Posted by deangonzales on February 27, 2010
Matthew 20:20-28 speaks of human ambition. Webster’s Dictionary defines “ambition” as “an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power.” Another dictionary provides a fuller definition. Ambition is “an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.” The sons of Zebedee were obviously men of ambition. They aspired after greatness. They also had a mother who earnestly wanted to see her two sons achieve their aspirations. And lest we think they were the only disciples who entertained ambitions to greatness, we do well to interpret the indignation of the other ten disciples recorded in verse 24 not as an indication of true humility but as an expression of envy that John and James had beat them to the punch. They too aspired to greatness.
The question I’d like us to ask is, Is it wrong for true disciples of Christ to aspire after greatness? Most of us would probably answer that question affirmatively. Of course it’s wrong! Human ambition doesn’t seem to fit with Christian virtue. However, I want to suggest to you that human ambition in-and-of-itself is not necessarily sinful. Notice carefully that Jesus does not oppose the ambition of James and John per se. He’s not against their aspiration to “greatness,” and he doesn’t condemn their desire for achievement. Instead, Jesus redefines true greatness in the kingdom of God, and he contrasts the Christian approach to achieving greatness with the world’s approach. Look again at verses 25-28:
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Note two things about Jesus’s response to His disciples’ ambition:
1. Jesus doesn’t condemn human ambition but encourages it.
Mark Christ’s words in the first part of verses 26 and 27: “Whoever would be great among you must be …” (v. 26). “And whoever would be first among you must be …” (v. 27). Jesus isn’t mocking the disciples. He’s not being sarcastic. He’s offering them biblical counsel. He’s showing them the way to true greatness. “If you want to be great—if you want to achieve, then this is the method you must follow.” Therefore, we shouldn’t interpret Jesus’s teaching as a blanket condemnation of all human ambition. As a matter of fact, the Bible supports the notion that human ambition is a God-given impulse.
How many of you have met an ambitious oak tree? What about an ambitious fish or bird or cow? It’s true that some animals can be aggressive. And it’s true that some animals can be competitive. There’s always the dog in the pack that aspires to be the “alpha-male.” But whatever ambition animals may possess is only a faint semblance of human ambition. Animals don’t strive for fortune and fame. Animals aren’t preoccupied, like us, with accomplishment and achievement. But there’s a drive within you and me to do something that’s lasting: to leave our mark, to accomplish some great deed, to be successful and find fulfillment. Where did that drive come from?
I want to suggest that it came from the God who created humans in his own image and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28). That “creation mandate” not only specified mankind’s God-given task. It also implies a goal toward which humans are to strive. Adam and Eve were to be fruitful and fill the earth with other images of God who would labor together to beautify the earth and harness its natural resources for the glory of God and good of man. And as a reward for their labors, God would grant them a “name,” and they would join him in eternal Sabbath-rest. And God endowed the human heart not only with a conscience that would urge man to imitate his heavenly father morally but God also endowed the human heart with an aspiration to complete his God-given task and to enjoy as a reward fullness of life—something he did not yet experience in the Garden of Eden. I believe this is what Solomon is alluding to in Ecclesiastes 3:11 where he says, “[God] has put eternity in their hearts.” One OT scholar explains it this way:
[The] blessing … promising a consummation of man’s original glory as image of God was … built into man’s very nature as image of God. This eschatological prospect was in-created. It was an aspiration implanted in man’s heart with his existence as God’s image…. The bare perpetuation of man’s original measure of blessedness would actually have been a curse, not a blessing, for it would have amounted to failure in his endeavor to fulfill God’s commission to be fruitful and to extend his dominion..
