SANCTIFICATION AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS Chapter 15 Dr. Danny Forshee

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1 1 SANCTIFICATION AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS Chapter 15 Dr. Danny Forshee See Systematic Theology, p and and Christian Beliefs, p We are saved in a moment but we are sanctified for a lifetime. Grudem defines sanctification as a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives. (p. 746) - First we will study the doctrine of sanctification then perseverance of the saints. SANCTIFICATION I. STAGES OF SANCTIFICATION - There are three stages that Grudem points out and the first is: Sanctification begins at regeneration. - Followers of Christ are those who according to the Apostle Paul are those who have experienced the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Once we are born again, genuinely saved, the Spirit lives within us and we cannot continue living a life yielded to sin. God keeps us from perpetually yielding to sin. As the hymn states, He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free. Read 1 John 3:9. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. - The moral change begins at regeneration so there is initially some overlap between regeneration and sanctification, for this moral change is actually a part of regeneration. (Grudem, p. 747). In Acts 20:32 Paul refers to believers as those who are sanctified. He uses a perfect passive participle, and the perfect tense indicates an event that has happened and has continuing results. We have been sanctified at conversion and we are currently being sanctified and we will continue to be sanctified as followers of Christ. If we are not growing in more Christlikeness then we are not living and experiencing the Christian life that God intends for us to enjoy and live. - We are dead to sin; sin will no longer have dominion over us because Jesus has set us free! (See Romans 6:11, 14, 18.) Because He lives and lives within us we have the power to overcome every enticement and temptation to sin. We will not reach a state of entire perfection or sanctification true but we should not say that I have had this temper or this particular temptation to lust or whatever it is and you will just have to live

2 with it until you die. No! God gives us victory through Christ to live a life of holiness unto Him. Romans 6:14 says, Sin will have no dominion over you. - The second stage of sanctification is it increases throughout life. - As we grow in Christ we should be more and more conformed in His image and less and less like the world. We are to grow in righteousness like we used to grow in sinfulness (Grudem s interpretation on Romans 6:19, pages ). We are in process and have not and will not completely arrive in this life. Paul admits his own struggles in Romans 7 about doing what he should and doing what he should not. And in Philippians 3 he talks about not having been perfected so he presses on. Hebrews 12:14 says we are to strive for holiness. - The third stage of sanctification is its completion when we die as believers or when Christ returns. Grudem says it happens for our souls at death and bodies when Jesus returns and we receive our resurrected, glorified bodies. In heaven we will be completely just and made perfect (Hebrews 12:23). - We are people on a journey; we have moments of moving ahead in sanctification then moments of regression. During those times we have to do as 1 John 1:9 says and confess our sins to God. - We need to be reminded that sanctification is never fully realized in this life on earth. Some disagree as I mentioned before and argue that it is possible and they appeal to verses like Matthew 5:48 when Jesus said, You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. That is the goal and all believers should strive to be perfect and as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:1 to make holiness perfect. I do not think anyone attains that goal here on earth. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states, Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. And in 1 John 1:8 the Apostle John in writing to believers says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. - We should not lose heart in light of the fact that we will never be perfect on this earth and certainly not say the effort is futile so I will just sin. Romans 6:1-2 addresses that attitude. Rather, we should realize though it will never be attained in this life we should nonetheless continue to grow in sanctification. I like Grudem s point as we mature in Christ our sins are not so much of word or deed but they are inward and deal with our attitudes and motives. He points out that the following are sins as well pride, lack of faith, not loving God with all our hearts or our neighbors as ourselves, or failure to trust completely in God and His promises in every situation in life. (p. 752) - We have to be careful and remember all sin is sin to God and we should never become haughty or proud. In fact, the Old Testament uses the same Hebrew word, tow`ebah, in Leviticus 18:22 calling homosexual behavior an abomination, as it does in Proverbs 16:5 the proud in heart are an abomination. 2

