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Father in heaven, Lord, what a blessing it is to gather together with your people to have the opportunity to just Get to know more about you Nor know more about the work of the Lord Jesus Christ all that he has done for his people father to rejoice in those things to Have friendship and camaraderie and Even Just the Overall sense of Adoption of all these things as we gather together as really a family of the family of God in this area brothers and sisters in Christ called according to your purpose redeemed by your son Lord would you bless each one here as we look to your word and look to the great work that you have accomplished For us in Jesus name.
We pray Amen. Well, we've begun talking about sanctification and an issue came up this morning in an email. And I want to give you a little question about it. And thankfully my wife's not in here because she already knows the answer True or false true or false so you have a 50 -50 shot right out the button.
May I should add a third option true false or possibly True or false when you are Let me change that when you repent of your sins Your nature is changed. I'm not gonna take that head shake. When you is it true or false.
Why is it false false is true by the way, okay. Your nature is changed for you or you wouldn't have repented. How do we know that the Bible tells us so so true. Anybody know where that is if you said Leviticus.
Good luck. Sorry, like I said too much sleep. Okay, let's go to Second Timothy, I think this is one place where we can Where we can see this and good verses to remember because I you know as I this came about because Theological error on someone's part and I just thought you know What's the right way to correct this person and typically especially in the social media era?
What do we do? You know, it's like Steve you bombastic fool, you know, and then we and then we proceed to tear them to shreds. That's not the picture we see in Scripture 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verses 24 and 25 and The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone.
So you kindly call me a bombastic fool and then you Know and the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness God may perhaps Grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
Listen. It's what Larry said is exactly right. God grants repentance, you know here here's the thing and then you know, God causes us to be born again, that's where the our nature changes, but. And and this leads into our topic this morning of sanctification because if I say to you who sanctifies you What do we say and what have I even said for years and years and years and there's there's truth to this.
But let's talk about it for a second. What do we say about sanctification? Well, let me make it even easier. Who do we say? Saves you is it you by your choice or is it God by his action? God by his action, right now on what basis will you Ultimately enter into heaven.
Is it based on your good works or is it based on the works of Christ if you said your own? Good works. Mass starts in but what do we what what do we typically hear about sanctification that is a process?
Which is true? What Holy Spirit sanctifies us which is true, but what do we typically say that you know? What's that little louder that we are the ones working out our sanctification? This is what we normally say, right?
Now is there truth to this? It's okay to say yes. Because what you know when we say when we think about Salvation, let's just back up again to salvation if you tell somebody to repent and believe is that wrong?
No. But if they repent and believe what do you know? Okay that the Holy Spirit convicted them and That he caused them to be regenerated right that he granted them repentance as 2nd Timothy 2 would say so we see things from a from the human perspective and we say okay, I believed which is true and Do you have to believe if you don't believe?
Then you know you're not saved and the Holy Spirit I mean both things are true right and we often forget these things. God is sovereign and salvation, but man is is Responsible, and I'm gonna suggest that the same is true of Sanctification, but what we do it's easy.
It's easy to wind up with a kind of a synergistic view, and I think I've probably even stumbled into that myself a synergistic view of Sanctification. Why is that easy to do? Because we only see our side and we look at verses like you know work out your sanctification or your salvation with fear and trembling and you know we.
That's true right it's true because the Bible says it's true. But that's again from our side. How do we do that? Do we do it on our own strength? It might feel that way. Let me put it another way. Let's say you know I can talk about pastor Bob since he's not here this morning.
He's still recovering. It's easy for me to talk about him. He can't defend himself. If I were to say to pastor Bob Pastor Bob are you more sanctified than when you first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you more sanctified today? What would he say? Yes. You know he might pause for a minute. And he might say you know something Suitably humble. Which is also true. Has that benefit of saying? I'm not as sanctified as I would like to be or as I should be or or what have you you know something along those lines.
But if he if he were to track over his life However many years it's been since he's been saved probably 50 or 60 or 70 or 90. However long it's been he could see the work That he's put in. Which is true?
But why is he more sanctified. Is it his effort or is it? The work of God. Typically we would say or we might say something close to both are true. Now I'm gonna say I think the 1689 sort of short-circuits that and I think there's a reason why it short-circuits it.
If we are sanctifying ourselves. Then we have a problem and that problem is God starts a good work, and then he grants us. You know the capacity what to sanctify ourselves you know to complete the complete the work God is at work in us and That's that's the key issue that the confession brings up, and it really is important.
