgiveness, Integrity in all places, flee inconsistency
Fields:
Learning (Christ, Doctrine, Christian living, Church history)
Evangelism (Gospel arguments, challenge peoples worldview)
Devotions
Did Christ die for only half of you or part of you? Of course not? Then every part of you he died for should come under the sanctifying influence of his sweet Spirit.
Hindrances to sanctification
1)A shallow understanding of the depths of sin
2)Unmortified complacency and pride
3)Unbelief/Disobedience/Lack of trust
Common questions about Sanctification
Is it possible to be completely rid of sin whilst on earth?
1)Perfect sanctification/Entire sanctification (Wesleyan)
Free from wilful sin, but not the sin around us. Still growing. Continuum
-problems
Not a clear understanding of the nature and depth of sin in the explanation of this doctrine. Cannot define sin as just willful sins (I.e I know what I’m about to do is wrong and I still do it). Its also about thoughts, attitudes, motives, sins of ignorance.
2)Must I have crises experiences in order to be baptised with the Spirit?
Second blessing (Keswick holiness)
Many Christians have had crises experiences that have woken them up, but these are not absolutely necessary to sanctification
3)Are there 2 natures or 1 nature in the Christian? (Dr Masters recent Bible Study and or the article in the sword and trowel.
Rom 7, flesh does not
Sanctification is being changed into his similitude
Shaped – in likeness in that you hate sin and are being transformed daily
Submit - like Christ did to his Father. “Not my will.. self -determination is being broken
Sacrifice – Giver for the sake of Christ. love, time, efforts, resources
Service - seek to return my thanks to God and be instrumental
We are sent - “as thou has sent me, even so send I them into the world” that thye may bring forth much fruit (John 17.18, 15.9)
Practical steps
1)Ps 139.22-23 Search me O Lord
2)Re-dedicate self in your entirety (Rom 12.1 & 1 Cor 6.15,19)
3)Be merciless with your besetting sins. Cut if off, pluck it out. Radical. Otherwise it will hinder growth and instrumentality
4)Behold the author and finisher of your faith. Consider Him. See him in all the scripture and follow him.
Book recommendations
-God’s rules for holiness - Opens up the 10 commandments showing their glorious nature and purpose in being the rule for Christian living.
-Holiness - J.C Ryle
-Five views of sanctification