3 3 - Just this week on Tuesday I was so blessed to have attended the SBTC Evangelism Conference and with some fatigue began to be complaining and critical. I confessed my sins to God and He forgave me. It is easy to get tripped up in matters of the heart, or at least it is for me. II. ROLES IN SANCTIFICATION - Both God and man work in the process of sanctification. Perhaps you have heard of statements like work like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on God, or it takes God s inspiration and our perspiration to bring it about. There is some truth to this. We are not talking about earning salvation as that is impossible but we are talking about growing in godliness and God certainly assists us and we too have a definite part to play. - God clearly plays the primary role, as 1 Thessalonians 5:23 speaks of God sanctifying us wholly. God disciplines us as Hebrews 12 addresses and He works in us to being about His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). God the Son s role is vital as He is the One who saves and sanctifies us. Speaking of Jesus Christ, Paul says God made Him to be our sanctification in 1 Corinthians 1:30. And God the Holy Spirit plays a definitive role in our sanctification as well. He is the Holy Spirit and He works in us to bring us to holiness and more in the image of Christ. Our sanctification is by the Spirit says Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. In Galatians we read of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and each one is a mark of one who is growing in sanctification. - Our role is important and we should recognize that we do play a part in our on sanctification or growth in holiness. True, we depend on God to sanctify us yet we actively strive to obey God and grow in sanctification. - To simply not try and say things like let go and let God is not acceptable. This phrase is good when you have done all you can. We have to be on guard against growing lazy and neglecting the part Scripture commands that we play in our on growth in holiness. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13) and we do so through obeying God. We work because we are saved not in order to gain or earn salvation. We demonstrate our salvation and the benefits of that salvation as we work and serve God. In The Believer s Study Bible, p. 1688, it makes this comment on Philippians 2:12-13, The idea is to progress to the finish or completion in spiritual growth and maturity. This process is what the Bible calls sanctification. - Some biblical texts that point to the active role we are to play in our growth in sanctification are Hebrews 12:14 where we are to strive for holiness; 1 Thessalonians 4:3 we are to abstain from immorality; 1 Peter 2:15-16 twice it says we are to be holy. - This discussion of holiness reminds me of a David Crowder song entitled I am in which he sings I am holding on to You in the middle of the storm I am holding on I am. I heard him make a comment on this song when he

4 4 said God is holding us and we are to hold on to Him. This speaks to the dual roles God s role and our role in living the effective Christian life. - The hymn states it well that we are to trust and obey. There are no short cuts in growing in godliness or engaging in the spiritual disciplines. We should gladly make these a part of our daily lives prayer, Scripture reading, witnessing, worship, fellowship, and exercising self-control. I read this statement and it just leapt off the page to me. It is in one of the footnotes in Grudem s chapter on sanctification. He quotes on page 755 John Livingstone who said, Satan strikes... either at the root of faith or at the root of diligence. Powerful. - We cannot do this on our own; we need God obviously and we need the people of God, the community of faith called the church. Read Hebrews 10: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. I want to do more of this here in our church build us up through encouragement and see our people do the same. The word I spoke to my family that I wanted us to focus on in 2014 is the word generous or generosity. The lone ranger Christianity so popular with many in our country has no biblical support. It is more an American brand of religion a rugged individualism that does not do well under scriptural scrutiny. We need each other; we need the challenge others give to us, and they need us. III. CONCLUSION - Grudem closes out his chapter on sanctification by speaking to how sanctification affects the whole person and motives for obedience to God. - The part about sanctifying the whole person is very good and challenging. He speaks from a heart that is pursuing God and wants to encourage other believers to do the same. Our intellects or knowledge is affected. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds Paul says in Romans 12:2. Colossians 1:10 speaks of increasing in the knowledge of God. And 2 Corinthians 10:5 says we are to take every thought captive to obey Christ. - Our emotions are to grow in sanctification as well. We are to be filled with the Holy Sprit and see the fruits like love, joy, peace, and patience manifested in and through us. We must put away such harmful attitudes and emotions like bitterness, wrath and anger (Ephesians 4:31). - Our wills or volitions should grow in holiness as well. Our decision-making ability should reflect more the life of Christ. Philippians 2:13 speaks of how God is at work in us to will and to work for His good pleasure. - We should grow in sanctification in our spirits or nonphysical part of who we are. Read 2 Corinthians 7:1. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

5 5 - And sanctification certainly includes our physical bodies. Read 1 Thessalonians 5: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so glorify God in your body. - Finally some motivations for us to grow in Christlikeness, sanctification and holiness 1. We desire to please God who has saved us and given us an abundant and eternal life. If we love Jesus we will keep His commandments (John 14:15). 2. A clear conscience (Romans 13:5). To be in good relationship with Christ and others is a powerful thing; there is no peace like that which comes from a pure conscience. 3. To point unbelievers to Christ, providing a good example for them to follow (1 Peter 2:12, 3:16). 4. To avoid God s discipline, the fear of the Lord Proverbs 10:9 says is the beginning of wisdom. 5. Eternal rewards is a motivation to grow in sanctification (1 Corinthians 3:14), and a final one that I added, 6. To finish well, not dishonor Christ or my family or church, and to hear Him say, Well done, good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21). - Grudem closes this chapter by pointing out that growing in godliness gives us great joy and it will prepare us for the kind of life we will experience in heaven. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS - This doctrine of perseverance of the saints is also called the security of the believer or referred to as eternal security. It means that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God s power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives, and that only those who persevere until the end have been truly born again (Grudem, p. 788). - God has the power to keep those who are His, and those who are truly born again will demonstrate it through their lives and will continue in the Christian life. - This is a very debated doctrine among Christians those in the Wesleyan or Arminian tradition believe it is possible for one to lose his or her salvation; whereas, those in the Reformed tradition do not believe it is possible for those truly born again to lose their salvation. The question has been posed this way, are those once saved always saved? A. THOSE BORN AGAIN WILL PERSEVERE - The emphasis is more on what Christ does than what we do. He is the One who keeps us because we are His children and secure in Him. To question if a person truly saved will go to heaven is a question about the

