a reformed view of sanctfication

I found this an interesting read

I am about to read a pentacostal view next

blessings

The Reformed View - presented by Anthony Hoekema
Reformed theologians define sanctification as "that gracious operation of the Holy Spirit, involving our responsible participation, by which He delivers us as justified sinners from the pollution of sin, renews our entire nature according to the image of God, and enables us to live lives that are pleasing to Him."[26] When we are justified, our guilt before God is removed. Sanctification is the process of removing the corruption caused by sin polluting our lives. This is consistent with the meaning of the Greek word for sanctify, hagiadzo. Hagiadzo literally means to make holy: to be set apart for service to God and to abandon practices that displease Him.

How sanctification occurs
Hoekema says there are three essential requirements for sanctification. First, sanctification can only occur in the context of a growing union with Christ. We will not grow unless we are identified with Christ. Second, he points out that we are sanctified by the truth. The Bible is "one of the chief means whereby God sanctifies His people."[27] Lastly, faith is the means by which we appropriate our sanctification. Faith helps us to live in union with Christ, accept the fact that we are no longer mastered by sin, and results in the production of fruit in the life of the Christian. Like justification, sanctification comes by faith.

The goal of sanctification
What is the process of sanctification accomplishing in the life of a Christian? Hoekema distinguishes between two end results: the proximate and final goals of sanctification. The final end of our sanctification is the glorification of God. This is implied by Paul's use of the phrase, "to the praise of his Glory" in Ephesians 1:12. The proximate goal of sanctification is our perfection: God's desire that every Christian be conformed to the likeness of Christ (1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:49; Ephesians 5:27; Hebrews 12:23). As a result of being conformed to His image, Christians share in Christ's glorification and become an eternal testimony to His glory.

God's role and man's role in sanctification
To reach this goal, both man and God play a part. God set our sanctification in motion by electing us for conformity to Him and scripture indicates that all three persons of the trinity are involved. We read, for example, that the Father disciplines us and sanctifies us by the truth (Heb. 12:10; John 17:17), the Son cleanses the church through the word (Eph. 5:25-27), and the Holy Spirit is responsible for our washing, rebirth and renewal (Titus 3:5). The role, or roles, that each member of the Godhead plays in sanctification are not compartmentalized; "sanctification (is) ascribed to the triune God without any designation of persons."[28]

Sanctification is accomplished by God, but it still requires the cooperation of men and women. We must fight against sin, express gratitude toward God, and offer ourselves fully to him. We also should imitate the example of Christ (Phil. 2:5-7; John 13:14-15).

The interplay between man's role and God's role in conforming us to Christ is seen clearly in passages like Philippians 2:12-13: "(you) work out your salvation in fear and trembling.... for it is God at who is at work in you to will and work for his good pleasure..." But Hoekema carefully points out that the relationship between our work and God's work shouldn't be thought of strictly in terms of cooperation. Instead, he follows John Murray who said, "God's working in us is not suspended because we work, nor our working suspended because God works... the relation is that because God works we work."[29]

Definitive and progressive sanctification
Reformed theologians claim that scripture speaks about sanctification in two ways: as an ongoing process and as an accomplished event. The latter use can be seen in 1 Corinthians 1:2 and 6:11. In 1 Corinthians 1:2, believers are spoken of as "those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus." In 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul says the Corinthians "were sanctified." The Greek word for sanctify in 6:11, hagiadzo, is used by Paul in the aorist tense to emphasize that the Corinthian's sanctification is a past, completed action. This statement, made to an audience that could hardly be called mature, implies that Christians are somehow sanctified in a way that has no bearing on the condition of their day-to-day life. Hoekema calls this use of hagiadzo "definitive sanctification."

Romans 6, the passage with the most detail about definitive sanctification, teaches that Christians have been:

(1) freed from the power of sin
(2) enabled to live in newness of life under the reign of grace
(3) unified with Christ in his resurrection
(4) made new creatures

Definitive sanctification differs from Wesley's notion of entire sanctification in two important ways. First, definitive sanctification does not produce sinless perfection in the Christian. Hoekema asserts that Christians will always "struggle against sin and sometimes fall into sin."[30] A true believer is genuinely a new creature, but they are not fully transformed into Christ's image. Second, definitive sanctification does not occur in an experience subsequent to salvation but rather coincides with it.