Let me read what it says about sanctification, and we read it last week, but just to kind of. Get us thinking about this they who are united to Christ believers. Effectually called and regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them now.
What part did we play in any of that? United to Christ effectually called regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through The virtue of Christ's death and resurrection what part of we played in that so far.
None are also farther 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 and all saving graces to the practices to the practice of all true holiness.
Without which no man shall see the Lord now. What part do we play and in that I didn't really see anything. I Mean, this is all passive language. They are more and more quickened. It's something that's done to you.
Strengthened in all saving graces to the practice of all true holiness where you could argue that I practice true holiness. Okay, I don't mean me personally. And I think there's there is some truth to that, but it's basically like this.
God gives you a new heart. God gives you new affections. God calls you to be born again. He regenerates you. However, you want to frame it and then you believe and you say well, I want to take credit for my belief.
God unites you to Christ. He affectionately calls you regenerate you gives you a new heart new spirit. He sanctifies you really and personally through the same virtue the same means by his word and spirit dwelling in you he takes the whole body of sin and destroys it and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified and.
And he more and more quickens and strengthens you in all saving graces. And you're like yes, but I practice true holiness again work of God or the work of man or Synergistic and I think you know the testimony of the 1689 would be it is a work of God.
And you know someone will say well. Then why should I even try and I think you're getting closer to the gospel when you understand that your efforts while commendable are not Meritorious. Let's just put it that way.
Because it's God at work in you. Again, we we read this last week van Dix horn said when God begins work He is faithful and completing it. One of the miraculous works that God does is to affectionately call and revitalize those who are spiritually dead.
He gives them a new heart a new spirit. In fact it is not too much to say that he gives them a new life. Paul called it regeneration and We looked at Titus and what he what Paul wrote about it there again van Dix horn says Christians are really impersonally set apart and made holy.
Paul calls this being built up. Every Christian needs us because the inheritance God has set aside for us is only for those who are sanctified. Now let's just stop there for a minute, and you say well wait a minute.
It's only by Sanctification that we receive our inheritance. So is that? Sanctification something that we do or is something that is done to us. Does your inheritance depend on your own efforts. How do we know that?
Well let's look at 1st Peter chapter 1. And let's see if that we can shake the cobwebs out. Maybe get you guys up to the same amount of sleep. I got last night. I'm telling you it was really wonderful.
Janet said it like 930. I'm going to bed now, and I said that's probably a good idea and man. Oh, man I slept like a rock. I'm here to testify that I slept a lot. 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 to 6 and if somebody would read that please Anthony I see that hand.
Okay. So now what part did we play in. Keeping our inheritance or obtaining our inheritance. I heard a chuckle. Any other bids we still we still sin we still think wrongly, right? Yeah that inheritance is set aside only for those who are sanctified.
And again, I look at that, and I just go well. Right here in 1st Peter chapter 1 it says to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and unfading and. Then listen kept in heaven by you. Oh Wait for you.
Who are by God's power? Who by God's power are being guarded through faith or self that this is? What we? What we can get lost in is sometimes forgetting that we are. Called we are well chosen called regenerated.
Ultimately glorified over here and in the middle somehow we think well yes, but. You know I have to run the race set before me. Was that true. Yes, how do I run the race. Okay, it's all of God. I mean you know how do I run the race.
Not. Well because my knees are killing me. But that's not the point the point is if it depends on me I'm in trouble. But it doesn't depend on me now does that mean that I can unplug and just do whatever I want.
No again and again that the The warnings of Scripture against that well. Why are they. Because what do you show if you just say well, then it doesn't really matter. I can do whatever I want and then proceed to go on and do whatever you want.
What's that? That you're never saved that you have no genuine affection that you really don't deep down in your soul appreciate What has been done for you? And the only reason you wouldn't do that is because you don't understand grace in the first place if you understand how bad you are and how holy God is and How great the work that has been done on your behalf.
You'll not Rebel against that. You'll not rebel against God although you may for a season, but you'll ultimately cherish it. Why. Because You you can't believe the greatness of the gospel. You you know you when you hear amazing grace.
You think it really is amazing. It's not a song. I sing at funerals. It's something that I live out every day. Questions comments. Concerns. Yes Gary. Yeah, he he puts the desire in our heart to do it.
