Sanctification

More Questions and Answers!

April 20, 2020

Yesterday we tried something new - a brief time of questions and answers after the morning worship. Our goal was to have some interaction that we’re prevented from having since we aren’t gathering corporately right now, as well as to provide an opportunity for further unpacking of the rich truths of God’s word. We received great questions via text, Facebook, and YouTube, and most of them arose out of the sermon I had just preached on I Peter 1:1-2. (If you would like to hear the sermon or see yesterday’s Q/A time, please click here.) We’ve had good feedback from you on this experiment, and do plan on continuing it while we’re only live-streaming our services.

Due to the limited time, we weren’t able to answer all the questions we received. So I want to take this chance to answer some of those briefly.

1. Can you offer any words of encouragement for Christians to pursue personal holiness and ministry to our communities and neighbors in times of trials (like now) when many times our gut instinct is to just wait for “normal” to return?

I’m immediately reminded of C. S. Lewis’ statement in his essay “Learning in Warfare,” found in the book Weight of Glory: “If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work.  The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come.” Lewis was talking particularly about the work of education, gaining knowledge as a student. But replace “knowledge” with “holiness” or “ministry opportunities” and you have a great answer to this question. Yes, the pursuit of holiness and ministry is made more difficult in some ways given our circumstances. But from another point of view, other ministry opportunities - like phone calls, Zoom chats, letter writing, driveway conversations with neighbors, shopping for shut-ins - are more convenient and more normal during these days. And certainly there an abundance of ministry opportunities in these fearful days! In addition, our new circumstances of sheltering in place with family members, dealing with so much loss, all the uncertainty surrounding this virus, etc., are showing us new areas of sin and unbelief that we need to put to death and apply the gospel to, and new areas where we can strive to be holy as God is holy. Even if things never go back to “normal,” the call to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to help others do the same, remains our duty (II Peter 3:18). And our God is sufficient at all times to help us by His Spirit to become more like Jesus. Nothing is too difficult for Him, so let us press on for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ, however abnormal the times are.

2. I don’t understand the distinction you made between the two different definitions of sanctification. How can one live a life of holiness without being daily made more like Christ?

I hope that I didn’t communicate that we can live a life of holiness without being daily made more like Christ, for that is not at all what I intended to say at all! Rather, the distinction I was making was between what we might call positional/definitive sanctification, and what we might call progressive sanctification. Sanctification is both an act and a process. Peter in I Peter 1:2 is referring to the former. The Holy Spirit sets us apart from sin and consecrates us to God at the beginning of the Christian life so that we might begin to live a set apart life in our daily experience. Every Christian has been sanctified in Christ Jesus (I Corinthians 1:2; 6:11) and is being sanctified in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:19; I Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23). The act of the Spirit’s setting us apart/sanctifying us is the basis of His ongoing work in making us more and more holy. The Bible uses the language of “sanctification” in both ways, though more frequently it is speaking of a definitive sense - although we typically use the language to refer to the process of growing in Christlikeness (as do the Westminster Standards). Both senses are absolutely vital to a right understanding of the Scripture, and to our glorifying and enjoying God. So let us pursue holiness, knowing that we are already saints - holy ones - in the Lord Jesus by His Spirit.

3. There are some pastors who call themselves apostles. What should we think about that?

This is an unfortunate and unbiblical practice that I wish would end. It is clear that the apostles were foundational to the church of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20; 4:11), and that there were specific qualifications to be an apostle. The apostles had seen the Lord Jesus Christ in human form and performed signs and wonders to attest their calling. Though Paul was not a part of the original group of apostles, but was one untimely born, he saw the Lord and performed the signs of an apostles: “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?…The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works” (I Corinthians 9:1; II Corinthians 12:12). Pastors who call themselves apostles not only denigrate the biblical office of apostle, but may also be claiming an authority that belonged only to those the Lord Himself gave this title and status.

4. Can we be too heavenly-minded that we’re no earthly good?

Possibly, if being heavenly-minded wrongly leads one away from engagement in the world to live a life of service and good works toward the saints and those outside the church. But this question hints at a false dichotomy, as if heavenly-mindedness and earthly-goodness are incompatible. True spirituality, true heavenly-mindedness, should always catapult us from the presence of God into the brokenness of this world with love and grace. As we seek the things that are above, and set our minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth (Colossians 3:1-2), then the way we relate to other people, the way we do our jobs, the way we approach the lost, will be transformed (see Colossians 3:5-4:6). Those who are closest to the Lord Jesus through prayer and His word should be the quickest to desire to “do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

5. How does predestination practically change the way I live in my suffering?

When we know that God has chosen us for salvation from before the beginning of the world, then no matter what we go through, we know that He is working it for our good and our final salvation (Romans 8:28). We know that trials are not coming because He is still angry with us, for He has chosen us to be covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus His Son, on whom He poured out His full wrath in our place (I Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:1-12). We know that no difficulty or hardship can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). We know that we can endure all things for the sake of those whom He has chosen for salvation, as Paul did in prison (II Timothy 2:10). There are many other ways to answer this question, but these four are sufficient for now. The next two sermons in I Peter will touch on this theme in part, so stay tuned!