Other passages describe what Hoekema calls "progressive sanctification." They imply that sin continues to be present to some extent in the life of the believer (1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 19:12; Psalm 143:2; Proverbs 20:9; Isaiah 64:6; James 3:2). According to Paul, sin is dealt with over time by putting to death the deeds of the flesh (see Romans 8:13). Progression in sanctification can also be seen in Colossians 3. Verses 1 and 3 affirm that definitive sanctification has occurred ("we have died in Christ and been raised up with him") but, in verse 5, Paul advises one must still "consider the members of your earthly body to be dead to sin." Colossians 3:9-10, 2 Corinthians 7:1 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 all convey this same progressive sense of sanctification.

Reflecting on these two types of sanctification, Hoekema concludes, "One could think of definitive sanctification as the beginning of the process and of progressive sanctification as the continual maturing of the new person who was created by definitive sanctification."[31]

Old self and new self
Reformed theologians have differed over the presence of the old and new self in the life of the believer. Standing with Murray, Hoekema believes that Christians are "no longer the old selves they once were. They are not, as has often been taught, both old selves and new selves but are indeed new selves in Christ."[32] He makes his case by citing:

(1) the crucifixion of the old self in Romans 6:6
(2) the use of the aorist tense in Colossians 3:9-10 to describe how Christians have taken off their old self and put on their new self
(3) the New International Version's rendition of Ephesians 4:20-24 which implies that the old self was put off when we came to know Christ

Christians are new creatures - not sinless, nor totally conformed to the image of Christ, but genuinely new people headed in that direction. This is why we are still repeatedly urged in the New Testament to fight sin and the influence of evil in our lives (Ephesians 6:11-13; Galatians 5:16; Hebrews 12:4).

Reformed theology and perfectionism
Hoekema advances several reasons why the Wesleyan hope of living a life without sin is flawed:

(1) The hope of perfection requires a weakening of the definition of sin (e.g. only deliberate sins).
(2) The Wesleyan goal of perfection in this life is admitted to be less perfect than our eschatological perfection.
(3) The Bible doesn't encourage believers to seek a 'second experience' like entire sanctification that follows conversion; the emphasis is on pursuing ongoing growth (Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:23; 2 Pet. 3:18).
(4) Many passages in the Bible indicate that Christians still sin (Matt. 6:12; James 3:2, etc.).
(5) Gal. 5:16-17 indicates that an internal struggle exists between our sinful flesh and the Holy Spirit.

The above observations make it evident that sinful tendencies still exist in the life of even the most mature Christian. As a result, no one is able to live a life truly free from sin.

The law
Reformed theologians believe that the law (the 10 commandments and other precepts given to guide our lives) should be obeyed by Christians. Christians who fail to keep the law do not face God's condemnation (in this sense, they are not "under the law"), but they should express their thankfulness to God by attempting to keep it. John Calvin called this the "third and principle use of the law."

Hoekema claims that obedience to the law out of gratitude toward God is taught in the Old and New Testaments. Old Testament examples include Exodus 20:2-17 and Psalm 19:7-8. In the New Testament (Rom. 8:3-4, for example) Paul says the Holy Spirit came in part to empower Christians to fulfill the law (Rom. 8:3-4). Hoekema even goes as far as to equate keeping the law with walking in the Spirit. In addition, James 1:25 and 1 John 2:3-5 prove that law keeping is an avenue through which God sanctifies us and brings us freedom.

Reaction to the Reformed View
Hoekema takes an in-depth look at Col. 3:9-11, Eph. 4:22-26, and Rom. 6:6 and concludes that "the person who is in Christ is no longer an old man or old self, but is now a new self"[33] This statement is accurate with regard to our position in Christ, but less than accurate when describing our day-to-day experience. To be sure, Rom. 6:6 teaches that the old man was crucified. I would also agree that the putting off of the old self is described as a past event in Col. 3:9-10. Paul is clear that at conversion, Christians are freed from the life they used to live under the rule of sin. In this positional sense, the old self has truly passed away.