6 power of God. Is God able; is He powerful enough to keep those who are His children? I say absolutely. Jesus said in John 6:38-40, 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. - In John 10:27-29 Jesus says that He gives eternal life to His children and they will never perish; they are in His hand and they are also in the Father s hand. In vs. 28 there is a strong Greek construction and can be translated and they shall certainly not perish forever. Some argue no one else can but the person himself can fall away or apostatize. But when Jesus says no one that would include the person himself because he is someone! - The word eternal is very significant; it is not that we simply have life but aionios or eternal life, life without end. Another verse to cite is 1 John 5:13 which to me is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible that speaks to assurance of salvation. - In Romans 8:1 Paul says there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Eternal hell is the epitome of eternal condemnation, but we do not have to fear that state of being because we are in Christ. In Romans 8:30 those who know Christ are predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Our glorification with Christ in heaven is as certain as the fact as we are predestined, called, and justified. - Other texts that speak to eternal security and the fact that believers will persevere to the end are Ephesians 1:13-14 and 4: In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. The word translated guarantee means down payment or deposit. This down payment gives obligation to the party to fulfill the transaction. God will never do anything that is unjust or unfair or not come through on His promises. How do you break a divine seal? You cannot. God who begins the good work in us will bring it to completion according to Philippians 1:6, a verse of promise in this life and the life beyond. I like 1 Peter 1:5 as it says God s power guards us. The word guard (phroureo) means to protect or keep from escaping. God protects us or prevents us from escaping and protects us from attacks. - Grudem concludes from these texts, If God s guarding has as its purpose the preservation of believers until they receive their full, heavenly salvation, then it is safe to conclude that God will accomplish that purpose and they will in fact attain that final salvation. Ultimately their attainment of final salvation depends on God s power. (p. 792) 6

7 7 B. ONLY THOSE TRULY BORN AGAIN WILL PERSEVERE TO THE END - This sounds much like the first point but here the emphasis is on the word truly. And the reason is we have to accentuate the fact that one has to be genuinely born again in order to have assurance of salvation or the guarantee that he or she will live forever with God in heaven. So many have had a pseudo salvation and made an emotional decision but never repented and believed on Christ for salvation. How do you know if you have been born again? You will persevere until the end. This does not mean you will never struggle or have doubts or stray some, but you cannot remain that way; you return and finish well. Read John 8: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - Those who continue with Christ or in the faith (Colossians 1:22-23) demonstrate the genuineness of their salvation. It really happened to them and it is evidenced by the life they live and how they continue on with Christ. Those who fall away from the faith never really possessed the faith or never were truly born again. - Those who fall away from Christ, no longer believe in Him, have no desire for the things of God like His Word, prayer, the church, then they demonstrate by their actions that they never knew Christ in the first place. I think we do a great disservice to people by giving them this easy belief faith that does not have the biblical requirements of faith and repentance. Our church rolls are full of people who no longer go to church or have a desire and live like the devil and still think they are going to heaven because they asked Jesus in their hearts or got confirmed or baptized, and what a sad reality awaits them. There is a vast difference in genuine biblical faith and salvation and a false pseudo, cultural salvation. C. THOSE WHO FALL AWAY FROM CHRIST CAN GIVE MANY EXTERNAL SIGNS OF CONVERSION - Judas gave many signs of being a devoted follower of Christ but demonstrated by his actions that he never committed his heart to God. His fruit or the actions and evidences in his life gave the real condition of his spirituality or where he stood with God. - I could reference this verse in the above section but it fits well here also and that is 1 John 2: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. - Some of the most thought-provoking words of Jesus in the Bible are in Matthew 7:21-23 where these people did many mighty things in Jesus name and gave many outward signs that they were saved, but they never were because Jesus tells them to depart for He never knew them. Not

