How important is this issue? This is not an abstract question about theology; It’s a real-world problem for evangelism and ministry. Is this at the heart of one of the greatest scourges of evangelism?The church member who doesn’t convert. This question is at the origin of the controversy of the “hello of the owner”, as well as the problem of the so-called “carnal believer”, two intensely practical pastoral themes. In addition, this problem is directly related to Christian parents who aspire to the conversion of their children. To ask the question differently, can a person who does not live as a devout Christian go to heaven?If not, and if we say that a Christian life is necessary for salvation, do we not contradict the biblical teaching of salvation by grace and not by works?
What is sanctification? According to question 38 of the Baptist Catechism, “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace (2 Thessalonians 2:13), by which we are renewed in our whole being, according to the image of God (Ephesians 4:23). . , 24) and can we increasingly die to sin and live by righteousness (Romans 6: 4, 6)? (This is identical to question 35 of the Westminster Short Catechism). Regeneration is the new birth, sanctification is the growth that necessarily results from it. Justification is God’s declaration that a believing sinner is righteous because of the merits of Christ imputed to that sinner. Sanctification is that the believer leaves the court where God, once and for all, has declared him righteous, and immediately begins the process by which the Spirit of God enables him, more and more, to conform to the righteousness of Christ, both internally and internally. externally. Jonathan Edwards spoke of the inevitable Christian desire for sanctification: “The nature of someone who is a newborn has a spiritual thirst to grow in holiness, just like the nature of a newborn. being thirsty for breast milk. . ? * The process is gradual, but it is never completed in this life. Sanctification is finally completed in glorification.
- In a sense.
- We can say that sanctification has nothing to do with regeneration or justification.
- And yet it can be said that it has everything to do with someone proving that they have tried them before.
- (Note statements similar to “We know we’ve already gone from death to life.
- Why ??in the letter of 1 John.
- ) Sanctification alone does not save.
- But there is no salvation without it As Paul said to believers in Thessaloniki: “Did God choose you from the beginning for salvation.
- Through the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in truth?(2 Thessalonians 2:13).
- The experience of salvation begins with regeneration and justification.
- Continues with sanctification.
- And ends with glorification.
- Everyone who is regenerated and justified is sanctified.
- All who are sanctified will finally be glorified.
- Although we can distinguish between regeneration.
- Justification.
- Sanctification.
- And glorification.
- We must not separate them.
- In other words.
- The person who actually experiences them will experience all of them (and in the order in which they appear).
So, the old theological summary that we were saved, are we saved and we’ll be saved?Sanctification is not included in it?Were we saved? Salvation, but it is synonymous with ‘we are saved’. And without sanctification, there is no “we shall be saved”. For, like the sign of Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all and sanctification, without which no one shall see the Lord. “
How can we seek sanctification without which no one will see the Lord?Unlike regeneration, there are many spirit-filled human efforts involved in sanctification. On the one hand, “God is he who works in you both to love and to achieve, according to his goodwill?”(Philippians 2:13). On the other hand, in 1 Timothy 4. 7, we receive this commandment: “Exercise in mercy”. God uses the means of grace to sanctify us, the main being the spiritual disciplines we practice personally and collectively. On a personal level, they include the reception of the Word of God, prayer, private worship, fasting, silence, loneliness, etc. , this is balanced with the disciplines we practice with the church: public worship, listening to the word of God preached, collective prayer, communion. And in all this, our trust is not in ourselves, but in God. As Paul says: “Am I completely sure that he who has begun a good work in you will end it on the day of Christ Jesus?( Philippians 1. 6).
Additional readings
Biblical: Galatians; 1 john
Theological: Jonathan Edwards, “Religious affections? [Religious affections]
Practice: Jerry Bridges,? The discipline of grace? [The discipline of grace]
Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2, Perry Miller, Ed. General, Religious affections, ed. John E. Smith (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1959), p. 366.
By: Donald S. Whitney. © 9Marks. Website: 9marks. org. Translated with permission. Source: What role does sanctification play in salvation?Original: What is the role of sanctification in conversion?© Faithful Ministry. Website: MinistryFiel. com. br. All rights reserved. Translation: Felipe Prestes. Review: André Aloísio Oliveira da Silva.