"Sanctification" at SCBC

Last Sunday I started teaching on the doctrine of sanctification at SCBC during Sunday School. In my short experience as a pastor, I can say without hesitation, that this is the subject I deal with all the time in ministry. As I look at my own life, this subject also impacts me all the time too. Just as the Almighty began opening my eyes to the unspeakable glories of the doctrines of Grace; in the last couple of years He has began showing me things in the scriptures that for His great purposes have gone mostly under my Bible radar in regards to sanctification. Now the radar won’t stop beeping (praise God!). It seems, that almost every-time I pick up the scriptures, verses leap out that help me see the glories of this doctrine! I am getting ahead of myself though; let me start by throwing out some questions that seem to dominate my thoughts lately about sanctification.

1. Do we cooperate with God in sanctification? (Wayne Grudem argues “yes” in his Systematic Theology)
2. What are the means of sanctification?
3. What are the motives of sanctification?
4. Why are we sanctified?
5. Why are some sanctified more than others?
6. What does Christian maturity look like?
7. How do rewards work in the Christian life?
8. What does sanctification look like in every day life?

Here are some pastoral thoughts about sanctification too.

1. It seems, on the surface, that most Christians I talk to, have little, if any, passion about sanctification.

2. When I ask, most Christians can’t define sanctification.

3. Many can’t remember ever being taught systematically about sanctification. (myself included)
4. If after our conversion, our Christian life is defined by sanctification, why does it seem like there is such little emphasis on what sanctification is, how it works, why we need to be sanctified.
5. There is a lot of talk about “preaching the gospel to yourself”, and I am excited about these conversations, yet, I still feel like there is something missing in helping people grasp sanctification.

Let me start these posts by rocking the boat a little. I cringe, when I hear anyone define sanctification as cooperation with God. I don’t deny that believers labor, work, strive, pursue, make effort (all biblical words) to grow in holiness; I just wonder if that is sanctification? Instead, I believe that the Bible puts the emphasis on the fact that sanctification is done to, and for us, just like justification, and not with us.