You know I mean, how do we get through difficult situations difficult times? You know I mean I Thank you Lord that I'm not like other men. That I had the strength to do these things. I thank you Lord that I'm not like these other losers that I see falling to the left and to the right.
What is that? You know congratulations. You've just become in a Pharisee. A Pharisee isn't somebody who says you know I love the Lord Jesus Christ that a Pharisee is somebody who says Jesus is really great and So am I and they might couch it in a lot of different languages and say you know.
But ultimately they they want to take some credit. Because it's their own self-righteousness that allows them to do that. Van Dixon says it is important to remember that sanctification is God's work because Christians sometimes Summarize salvation as it as if one part of its progress is to be credited to God and one part to us and That's it right we say well God is working in me, and I am Cooperating with that and I am also working on me.
I'm I'm doing my devotions. I'm doing all these things are good that we do. But it is by Divine enablement. Not because of anything good in us. We read Romans 6 20 last week 20 to 22. For when you were slaves of sin you were free in regard to righteousness.
But what fruit were you getting at that time for the from the things of which you are now ashamed in other words? What good did it all do you for the end of those things is death? But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God the fruit you get Leads to sanctification and it's and eternal life the things that you do now out of a regenerate heart.
Have a positive end. Let me read from the expositors Bible commentary. It says this the Christian state of freedom. Excuse me from the necessity of serving sin and the corresponding commitment to God has Has produced a harvest of holiness.
Sanctification at the end of this process is eternal life. This is all though due to the work of God. Then Dix horn again, and then somebody want to turn to Philippians 3 verses 8 to 10 like every Christian.
Blessing and benefit sanctification is found in union with Christ. Only by a willingness to identify with the Savior who suffered. Will we find ourselves dead to sin and only by looking with faith at Christ's empty tomb?
Do we find the resurrection power for which Paul prayed? Philippians 3 verses 8 to 10. Go ahead. Gary being made conformable unto his death or becoming like him in his death. Yeah. Thank you. Our good works.
Do they contribute to our sanctification? Even based on this verse here or these verses look what he says in verse 9. Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law. But that which comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God.
That depends on faith we need an alien righteousness even in sanctification and our tendency again, I think is to forget this to attribute it to our own. Working out our salvation and fear and trembling which we ought to do obviously.
But how do we do it? Let's look at how we are sanctified. It's like at 2nd Thessalonians 2. 2nd Thessalonians 2 verses 13 and 14. 2nd Thessalonians 2 verses 13 and 14 and who would read that place? Okay so how are we sanctified by the Spirit and Belief in the truth, what would we well.
We'll expand on that a little bit more in a minute. And Holy Spirit unites us to Christ and teaches us. How how does the Holy Spirit teach us? How many of you are thinking right now still small voice?
How does the Holy Spirit teach us? Through his word Lord Jesus high priestly prayer. John 17. He says what he's praying to the Father and he says about Believers he says sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth.
This is how we are sanctified is. Or one of the means by the Holy Spirit by the word. There are other things that we could point to other aspects of it. But listen to this each person. The Trinity is active on our sanctification.
Ben Dick's horn again. The principle means he uses for our growth and grace is scripture. This is the tool the Spirit uses shape us. Truth is transforming. With the truth of God's Word the Holy Spirit will make us grow spiritually and will sanctify us by his truth without it and I want to.
I mean this is what we should put up over the doorway. You know it says or it used to say enter in the admission field. I think it's what it should say is without the word we will stagnate. What does it mean to stagnate.
Get yeah get gross, you know when you open up your refrigerator after it's not been on for about a week. What does it look like? You know, not too good. We found that out in the kitchen here. What does it mean to stagnate not move forward not Grow, you know, we could call it failure to thrive, right?
Some baby passes away and you know, it failed to thrive and this is this is what we're talking about when we when he says. Without the word we will stagnate. So, you know, I like to put without the word you will stagnate up above the door as you leave.
That would be very encouraging. Says this man. Dick's already says Christians who do not know their Bibles will remain immature and childish. Again I just Want to underscore that Christians who do not know their Bibles will remain immature and childish.
Churches that do not teach the truth of God's Word will never rise above the nursery. I posted this on Facebook. Even if they do not separate the adults from the children in their worship services. In other words if you're not going to teach the Bible if all you're gonna do is have you know a bunch of programs or you know, I've seen some Sermons, I watched one a few months ago where the guy spent the first 12 15 minutes talking about coffee.