Brothers and sisters, you and I were made to have aspirations. To borrow from a good friend’s oft-repeated axiom: we were created with a drive and desire to pursue our maximum kingdom potential. This explains why people in the world strive to achieve and accomplish and find fulfillment. True, their ambition for greatness and achievement has been corrupted by sin as we’ll see. But it still testifies to the fact that they’re made in the image of God. My point is this: human ambition is not wrong provided that it’s properly defined and carried out with the right motives, which leads me to the second observation regarding Jesus’s response to his disciples’ ambition:
2. Jesus contrasts godly ambition with worldly ambition
In verse 25-28, Jesus summons his disciples and says to them:
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
It’s important that we interpret Jesus’s words correctly. Jesus is not saying that the Gentiles are wicked simply because they happen to be in power. Nor is He saying it’s wrong to aspire to occupy the role of a leader such as mayor or a governor or even a king. In other words, Jesus is not commending some kind of egalitarian society in which there are no structures of human authority. Instead, I think the right way to understand Jesus’s contrast is to see him contrasting one form of ruling and subduing the earth with another form of ruling and subduing the earth. Like Adam in the Garden, the nations seek to rule and subdue the earth independent of God’s rule and in violation of God’s law. Moreover, they’re ambition is not God’s glory and the good of mankind but their own glory and their own personal good, often at the expense of others. This was true of the Caesars of Jesus’s day. And this is true of many of the rulers in our day. They have no regard for the God of heaven. And they take advantage of their people in order that they might live in luxury and build their palaces and monuments and legacies.
But it’s not just the dictators or prime ministers or politicians in Washington who are guilty of this prideful ambition. Every human who rejects God and his law, who seeks to be his own master, and who attempts to carve out his own destiny with himself at the center falls under Jesus’s censure. Even Jesus’s disciples fell under his censure! It wasn’t wrong for James and John to be ambitious. It wasn’t wrong for them or the other disciples to aspire after greatness in God’s kingdom. Brothers, there’s something wrong with us if we don’t have that aspiration!
What was wrong was their conception of true greatness and the way in which it is attained. True greatness, according to Jesus, consists in adopting the posture of a servant: “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:26-28). What is the posture of a servant? I think it involves the following:
(1) Servants are not their own masters but they’re under the authority of another.
God created Adam to be His vice-regent, and He gave Adam dominion over the earth. But that dominion was never to be absolute. Adam had a master. And Adam’s Master expected Adam to carry out the creation mandate in accordance with His revealed will. But Adam failed to do this when he disobeyed God’s word and ate the fruit, saying in effect, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” Certainly not the disposition of a humble servant!!!
(2) Servants do not live for themselves but seek the good of others.
By definition a “servant” is someone who has a master and someone whose function is not just to serve himself but to serve others. The first Adam was just a man, but he grasped after equality with God. He didn’t want “to serve.” He wanted “to be served.” The Second Adam, however, was the God-man. Yet, though he was equal with God, he didn’t grasp after equality with God but took the form of a servant and died on a cross in obedience to his Father’s will so that others might share in his glory. That’s what Jesus means when he says, “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” “Son of Man” is a Messianic title. It refers to Jesus’s sovereignty and lordship. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Nevertheless, the greatness of Jesus is unlike the greatness of human kings and governments.
- Jesus greatness is characterized by humility
- Jesus greatness is characterized by submission to the will of God
- Jesus greatness is characterized by seeking the good of others.
That, dear brothers and sisters, is the kind of ambition God wants us to have.
Closing Applications
(1) Behold the high calling of servanthood.
This is the privilege and calling of all believers from apostles all the way down to ordinary laypeople. This should be our great ambition. This is where we should find our greatest fulfillment. Not in selfishly making a name for ourselves. Not stepping on others in order to climb up the ladder of worldly success. Rather, our greatest joy and our deepest fulfillment ought to come from wholehearted devotion to God and self-sacrificing service to others.
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more (1 Cor. 9:19).
For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 4:5).
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Gal. 5:1).
When people say, “What’s your church all about? What’s one of its primary distinctives?” The answer should be, “Servanthood. We are people who live not to be served but to serve.” That brings me to my second and final line of application:
(2) Behold what an example of servanthood we have in Jesus
Jesus did not merely define true greatness and proper ambition for his disciples. He demonstrated it! Indeed, it wasn’t long after the incident recorded in our passage that Jesus’s disciples would find themselves in an upper room celebrating the Passover while their own Lord and Master took a towel, assumed the role of a servant, and began washing their feet. And after he finished, he would say to them, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).
Brothers and sisters, do you want to be great in the kingdom of God? Do you want to offer a great and lasting service to the church? Then let the same attitude and posture that characterized Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Philippians 2 and note how Paul develops this theme:
Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:6-11).
