Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

THE BELIEVER’S SANCTIFICATION

(Rom 6:15-23)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

INTRODUCTION

A. Taking a step back and looking at the whole picture of Romans chapter six, we see what God has done, is doing, and will do in the life of the believer in regard to sin. It could be summed up in the term, “sanctification.”

B. Sanctification, mentioned in vs. 19 and 22, is the Greek word, hagiasmós (which comes from hagios - holy) and means to make holy.

C. Fundamentally, there are three aspects to Sanctification:

1. Positional Sanctification (15-18) - “God made the believer holy positionally.”

2. Progressive Sanctification (19-20) - “God is making the believer holy conditionally.”

3. Permanent Sanctification (21-23) - “God will make the believer holy permanently.”

I. POSITIONAL SANCTIFICATION (15-18)

A. Second Question Concerning Sin (15)

1. In Rom 6:1 the question was, “should we continue in sin that grace may abound.” Here the question is should we sin because we are no longer under the Law but grace. Both met with the same emphatic response, “May it never be.”

2. We are not to sin under any circumstances nor for any reason. Such a thought is contrary to God’s Word and God’s nature.

3. Note that Paul does assert that the believer is not under the Law’s meritorious system for salvation. Rather, he is under grace.

B. Slave To The One We Serve (16)

1. Much like earlier in the chapter, Paul expresses another concept that believers are expected to know (3, 6, 9, and 16).

2. Believers are to know and continue knowing (perfect tense) that the one they serve in obedience (hupakoế - place oneself under the hearing of the commands of another, listen to) is the one who is their master.

3. There are only two options. Either they will present (parístêmi - ) themselves to sin or to God.

4. There are also two results. Sin results in death but obedience results in righteousness.

C. Positional Sanctification Took Place At Salvation (17-18)

1. When Paul writes, “thanks be to God,” he is referring to the believer’s position that he is no longer a slave to sin but to God.

2. This happened at the moment of salvation which is included in the statement, “became obedient to that form of teaching.”

3. Obedience to “that form of teaching” begins with salvation and is characterized by obedience and commitment to the truths of the Word of God.

4. In addition, the believer is made holy positionally at the moment of salvation. This is reiterated in vs. 18 stating that the believer is already freed from sin (positionally) and already is a slave of righteousness (positionally).

5. Positional Sanctification is that state of holiness imputed to the believer through Justification at the moment of their conversion to Christ (Eph 1:4; 1Co 1:2).

II. PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION (19-20)

A. Presentation Unto Sanctification (19)

1. Paul refers to human (anthrōpinon cp. 3:5; Gal 3:15) terms or analogies of slavery to overcome human frailties (asthéneian - weakness) in understanding spiritual truths. Here the spiritual truth is the believer’s victory over sin.

2. With those analogies, Paul exhorts the Roman believers to present (parístemi cp. 13, 16) themselves to righteousness even in the same way they formerly placed themselves to the disposal of sin. Sin leads to further sin, impurity (akatharsía - that which defiles the soul through moral uncleanness, sexual profligacy) and lawlessness (cp. Rom 1:24, 26, 28).

3. In a similar fashion, the believer is now to place himself at the disposal of righteousness. Not only is the believer to do so willingly but he is also under the compulsion of an aorist imperative (parastḗsate) that literally means, “You must present your members as slaves to righteousness,” i.e. “Do it and do it now!”

4. The result of this obedience to God and his righteousness is sanctification. Here “sanctification” (hagiasmós - from hagiázō which means to make holy or set apart) is the progressive moral goal of the believer and is the result of our new position in Christ and the empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The believer is becoming what he actually is in Christ.

B. Presentation Unto Sin and Death (19-20)

1. This is opposed to our former position in Adam as slaves to sin and free from righteousness (20). The unbeliever only carries out what his nature allows him.

2. Now the believer has a new nature and can carry out righteousness. Thus the believer is becoming progressively righteous and holy.

3. Progressive (Experiential) Sanctification is the present divine process whereby the believer is being made holy in his daily life (Phil 1:6).

III. PERMANENT SANCTIFICATION (21-23)

A. Shameful Fruit Unto Death (21)

1. Paul looks at the lack of true fruit in the unbeliever’s life. “Fruit” (karpós) is commonly used of that which is produced in the believer’s life by the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:9; Phi 1:11).

2. The consummating outcome (télos - end or completion) for the unbeliever who is in slavery to sin is death. Therefore, the unbeliever is miserable in his sin in this life and will experience eternal death and punishment in the next (Mat 5:46; 2Th 1:9; Rev 20:10, 15).

B. Holy Fruit Unto Sanctification (22)

1. Notice that God has already positionally freed (aor. pass.) the believer from the power of sin.

2. Furthermore, God has already positionally enslaved (aor. pass.) the believer unto himself. Therefore, the result is victory over sin resulting in the progression of sanctification.

3. Ultimately, the consummating outcome (te,loj telos - end or completion) for the believer is eternal life (Joh 3:16; 5:24; 10:10).

C. The Gift of God Is Eternal Life and Permanent Sanctification (23)

1. In vs. 23 Paul gives a consummating summarization of the contrast between the unbeliever who is a slave to sin and the believer who is a slave to righteousness.

2. The ultimate subsistence pay (opsṓnion - soldiers rations, wage) of sin is death.

3. But the believer’s favor-giving God has given the gracious gift of eternal life, not on the basis of the believer’s righteous works but on Christ’s meritorious righteousness through the work of the cross.

4. The great contrasts between the unbeliever and the believer are: (1) formerly bondage vs. now freedom; (2) formerly slaves of sin vs. now servants of God; (3) formerly vice vs. now growing in holiness; (4) formerly shame vs. now peace of mind; (5) formerly death vs. now life, even life everlasting.

5. Permanent (Ultimate) Sanctification is the future state of holiness (positional and conditional) that the believer will experience eternally in heaven (1Jo 3:2).

IV. APPLICATIONS

A. Sanctification is God’s emphasis for the believer (1Th 4:3).

B. Sanctification is accomplished through the Holy Spirit in the Word (Joh 17:17; cp. 1Pe 2:2; 2Pe 3:18).

C. Sanctification means letting Christ be my Master (Mat 6:24, 33).