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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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APPLICATION OF
SANCTIFICATION 3/20/13 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert VI. APPLICATION OF
SANCTIFICATION A. The Believer’s Participation 1. While looking at the aspects and agents
of sanctification, it could be stated that
ultimately, sanctification is the total work of God (or the Godhead). Having
stated that truth, the Scriptures also teach that the believer has a part in
his own present sanctification. 2. This concept is
explained in that; God empowers the believer to cooperate with His
present plan of sanctification. While the believer is being
sanctified to be made more like Christ, the believer has the
responsibility to comply with this process. However, the believer does so at
God’s scriptural instructions and with God’s empowerment, not his own. 3. Philippians 2:12-13 is one of strongest
scriptural references to support the concept of the believer’s participation
in sanctification. The believer’s part is emphasized
in vs. 12. a) The context of the Lordship of Christ is
in view in Php 2:9-11. As a consequence (hōste
- “so then” or “therefore”), the believer is to respond accordingly to
the Lordship of Christ in accomplishing Christ’s plan of sanctification (12). b) They were to “work out [their] salvation”
This does not refer to working toward eternal life but rather working toward
sanctification. Salvation is instantaneous at the moment of faith (aorist
indicative of sōzō - Tit 3:5 cf. 2Ti 1:9),
eternal (future indicative of sōzō -
1Co 3:15 cf. He 7:25), but also carries the sense of ongoing sanctification (present
participle of sōzō - “being saved” - 1Co
1:18 cf. Php 1:6). c) The idea that a believer must participate
in his sanctification is confirmed by the imperative
mood (katergazesthe - “You all must work
out,” - to thoroughly work out and accomplish). Therefore the believer is
commanded to participate in his “own” (eautou
- reflexive pronoun) sanctification. d) This is to be a continuous action and
process by the believer, being literally translated,
“keep on working out your own salvation.” In God’s plan of Present
Sanctification, the believer is to work out his sanctification continuously
moment by moment in this life. 4. Philippians 2:13 explains how God
accomplishes sanctification in and through the believer so that
sanctification is observed as a cooperation between God and man. a) Though man has a responsibility in
sanctification, it is God who ultimately enables him
to accomplish this. Literally it reads, “God is the One Who is continuously
working” (ho energōn - present participle
of energeō - work, accomplish, or produce (Eng.
“energize”) in the believer. Therefore, the believer is to work out what
God is working in him. b) What is it that God is working in the
believer for his participation in sanctification? It is “both to will and to work.” This phrase refers to the
believer’s internal “will” (present infinitive of thelō
- desires and inclinations) and external “work” (same usage of energeō - work, accomplish,
or produce). The believer possesses the desire and power to do
God’s will and cooperate in sanctification. c) God works into the believer the
inclination and enabling to work “for the sake of” (huper
- on behalf of or for the sake of) God’s “good pleasure” (eudokia - good will or intention) of
sanctification. d) God’s
method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) nor
passivism (God-reliant passivity), but God-dependent effort (2 Cor. 7:1;
Phil. 3:10-14; Heb. 12:14).
(Concise Theology, Packer, J. I.) B. The Believer’s Provisions 1. The New Nature a) In enabling the believer to participate in
his sanctification, the Lord provided him with a new nature. In 2Co 5:17,
Paul teaches that even carnal Christians have become a “new” (kainos - new in quality, not neos - new in age or time) “creature” (ktisis - thing created by God) in Christ
with new spiritual inclinations and new spiritual abilities (i.e. “both to will and to work”). b) The believer is to exercise or “put on”
the “new self” by which he is being sanctified in righteousness, holiness,
and the image of Christ (Ep 4:24; Col 3:10). c) In Ro 6:1-5, the believer has been united
with Christ’s death and resurrection so that he will live in “newness” (kainotēs from kainos)
of life, which requires the believer to, view himself as dead to sin, not let
sin reign, yield to God, and obey Him (Ro 6:11-16, resulting in
sanctification (Ro 6:19, 22). 2. The Indwelling Holy Spirit a) In addition to the new nature, the
believer possesses the Holy Spirit and His power to work out his
sanctification (2Th 2:13). b) The Spirit enables the believer to walk by
the Spirit’s power and not carry out the flesh’s inclinations, and
consequently grow in sanctification (Ga 5:16). c) The believer is being sanctified when he
is filled with the Spirit by yielding to His influence and power (Ep 5:18). 3. The Word of God a) The believer is also sanctified by the
Word of God when he is matured by its truth and obeys it (Jn 17:17). b) The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with
His Word to conform and sanctify the believer (Ep 5:26; 6:17). c) The believer can progress in
sanctification when he pursues, studies, and saturates himself with the Word
(Ps 119:11; 37:31; 40:8; Ro 12:1-2). d) Obeying the Word and will of God through
the Holy Spirit is to fulfill God’s purpose in sanctification (1Th 4:3-4). 4. The Providence of God a) In regard to sanctification, God not only
works from within the believer, but also from without. In other words, since
God is sovereign, and His will is that the believer be sanctified, God allows
all things in believer’s lives to sanctify us (Ro 8:28-29; 1Co 10:13). b) This truth also suggests that God does not
allow anything in our lives that will not ultimately sanctify us. Whatever
God does allow in our lives, it is for the purpose of sanctification. If we
rebel and refuse to be sanctified by a particular thing in our lives, it was
our fault and not His (Jm 1:13). Yet God is merciful and sovereign enough to
use even our failures in our ultimate sanctification. c) It is for these reasons that our
sanctified response in every situation ought to be to thank God “in” (en)
all things (1Th 5:18) and “for” (huper) all
things (Ep 5:20). d) God has done and is
doing everything for us, in us, and to us for our sanctification. All he asks from us is our small part
of cooperation in sanctification. At the same time, much of the Bible was written for our part in this holy process. |
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