The Sanctifier: The Classic Work On The Holy Spirit Book Pdf
Cre Wallace
The question does not concern the second stage of conversion in which it is certain that man is not merely passive, but cooperates with God (or rather operates under him). Indeed he actually believes and converts himself to God; moves himself to the exercise of new life. Rather the question concerns the first moment when he is converted and receives new life in regeneration. We contend that he is merely passive in this, as a receiving subject and not as an active principle. (2.15.5).
The Sanctifier: The Classic Work On The Holy Spirit Book Pdf
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Believers hate sin, love God, and are obedient, and do good works. However, they do this neither on their own nor independently from God; rather, the Holy Spirit, having infused life in them at regeneration, maintains that life by His continual influence, stirs it up, activates it, and causes it to function in harmony with its spiritual nature. (3.4)
When Christ opened the eyes of the blind no second cause interposed between his volition and the effect. But men work out their own salvation, while it is God who worketh in them to will and to do, according to his own good pleasure. In the work of regeneration, the soul is passive. It cannot cooperate in the communication of spiritual life. But in conversion, repentance, faith, and growth in grace, all its powers are called into exercise. As, however, the effects produced transcend the efficiency of our fallen nature, and are due to the agency of the Spirit, sanctification does not cease to be supernatural, or a work of grace, because the soul is active and cooperating in the process. (3.215).
[Sanctification] is a supernatural work of God. Some have the mistaken notion that sanctification consists merely in the drawing out of the new life, implanted in the soul by regeneration, in a persuasive way by presenting motives to the will. But this is not true. It consists fundamentally and primarily in a divine operation in the soul, whereby the holy disposition born in regeneration is strengthened and its holy exercises are increased. (Systematic Theology, 532).
When it is said that man takes part in the work of sanctification, this does not mean that man is an independent agent in the work, so as to make it partly the work of God and partly the work of man; but merely, that God effects the work in part through the instrumentality of man as a rational being, by requiring of him prayerful and intelligent co-operation with the Spirit. (534)
What do Evangelical Protestant confessions and/or statements of faith say about sanctification (if anything). If they say nothing, that's helpful to know too. There is no need to be exhaustive. Just pick a representative statement that fairly represents current Evangelical thinking.
Please note that I'm asking about sanctification, the process of "perfecting the saints" Eph 4:12, not justification or salvation as Protestants typically use the term. Sanctification is the process of making a person better (have better behavior, make more holy).
If there's any one denomination finds itself consistently in accord with "broad evangelicalism," it's gotta be the Southern Baptist Convention. Certainly that's true on this issue; article 4 of the Baptist Faith and Message says:
In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. [...] Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.
Lutherans too are well-represented in evangelicalism, and would probably sign on to the Baptist statement above. But they would emphasize strongly that justification and sanctification are separate and must be kept separate in preaching. Lutherans are big on what they call the law-gospel distinction, and the gospel of free/unmerited grace (the grace of imputed righteousness, resulting in justification) must not be mingled with the preaching of the law, which sanctifies the justified but condemns the unjust.
Then you've got Presbyterians (which is basically synonymous with reformed). Almost everything I said above about Lutherans applies to them as well, although they tend to approach the law-gospel distinction a little bit differently. Since I'm most familiar with them, and since they're perhaps the most confessionally verbose anyway, I'll quote two of their confessions, starting with the Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter 13). This pretty concisely defines the Protestant doctrine of sanctification. And if you don't read too much Presbyterian baggage into "effectual calling" in the first sentence, and if you discount the pieces that contradict Methodist "entire sanctification" teaching, it pretty well encapsulates a view of sanctification that any evangelical should be able to raise his glass to:
They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, 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 true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
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 part does overcome; and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Now comes the Belgic Confession (article 24), which predates the Westminster Confession. It says much the same, but it mixes in some polemic specifically designed to parry Catholic attacks on the doctrine:
Moreover, although we do good works we do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment. And even if we could point to one, memory of a single sin is enough for God to reject that work. So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior.
We are able to be justified by virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. The justifying, unmerited grace of God frees us from selfish motives for seeking holiness. Sanctification is gradual, aided by the work of the Holy Spirit on our hearts. It comes entirely after we have already been justified.
Though justification and sanctification are separate, it's important to remember that the same faith that justifies also sanctifies. John Piper, a reformed Baptist, wrote a book with that premise with the aim of aiding Christians in their sanctification and in their joy. It's called Future Grace, and it's considered a modern classic.
For more comparison and contrast between the various Protestant views of sanctification, you might want to check out two books on five views of sanctification. Both of them document reformed, Wesleyan, and Pentecostal views. The former book adds Keswick and "Augustinian-Dispensational," and the latter adds Lutheran and contemplative. (Keswick and Pentecostal theology both are closely related to Wesleyanism.)
In our pursuit of Christ-likeness, a subtle, but dangerous form of spiritual pride raises its head. The pride of holiness is a sin that ironically and perhaps even paradoxically, only emerges when we are attempting to put sin to death.
It is an unspoken danger for sinners in the lifelong process of sanctification. As we grow in our personal holiness, we begin to at times feel more holy. And therein lies the problem. Of course, as we grow in personal holiness we become, by a work of the Spirit, more aware of our sinfulness too, but that awareness is found wanting often. The sweet chord of spiritual progress ringing in our ears can begin to dull our sensitivity to our own sin while increasing our sensitivity to the sins of others.
To put another way, as sinners grow in Christ-likeness they begin to see their own progression in godliness as proof of their own spiritual superiority. The glare of our own fading glory bouncing off our dusty, spiritual trophies blinds us to our own sin. Like the sad 30 something, insisting people delight in their 6th place ribbons won on their 10-and under soccer team. We begin to feel entitled. Superior. Underappreciated. How cunning are the enemies schemes? He uses the progression of the saints to promote their regression into sin.
Chad Williams is the Lead Pastor at HighView Church, an SBC church plant in the Metro Atlanta area. Before entering pastoral ministry, Chad worked for over a decade with Chickfila, training leaders around the country. Chad is a graduate of Midwestern College, is currently a graduate student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves as a NAMB Church Planting Coach with SEND Atlanta. Chad and his family live in the Atlanta area.
God invites His children to talk with Him, yet our prayers often become repetitive and stale. How do we have a real conversation with God? How do we come to know Him so that we may pray for His will as our own?
For some reason, sanctification and justification intrigue and puzzle many Saints who sincerely seek to understand the principles and requirements of salvation. Even a cursory study of the scriptures quickly proves that these are important, indeed central, concepts to an understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The terms sanctification and justification and their cognate words are used hundreds of times in the four standard works. However, as important as they are, nowhere does any scriptural writer attempt to formally define either concept. Thus, we are left to derive their meaning from how the terms are used in various contexts or from the effects which result from their application.
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