Sanctification

We're going to talk about motivation for sanctifications more specifically. Sanctification has the same root as holiness, which is a being set apart. And so there are different ways that sanctification is used.

Sanctification might be positionally sanctified, where you are set apart in Christ, how you are adopted. And you have all these different ways of seeing it's basically justification in that sense. So sanctification, in the sense we're going to be talking about this morning, is a more Christ-likeness.

So a separation from sin and being made alive to holiness. So you should read your Bible more. You should be like Jesus. And so there's nothing like not true about those things I said. And it's very true, the Bible tells us that.

And a lot of resources you look at, they discuss sanctification in terms of these like, do this because you should be more holy, you should be this, that. And they tend to beat you in a certain way. But it's really, they're not saying something that's not true.

You should be more like Christ. You should read your Bible more. And so the question, and hopefully you guys all have handouts. Anybody have a handout? So question nine, it has to do with the phrase evangelical obedience.

So if you see in the handout, you have the London Baptist 1689 chapter 13 on sanctification. So we're going to just look through that as kind of a good summary of what sanctification is. And we're going to ask some fairly specific questions.

And so this is my first lecture, my first Sunday school lesson. And I just got feedback last night about some of this stuff. And they're like, you should make your answers true or false. So I haven't had time to update any of my format.

And so just please feel free to ask questions or just answer it. Please don't let the format hinder. So I'm going to read paragraph one of the London Baptist 1689. And then I'm going to ask question one.

They who are united to Christ, effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also further sanctified really and personally through the same virtue by his word and spirit dwelling in them.

The dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they are more and more quickened and strengthened into all saving graces to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Further Sanctification Begins at Regeneration

So my first question is, what does the confession mean by further sanctified? That was near the beginning. Yes. Okay, so he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion. So your response was one of, like, measure.

So you're more and more sanctified in the same ways. Is there any other opinion or any other ideas about this, about further sanctified? So I want to fairly narrowly, narrowly, narrowly define sanctification.

I would include what the confession calls, so regeneration, a new heart and a new spirit, and by virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, so that the process of sanctification begins at regeneration.

And so I think this is important to note, because when we think about sanctification, is it something we do or is it something that God does in us? And so when we're dealing with, like, why should we obey, why should we read our Bibles more, why should we be more like Christ, when we see what God says about regeneration being the beginning part of sanctification.

So could I have someone read Colossians? Let's turn to the book of Colossians, please, Chapter 3. Could I have someone read the first five verses of Chapter 3, please? Yes, thank you. And so this idea that we are identified with Christ, and that we are participants in the work of Christ in some aspect that it's applied to us.

So back to the confession, they who are united to Christ. So the whole foundation of sanctification is this union with Christ, which includes all the work that Christ has done. So our justification, our regeneration, an analogy I found helpful about this, I found on the Pactum, Pat Avendroth's podcast, and I'm going to adapt it.

So I'm an iron worker, and I work with structural steel. And when the deck is not out, and it's just beams on top of where you're working, some of the beams are pretty small. They're like four inches wide.

So a four-inch wide area would be very easy to walk across on the ground. But when it's elevated to heights, sometimes you can just tense up, and you can be afraid of falling because it's dangerous. And so the idea that we obey from a place of safety, we're not worried about falling off and dying because God has regenerated us.

He has justified us. We're righteous before God. And so back to the beginning when I said, read your Bible more. You should be more like Christ. If you think of it in the sense of, if I don't obey, I'm going to be punished.

You're going to be motivated by fear. And so the question one, further sanctified, does mean progressively more and more sanctified, but sanctification begins at regeneration, that God does this work in us.

Sanctification Is a Work of God, Not Self-Improvement

So question two is, can we sanctify ourselves? Does anybody have any thoughts on that? Can we sanctify ourselves? Yes. No. Why not? Because our nature is to be sinful. So when God changes our nature, aren't we free to continue in good works?