"Thy Will" - A Poem by Patsy Futvoye

Many of you know that Patsy Futvoye (the mother of Dr. Matt Futvoye, one of our members here at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church) passed into the arms of King Jesus last week. At her funeral service Tuesday morning, Mr. Wiley Lowry, Minister of Pastoral Care at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, mentioned that Patsy had been writing poetry in the months preceding her death. Like so many disciples of Jesus in church history who have suffered long, her piety flowed out in written prayer and praise to the God who had saved her and sustained her by grace.

This past October Patsy penned the following words, read at her funeral and printed here with permission of her family. They beautifully display what I pray will be mine in ever-increasing measure through all my days: a keen awareness of her own fearful, doubting, sinful heart; a faith and confidence in our sovereign God in the midst of suffering; a hope in the gracious gospel of Jesus’ cross; and a Spirit-wrought longing for holiness that was satisfied in every way when she joined the ranks of the “spirits…made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23). May these stanzas be a source of comfort and strength for you as you endure the many tribulations through which we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).  

Thy Will

Walking the verge of death’s dark vale,
My doubts and fears do me assail.
Like dawn, your promises are clear 
That you will be forever near.
”Do not fear,” I hear you say.
You guide each minute of the day.
Sovereign are you in every way.
Align me with thy will, I pray. 

I know you have a special plan.
You sent a Savior, the Son of Man,
To bear the sin and take the blame,
Who carried the guilt and bore the shame.
Forgive me, Lord, the pain I brought,
The times my efforts came to naught.
The commandments you gave I did not heed,
Shunned and ignored my brother’s need. 

Thank you, Lord, for your precious Son.
Through faith in Him, my victory’s won.
He has paid my price and made a place
Through His measureless love and grace. 
Holy Spirit, warm my cold heart.
Let me ne’er from thee depart. 
Sovereign are you in every way.
Align me with thy will, I pray.

— Patsy Futvoye, October 2019

Large Group Sermons on Romans

5 Questions To Ask During Your Devotions

In my experience, many people don’t do daily devotions because they don’t know how to do them. Do they drop their Bible to see where it randomly opens to? Do they choose a book and simply read through it? Do they pick up a devotional book and see where it leads them?

One of the best pieces of advice that I got was when I was in college. I was told (I cannot remember who it was from) to go through a book of the Bible and ask five questions of every passage that I read. these are the five questions:

  1. What is the main point of this section of Scripture?
    The first thing I need to do is to understand what God is saying rather than what I think it means. It does me no good to have my own interpretation but rather I need to seek what God’s point of this passage is. That means that I need to pray about what He is saying and ask Him to bring it to my mind.

  2. What does this text say about God?
    The Bible is primarily a book about God revealing Himself to us. Salvation is primarily about us being restored to a relationship with God so that we can enjoy Him. The purpose of creation is for God to proclaim His Glory. Everything must be first and foremost about God and His glory. We are not the purpose of the Bible. The devotionals that focus only on us and applying truths to our lives are vastly off the path. The Bible is about God. So, that means that I need to ask every time what this particular passage is saying about God. Who is He? What has He done? How is this describing Him? How is He revealing Himself to these particular people in that particular time? How do I see this aspect of God in my life today? If we miss this question then we miss God and therefore the whole point of the Bible.

  3. What does this text say about Man?
    The Bible is primarily about God but it is also about God’s relationship with Man. How does God relate to Man? What state is Man in? What does this text say about sin? What does this say about living out the image of God? What does this text say about us living in a community? We need to know what this text is telling us about ourselves. We need the good, the bad, and the ugly (even if the ugly is REALLY ugly).

  4. What does this text say about Salvation?
    It is not enough to read the Bible to be convicting. Our devotional duty isn’t done merely when we feel bad for how we have lived. We need to run to the Cross. Whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, what does this text tell me about how I need to be saved? What does this text tell me about how I am saved by Jesus? What really happened on the Cross? What did Jesus’ death accomplish? How does God bring me to Himself?