That’s “greatness.” Jesus wasn’t opposed to greatness. He, as a man in the image of God, aspired after greatness in the kingdom. And he holds out to you and me the prospect of ruling and reigning with him forever! Do you aspire after that? Then listen to Paul’s counsel:
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:1-4).
Do you aspire to “rule and reign with Christ”? I hope you do. I certainly do. If that’s our ambition, then let us pursue that goal by “taking the form of a bondservant.” Let us reject selfish ambition and conceit. Let us rather esteem others better than ourselves and look out for their interests, not just our own. Then and only then will we fully appreciate the high calling of servanthood.
Your servant,
Bob Gonzales, Dean
Reformed Baptist Seminary
Posted by John Reuther on September 22, 2009
This is the third in a series of articles designed to encourage our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We have talked about the desire to know the Holy Spirit, and the assurance that we have, being in Christ, that the Holy Spirit is ours by faith. In this article we will explore how we advance in Christian living with this desire and assurance. If we desire to know the Holy Spirit, we will need to learn about his Person and work as revealed in the Old Testament. We will also need to understand the promises made in the Old Testament and in the Gospels concerning His official presentation on the day of Pentecost. The focus of this article will be on understanding Galatians 5:25, because I believe this verse most clearly distinguishes between the initial work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. The verse reads: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
We Order our Lives by the Spirit
We were converted when we came to Christ to be His disciples. We came to Him for salvation, and the Holy Spirit worked regeneration in us, baptized us into the body of Christ, and placed His seal upon us. These are the three great works of the Spirit at the time of conversion. Though he does not mention these specifics, Paul is referring to the Spirit’s conversion work in the first part of Galatians 5:25. Paul is saying: If you have this new life in the Spirit, you will also have this will to walk by the Spirit. There are two mutually-dependent parts here. The verb translated live is in the indicative mood, which affirms actuality and certainty, or the fact of something. The if in “if we live” is not a statement of uncertainty, but serves to introduce the “if-then” statement of the verse. The second verb is in the subjunctive mood, the realm of the possible or the probable. This is the realm (kingdom) of God’s will and provision for us through the means of grace, yet it has the force of the imperative in this verse. Paul is saying: “We do live by the Spirit, so walk by the Spirit.” The verb walk is stoicheia, which means to “proceed in a row, go in order” (Thayer). It refers to an orderly and prosperous walk of life. The noun stoicheion refers to the letters of the alphabet, the elements from which things are derived, the heavenly bodies, and the elementary principles of the world and life (Col. 2:8, 20). Our English word “walk” does not capture the rich significance of the term. I suggest that a better single-word translation is order, with the following translation: “If we live by the Spirit let us order our lives by the Spirit.” Acts 21:24 uses the verbal form stoicheis: “that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.” Paul is saying, if we have life from the Spirit, then we are to order our lives in every detail by Him who gave us life, and we have everything that we need to live the Christian life in the fullness of the Spirit. Herman Ridderbos says: “It is clear, particularly from the distinction between to ‘live’ by the Spirit and to ‘walk’ by the Spirit in Galatians 5:25, that the first describes a specific condition, constituting the presupposition of the second, which signifies a walk, activity, manifestation of life that is commensurate with it. Similarly in Romans 8 a distinction is made between ‘to be after the Spirit’ on the one hand and ‘to mind the things of the Spirit’ on the other.” [1]
Our Salute to the Spirit
Notice in Galatians 5:25 that living and walking in and by the Spirit is something that we are commanded to do. I’m calling it our salute to the Spirit. A salute is an expression of deference to a superior, the substance of which is courteous yielding and submission of our own judgment, opinion or preference to Him. If the Spirit gives us life, we will to give Him our lives for obedient Christian living. We salute Him with the respect and awe-full reverence of which the Spirit of God is worthy because He is the Lord. We will seek no other blessing than the ones He promises to give.