So, okay, so yes we are. So I'm going to really attempt not to be cryptic because I tend to be. So yes, you had the exact right answer. We can't sanctify ourselves if you understand sanctification as relating to our nature.

So you said, I can't change. What was the word? How did you say it? We have a sinful nature. And so this is just not something we do. We can't just change who we are. So it's not like we just, oh, if you want to change, then you can just try hard enough and you can make it happen.

So when we talk about sanctification, we're going to be talking more narrowly about what God does in us. And so not our response. So like you said, we are free to respond with good works. So could I have someone read Exodus 31, verse 13, please?

Thank you. So here God is talking to the Israelites about the command for the Sabbath. And so a lot of times we hear, even from Seventh-day Adventist circles, how this is a sign that differentiates us as being obedient to God.

Here we see part of the nature of what the Sabbath is about. And God is making us more and more holy. And in that process, God is the one who causes it to happen. And so our response are the good works and holiness.

And so going back to the beginning, do you read your Bible enough? Are you like Christ? We fall short. And so the idea that God is the one making us holy. And so when he's not against us, he is for us in this sense.

Let's read. I'm going to read 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 3, the first half. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. How this is something that God desires for us. And so when we fail, or just thinking of this thing as like a safe unit underneath, how God is not going to punish us when we fail.

We're not to fear punishment. And so that now we are free to do good works. And so the question was, can we sanctify ourselves? And so this almost is a relief in some ways that God is the one who transforms our nature.

And so now we are free to do good works. Let's go to question 3. Is sanctification a work of God alone? I didn't use the formal term. It would be, is sanctification monergistic? So mono meaning one, and the second half would be a work.

And so when we hear this, it could trigger several different thoughts or ideas. Does anybody have an answer for it? Is sanctification a work of God alone?

Yes, absolutely.

So we are participants. So be holy as I am holy. So there's a command that we are to actually be holy. And so this has several different answers based on which theologian is talking, but there's not necessarily contradiction.

So for example, R .C. Sproul says that sanctification is a synergistic process where we work with God. And so does his teacher, John Gerstner, that there's this cooperation with God. And so this would be more of a broader understanding of the word sanctification to include our response to what God has done in us.

So I'm going to read a quote from Turton to try to talk about what the nature of sanctification is. So Turton says in his book, Sanctification is used strictly for a real and internal renovation of man by which God delivers the man planted in Christ more and more from his native depravity and transforms him into his own image.

So here we don't have so much the response. This is looking at the work that God does in us. And so it's a real and internal renovation. That would refer to like the fruits of the Spirit. So when we're made alive to do God's will, making us alive to love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.

And also of, I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself. So like I said earlier, the response that this question might have would be to either say, Oh, well, that means I can just let go and let God because this is something that God does in us.

And so am I responsible? So as Mrs. Ferra, Cindy, I don't know if I can like say, Cindy. Okay. My wife keeps telling me that I'm old enough I should use first names. So like Cindy said, there is a response that we have.

And so to identify that as the response of what God has done in us, I think is important to keep in mind. So question four, again, the wording might be a little controversial and I'm going to try not to be cryptic.

So this is going to be very plain, like don't read too much of the terms. But like question four, what changes does God make in our heart? Absolutely. So he changes our desires to be more Christ-like.

That's what you said, right? And that's very true. And so when we think of God making a change, sometimes people might think God is like forcing you to do something, especially in the Arminian camp, like when you have regeneration preceding justification.

Regeneration preceding faith, you say that God's forcing them to love him, these robots. But God actually transforms our nature. It's something that he does in us. And so like Cindy says, it's something that we do, but it's something that God does in us.

So back to the confession, it talks about let me just read it again in light of what we've talked about so far. I feel like it's best if I link back to scripture or something else other than what I say.

As often as possible, just so that if nothing else, you guys have heard the confession said a couple of times. They who are united to Christ, effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also further sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by his word and spirit dwelling in them.

The dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

So the change that God does in us is the formal terms would be mortification and vivification. So it refers to mortification meaning death. And so we see all these passages that talk about us dying to sin.