  5. What does this text say about Sanctification?
    Jesus’ death didn’t merely purchase our conversion but it also purchased our living the Christian life. How does this text show me what godly living is? What commands are in this text? What is obedience according to this text? There is a tendency in Reformed circles today to forget that God still commands Christians. The Law does not merely lead us to the Cross but the Law also shows us how we can live a life pleasing to God. Christians are still supposed to obey the Law. God’s Law shows us what God delights in and God’s Law shows us what the good life really is. We cannot forget this last question but we also cannot seek to fulfill this on our own power. We must prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to live this way and when we fail we must ask the Spirit to help us repent. The Cross doesn’t cancel our need to obey but rather empowers our obedience.

The Dangers of Messy Christianity

The following is a brief excerpt from a helpful article that my wife sent me earlier today.

There’s a recent trend in American Christianity to speak of spiritual life as messy.

We’re sinful, broken people, this view argues, and even in our redeemed and reconciled condition we make mistakes that affect our and others’ lives. The messiness is pervasive, constant, and unrelenting. There’s no hope for the eradication of sin this side of Christ’s return, so the best we can do is embrace the mess and encourage one another to keep wading through the mire. The Christian life is a series of messes with a few mountaintops in between.

No doubt, this description is often used with honorable motives. We want to express humility and provide solidarity and support for our struggling brothers and sisters or new Christians—as we should. But there’s something about describing the process of sanctification only as “messy” that seems a little off. It’s certainly true that believers struggle with sin, pain, failure, and turmoil. I continue to wrestle with those things and more, so there’s a sense in which sanctification is messy. I definitely feel that myself.

Yet I also realize that Jesus didn’t die so we could live a merely messy Christian life. His desire isn’t for us to simply hop from crisis to crisis, doomed to failure, discouragement, and depression this side of glory. The gospel is more about joyful transformation than messy complacency.

If we’re not careful, a merely messy Christianity fails to do justice to a biblical view of the Christian life in at least three ways.

For the full article, click here.

8 Ways Satan Uses To Keep Us Out Of The Bible

There is no doubt that Satan knows the power of God’s word to change us. He works tirelessly to take away the seeds of Scripture planted in us (see Mark 4:14-15). He knows that the Bible, in the hands of the Holy
Spirit, is lethal against his tactics. Consider this excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters in which a chief demon seeks to mentor a trainee demon in how to hurt the faith of believers:

“Don’t let him open the Enemy’s book. Have him think he’s not feeling spiritual enough. Suggest that it’s too complicated. Tell him he’s too tired. Be vigilant — five minutes of prayerful reading can set him back months (Rom 10:17).”

Satan knows that the Bible is integral to our mission here on this earth (John 17:14-19). He knows that the Bible sanctifies us and makes us holy (specifically focus on John 17:17). He knows that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). He knows that when we see Jesus by faith that we will transform more into His image by the Spirit’s power (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So, what does he want to do? He wants to do all that it takes to keep us out of the Bible. How does he do that? There are certainly many things he does but here are eight ways which we commonly see today:

  1. Distracts you with your phone, social media, video games, Netflix, YouTube
    Name whatever it is that distracts you most—that is what Satan is using. Here’s the thing, many of the objects that he uses are good in themselves. He loves to use good things to distract us from ultimate things.
    Practical Tip: Turn your phone over during your devotions. If someone REALLY needs you then they will get you.

  2. Busyness with friends, school, work, sports, clubs, parenting, schedules, etc.
    How often do we find ourselves saying, “Well, I didn’t have time to get in the Word today.” Satan loves this tactic. Our day is a busy day. We are constantly on the go and we hardly like to stop. How often our Enemy likes to use our busyness and our productivity to actually keep us away from the Word that transforms us into the image of Christ.
    Practical Tip: Schedule your devotions and guard that time with your life. Seek to have a consistent time and place in order to build a better habit.

  3. Boredom by saying, “I already know this.”
    How many of us get to our devotions and immediately look at the text (say John 3:16 for example) and respond with, “I already got this one.” How little do we simmer over the text and bring out the rich flavors that are in the Word! Can we really look at God’s love and say, “Yea, I know that already”? Satan will use our familiarity and cause us to think that that Bible is somehow boring. We pay attention to that which captivates us most and if there is the seed within that gives fruit to the thought that the Bible is boring then Satan has won a battle in our hearts.
    Practical Tip: 1) Change up your Bible reading plan (if you’re doing bigger portions, change to smaller portions or vice versa). 2) Pick up other books that show you how amazing the Bible is (try Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God At His Word or D.A. Carson’s The God Who Is There)