Sincere believers have sought after the manifestations and the blessings of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit throughout this new covenant age, and we have, as a consequence, many groups who claim that theirs is the way of true spirituality. Donald G. Bloesch gives the most comprehensive survey of this pursuit of Christian spirituality.[2] He cites movements characterized by religious enthusiasm and ecstatic experiences, the desire for the confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s presence and working, the desire for renewal, and pursuit of powerful prayer experiences. In church history we learn about Enthusiasts, Mystics, Pietists, Holiness groups, Higher-life groups, Pentecostals and Charismatics, to name a few. The desire for vibrant spirituality, revival, spiritual power, intimate and effectual prayer, fruit, gift, etc., are all biblical. Sometimes the desires of professing Christians with regard to the Holy Spirit go beyond the Bible and we question the authenticity of their Spirit experiences. The question has always been, and is still today, How do we experience and show the Holy Spirit in our lives? Does the believer experience the manifestations of the Spirit by a sovereign unload from heaven? Are they given only to those who ask for them? Are they given only to certain groups of Christians who have the right theology of the Spirit? Do Christians need to have an experience subsequent to their salvation which will open the door and pave the way to a higher Christian life?[3]
Obedience is the Way
It seems to me that Galatians 5:25 is very helpful in pointing us in the right direction, because it asserts, on the one hand, that we have life in the Holy Spirit, and on the other hand, commands us to walk in obedience, which in this case is living by the Holy Spirit. The preposition by is very important here. Obedience to the command means that we will determine to live our lives by means of the Spirit Himself (His person) and by the means which the Spirit places at our disposal for Christian living (His ministries). What I am saying is that the righteous desires for a true experience of the Spirit, renewal, revival, filling, fullness, fruit, giftedness, etc., come only to those who have been regenerated, baptized, and sealed in the Spirit, and who render daily obedience to the call and command to walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25) and not the flesh (Gal. 5:24). Paul calls every believer to this daily obedience in Romans 6:13 when he says “….do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom. 12:1-2 uses the language of presentation also). Here again is the daily salute for service that we render for living by the Spirit. So we do not wait for a Spirit-blessed life to happen to us. We don’t qualify for it. We don’t find entrance into a special or privileged group to enjoy it. We experience it in a life of obedient intimacy and cooperation with the Holy Spirit in the various ministries which are revealed in the New Testament.
Progressive Sanctification is the Path of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22 contains the distinction between definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification, as well as the initial and the ongoing ministries of the Spirit. Romans 6:22 hints at this distinction also: “having been freed from sin and enslaved to God you have fruit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.” Paul speaks here of a definitive break from sin resulting in an ongoing life of sanctification and fruit. I identify eight specific ministries of the Holy Spirit which are operative in the design of the Christian life. In the “ordo salutis” (the order of salvation), these ministries relate to progressive sanctification, perseverance, and ultimate glorification. Here is a listing of the eight ministries of the Holy Spirit which operate on the “then” side, the ongoing ministries of the Spirit, in Galatians 5:22, “….let us walk by the Spirit.”
- Illumination
- Leading
- The Witness of the Spirit
- Filling and Fullness
- Praying in the Spirit
- Intimacy and Cooperation with the Spirit (i.e., not Grieving or Quenching the Spirit)
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- The Gifts of the Spirit
There is no magical spiritual formula, no higher-life experience, no initiation into the right Christian movement or denomination, and no fast track to a full-orbed experience of the Spirit. If we live by the Spirit as converts to Christ, then we are to present ourselves each day to Him who leads us and fills us for Christian living, i.e., lives that are being transformed into the image of Christ and showing Christ to the world. As we think about these eight ongoing ministries of the Spirit in the Christian life, we will find that there is daily fullness, deep satisfaction, rich reward, passionate praying, profound praise, and widespread witness from the Spirit. God made us willing in the day of His power to save us, He gives us the will and determination to salute the Spirit daily, presenting ourselves and saying: I will live by the Holy Spirit!
John Reuther
Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church, Lumberton, NJ
Professor of Reformed Baptist Seminary, Easley, SC
[1] Herman Ridderbos,
Paul: An Outline of His Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. Eerdmans, 1975), 222.
[2] Donald G. Bloesch, Christian Foundations: The Holy Spirit (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000), 77-143.
[3] This is the doctrine of “subsequence,” which teaches that the Spirit comes upon a believer after his conversion, sometimes after much waiting and pleading. Numerous texts from the Book of Acts are cited to prove this point.