Having said this, there are numerous passages that suggest that our old lifestyle is not easily put off and needs to be resisted. Paul urges his audience in Romans 6:11, for example, to consider themselves "to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." In Colossians 3:10, Paul says the new self is going through an ongoing process of renewal. This theme is repeated in Ephesians 4:23 where Paul urges: "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Verse 23, which Hoekema describes as an ongoing process,[34] comes in the middle of a discussion about putting off the old self and putting on the new. If verse 23 describes a process, should we read verses 22 and 24 any differently? The plain sense of Ephesians 4:20-24 implies that Christians must regularly lay aside the habits associated with the old self and put those associated with the new.

Hoekema believes that Christians are free from the law only in the sense that "we are no longer under condemnation because of our failure to keep the law."[35] "In another sense," he continues, "believers are not free from the law. They should be deeply concerned about keeping God's law as a way of expressing their gratitude to Him for the gift of salvation."[36] But Rom. 7:1-6 says that when someone becomes a Christian, their relationship to the law fundamentally changes. Just as a widow is no longer obligated to her husband, we have died to and been freed from the law.

Some theologians argue that we are only free from the ceremonial and civil portion of the law. However, the law Paul discusses Romans 7 is the moral law. This is evident when he quotes the moral part of the law in verse 7: "I would not have known about coveting if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.'" Christians are free from the law - all of it.

If this is true, how should we relate to the law? Several passages indicate that the law still has a role to play in the life of a Christian: Jesus says he did not come to "abolish the law but to fulfill it" (Matt 5:17) and Paul admits he is "not without the law but under the law of Christ." (1 Cor. 9:21) What role does the law play? The law acts as an objective standard of morality that exposes sin (Rom. 7:7), it can stimulate sin (Rom. 7:8,9), and it shows our need to depend of God for the power to lead a moral life (Rom. 7:9b-24).

Hoekema is correct in saying that we are freed from the condemnation incurred by failing to keep the law. But Paul says we are also free from trying to meet its demands by our own power. In place of Hoekema's law keeping, Paul suggests we walk in the newness of the Spirit (Rom. 7:6). It is the Spirit inside us that is then able to keep the requirements of the law (Rom. 8:3-4). Unfortunately, Hoekema takes Rom. 8:3-4 to mean "Spirit-led believers are precisely the ones doing their best to keep God's law."[37] He reduces walking in the Spirit to law keeping and entirely misses the point of the passage: it is the power of the Spirit that enables Christians to keep the law.

Departing from the traditional Reformed view, Hoekema understands Rom. 7:13-25 to be Paul's recollection of his struggle with sin as a non Christian. John Walvoord makes an excellent defense against this view. He says, "It is not demonstrable that an unbeliever has two inner, contending natures." I will leave further arguments in favor of Romans 7:13-25 describing a Christian experience for an upcoming paper.

- See more at: http://www.xenos.

Quote: Reformed theologians have differed over the presence of the old and new self in the life of the believer. Standing with Murray, Hoekema believes that Christians are "no longer the old selves they once were. They are not, as has often been taught, both old selves and new selves but are indeed new selves in Christ."

Quote: Gal. 5:16-17 indicates that an internal struggle exists between our sinful flesh and the Holy Spirit.

I think this is splitting hairs, the old self is “sinful flesh” while the new self is Christ, they are opposed to each other until the flesh is crucified.

Quote:(1) The hope of perfection requires a weakening of the definition of sin (e.g. only deliberate sins).
Quote: (2) The Wesleyan goal of perfection in this life is admitted to be less perfect than our eschatological perfection.
Quote: (3) The Bible doesn't encourage believers to seek a 'second experience' like entire sanctification that follows conversion; the emphasis is on pursuing ongoing growth (Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:23; 2 Pet. 3:18).
Quote: (4) Many passages in the Bible indicate that Christians still sin (Matt. 6:12; James 3:2, etc.).
Quote: (5) Gal. 5:16-17 indicates that an internal struggle exists between our sinful flesh and the Holy Spirit.

1 Wouldn’t being able to say, “I don’t sin deliberately” be a high standard of walk with Christ? I wonder if the writer of this article could say that.

2 I don’t think there is an argument here we are not glorified until Christ comes, but that doesn’t mean there is no hope of reaching our full potential on the earth while we live.

