Paul's Passing Thoughts

“In sanctification, our work and the Holy Spirit’s work are seamless”

There are a number of extremely important truths presented here in the fifth chapter of Romans. These are truths that are also particularly important in our day because of the kind of teachings that are in vogue. I would like to first point out that Paul does something here in the first verse that he does throughout his writings: both God the Father and Jesus Christ are strongly emphasized. The stated purpose of salvation in verse one is to reconcile humanity with God. Mankind is God’s enemy. Christ went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin and was resurrected by God’s power (Ephesians 1:20). He went there for the purpose of reconciling us to God. Salvation is Trinitarian, and an overemphasis on a member of the Trinity is often present with the root of most heresies. And let there be no doubt: an overemphasis on Christ in our day is in the same vein of cults that overemphasize the Father to the exclusion of Christ, and other movements that overemphasize the Spirit to the exclusion of the Father and Christ. Chapter five also reiterates the importance of recognizing that justification is a finished work, and the strong dichotomy between justification and our Christian life (sanctification).

What we are given freely by faith alone is experienced in greater measure in our sanctification—if we have proper understanding of gospel basics. The work of justification is finished. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all had a role until Christ was resurrected. Christ was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25). He then sat down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). That work is finished, but the Trinity still works in our sanctification. We have all three of the Trinity members behind us in our Christian walk. BUT, reconciliation is a ministry that has given us “access” to the kingdom and now is one of our ministries to the world (2Corinthians 5:18-21). We must understand the actions of the Trinity in Justification and in sanctification as being different actions for different purposes. The confusion of these two works has been detrimental to innumerable Christians.

One of the great gifts of salvation is hope. Life without salvation has no hope. The unsaved are God’s enemies; they are under the constant threat of the revelation of God’s wrath; have little wisdom for making life work in a fulfilling way; and only have eternal judgment to look forward to in the end. Their life will not have a good ending, and they know it. A story with an assured bad ending is hopelessness. The unsaved live in an uncertain (from the mortal perspective) time frame that seeks to keep them as comfortable as possible until the tragic end. Without a doubt, most so-called mental illness is the result of hopelessness. This also hearkens back to the question of what we really want to draw from human wisdom in regard to life and godliness from people who have no hope.

In verse two, we have the hope of justification. It was obtained by faith alone, and rejoices in the grace of God and His glory. Our life story will have a glorious end. We are no longer “under the law”….for justification. But now, the law informs us in regard to something about our hope:

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

What does trouble in the life of an unbeliever avail? It is a disturbance in their effort to remain as comfortable as possible until they enter eternal judgment. Their only hope is a temporary hope that man can help them salvage as much of their uncertain comfort that may remain. Believers receive hope in the gospel of first importance, but now as the law informs our sanctification, we find that trouble in life aids us in a greater realization of the hope that lies ahead. We are saved in great power and hope (1Thessalonians 1:4, 5), but if we do not begin to rightly apply the law to our sanctification (which cannot effect our justification because there is no law in justification) our assurance will begin to wane, along with hope, and leading to shame.

Paul told Timothy that rightly dividing the law would result in a workman not being ashamed (2Timothy 1:15,16). In verses three and four, Paul documents the process of applying God’s wisdom to trouble in life in order to increase hope—leading to the absence of shame (guilt). Paul might have used the word “rejoice” to get their attention in regard to the Christian approach to trouble as opposed to that of the world. But at any rate, trouble in life lends opportunity for Christians to be more assured of their salvation. You cannot separate hope and assurance. When assurance lacks, the lack of hope follows. A saint that is 100% assured of heaven is immovable as well. What can this world possibly do to him or her?

Paul even explains the details of the process stated in verses 3-5. Endurance produces character. How so? Well, in the law, we find that “trouble,” “temptation,” and “trials” are all words that are used interchangeably. Why? Answer: we are often tempted to sin in a trial.

James 1:2—Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing….12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Perhaps we are in the trial because of sin to begin with. “Endurance” is equal to thinking the right way, praying the right way, and doing the right things in a trial. It is the proper application of biblical wisdom to life; so, not surprisingly, it builds what? Right, character.