Posted by deangonzales on July 11, 2009
Roger’s been a Christian for three years. He reads his Bible faithfully and prays. Yet at times he’s discouraged. As it turns out, Roger’s been struggling with a pattern of lust. He’s prayed frequently that God would help him, but so far he hasn’t been able to break free of this entangling sin. Because Roger knows God hates sin, he begins to worry that God will no longer forgive him. This fear sometimes paralyzes him and robs him of Christian joy. Roger sincerely wants to please God; he wants to be delivered from his sin; but his hope of making progress in holiness seems dim.
Susan was having her devotions when her husband came in from the yard. As he walked across the kitchen to open the frig, Susan noticed he had forgotten to remove his dirty shoes and, as a result, had tracked dirt across her once clean kitchen floor. Without thinking, she jumped to her feet in a rage and began verbally scolding her husband for his childlike act. After she quit yelling and calmed down, her husband quickly apologized and returned to finish his work in the yard. Sue, still trembling, sat down to finish her devotions. She picked up where she left off in James chapter one, and she soon came across verses 19 and 20: “But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Immediately Susan burst into a flood of tears. She hadn’t planned it, but once again she had lost her temper. How she hated that sin of an uncontrolled spirit! How she longed for victory over that sin! And yet, all seemed hopeless, and she began to wonder whether or not she was truly saved.
Perhaps the experiences of Roger and Susan are similar to your own Christian experience. You’ve been a Christian now for some time, but it seems that you’re making little progress. There are certain sins that appear to be invincible. The Bible commands you to be “holy as God is holy.” In fact, it refers to Christians as those who “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Again it asserts, “Without holiness no man will see the Lord.” Consequently you begin to wonder whether or not you’re truly saved. How can you bear the title “saint,” when you’re still a sinner?
I want to take up the important and relevant topic of sanctification using the 2nd London Baptist Confession as a guide to the Bible’s teaching on this subject. Sanctification has to do with progress in the Christian life—becoming more holy and more Christlike in our attitudes and behavior. You say, “That would be nice, but how do I do that?” How can we make progress in the Christian life? How can we get victory over our besetting sins? These are extremely practical questions, and if you’re a true Christian, then you want the answer to these questions!
I. The Description of Sanctification (para. 1)
They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, 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 all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
A. Its Inception in Definitive Sanctification
They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection,
Most people think of sanctification almost exclusively in terms of a life-long process. The Bible does present sanctification as an ongoing process. However, the Bible just as frequently presents sanctification as a definitive act whereby God makes a sinner holy at the point of conversion (Acts 20:32; 26:18; Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 1:2, 6:9-11; 2 Thes. 2:13). According to Sam Waldron, “Definitive sanctification is simply another way of referring to that basic and radical change that takes place in a sinner’s moral and ethical condition when he is united to Christ in effectual calling and regeneration.” Of course, definitive sanctification must not be confused with regeneration since the sinner is passive in regeneration but active in definitive sanctification (Acts 15:9; 26:18; 2Thes. 2:13). But the two are closely connected and happen virtually simultaneously. For this reason, all Christians who have been born again are called “saints” [lit., ‘holy ones’] (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 3:12).
Application: Why is this definitive work of sanctification so emphasized by the New Testament?
(1) Definitive sanctification is important for understanding the nature of true conversion.
It’s vitally important that we view conversion not just in terms of a positional change with respect to our legal standing (i.e., justification and adoption) but also as a moral change with respect to our heart (i.e., regeneration and sanctification). Thus, the popular notion that one may receive forgiveness of sins yet remain essentially carnal must be rejected. It’s true that a genuine Christian may for a time behave carnally (1 Cor. 3:1ff.). But such behavior is inconsistent not only with his profession of faith but also with his moral change of heart.
(2) Definitive sanctification is important for appreciating the definite change God has wrought in our own life and in the life of all genuine believers.
We must remember that all believers have a basically good heart though at times they may manifest attitudes and behavior that seem to say otherwise. Like a rotten apple, a good apple may have blemishes on the outside. However, one bite reveals a world of difference. So too, the true believer may still at times reflect the blemishes of sin in his life. Yet, as a result of definitive sanctification, there is a world of difference between his heart and the heart of an unregenerate man. This truth is important to remember when we’re tempted to become skeptical towards our own Christianity or that of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
(3) Definitive sanctification is important as a foundation and motivation for progressive sanctification.