3 What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit is it not a “second experience” after conversion? Is it not the Holy Spirit that “cleanses the heart by faith” Acts 15:9. Does not Paul say to the Corinthians “let me show you a more excellent way” 1 Cor 12:31 Doesn’t the scripture says that “a promise remains of entering His rest” Doesn’t the same scripture warn us not to come short of that. Heb 4:1 so in that sense it encourages us to seek a “second blessing”

4 Many more indicate the opposite so I will double the amount of scripture he quotes, For sin shall not have dominion over you Roms 6:14, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Roms 8:2 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins 1 John 3:5, Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 6:11,

5 So we are left in position “that ye cannot do the things that ye would” I don’t think, if you read verse 24 it says “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” which points us to a hope that we can be free from that internal struggle.

I think this is splitting hairs, the old self is “sinful flesh” while the new self is Christ, they are opposed to each other until the flesh is crucified.

There are no shortcuts to be found, no magical flesh-kill pills. Spiritual growth is slow and oftentimes painful, with lots of ups and downs, defeats and triumphs. The Christian's joy can be full despite these ups and downs when he/she has a correct understanding of the grace of God. But those who seek a "secret" or "hidden" way off the battlefield via some mystical experience are only fooling themselves. And those who claim they've "arrived" are still defeated in their thoughts but make an outward show to others that they are sinless and perfect.

Now, there is true rest, victory, grace to overcome sin's dominion, the restorative blood of Jesus, there is the on-going filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit - and these precious resources are given, in part, to equip us throughout the warfare we daily encounter via the bombardment of the flesh, the opposition of Satan and his influence over the world's system. God has given us defensive spiritual armor, the sword of His Word, and He has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We are already complete and equiped with the fullness of the Godhead in Christ. There are no "second" and "third" experiences apart from the initial Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To expect anything otherwise is a trap from Satan to hurl you into depression and doubt God's completion in you. And those who teach this heresy battle the same lustful thoughts and temptations of the flesh as you and I do. They themselves have not arrived at entire sanctification or fleshless perfection, though they would make you seem inadequate and "incomplete" that you haven't. Have you noticed how confrontational they are in the forums, how factional, know-it-all, divisive, agenda-driven and critical their posts are? This conduct alone shows they are not perfected.

Victory is possible - daily victory - but just not in the way they teach.

Don't be fooled.

////The old self (i.e. man) is most certainly not the flesh. Our flesh was not crucified with Christ. The "old man" was crucified with Him so that we would no longer walk according to its dictates. We are proportionately empowered to overcome the flesh by walking in the Spirit. But the flesh can never be destroyed through some second, third or fourth blessing (these magical blessings seem to increase as time goes on).////

The Flesh in and of its self is not intrinsicly evil. (That teaching is gnostisism.)

The Old Man is the control center of the Flesh for the unsaved.

So when Colin or others say that "the flesh is crucified"
They are correct, (The control center of the flesh is what supposed to be crucified)
If the control center of the flesh, "Old Man" is totally put to death, So that only the true Bishop of the Soul reigns, We would not sin.

Adam was made flesh as was Jesus, The flesh in and of its self is not sin.

I am not aware of any Scripture, That contridictes the idea, That what Jesus accomplished in the flesh, is indeed possable for the regenerated Christian to accomplish.

1 John seems to encourage it if not present it as the normal Christian life.

This is not my experience as of yet, but an honest observation of years of independant Bible study, I am open to refutal of what I have written here.

So when Colin or others say that "the flesh is crucified" They are correct, (The control center of the flesh is what supposed to be crucified). If the control center of the flesh, "Old Man" is totally put to death, So that only the true Bishop of the Soul reigns, We would not sin.

I do not have time to type it out now, but this type of issue has been debated for years in the church.

This was one of the issues it seems that caused the reformed puritans in Boston to persecute and put to death Ann Hutchinson, Mary Dyer and other Quakers.

RE: ////The flesh is crucified insomuch as "we" live in the spirit (Gal. 5:24-25). God has not crucified the flesh in the way He has the "old man". The "old man" is a total goner; he has been conclusively killed in Christ and we had nothing to do with it.////

That does seem to be what the Scripture teaches.

Paul what is your definition of "old man" and "body of sin" ?

Paul what is your definition of "old man" and "body of sin" ?