  4. Lesser works with devotional books (although good but not enough)
    Let me set this straight: Devotional books are good and very helpful when they are from authors that bring out the rich treasures of the Bible. Let me repeat: Solid, biblical devotional books are good. But, they are not Scripture. Nothing replaces meditating over the Bible itself. No one can outdo the Holy Spirit in His work. I don’t care who the author is, no one can do what the Holy Spirit does as He takes the Word into our hearts and sheds abroad the love of God. There are many times that Satan uses good and great devotional books to keep us away from meditating on the Bible. There are too many people who read more of their devotional books than they read the Bible. Satan loves to keep us in the devotional books and away from the Bible because he knows that the Bible will make us radically God-centered and Christ-like. Satan loves shallow Christians because shallow Christians are no threat to his kingdom. In order to keep making Christians shallow, he keeps us in anything other than the Bible.
    Practical Tip: Only use devotional books to help stir up your heart to get you into the Bible more. Do not settle for a devotional book that gives you one short verse to read but forces you to focus more of your attention on what they have to say. Pick up a devotional book that helps you understand the Bible better. We perish for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

  5. Unbelief in the Bible’s relevance, power, sufficiency, and necessity
    When we think that the Bible is relevant for today, powerful to change us, sufficient for our problems, or necessary for our daily living then Satan has won another battle. He loves to have us think that we can go today without reading our Bible. He works one day at a time to keep you each day away from the Scripture. He wants you to think that the Bible won’t address what you need to hear. He tries to convince you that you aren’t really changing whenever you meditate on God’s Word. He wants to persuade you that you’re fine on your own.
    Practical Tip: 1) Don’t measure your growth in short intervals. Rather, spend time in the Bible each day, studying to know what it is really saying, and after 6 months, 1 year, 5 years reflect on your life. 2) Read biographies of Christians who have been changed by God (Augustine’s Confessions, Jonathan Edwards, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Martin Luther, Susannah Spurgeon, Amy Carmichael) 3) Read good books on biblical counseling that address this issue (such as: The Dynamic Heart: Connecting Christ to Human Experience by Jeremy Pierre, You Can Change by Tim Chester, or Cross Talk: Where Life and Scripture Meet by Michael Emlet)

  6. Mislead you into thinking other things work better
    We often run to other “fixes” to take our minds off of our problems. Some run to exercising (literally, they run their problems away) and some to venting to others (they want to talk their problems away). There are even Christian counselors who try to tell us that we need something “more” than the Bible. There is certainly a big trend in the evangelical world that sees therapy as the answer to inner change. Satan loves to get us to think that anything or anyone is better than the Bible. He wants us to think that if we merely take our minds off of the problem things go away. He often fools us into thinking that counseling (as great and necessary [yes, necessary at times] that biblical counseling is!) is a replacement to ourselves getting in the Bible. He wants to help us feel like we don’t need to the Bible and therefore keeps us from it.
    Practical Tip: Pray that God would show you the amazing power that is in the Bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit would take that Word into your heart to show you the wondrous things that are in His words. Listen to the testimonies of others who have been transformed by the gospel. Test God and His Word for yourself and see if He won’t change you.

  7. Grant self-confidence by thinking you’re fine without it for a day
    This is somewhat of a repeat from earlier but a necessary repeat. Satan loves to get us to think that we’re really OK without the Bible today. He wants us to think that there really isn’t too much going on in our lives for us to have to get in the Bible today. Satan wants us to see the Bible merely as medicine. We only need it if we’re sick. Self-confidence is a killer to our devotional lives.
    Practical Tip: Study the doctrine of total depravity. I mean, really study it. Just spend time and write down 30 reflections on John 15:5 and Ephesians 2:1-2.

  8. Keep you only reading it and never meditating on it and memorizing it
    ”Knowledge of the Word of God will not profit you, unless you frequently listen to it and meditate upon it.” Sound controversial? Well, it’s from the Puritan pastor Walter Marshall in his book The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification which is considered a classic on the subject. Satan loves to keep you merely reading the Bible. Besides, unbelievers read the Bible too. Once again, let me set the record straight once more: The Holy Spirit does use our Bible reading to convert us and sanctify us. But, we shouldn’t be satisfied with only a short and shallow reading of the Bible. What unbelievers don’t do is meditate on it in the power of the Spirit. Christians apply the Bible to their lives and Satan hates it when you do this. He hates it when you apply the gospel of free grace to your sinful life. If you defeat all his other ways, he wants you merely to read the Bible and get on with your day. He doesn’t want you to wrestle with it, apply it, meditate on it, study it, or teach it.
    Practical Tip: Let your Bible reading goal be for thoughtful and slow reading. Ask good questions of the Bible when you read it. Try to summarize what the main point of your reading is and then think about how that main point applies to your life today.