The Way Most Christians Misunderstand Justification

Most Christians rely of their sanctification (how well they are doing and living and performing as Christians) for their justification (who they are in Christ):

"Only a fraction of the present body of professing Christians are solidly appropriating the justifying work of Christ in their lives… Many… have a theoretical commitment to this doctrine, but in their day-to-day existence they rely on their sanctification for their justification… drawing their assurance of acceptance with God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience. Few know enough to start each day with a thoroughgoing stand upon Luther's platform: you are accepted, looking outward in faith and claiming the wholly alien righteousness of Christ as the only ground for acceptance, relaxing in that quality of trust which will produce increasing sanctification as faith is active in love and gratitude… Much that we have interpreted as a defect of sanctification in church people is really an outgrowth of their loss of bearing with respect to justification. Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons… Their insecurity shows itself in pride, a fierce, defensive assertion of their own righteousness, and defensive criticism of others. They come naturally to hate other cultural styles and other races in order to bolster their own security and discharge their suppressed anger." ~ Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Renewal (Downers Grove, IVP, 1979), 101.

Justification as the Fuel for Sanctification: Misunderstanding our justification can be detrimental to our growth in godliness–it can lead to minimizing our sin or the holiness of God, and thereby rendering the cross of Christ as seemingly unnecessary. Or we think that our standing before God is dependent on how well we live our lives–the quality of our devotions, the sincerity and consistency of our love for God, the frequency of our victory over sin, etc. And while all of these things are important features of our spiritual maturity (sanctification), they are not the grounds for our ability to stand "guilt-free" before God (justification). Christ bore our shame and provided to us His guilt-free life, and through our worship of Him, the Holy Spirit makes our lives increasingly reflect His character.

God Finishes What He Starts (Philippians 1:1-20)

Philippians 1:1-20; Key Verse: Phil 1:6

"...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

How reassuring it is to know and to hear that it is God (not me) who began His work of salvation in me, and that it is also God (NOT ME) who will complete His work of salvation in me!

We (correctly) teach the Bible saying that it is God who saved us by His grace. But after that we inadvertently (incorrectly) teach that it is up to us to make sure we don't lose our salvation and blow it! With such thoughts and teachings, we are guilt ridden when we sin, and we guilt trip other Christians and "squeeze" them when we communicate that they are not living "up to par" or living as they should. In Php 1:6, Paul is crystal clear that the work of salvation begins with God, and that is is completed by God (not by me, or by Paul). The NT emphasizes this over and over again, repeatedly (Php 1:29, 2:13; Eph 2:1,5; Col 2:13; Jn 1:12; Acts 11:18; 2 Th 2:13-14; Heb 11:29, 40).

Sanctification Part III: Joy, Peace and Contentment (Philippians 4:2-23)

Philippians 4:2-23; Key Verse: 4:7a,9b

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding ... And the God of peace will be with you."

Don't we all want to know a peace that is beyond knowing? Comprehend a peace that is beyond comprehension?  Experience a peace that passes all understanding?

What compelled me to Christ before I became a Christian was that I had no peace, serenity, or tranquility. This really bothered me. I could study well, become a doctor, have loving parents who never hurt me, have an inner spirit of resolve to never be defeated by life or by anyone, and yet I had no peace!

Sanctification, Part III: Not There Yet (Philippians 3:12-4:1)

Philippians 3:12 - 4:1; Key Verse: Phil 3:13

"I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do..."

Paul is a man of "one thing" (Php 3:13), "one goal" (Php 3:12), "one prize" (Php 3:14), and "one desire" (Php 3:10), for which he gives all of himself. He does not do so out of any righteousness, nobility or goodness in himself, but attributes all of his zeal and passion to the grace of Jesus (Php 3:9; Gal 2:20b). In this way, Paul shows us the one single driving force behind his sanctification and his Christian life.

We have been praying that 2012 may be the year of Sanctification. What is sanctification? Louis Berkhof (1873 – 1957), a renowned 20th century theologian, explains Sanctification: "Sanctification is a work of the triune God, but is ascribed more particularly to the Holy Spirit in Scripture, Rom 8:11; 15:16; 1 Pet 1:2. It is particularly important in our day, with its emphasis on the necessity of approaching the study of theology anthropologically and its one-sided call to service in the kingdom of God, to stress the fact that God, and not man, is the author of sanctification. Especially in view of the Activism that is such a characteristic feature of American religious life, and which glorifies the work of man rather than the grace of God, it is necessary to stress the fact over and over again that sanctification is the fruit of justification, that the former is simply impossible without the latter, and that both are the fruits of the grace of God in the redemption of sinners. Though man is privileged to cooperate with the Spirit of God, he can do this only in virtue of the strength which the Spirit imparts to him from day to day. The spiritual development of man is not a human achievement, but a work of divine grace. Man deserves no credit whatsoever for that which he contributes to it instrumentally."

Sanctification, Part II: One Thing I Do (Philippians 3:12-4:1)

Philippians 3:12-4:1; Key Verse: Phil 3:13 "But one thing I do..."

1. What is Paul's confession of his own progress in Christ (Php 3:12a, 13a; 1 Ti 1:15)? What does "perfect" (Php 3:12) and "mature" (Php 3:15) mean? (They are translated from the same Greek word "teleios.")
2. What is "one thing" (Php 3:13), "the prize" (Php 3:14) and the "goal" (Php 3:12,15)? Why did Christ take hold of him (Php 3:12c; Rom 8:29)? What does "press on" (Php 3:12b, 14a), "forgetting" and "straining" (Php 3:13b) teach about sanctification (1 Cor 9:24-27; 1 Ti 6:12; Heb 12:1)? How should mature Christians hold true to what they have attained (Php 3:16; 2:12-13)?
   
3. What is a healthy principle for a Christian (Php 3:17; 4:9; 1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; 1 Th 1:6; 2 Th 3:7-9; 1 Ti 4:12,15-16; 2 Ti 3:10-11; 1 Pe 5:3)? Why (Heb 3:13)?
   
4. What is Paul's tearful warning (Php 3:18)? Who are these "enemies of the cross" (Php 3:2)? Are they non-Christians and pagans? What is their destiny, their god, their glory, and their mind set on (19)? What is the problem with worldliness (1 Jn 2:15-17)?
   
5. What is the goal of sanctification (Php 3:20)? How is this accomplished (Php 3:21)? Are you homesick? Do you have a resolve (Php 4:1)?