If that's the kind of church you're at then it's no wonder that you're spiritual. But I mean there are places many churches we could go to where we would not have discussions about Sanctification about the sovereignty of God any of these things why.
Because those things are too difficult. That's theology that's for seminary that's for things that that's for a really advanced study. We don't need to know that and if I may say with all due respect.
What does that sound like? What is that anti scholastic kind of bent what does that hearken back to The Roman Catholic Church. Only the really enlightened people only the clergy only the hierarchy of the church.
Should be studying those things. It's dangerous. And you know what? It's not really meant for you. You people just need to be quiet sit in your pews pay your money and go home. Trust us. We know we're we're professionals.
It's dangerous. And it's wrong it's harmful to Christians to think that way. Then Dix horn says this he says truth is transforming, right? It's a truth that transforms the Word of God transforms us changes us shapes us molds us.
With the truth of God's Word the Holy Spirit will make us grow spiritually and will sanctify us by his truth without it. We stagnate. We sometimes wonder why we do not grow why we are so mediocre. He says it is not a mystery.
It is not the fault of the Spirit for he has told us about the important function. The Bible has to our growth in grace. Pick it up and read. That'd be a shorter motto, right? Just pick it up and read.
I mean if you just have pick it up, you know, we when I see guys with big biceps, but that wouldn't really be helpful. Now sanctification means destroying the dominion of sin. It is a process right from the time that you are saved until the time that you die.
The Holy Spirit is at work in you conforming you to the image of Christ and he does that by his Word predominantly. Then Dix horn says this we want to have the Word of God dwelling Richly in us because we want to see sins dominion destroyed.
Sin wants to enslave us. You know, he personalizes sin. Well. Can we personalize sin. Is it safe to do that? Yes, because sin has an author right? Satan. He says it is a cruel master that intends. No good, but does not want us to run away.
Sin is a cruel master. And he says he goes on to say in the ancient world. The only way you could or the the main way how did. Well let's put it. Let me ask you in the form of a question in the ancient world.
How do people get out of slavery? What was the number one means of getting out of slavery? Dying is exactly correct. If we're doing family feud that would be the number one answer up on the board. Dying was the number one way that people got out of it now for us to escape sin.
The slavery of sin we must also have died to our old Nature our old self. Let's go back to Romans 6. And if you're not careful when you read the book of Romans, you could wind up learning a lot of theology.
Just let that sink in for a moment. Okay, Romans 6 verses 6 to 14. Romans 6 verses 6 to 14. We know that our old self our Unsaved self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing.
So that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died Has been set free from sin. In other words, you were a slave of sin now. You've been set free how by dying to sin. Verse 8 now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him for the death. He died. He died to sin once for all. But the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Three words that we really need to focus on as we read scripture in Christ. Jesus. What is true of me in Christ? Jesus. That's where God has placed me. That's how he sees me in Christ Jesus. What's the most important thing about you if you're a Christian that you are in Christ Jesus.
Going on to verse 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions. In other words don't. You know do what the critics say well if the gospel is really true if God is really if he's really saved you if he's really sanctifying you if he's really going to glorify you and you are a passive person in all of this.
Then you know, you could just do whatever you want. No, Paul says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and Your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law, but under grace. In other words in light of the gospel in Light of who you are in Christ in light of all that has been done for you and is being done in you.
Then stop living like you're still under slavery because you're not. But instead live for the sake of righteousness live for the glory of God. Leanne Morris says this Paul goes over some of the ground again as He hammers home his point that the believer has died to an old way.
Our old self is really our old man in the King James. An expression used twice elsewhere in the Pauline writings in both cases with verb. Expressing repudiation. In other words. I don't want anything to do with who I used to be.
I'm done with that person. I'm putting off that person. Says the contrast between the old man and the new man appears to be Paul's own if his word for old is used strictly. It brings out the idea of wornness the result of the wear and tear of time.
The old as outworn it is not something to be desired and this old man Paul says was crucified. The verb conveys the thought that the old man was thoroughly destroyed. The old man is no longer supreme.
This does not mean the unbeliever or the believer lives untroubled by the possibility of sinning. There is a sense in which a death has taken place once for all in the believer. But there is another in which he dies every day.
It is believers not the unregenerate who are urged to put off the old man, but is it is Another vivid way of saying that the power of sin is broken in the believer. To come to Christ means the complete end of a whole way of life.