The "Body of Sin" is the tyranny, the power of sin. This "Body" prevails in all the sons and daughters of Adam like an alien virus. It entered into the human race when Adam and Eve bent the knee to Satan. The virus not only brought death to Adam and his wife, but also transmitted spiritual death to all their progeny. In addition to instant death and separation from God, the symptomatic manifestations of the infection would include outer Satanic fruit such as fornication, murder, adultery, blasphemy, witchcraft, idolatry, theft. These outbreaks are but the branches of a corrupt root within man, the indicator of the viral Body. To habitually live in darkness with the sores and lesions of this virus is the normal Adamic, pre-conversion life. The viral outbreaks may vary in the flesh from person-to-person (some people use the ointment of psychology and ethics to keep the disease in check), but all the children of Adam are essentially sin-virus positive until regenerated in Christ.

The "old man" is our old viral nature. He manifested the coding of the virus. God killed him in Christ to stop the coding so that the power of the Virus would be broken over us. He then installed a "new man" to begin coding Jesus Christ. The Sin Virus is still in the world, but the old "coder" of its Satanic DNA is gone in the born-again believer. God's children can now walk in newness of life. In a nutshell: The "power" of the Body of Sin over us was destroyed on the cross through the death of the old coder.

Quote: The old self (i.e. man) is most certainly not the flesh. Our flesh was not crucified with Christ. The "old man" was crucified with Him so that we would no longer walk according to the flesh's dictates.

You missed the point maybe I didn’t communicate that well.

QuoteOld self and new self
Reformed theologians have differed over the presence of the old and new self in the life of the believer. Standing with Murray, Hoekema believes that Christians are "no longer the old selves they once were. They are not, as has often been taught, both old selves and new selves but are indeed new selves in Christ."[32]

I guess they are standing against the duality of natures in the Christians.

But in doing this they start splitting hairs.

Adam was crucified with him, breaking the tie to Adam; however there remain a remnant of that adamic nature in us after conversion so there is a duality because there is opposing forces in the Christian after conversion that cannot be denied it is the experience of us all.

Adam may be dead and gone but Colin still finds that he is infected with the adamic coding (Sin) when Colin sees it, he sees it at his old self, something from his past life and then he realizes he must also go to the cross and be identified with Christ’s death on the cross, so that he can live the resurrected life of Christ.

Hence the need of a deeper work or a “second blessing” as it has been called.

Not some mystical experience or an excuse to get off the battle field but rather a cleansing by the Holy Spirit and a keeping so that you are kept from sinning. Now in today’s church the Holy Spirit is more about talking in tongues or prophecy but we the miss the fact that he is the one that will make you Holy and keep you Holy the cost to you is that you must absolutely surrender.

Another case of spliting hairs I see

There are two great spiritual changes which are possible to human experience—the change from the "natural" man to the saved man, and the change from the "carnal" man to the " spiritual" man. The former is divinely accomplished when there is a real faith in Christ; the latter is accomplished when there is a real adjustment to the Spirit. Experimentally the one who is saved through faith in Christ, may at the same time wholly yield to God and enter at once a life of true surrender. Doubtless this is often the case. It was thus in the experience of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:4-6). Having recognized Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, he also said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" There is no evidence that he ever turned from this attitude of yieldedness to Christ. However, it must be remembered that many Christians are carnal. To these the word of God gives clear directions as to the steps to be taken that they may become spiritual. There is then a possible change from the carnal to the spiritual state.

Three Classes of Men Lewis S. Chafer

The link to the site

http://www.wholesomewords.org/etexts/chafer/spiritual1.html

it must be remembered that many Christians are carnal. To these the word of God gives clear directions as to the steps to be taken that they may become spiritual. There is then a possible change from the carnal to the spiritual state.