When we became Christians, we didn’t start from “ground zero” in our pursuit of holiness. Rather, God immediately planted the seed of holiness in our heart (1 John 3:9). The moment we turned to Christ we became brand new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17). When we grasp the reality of this definitive change by faith, we have a powerful motivation for holy living (Rom. 6:1-13).
B. Its Increase in Progressive Sanctification
[those united to Christ] are also farther sanctified,
1. Its Nature: “really and personally”
Apparently, the Puritans defined sanctification as real and personal in order to oppose an antinomian view which saw it as merely positional. Some have tried to liken sanctification to justification and make it an imputed grace. In this case, our sanctification would not be our own personal holiness but Christ’s holiness imputed to us. The Scriptures speak of sanctification, however, in terms of the believer’s own person (body, soul, mind, spirit) and lifestyle (Rom. 6:19, 22; 12:1, 2; 1 Thes. 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15; 2 Pet. 3:11).
2. Its Dynamic: “through the same virtue [of Christ’s death and resurrection]”
It is not ultimately more education or positive thinking or sheer willpower that will make us better people. Rather, we are further sanctified by the supernatural power of God—the same power that regenerated and definitively sanctified us (Eph. 2:4-8) continues to sanctify our heart and life (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 1:6; 3:6).
3. Its Means: “by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them”
God’s power does not work in a vacuum. He does not sanctify Christians by striking them with a “lightening bolt” of sanctification. Instead, God brings about an ongoing change in our heart and our life through the instrumentality of the Word (John 17:17; Eph. 5:26; 2 Thes. 2:13, 14) and the agency of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:17-26; 2 Thes. 2:13). This reminds us that both regular Bible intake and also ongoing prayer for the Holy Spirit are absolutely essential for Christian growth (Psa. 119:9-11; Luke 11:1, 13).
4. Its Effects:
a. Negatively: “the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed [note: sin’s reign destroyed, not necessarily sin’s influence; see paragraph 2], and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified,”
b. Positively: “and they more and more quickened [lit., ‘animated’] and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness,”
This section of the paragraph reminds us that true sanctification is not merely an outward conformity to a list of dos and don’ts. On the contrary, “the practice of all true holiness” is the result of an inward battle in which sin’s power over our heart is decreased and grace’s power over our heart is increased.
5. Its Necessity: “without which no man shall see the Lord.”
The Bible clearly teaches that only real saints go to heaven (Rom. 6:22, 23; Eph. 5:5, 6; 1 Thes. 4:7; Heb. 12:14; 1 John 3:3; Rev. 22:11-15). This is a sobering thought, and it should be a discomforting thought for those who have departed from the pathway of obedience (Gen. 3:8; Psa. 32:3; 38:1-18; 51:8).
So, according to the Bible and our Confession, God sanctifies a sinner at the moment of conversion, and He progressively sanctifies him throughout his Christian experience. We’re no longer slaves of sin, but we’ve become servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:18-22). However, our own personal experience and that of others seem at times to contradict this biblical truth. This apparent contradiction is addressed in paragraphs 2 and 3.
II. The Distinctives of Sanctification (para. 2 & 3)
A. Struggle with Sin (para. 2)
This sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
1. The Roots of This Struggle: “there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part”
Here, the Puritans are calling attention to the undeniable reality of remaining sin in the believer. This truth balances the fact that sin no longer reigns, and it is a healthy antidote against the false notion of “perfectionism.” Perfectionism teaches that a believer may actually attain to sinlessness in this life! But according to Scripture, the believer must continue both to acknowledge and also to confess sinful dispositions (Rom. 7:18, 23; Phil. 3:12; 1 John 1:8) as well as sinful deeds (Matt. 6:12; 1 John 1:10). Entire sanctification will not be accomplished until Christ returns (1 Thes. 5:23).
2. The Nature of This Struggle: “whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war”
Just as there’s no such thing as “perfectionism,” so too there’s no such thing as “higher life” sanctification in which holiness is attained without effort. The Confession, following Scripture, presents sanctification as a conflict (cf. Luke 13:24; Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1-4). This conflict begins at conversion (Luke 13:24) and continues until death (2 Tim. 4:6, 7). Therefore, let us not expect a “ceasefire.” Let us not expect to sail to heaven on “flowery beds of ease.”