There may be slips, but they are uncharacteristic. In other words believers cannot be Characterized as Liars as drunks as thieves as fornicators as adulterers. How do we know this? Because Paul wrote in another epistle that those people will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It is not a characteristic of these people. There may be slips they may sin, but it's not their daily way of life. Okay. How do we explain? Sin. How do we explain slips as? Morris as Morris says how do we explain those things in light of God's?
Monergistic work in us. How do we explain those things? Carmen. Yeah, Carmen. No, let me ask you a tough question. Where did Paul write about that that the things he doesn't want to do he does and the things he wants to do.
He doesn't do. Where did he say that in? Romans 7 thank you, which is right after Romans 6 which is what we were discussing and so in spite of the fact that he says your old man is dead. He then goes on to Romans 7 and says I still do the things I don't want to do.
And I don't do the things I want to do. Now why is that to get back to this question here, why is that? Because in Romans 6 he said listen. You've been set free from this old man. I mean just think about this.
Let's just say for the sake of argument because in you know the way they would Deal with murderers is you remember how they would. I think pastor Mike's talked about this. How would they deal with murders?
Strap that strap the dead body to them right until the Dead body decayed and infected the live person, then they you know the live person would die along with the dead person. Well. Yeah, I mean, it's kind of like revenge.
You know kind of like a zombie movie or something now Paul says in Romans 6 put off the old man put off that dead body. It's been crucified be done with it, right? But it's still there and that's why he can say in Romans 7 listen I'm still doing the things I don't want to do.
I don't like it. I hate it and in the end in fact Let's just turn to Romans chapter 7 because I think it is insightful because it tells us how we should feel about our sin at the end of Chapter 7 let's just read verse 21 so I find It to be a law.
That when I want to do right Evil lies close at hand for I delight in the law of God in my inner being but I see in my members parts my body. Another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Wretched men that I wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I myself serve the law of God with my mind. But with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
He sees both are true. He sees these Slips as Carson or I'm sorry as Morris says. But he also sees God at work in him in himself. But look at verse 8 or chapter 8 verse 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ. Jesus again those words in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could not do. By sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous Requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirits.
Anyway all that to say Paul wrestles with this in Romans 7 and then ultimately says there's no condemnation. Why. Well, it's not because of his goodness is not because of anything. That he's accomplished.
It's because of the finished work of Christ. And how do we slip how do we explain these scenes of gods at work at us because we still have What one theologian called the harm art illogical? Hangover, which I could almost say but what it means is there's still that remaining residual sin that that the memories the Impulses all the things that are in us that used to so dominate us and those things can still from time to time overcome us.
Salvation makes us positionally perfect. It doesn't make us practically perfect perfect. There is a process by which we are conformed into the image of God. I don't know how many of you saw this Phil Johnson posted and I reposted on Facebook this week.
But this woman who has some real physical difficulties, I forget right at the top of my head the name of Her maladies, but she's confined to a wheelchair and has been and you know. People come up to her and say don't you look forward to heaven when you'll be able to run free and you know I'll be able to be in a wheelbarrow and you can just push me after all I pushed you in a wheelchair and I've done All these things for you.
And she says people don't get it. She says when I think of heaven I'm not looking forward to anything other than this. I'm not gonna sin again, and I thought that's exactly right. You know, we get caught up in the physical and everything else.
She's like, you know my speech impediment that bothers me all these physical things that I can't do those things bother me. But what I'm most looking forward to is never sinning against the Lord Jesus Christ again.
How could she do that though? She is in a wheelchair. She's not in control of her physical body did well. She sins with her mind just like we all do and she understands that ultimately sanctification will have its final Moment, it's it's it's end.
Right, it's completion, but that's not till heaven any other thoughts or questions qualifications asterisks. Resumes. I don't know why I'm asking for resumes. Anything else if not, then we'll Close in prayer, okay father.
Thank you for this time. Thank you for your word. Thank you as we look to Not just the London Baptist Confession of Faith and you know, what is it ultimately but a distillation of what these men over really decades and centuries Formulated and believed based on the Word of God Lord we Are so in awe of how you have preserved your word against men who have denied it tried to destroy it tried to Explain it away done all these things and yet the Word of God remains Pure and clean and perfect as it ever was.
Father we thank you that you are a God who can be trusted who is faithful in all things. And we praise you and thank you in Jesus name. Amen.