Men intrinsically look for experiences and mystic knowledge to elevate themselves above their peers, and in the realm of spirituality this is no different. They seek for the "magic pill" to lose weight without exercise; the "instant lottery" to gain wealth without labor; and Christian "perfectionism" to gain fleshless glorification before fighting the good fight. To them, there is no fight; indeed, if one is fighting, one is still carnal. This cloaked heresy states that "perfect" Christians are the only true, spiritual Christians. Every one else is in a "lower class" beneath them (as asseverated in this very thread). But what they won't tell you is they themselves have no rest in their own spirits. They hold grudges, they exhibit polarizing theological agendas. They look to "save face" and win arguments. They are plagued with spiritual pride and contention just as much as any "gradual sanctificationist" or reformed theologian. They are compelled to come into these forums and pick sanctification battles under the camps of their extrabiblical heros. Believers who disagree and maintain there is no scriptural evidence to support their cause are ingloriously tagged "carnal" and "have not entered into rest". But God's ways are such that as they make these judgments, the tables are turned and their own carnality, which they so purport to have escaped, paradoxically, is suddenly exposed by virtue of the very camp allegiance of perfectionism they wage war beneath.

Thank you dear brothers for sharing your insights into this greatly needed area of spiritual development.

makrothumia

No problem any time, did you ever get the pentecostal take on sanctification?

In keeping with the subject of this thread I offer the following:

Sanctification a Lifelong Work by John Owen

Sanctification is the complete renewal of our natures by the Holy Spirit, by which we are changed into the image of God, through Jesus Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit on the souls of all believers. Their natures are purified from the pollution of sin. It is the renewing of our natures into the image of God. So we are enabled to obey God firstly by an inward, spiritual, ruling principle of grace, and secondly by virtue of the life and death of Jesus Christ according to the terms of the new covenant, by which God writes his laws in our hearts and enables us to obey them by the Holy Spirit indwelling us.

Holiness described

Holiness is a holy obedience to God arising from a renewed nature. This holy obedience is by Jesus Christ and according to the terms of the covenant of grace.

This work of sanctification differs from regeneration. Regeneration is instantaneous. It is one single creating act, whereas sanctification is progressive. It is begun at the moment of regeneration and is continued gradually (2 Peter 3:17,18; 2 Thessalonians. 1:3; Colossians 2:19; Philippians 1:6).

Holiness is like seed sown in the ground. It grows gradually into a full plant.

GRACES INCREASED

The work of holiness is carried on in us by increasing and strengthening those graces of holiness which we have received and by which we obey. Whatever duties towards God men may perform, if they are not motivated by faith and love, they do not belong to that spiritual life by which we live to God. (Luke 17:5; Ephesians. 3:17; 1 Thessalonians. 3:12, 13).

The Holy Spirit does this in three ways.

First, the Holy Spirit does this work of holiness by stirring up these graces within us. The more he stirs up these graces in us, and the more we are moved to holy living by them, the more they become a habit in us. And the stronger the habit, the stronger is the power of these graces in us. In this way the Holy Spirit causes them to grow daily in us (Hosea 6:3).

The Holy Spirit stirs up the graces of faith and love in two ways. He does so morally by the ordinances of worship and preaching by which the proper objects of faith and love are put before us (John 16:14, 15; 14:26; Hebrews. 4:2). He does so by dwelling in believers and thus preserving in them the root and ruling principle of their graces by his own direct power (Galatians 5:22, 23; Philippians 2:13).

Secondly, the Holy Spirit does this work of holiness by supplying believers with experience of the truth, reality and excellence of the things that are believed. The experience of the reality, excellence, power and effectiveness of the things that are believed is an effectual means of increasing faith and love. So God expostulates with his church (Isaiah. 40:27, 28; 2 Corinthians. 1:4; Romans. 12:2; Colossians 2:2; Psalms. 22:9, 10).

It is the Holy Spirit who gives us all our spiritual experiences for in them lies all our comfort. The Holy Spirit comforts believers by making the things they believe a powerful reality to them (Romans. 5:5).

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit does this work of holiness by strengthening these graces in us. (Zechariah 12:8; Ephesians. 3:16, 17;

GRACES ADDED

The Holy Spirit also does this work of holiness by adding one grace to another. There are some graces which are stirred up only occasionally because they are not always as necessary to the life of grace as faith and love.

Holiness is thus strengthened and grows by adding one grace to another, until like a fully grown plant it is seen in all its glory (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

What is necessary is our utmost diligence and effort to add to faith all these other graces. What Peter is saying is that every grace is to be exercised at its proper time and in its appropriate situation. This adding of graces is from the Holy Spirit, who adds them in three ways.

Firstly, he adds these graces by ordering the appropriate situation according to his sovereign rule over all things, and then bringing us into that situation so that the particular grace needing to be exercised is called into action (James 1:2-4).