Now, when we see the character, although we study the issue to find God’s wisdom (that’s what a disciple is, a “learner”) and successfully apply it to our lives, we know that we are actually seeing the “fruit of the Spirit.” In sanctification, our work and the Holy Spirit’s work are seamless. Sure, if we don’t work in sanctification, the Holy Spirit will still work, but more than likely it will be works that seek to confront our spiritual laziness. And, if we grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30), we will live an anemic life full of fear.

One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is “self-control.” If there is no temptation present, self-control is not needed. And who is doing the controlling? Self– control. We are doing the controlling. But whose fruit is it? Answer: the Holy Spirit’s. We must work. The Holy Spirit will work. But where the two works divide in the finished results is not ascertainable. However, the law is full of promises in this regard: if we do A, the Holy Spirit will do B. There are many different motivations in sanctification to obey Scripture. We are even warned that there is judgment in this life for doing wrong as a Christian (1Thessalonians 4:6, 7, 1Corinthians 11:30-32, 1John 5:16-18, 1Corinthians 5:4,5). But it is a judgment separate from justification. It is a judgment that renders unfortunate consequences in this life.

Paul is describing a sanctification process. Endurance leading to character and hope, resulting in a clear conscience, and manifesting the love of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. I believe this is a testimony of God’s love for us when this process is functioning the way God wants it to. But now one cries out:

See! See!, you are teaching that God’s love for us is increased via certain behaviors; i.e., KEEPING THE LAW! You are saying that we earn God’s love through works!

No I am not, and this idea can be sold to many Christians in our day because of doctrinal illiteracy. Churches must begin to strive for doctrinal education to be returned to the local churches. I have come to believe that seminaries do more harm to Christianity than good.

When we are saved, we are given all of God’s love and righteousness. We cannot earn any of it. It is by faith alone. That granting is initially experienced with much exhilaration, but in sanctification, the question becomes to what degree that we will EXPERIENCE the gift! As we have previously noted in this study series, salvation is separate from justification. Justification is a onetime legal declaration. Salvation is also finished in that its fullness has been credited to our account, in full, and once for all time. Note Ephesians 1:15-23:

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Salvation doesn’t grow. But our experience of it in sanctification certainly does. As far as the “victorious” Christina life—there has already been a victory—are we going to live the victory and show it to the world in order to glorify God? Will we live a life that causes people to come to us privately and ask about…. what? Our “hope,” right? That’s the word Peter used, right? (1Peter 3:15). Paul notes in our Romans text at hand that hope grows in our Christian life if we deal with life God’s way. BUT it requires our colaboring with the Spirit in sanctification.

This is the dreadful evil of our day: the Christian witness is sapped because of passive sanctification. Why is this? Clearly, it is because sanctification is seen as the “growing part” of our salvation that COMPLETES justification. Therefore, what we do in sanctification is seen as affecting our “just standing.” This is the paramount reason for crippled sanctification in our day.  It is the reason for lack of assurance; lack of hope; lack of evangelism, and lack of a powerful Christian witness in the world. As this ministry constantly harps, it is the difference between the linear gospel and the parallel gospel. Some illustrative charts that we use are following:

In the remainder of the chapter, Paul writes about before and after: before salvation; and after salvation. Justification and sanctification are two different realities. Treating them as the same will devastate Christian living. Everywhere Susan and I go, Christians tiptoe around the issue of obedience in sanctification as if it is the Bubonic Plague. Again, this is due to fear that what we do in sanctification might in some way effect our “just standing.”   Not the Apostle Paul:

1Thessalonians 4:1— Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

And not Peter:

2Peter 1:3—His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

All of God’s divine power for life and godliness has been granted to us in full. We are now called to be partakers of the divine nature. We have it all, but we must become, what? Answer: “partakers.” We must ADD certain things to our faith as we learn them, and by doing that we “make our calling and election sure.” And we also prepare for ourselves a “rich entry” rather than a deathbed laden with regret, doubt, and a shred of hope.

This is such a critical truth: the difference between who we were and who we are now; and how that applies to our present sanctification. It is the focus of Romans five, and we will continue to delve into this deeper next week with the Apostle Paul’s help.