Let's see, I have a so this let's start with mortification, this dying to sin. What shall we say then? Romans 6, 1. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be.

How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Okay, I'm actually could someone read Galatians 5, 24, please? So it talks about the same thing that's going on. So Galatians 5, 24. We have a volunteer.

Yes. Yes, yes, please. And so there's this idea that our sin is our sinful nature, our flesh, that we die to these desires. And so it's a weakened state, and so it's not a complete death. And so we'll get to some of that soon.

But there's definitely a change in our heart where we are no longer as inclined towards sin. And could someone read Colossians 1, 11, please? Yes, thank you, Charlie. And so this is something that God does not just leave us to accomplish.

Like, we are strengthened to good works. And so this is part of even our identity, how you are someone who is strengthened toward righteousness, and you have died to sin. And so this is it's not something that, oh, just die to sin, how you need to try your best.

I mean, you're to try and to endeavor after it, but there's a sense of God has done this in you. And so there's this freedom to do the right thing, and not out of fear of punishment. Like I said, from a place of safety.

Steve, I see you kind of making a face. Do you want to add something to that? Well, okay. I was told that if the lecture is any really bad, then Steve will go to the back and say, don't air that. So, okay.

Yes, please. So we did have a few issues raised. I would like to start with what Corey said, because that was more directly on point. But I do appreciate Charlie asked the question, why is scientification a thing?

Why is it, and what are the reasons for it? And Corey was talking about how children obey out of fear of punishment. And he said how there might be some aspect of this fear of punishment that motivates scientification early on in a believer's life, but that we ought to grow out of it.

And so I'm going to read Philippians 2, 12b and 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And so we have to understand this.

What is this, work out your salvation with fear and trembling? This is often a verse brought into this discussion, saying you need to be working out your salvation with fear and trembling. It's true. It's the second half of the verse that explains how you ought to be what type of fear that is.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do. How this is not God waiting to see you slip up and stumble so he can get you. That this fear and trembling is not it's still from a position of safety, but we ought to be reverently and fearfully attempting, endeavoring to increase in holiness.

So back to what Charlie said about why even sanctification when we have this alien righteousness that is imputed to us. And that goes right to our next question. So question five. Whose fault is it when we are not very sanctified?

I'll just preface this. I would like a question, an answer to this. But I chose language that was very honest because it's really like I'm not fully sanctified. Whose fault is it? Is it my fault? Is it God's fault?

I ask this question. Some of you might have thought it. You might have thought, oh, I'm not allowed to go there. I can't go there. I've got to avoid this. But whose fault is it when we are not very sanctified or not more sanctified, I could say?

It's our fault? It's our fault? Do you have any other answers? Any other opinions? Yes? So I'm going to try to restate that, how it is looking too close or too fine to ask some of these specific questions because it refers to a more general thing that has more significance.

No? Okay. Okay, roundabout. So I think somebody else had an answer. I think somebody else, yes. Did you? Did somebody else? Yes. I don't know. Somebody had raised their hand and I saw it over that direction.

I didn't know who it was. Yes, Cindy. So sanctification is a journey and it occurs in humans which are different and they have different learning stages or personalities. Yes, Charlie. So I'm going to define this a little closer.

So when I say not very sanctified, that's not really, I probably would have adjusted that. I'm assuming that this is in someone who sanctification is at a certain level but it's not complete and that is every one of us who is a believer.

And so that's more like the general, like how come we are sanctified but not fully sanctified? Straightforward. Okay, so I've thought about this a bit and I think I have kind of like an answer. When we were unregenerate, God did not have to make us alive.

This wasn't something he was morally obligated to do. And then when he regenerates us, when he saves us, he's not obligated to fully make us holy instantly. So like we still sin and that's our fault that we still sin.

But if God wanted us to be fully sanctified right now, we would. And so this is like Cindy said, we have this flowing out of a life, out of a personal journey. And so this is how God chose for it to be.