Secondly, he adds these graces by reminding us of our duty and showing us what grace needs to be exercised in this particular situation (Isaiah. 30:21).

Thirdly, he adds these graces by stirring up and bringing into activity all graces needed in any particular situation.

It is the Holy Spirit who works all this in us and freshens up his graces in us, as a gardener freshens up his plants by watering them (Isaiah. 27:3; Galatians. 2:20).

Christ the source of holiness

Our holiness comes from the spring and fountain of all grace that is in Christ Jesus, the head of the body (Colossians 3:3). As the whole body derives strength and ability from the head, so by the Holy Spirit all the supplies of holiness in our head, Jesus Christ, are brought to every member of his body (Cot. 2:19). As the branch is nourished by the vine out of which it grows, and by that nourishment is able to bear fruit, so we, being grafted into Christ, receive from him all necessary supplies of holiness to bear fruit to his glory. And these supplies of holiness are brought to us and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. So God warns us not to become proud, but to remember that we were grafted into Christ by grace, and from him we receive all necessary supplies of grace (Romans. 11:20).

Objection. If God works every good work of holiness by himself, and if, without his working in us, we can do nothing, then what is the point of diligence, duty and obedience?

Answer 2 Peter 1:3. Knowing this great truth, says Peter, we ought to let it motivate us and encourage us to all diligence to make ourselves holy (v. 5). So two things are required. First, that we wait on God for supplies of his Spirit and grace, without which we can do nothing, and secondly, when those supplies arrive, we must be diligent in our use of them. Without supplies from base, an army cannot fight effectively. Rut when supplies arrive every soldier is called to do his duty diligently.

As trees and plants have the ruling principle of growth in themselves, so does grace (John 4:14). And as a tree or plant must be watered from above or it will dry up and not thrive and grow, so grace must be watered from above.

The growth of trees and plants takes place so slowly that it is not easily seen. Daily we notice little change. But, in course of time, we see that a great change has taken place. So it is with grace. Sanctification is a progressive, lifelong work (Proverbs. 4:18). It is an amazing work of God's grace and it is a work to be prayed for (Romans. 8:27).

THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES AND ENABLES US TO PRAY

The Holy Spirit teaches and enables us to pray by giving us a special insight into the promises of God and the grace of his covenant. So when we see spiritually the mercy and grace God has prepared for us, we know what to ask for.

The Holy Spirit teaches and enables us to pray by making us aware of our need which drives us to God who alone can meet that need.

The Holy Spirit teaches and enables us to pray by creating and stirring up in us desires arising from the new work of creation he has done in us. New-born creatures need to be loved, cared for, fed and exercised in order to grow up healthy and strong!

The answer to all our prayers is our complete sanctification. Many complain that sanctification seems to come to a full stop later in the Christian life. Then the soul appears to be like a desert, barren and dead, which is quite opposite to their experience in the early years of their Christian life. But they must understand that while it is natural for grace and holiness to grow up to perfection, it will not grow if its growth is not helped but hindered. Sinful negligence and self-indulgence, or love for this present world, hinders this growth in grace. It is one thing to have holiness really growing and thriving in the soul; it is quite another for that soul to know it and be satisfied with it.

If we assume that the believer is not neglecting all means to the growth of holiness, then he may be helped by the following.

Holiness, being the subject of so many gospel promises, must be received by faith. The promise is that those who are partakers of the covenant will grow in holiness. Holiness depends on God's faithfulness, and not on our feelings or awareness of it. We must put our faith in God's faithfulness.

It is our duty to grow and thrive in holiness. Now what God requires of us, we are to believe he will help us to achieve. But we must not only believe he will help us, but we must also believe that he is now helping us. We must not rely on our feelings or whether we are aware of being more holy or not.

THE GROWTH OF HOLINESS IS MYSTERIOUS

The work of holiness is secret and mysterious (2 Corinthians: 4:16). As the outward man is slowly dying and we are not often aware of it, so it is with the growth of grace in the inward man. We should pray as David did, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting' (Psalms. 139:23, 24). In other words, 'Help me to know the true state of holiness in me.'

The Christian may be like a ship tossed in a storm. Nobody on board may be aware that the ship is making any headway at all. Yet it is sailing on at great speed.