3. The Combatants in This Struggle: “the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh”
Using the language of Galatians 5:17, the Confession identifies the combatants as “the flesh” and “the Spirit.” A superficial reading of this statement might give the erroneous impression that battle of sanctification is fought by two entities distinct from the believer himself. However, I believe the Scripture and the Confession are referring to two aspects of the believer himself at war with one another. Namely, that part of the believer under the Holy Spirit’s control is at war with that part of the believer still following the promptings of remaining sin (cf. Gal. 5:17-26). While we should avoid viewing these combatants as two distinct natures (i.e., the old nature vs. the new nature), we may view them as two conflicting loyalties within the same renewed but not yet perfected nature. Augustine compared this conflict to an ongoing fight between a white dog (‘the Spirit’) and a black dog (‘the flesh’).
Application: Why is it important to remember the reality of remaining sin?
(1) The reality of remaining sin cautions us against spiritual pride.
Spiritual success and giftedness has the potential to foster pride in the unwary Christian (2 Chro. 32:26; 1 Cor. 1:11, 12; 3:1-4; 4:6-13; 5:2; 8:1, 2; 1 Tim. 3:6). Therefore, we do well to remember that the sin that remains is just as evil and corrupt as the sin that used to reign. In the words of Paul, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
(2) The reality of remaining sin prevents us from developing unrealistic views of the Christian life.
New believers may sometimes fall prey to the notion that near perfection is attainable in this life. They may aspire to reach a level of nearly flawless holiness which they erroneously assume older, mature Christians enjoy. When that “higher life” doesn’t come, they may begin a quest for some “key” or “secret” for spiritual success. They look for “silver bullet” sermon or book that will once and for all put an end to their inward struggle. Such a view of sanctification, however, is a mirage. It has the tendency to produce despair and disillusionment. The first step towards spiritual hope and health is to see it as unrealistic. It’s tremendously liberating and motivating to know that a holy man like Paul the Apostle strove against sin until the day he died (2 Tim. 4:6, 7). And so must we! (Heb. 12:1-4).
B. Progress in Grace (para. 3)
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 doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed them.
1. The Difficulty of this Progress: “In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail”
There may be periods of slow growth. There may be “setbacks.” There may even be seasons of backsliding (e.g.s., Lot, Samson, David, Peter).
2. The Certainty of this Progress: “yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome”
Because God has begun a good work in us, we can be sure He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Victory for the believer is assured (1 Pet. 1:3-5; 1 John 5:4).
3. The Outcome of this Progress: “and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed them”
The Baptists expanded upon Westminster by adding a section from the First London Baptist Confession of Faith (Article XXIX). This addition serves to amplify the meaning of sanctification and to identify the standard of sanctified conduct as “the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed them.” Furthermore, this last section underscores the eventual certainty of a saints’ progress in sanctification.
By way of conclusion, let me have you note the biblical balance of the Confession’s treatment of sanctification. The Confession avoids an unhealthy idealism which would portray sanctification as near sinless perfection. On the other hand, it avoids the introspective pessimism which would practically deny any real sanctification at all in the believer. Instead, the Confession exhibits an optimistic realism or a realistic optimism. Sin has been dealt a decisive blow. Yet it still remains until Christ returns. Until then, let us “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:16).
Select Bibliography
- Michael Barrett, Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel, pp. 193-230. Greenville, S.C.: Ambassador Emerald, 2000.
- ________, “Who Fought the Battle of Jericho?” in Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel, pp. 275-84. Greenville, S.C.: Ambassador Emerald, 2000.
- Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1978.
- John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, pp. 141-50. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955.
- Arthur Pink, The Doctrine of Sanctification. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1955.
- J. C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots. Reprint, Cambridge: James Clark and Co., 1959.
- Robert Shaw, An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith, pp. 141-45. 1845; reprint, Ross-shire, U.K.: Christian Focus Publications, 1992.
- Samuel Waldron, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, 2nd ed., pp. 173-82. Durham: Evangelical Press, 1995.
Bob Gonzales, Dean
Reformed Baptist Seminary
