The Agency of the Father in Sanctification — John Murray

God's Sovereignty in Providence and Salvation

O Lord, our God, we praise Thee that Thou art sovereign over all, that Thou doest according to Thy own will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, that none can stay Thy hand. We are saying to Thee, what doest Thou?

As we are confronted with the vicissitudes of Thy providence, we pray, O Lord, that we may have confidence that Thou wilt rest, that Thou putest down one and Thou settest up another, that Thy purposes are from age to age, that Thy counsel will stand, and that Thou wilt do all Thy pleasure.

May we, O Lord, have our eye upon that great consummation, when Thou wilt be vindicated in all the works of Thy providence, when Thy glory will be made known, and when, in the full blaze of Thy justice and of Thy truth and of Thy holiness, Thou wilt judge the world in righteousness and the people with Thy truth.

We pray, O Lord, that we may ever have confidence that our footsteps may never be moved from the path of Thy commandments, and so Thy ways in the sea and Thy path in the great waters, so that Thy footsteps are not known, yet justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne.

We give unto Thee praise and thanksgiving, O Lord, that Thou hast so devised the salvation of Thy people, hast so provided for their security, that they are hid in the secret place of the Most High and under the shadow of the Almighty.

And that Thou wilt one day perfect the whole Church of Christ and Christendom for us, before Thy presence with exceeding joy, and all in Jesus' name. Amen. ...subdivision of sanctification, and that is the agency, the agency in sanctification.

Definitive and Progressive Sanctification

And, of course, since there are the two main aspects of sanctification, namely definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification, we have to deal, first of all, happily with the agency in definitive sanctification.

We found that the pivotal consideration with definitive sanctification is within the newness of life. Perspective, we view definitive sanctification. ...recognize purity, the declinement of sin. Sanctification can be construed as the agency effecting this death.

It is something, an action of our own. It doesn't denote an action of those who are the beneficiaries of it. ...associated and developed by the Apostles, which in mercy on account of His great love for His beloved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with Christ.

Corinthians 5, 14, and 15. Colossians 3, 1 through 3. I don't need to quote, because I have quoted and so on. In this teaching, it is subjected to some action. These actions are not subjected to the same effect.

Christ's Agency in Initial Sanctification

Ephesians 5, 26. A different aspect of this question. He says, Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it in order that He might sanctify it, cleansing by the washing of water by the Word. And therefore, I think the sanctifying referred to in that text, referred to the initial definitive sanctification.

It is parallel cleansing by the washing of water by the Word. There again, it is Christ's agency that is in you, not ours. Another aspect of New Testament teaching, bearing upon the same kind of sanctification.

Regeneration and Renewal by the Holy Spirit

This has in view the action of the Holy Spirit. At the inception of the Christian life, there is not only the effectual call on the part of the Church, but also regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

Like John 1, 13. John 3, 3 through 8, 29. Teaching bearing upon regeneration. In the birth from above, He leavened as an additional and significant. But He was washed, but He was sanctified, but He was justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Renewal in that passage on sanctification and justification. To be construed as referring to the purification of the heart is by the Spirit. Romans 3, 29. The holiness of the Spirit is to God a principle that is freed from the law of sin and death.

The Agency of the Triune God in Redemption

Jesus Christ was placed upon definitive sanctification. He was indwelling in the presence of the Godhead. The agency of all three persons of the Godhead is brought to bear upon that decisive breach to which the New Testament applies the term of sanctification.

The decisive breach which the New Testament attaches the term of sanctification. Each is distinct in the economy of redemption. Represented as dying to sin and rising to newness of life. You should expect the action of the incarnate Son that is specifically imbued in the Son.

As the action of the incarnate Son is pivotal in the accomplishment of redemption in general. As the action of the incarnate Son is pivotal in the accomplishment of redemption. More comprehensively and description of the incarnate Son in connection with the very subject to which we are now dealing.

It is God the Father who calls you factually. God the Father, to use Jehannine's terminology, who donates His man to the Son in the factual operations of His grace. To that relationship with His death.

New regeneration and renewal is by way of eminence the action of the Holy Spirit. New regeneration and renewal. Thus there is cooperation. In that radical kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. So that even in those actions which are pre-eminently and specifically those of one person.

Pre-eminently and specifically those of one person. Explosion of the agency of the other person. Consideration that what point to the fact that in initial sin in this. The people of God come to walk in newness of life.

Christ's Consecration to the Father's Will

Quite naturally to progress in sanctification. But I think we need to demonstrate that. Because we might naturally, we might easily hesitate. For their sake I sanctify myself. Order that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

John 17 and 19. Sanctify them in thy truth. I sanctify myself. That they also might be sanctified by the truth. In the truth. I sanctify myself. He is preparing to praise him on his way. The doing of the father's will.

That does not appear to be his need. For their sake I sanctify myself. You see in the fulfillment of the purpose for which the father sent him into the world. He is on the eve of Calvary. And if he were referring to his once for all.

For all consecration to the doing of the father. When he came into the world. He entered upon the public face of his ministry. He would hardly have used what corresponds to the present tense. I sanctify myself.

I think we shall have to. That he is referring to the continuous consecrating of himself. The continuous consecrating of himself. To the father's will. Learned obedience. In the intensity. Resolution of commitment.

Will. The demand of his commitment. Became more expecting. His understanding of the implications. Increase. The sanctification to which Jesus referred. Continuously doesn't have precisely the same meaning.

As it applies to him. I mean sanctification doesn't have precisely the same meaning as it applies to him. As it applies to the disciples. But since there was continuous action. In Jesus' consecration of himself.

Continuous action. Every reason to apply. Progression. Sanctification. Which he praised. Progression is a kind of continuous action. Not sanctification which he praised. On behalf of the disciples. Jesus was referring to progressive sanctification.

The Father's Pruning of His People

Their confirmation of that. Confirmation of that. From John 15 .3. 15 .3. Or in John 15 .3. Just referring to something in the case of the disciples that is more definitive. When he said that they were clean.

They were clean through the word which he had spoken unto them. That must be added. To that initial purification. That initial purification needs to be supplemented. To the Father. To God the Father. Consequently according to the witness of Jesus himself.

According to the witness of Jesus himself. In this very same gospel. Appears a teaching of Jesus. With reference to the figure of the vine. And the branches. In John 15. It is with reference to the Father.

That Jesus says. Every branch that bears fruit. He purges. And it may bring forth more. More. It is obvious. He keeps on purging. More. It is the preponderant teaching of the New Testament. Respect to progressive sanctification.

The Father's Role in Progressive Sanctification

God the Father is the specific agent in calling. Specific agent in justification. Specific agent in adoption. Agency is not terminated. It is defended in section. It was reflecting that. To the image of his Son.

He might be the firstborn among many brethren. So this is not only witness to. By Jesus himself. You find it also elsewhere in the New Testament. Must stop at that point. I would like. To be able to give you a test.

On definitive sanctification. And progressive sanctification. Subdivisions. But I hate to sacrifice a whole hour. I lost an hour at the beginning of the year, you know.