Storms produce growth

Great winds and storms help fruit-bearing trees. So also do corruptions and temptations help the fruitfulness of grace and holiness. The storm loosens the earth round its roots so the tree is able to get its roots deeper into the earth where it receives fresh supplies of nourishment. But only much later will it be seen to bring forth better fruit.

So corruptions and temptations develop the roots of humility, self-abasement and mourning in a deeper search for that grace by which holiness grows strong. But only later will there be visible fruits of increased holiness.

God cares for the new creation

God, who in infinite wisdom created the new creature, also cares for it. He cares for the life of grace wrought in us by his Spirit. He longs to see it grow healthy and strong. He knows exactly how to promote that growth, just as a good gardener knows exactly how to produce the best plants. But how God works to do this we may be unable to explain: at times we will be at a loss to know what he is doing with us.

In the early days of faith, the streams seem to flow in green pastures, and the new Christian seems always fresh and green in the ways of grace and holiness. But later in the Christian life, it seems good to God to turn the stream into another channel. He sees that the exercise of humility, godly sorrow, fear, diligent warring with temptations and all things that strike at the very root of faith and love, are now more needed.

So older, more experienced Christians often have greater troubles, temptations and difficulties in the world. God has new work for them to do. He now plans that all the graces they have be used in new and harder ways. They may not find their spiritual desires to be as strong as before, nor have such delight in spiritual duties as they had before. Because of this, they feel that grace has dried up in them. No longer do they feel and enjoy the springs of holiness that once joyfully flowed in them. They do not know where they are or what they are. But in spite of all this, the real work of sanctification is still thriving in them and the Holy Spirit is still working it effectively in them. God is faithful. Therefore let us cling to our hope without wavering.

Objection. Scripture shows how often God charges his people with backslidings and barrenness in faith and love. So how do these backslidings happen if sanctification is a continual, progressive growth in the believer ?

Answer These backslidings are occasional and abnormal to the true nature of the new creature. It is a disturbance to the ordinary works of grace, just as an earthquake is to the ordinary workings of nature. Just as the body can be sick with diseases, so the soul can be spiritually sick with spiritual diseases. And although our sanctification and growth in holiness are the work of the Holy Spirit, yet they are also our own work and the duty to which we are called.

There are two ways by which we can resist this work. Firstly by allowing any lust in us to grow till we yield to its temptations. If we do this we neglect the duty of killing sin. Secondly we can resist it by not encouraging holiness to grow and thrive in us.

In order for holiness to grow and thrive in us, it needs both the constant use of the ordinances and means God has appointed and faithful obedience to all commanded duties. There must also be a willingness to exercise every spiritual grace in its proper place and time. The neglect of these things will greatly hinder the growth of holiness. It is like neglecting all the right means to a healthy life.

We are required to give all diligence to increase grace (2 Pet. 1:5-7). We are to abound in all diligence (2 Corinthians. 8:7). We are to show the same diligence to the end (Hebrews. 6:1 1).

If we neglect our duty, the work of sanctification will be hindered and holiness will not thrive in us.

Why believers often neglect duties

There are three reasons why many neglect these duties on which the life of obedience and spiritual comfort depend.

The first reason is a presumption that they are already perfect. If they really believe this, then they see no further need for evangelical obedience, and so they return to justifying themselves by obedience to the law, to their eternal ruin.

Paul utterly rejects absolute perfection as unattainable in this life (Philippians. 3:12-14). The purpose of the Christian life is to bring the believer into eternal blessedness and glory so that he may enjoy God forever. Paul also shows that the way by which we are to press towards this goal of perfection is by a continual, uninterrupted pressing on and reaching out for it. All this teaches that the Christian life is a constant progress in holy obedience accompanied by wholehearted diligence.

The second reason why many neglect these duties is a foolish assumption that, being in a state of grace, they need not bother about exact holiness and obedience in all things, as they did before they had assurance. Paul deals with this in his letter to the Romans (6:1, 2). Can we say that we are in a state of grace if we are not concerned for the growth of grace in us?

The third reason why many neglect these duties is weariness, despair and depression arising from various oppositions to this work of holiness. Such persons ought to take heart from the abundance of encouragements Scripture gives to continue in the way of faith.