One of the most overlooked teachings in the Christian faith is the doctrine of sanctification. As a Protestant, Reformed Evangelical I've heard many messages about justification as our heritage is inseparably tied to the sixteenth-century Reformation. At that time there were two primary aspects of the protest in the "formal debate" and the "material debate" with the Roman church. The formal debate was that of "Sola Scriptura," that the Bible is the ultimate authority of all church and faith issues. The material debate was that of "Justification By Faith Alone." The Reformers believed that the Bible was key and that we are saved or justified before God by faith, as a gift by grace from God in Christ alone. There are no good works that contribute to our justification.
With this framework the Reformed Christian faith still emphasizes both the centrality of Scripture and the justification by faith alone. But these are not the only doctrines of Scripture, and to maintain faithfulness to the formal debate of "Sola Scriptura" we need to always be going back to the Bible to understand all its truth and applications to our lives. Sanctification is one of the key doctrines that the modern Christian church needs more than anything else because of the highly secularistic world we live in, and our Spiritual growth is greatly enhanced by studying the Bible. Sanctification through the Scriptures can bring great blessings to our lives.
Sanctification is the process of being set apart from sin for our growth in godliness. Paul speaks about this process of Spiritual growth in Romans 8, beginning with v.1 as he first pronounces that there is no condemnation for those "in Christ." Here we see that we are first set free in Christ by the law of the "Spirit of life" from the law of "sin and death." In v.6 we also see that there is action to take in our new Spiritual life, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." In Christ, we must begin to set our minds, hearts, and souls on the truth we find in Scripture.
The chapter develops a comparison of having our minds set on the Spirit or on the flesh. In v.9 we see Paul pronounce that we are not "in the flesh" but "in the Spirit" if "in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." He then describes in v.12-14, that, "we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." We can be set apart and filled with the Holy Spirit when we turn away from the sins of the flesh and set our hearts on Christ to walk in faith.
Paul continues in v. 26-27 and we see, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." The Holy Spirit helps us in our prayers as we need to be strengthened in our hearts to trust him. We can trust God that all things work together for the good of those who love him, (v.28). God is working in a masterful way to bring all things together for his glory.
Further in v.29, we see that those God "foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son." This 'conformity' is the process of sanctification, of being set apart unto God, and being changed from our sinful nature to the Spirit-filled nature by faith. And further in v.30, we read, "those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." God is directing his people from predestination to justification and then to glorification. It is the Holy Spirit who is working in us and through us as we follow his prompting from Scripture. The life of faith is also filled with the good works that come from grace as we are "led by the Spirit of God."
Our sanctification follows our justification, therefore, and our Spiritual lives should grow into Christlikeness. It is not unlike a child that is born and then begins to grow physically. But in Spiritual ways, it is not always automatic, and we must remember from Romans 8:12 that "we are debtors" to God to live by faith. Sometimes this requires great sacrifice, yet we will always grow Spiritually when we follow Christ in faith. The great blessing to us, and to our families and friends, is that we will be transformed more and more into the image of Christ. And this in turn will bring glory to God.
FAITH TODAY: Romans 8:12-13, "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
With this framework the Reformed Christian faith still emphasizes both the centrality of Scripture and the justification by faith alone. But these are not the only doctrines of Scripture, and to maintain faithfulness to the formal debate of "Sola Scriptura" we need to always be going back to the Bible to understand all its truth and applications to our lives. Sanctification is one of the key doctrines that the modern Christian church needs more than anything else because of the highly secularistic world we live in, and our Spiritual growth is greatly enhanced by studying the Bible. Sanctification through the Scriptures can bring great blessings to our lives.
Sanctification is the process of being set apart from sin for our growth in godliness. Paul speaks about this process of Spiritual growth in Romans 8, beginning with v.1 as he first pronounces that there is no condemnation for those "in Christ." Here we see that we are first set free in Christ by the law of the "Spirit of life" from the law of "sin and death." In v.6 we also see that there is action to take in our new Spiritual life, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." In Christ, we must begin to set our minds, hearts, and souls on the truth we find in Scripture.
The chapter develops a comparison of having our minds set on the Spirit or on the flesh. In v.9 we see Paul pronounce that we are not "in the flesh" but "in the Spirit" if "in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." He then describes in v.12-14, that, "we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." We can be set apart and filled with the Holy Spirit when we turn away from the sins of the flesh and set our hearts on Christ to walk in faith.
Paul continues in v. 26-27 and we see, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." The Holy Spirit helps us in our prayers as we need to be strengthened in our hearts to trust him. We can trust God that all things work together for the good of those who love him, (v.28). God is working in a masterful way to bring all things together for his glory.
Further in v.29, we see that those God "foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son." This 'conformity' is the process of sanctification, of being set apart unto God, and being changed from our sinful nature to the Spirit-filled nature by faith. And further in v.30, we read, "those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." God is directing his people from predestination to justification and then to glorification. It is the Holy Spirit who is working in us and through us as we follow his prompting from Scripture. The life of faith is also filled with the good works that come from grace as we are "led by the Spirit of God."
Our sanctification follows our justification, therefore, and our Spiritual lives should grow into Christlikeness. It is not unlike a child that is born and then begins to grow physically. But in Spiritual ways, it is not always automatic, and we must remember from Romans 8:12 that "we are debtors" to God to live by faith. Sometimes this requires great sacrifice, yet we will always grow Spiritually when we follow Christ in faith. The great blessing to us, and to our families and friends, is that we will be transformed more and more into the image of Christ. And this in turn will bring glory to God.
FAITH TODAY: Romans 8:12-13, "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
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