This is how God chose for it to be. For you not to be perfect in your sanctification immediately. Sanctification is God's will for us and we will. And so in Philippians, I'll read it again. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

So you are not perfect because you still have some remaining corruption and God will make you perfect. It's just not yet. And so if you think of this in terms of our whole overall approach, what is the motivation for obedience?

We are going to be made perfect by God. And this is not something that we just have to, oh, if I just worked hard enough, I would be able to be perfect. And let's skip to question eight just because some of these I just wanted to get to.

Question nine, which is like what we're going to end on. So I'm going to skip until as time permits. So question eight, how can a Christian increase in personal holiness? So I'll just note that I'm making a distinction between holiness and sanctification.

Holiness is the result or what flows out of what God has done in us. And so how can we be more holy? That's the question. It's so that our obedience flows out of trust and love. And that's true. And let me just slightly modify the question because that is true and that is what motivates us to holiness.

But I'm talking about the means. How does God make us holy? What are the things he uses? And so I'll just, we don't have a whole lot of time left, so we're just going to come out and say it. So read your Bible.

Be more like Christ. But like the whole sense of that changes when you're seeing this as something that you're not doing out of fear of punishment. You're just doing it out of reverent fear. So John 17, 17, would somebody, it's really short.

I'll read this. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. How we are made more like Christ when we read God's word. And so if you ask yourself, have I read the Bible enough? And all those kinds of questions, they have this certain kind of feeling to them, this kind of approach.

And so if you look at this as like God has saved you, he's justified you, you're adopted. You're a son of God. This is what God has given you in order for you to grow to be more like Christ. So reading your Bible is not something like you're to be beat over the head with, but something that you do out of trust and love for what God has done for you.

So let me just read this passage of Scripture. Could you turn to Galatians chapter 5, please, everybody? Now that we've kind of discussed some of these things, if we get back to some Scripture to kind of just maybe just make sure we're on the right track.

Some of the things we might have talked about might come into mind when we read this. And as far as when this is talking about what you do, it is referring to a part of a response. So if we separate the work that God does in you.

Well, not separate it, but starting at verse 16. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.

For these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now, and I'll just say not under the law, that could mean even not under the curse of the law.

That this could be an aspect of you not being, obeying for fear of punishment. Now the works of the flesh are evident. Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But, so this is like the negative, so if you think of the mortification of sin, these are the things we are to avoid, and that God works in us to avoid these things.

And then on the positive side, God makes us alive to this, the fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Could I have a volunteer to read Hebrews 10, 23 and 24? Thank you Ben.

Hebrews 10, 23 and 24. And this is another way that we are encouraged to holiness. Oh, I'm sorry, I think it was 23 and 24. Was that 23 and 24? Okay, okay. So I'll just read it in the, I don't know what I have, NAS or ESV.

It talks about encouraging one another. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another all the more as you see the day drawing near.

So, sorry, what? Okay, so I have my notes wrong. I have to, my secretary, where's my, I did it. Okay. Stole that from somebody. So this is like when you meet together with other believers, it's a way to encourage one another to good works.

And so we're going to skip to question nine, I guess. That's the next one. What is evangelical obedience? Because this is, if you think about the term, this kind of doesn't really make plain sense. Because if you read it as, what is good news obedience?

Because that's evangelical. It means good news, I guess. Or did you, did you say something? I thought you raised your hand. Looking for hands that aren't there. Yes. What is good news obedience? Yes, that's exactly right.

So it's, I'll just read paragraph three in closing that talks about this. So when you see all this, like, fear and this battle, if you think of it as, it's good news. Like how God has done this in us.

He's, I'll just read paragraph three. In which war, we skip paragraph two. So there's a war going on. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying spirit of Christ, the regenerate path doth overcome.

And so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after and heavenly life in evangelical obedience to all the commands with which Christ as head and king in his word hath prescribed them.

Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time that we can spend together. We ask that you would make us more and more to the image of Christ. And that we would encourage one another to good works.

We ask that you bless this Sunday service. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.