A Preacher's misstep

I was visiting a Baptist church this Sunday, it really doesn't matter which one nor matter much that its Baptist, I heard a sermon that perpetuated what I find to be one of the greatest lies or missteps we get from the pulpit - The Process of Sanctification. I hear this all the time from Christians and they get it from preaching that just can't void itself of legalism. What? How can you say that Professor? OK, here's my case using Sunday as an example.

The preacher used some material from Wayne Grudem's book "Systematic Theology". He defines sanctification as a lifelong process of growth in the likeness of Christ. While spiritual growth  may be somewhat true of the Christian life, it is not what sanctification means. So how can someone just come along and define a word differently than its meaning? This is what our culture does, shapes words to fit what we want them to mean to perpetuate our own thinking, rather than to let the true meaning of words shape our thinking.

The Greek word in Scripture for sanctification is indeed derived from the same word for Holiness, but it means "set apart to Holiness", not the process of becoming Holy. The original Websters dictionary published in 1828 defines sanctification from the original language as "the act of God's grace by which the affections of men are purified, alienated from sin and the world (meaning the world's system, I call it social exchange) and exalted to a supreme love to God." Webster's then uses Scripture to illustrate, "God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." (2 Th 2 and 1 Peter 1). The key words here are "the act of God's grace". That is, it is God who sanctifies us in His action of choosing us.  

Some may say, "well Prof, aren't you just parsing words? In the end aren't these the same thing?" I say, "NO, NO, NO" to that. The problem is that the human condition is already bent toward legalism, the human's behavioral attempt at satisfying God through obligation to Him for what He has done for us. Grudem's definition and meaning of sanctification and the emphasis on "our process" just feeds peeps' already predisposed desire to contribute to their own Holiness. This desire we have to do something for God to make us "more Holy" is stinkin' thinking and robs us of our joy and burns us out. Working in our own strength to become Holy denies us reality of the finished  work of the Cross.

Let me illustrate. This preacher from Sunday included in his sermon notes a diagram from Grudem's book to help us understand sanctification as a collaborative work on our part. This diagram contrasts sanctification with justification, showing them to be somewhat opposites. He states that justification is a legal standing, accomplished once for all time, entirely God's work, perfect in this life and the same for all Christians. This is good, but that means sanctification is (according to Grudem) an internal condition, continues to occur throughout life, requires our cooperation, is not perfect (complete) in this life, and is greater in some Christians than others. WHAT?

Here's where this becomes dangerous for us. The preacher says, "have you developed a personal sanctification plan?" WHAT? You mean sanctification hasn't already occurred for me? You mean its something I have to make happen? Holy cow!! What a burden!!

In His final prayer Jesus cries out to God with His deepest desires, "sanctify them by your truth" (John 17). Jesus knew that only God sanctifies.  In fact God sanctified Jesus (John 10: 36). The writer of Hebrews says, "by that we have been sanctified." What did he mean by "that", our personal plan? No, he was referencing Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for us. See sanctification is not in contrast to justification, it is the other side of the coin. It is the state of Holiness we obtain by God's act of grace in our lives accomplished at the Cross. Its not something that has to be attained by us. We all have it equally and we have it completely. So why do peeps' all over the place talk about "the process of sanctification." Mainly because we don't feel Holy, we don't see ourselves as God sees us. Satan continually reminds us of how we haven't arrived yet.

It is true that we do not always act Holy. We are messy, flawed peeps in our behavior, but that does not make us something different than what God made us when He chose us and set us apart for His purpose. That is our sanctification. The problem is not that we are not fully sanctified, its that we don't believe it. We do not appropriate what we have. This truth has much greater impact on our life than the legalistic notion of our personal plan to grow in sanctification. Paul says in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica "that each of you should know how to process his own vessel in sanctification." Yes, we need to process the sanctification we already have, that came to us in salvation, but our life is not a "process of sanctification."

Amen goes here!!!
something to ponder when you want to kick legalism in the butt!!