8 that He knew them at one time and they strayed but that He never knew them! Also, in Mark 4 the parable of the seed and the sower. The only ones who were really saved are those in the fourth category as they demonstrated the genuineness of their faith by producing fruit. The third category are those who in vs. 16 Jesus describes as some who hear the word and receive it with joy and we might assume that surely they were saved as they received the word with joy, but they did not stay with Christ; in fact, He says of them in vs. 17 they endure for a time. But they eventually fall away demonstrating they were never born again. These verses in Matthew 7:21-23 and Mark 4 help us when we come to texts like Hebrews 6 where many go to argue that Christians can fall away and lose their salvation. Read Hebrews 6: For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. - They have once been enlightened. They understood the gospel but that is it. It does not say they embraced it in saving faith. Also, they have tasted the heavenly gift. And they have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come. They tasted or experienced the power of God s Word or the powerful workings of the Holy Spirit. They have tasted but not ingested or fully eaten. Tasting is not the same thing as eating the full meal. The next phrase says these people who have fallen away have become partakers of the Holy Spirit. The word translated partakers is metochos and can mean associate with. The Holy Spirit had influenced them but He had not redeemed or regenerated them. He had not come to take up residence in their lives, for had He done that they would not have fallen away. Keep in mind the other verses we looked at earlier like Ephesians 1:13-14 and 4:30. And the text says that for these people it is impossible to restore again to repentance. Metanoeo can mean a turning away from sin as in when a person is saved or it can mean feeling sorry for what one has done. These are they that have come as close as a person can come to salvation without being saved. Grudem, p. 799, gives an excellent summary paragraph (3 rd full paragraph) on those who commit apostasy. (If have time read this paragraph.) How do you know they are not saved? Based on what we have seen in the New Testament earlier, those who are genuinely saved finish well and continue on with Christ until the end. These, Hebrews 6:6 says, commit apostasy. They remind me of those who commit the unpardonable sin Matthew 12, the false teachers in 1 John 5:16-17 that John tells us not to pray for those that are sinning that leads to death. They have crossed a dangerous line, a point of no return; they will not be saved; they cannot be saved. Their minds are made up, their hearts are hardened, and their consciences are calloused. 8

9 9 - The writer of the Book of Hebrews in this same context, Hebrews 6:7-8, compares these people to those who are thorns and thistles that do not bear fruit. They are not compared to land that at one time bore good fruit but now do not; rather, they are compared to land that never bore good fruit. Hebrews 6:9 is also very enlightening he tells the church that in their case we feel sure of better things that belong to salvation. The better things are the things mentioned in verses 4-6 that do not belong to salvation; these were never saved. He explains these better things in verses Commenting on Hebrews 10:26-31, Grudem says they have been sanctified in the sense of an external sanctification or a blessing in connection with God s people. The passage does not talk about someone who is genuinely saved, but someone who has received some beneficial moral influence through contact with the church. (p. 802) D. SIGNS OF A TRUE BELEIVER WHO HAS ASSURANCE - This person has trusted in Christ for salvation, repented of their sins, and they have a present trust in Christ to save him or her. - Grudem says the most famous verse in the Bible speaks to this present tense trusting in Christ for salvation John 3:16. Trusting Christ day-byday brings this assurance that we all seek. If you were to die today and stand before God and He asked why should you come into heaven, what would you say? It is not that we have done some good deed, but that we trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone for our salvation. He died for our sins and we trusted in Him. It is important when giving a salvation testimony to share not only how we were saved in some point in time but also what Christ is doing in our lives today. - A true believer who has assurance also shows evidence of a regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit (Romans 8:15-16). The Holy Spirit leads God s children to do God s will and live a life of obedience. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident and operative in the life of a true believer. (Galatians 5:22-23) These traits characterize our lives not that we exemplify them perfectly all the time. The person with assurance is one who has a positive Christian influence on those he knows. He or she does not bring others down but builds them up in their faith. Jesus said twice in a short span that you will know people by their fruits (Matthew 7:16-20). - Grudem points to another confirming fact that the Holy Spirit is at work in us and we are saved is we believe and obey the sound teaching of the church. The true follower of Christ will read, delight in, and believe the Scriptures. The true believer will also enjoy a personal day-by-day relationship with Jesus and have fellowship with Him in prayer and worship. And finally the person who is a true believer and has assurance of his faith is one who obeys Christ.

10 - While reading this section in Grudem s book, I thought about the excellent commentary written by John Stott on the book of 1 John. He states that the follower of Christ is one who has no problem with these tests or indicators the doctrinal test of belief where one believes that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God; the moral test of obedience where one follows Jesus and obeys His Word, and the social test of love where one loves the brethren or the church. - Finally, there is for the true believer a long-term pattern of growth in his or her life. According to 2 Peter 1 we will add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. If we do these things we will never fall (vs. 10). - Grudem has some strong words of warning to the perpetual backslider he says you need to repent and be saved for you never were saved to begin with. 10