Day 206

Of Sanctification.

Chapter 13, Paragraph 3.

“In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in his Word has prescribed to them.”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 7:23

Romans 6:14

Ephesians 4:15,16

2 Corinthians 3:18, 7:1

Reflection

Drawn, justified, and adopted are graces Christians view with joy. As believers, when we are first drawn to the Father, we are filled with wonder and awe: “I am saved due to Christ’s righteousness! I am forgiven! Eternal life is my destiny!” We rejoice over these truths, and rightly so!

Soon after receiving faith we are taught that our remaining corruption of sin will be ever present with us until death. Okay, we think. I can live with that. We learn we will be waging war against it. No problem – the battle belongs to the Lord! Our wills are resolute, and romantic visions of victoriously mortifying our sin energize us.

Then one day there’s a sin that is particularly hard to defeat. Over and over again you strive to be fortified against its onslaught, only to succumb again and again. Shame, frustration, and fatigue creep into your life. Any notion of you as a valiant warrior, stoically withstanding temptation, vanishes. Will I ever defeat this? you wonder.

Sanctification is the medicine that cures us of our corruption. Unpleasant to taste, hard to swallow, but necessary for our spiritual health. We battle against ourselves, and our sin prevails for a time. We are not left to face this foe alone, however. The bottomless spring of strength from the Holy Spirit is always with us, always ours from which to draw. Through His strength, we shall overcome. With Him working in us, we will grow in holiness, obeying His commands found in Scripture.

When we realize that sanctification is a grace, and not a torturous test, we learn to accept such medicine as good for us. In those times when your sin prevails, do not focus on your own weakness, but on the Holy Spirit that dwells in you. Be thankful for the grace of sanctification, and know that because of Him your sin will be defeated.

Questions to Consider

• In your struggle with sin, have you forgotten the strength of the Holy Spirit?

Day 205

Of Sanctification.

Chapter 13, Paragraph 2.

“This Sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual, and irreconcilable war; the Flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh.”

Scripture Lookup

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Romans 7:18, 23

Galatians 5:17

1 Peter 2:11

Reflection

Fighting against our selves is not new to women. Just look at the financial success of the beauty industry. Every day, millions of women are curling straight hair, straightening curly hair, moisturizing dry skin, drying up oily skin. Commercials tout products with words like restore, renew, correct, reverse. We long to change our imperfections, and spend time and money to see a difference in our appearance.

Before being called and drawn by God to Himself, not only is our appearance imperfect, but our entire self is “wholly defiled, in all the faculties, and parts, of soul, and body.” (LBCF 6.2) When we are regenerated, however, we are freed from the power sin has over us, and are set apart, or sanctified. There is no part of you that is not affected by the Spirit and the word dwelling in you. While formerly corruption seeped through every pore unhindered, now that corruption is weakened and destroyed.

Yet in this life sanctification is not complete. There is no part of you that does not have to wage war, to put to death the remaining sin within you. The diligence with which we attend to our outward appearance should seem like sloth compared to the painstaking mortification of our sinful flesh. The battle is constant and irreconcilable. Yet in this war, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we shall overcome, and our sinful flesh shall be overcome.

Questions to Consider

• How goes the battle, Christian?

Day 204

Of Sanctification.

Chapter 13, Paragraph 1.

“…and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Scripture Lookup

Colossians 1:11

2 Corinthians 7:1

Hebrews 12:14

Reflection

In sanctification, those of us in Christ have the sin which remains in us progressively weakened and destroyed. This occurs through the Holy Spirit and the word dwelling in us. This mortification of sin lasts the remainder of our lives. We will wage war within ourselves until death.

While we have the intimidating task of fighting our remaining sin ahead of us, it is not the only thing we can anticipate. We are not left in a neutral state as we struggle with our remaining corruption of sin. The same word and Spirit that regenerate us, and that weaken and destroy our remaining sin, also aid us in growing in all saving graces. As a result of such we grow in godliness. In Christ, you are not where you were yesterday, and you are not where you will be tomorrow. The climb heavenward may include some falls, but it resolutely moves onward and upward.

With the Spirit Himself quickening you and strengthening you, you do not have to fear that your attempts at holiness will end in utter failure. Like the Proverbs 31 woman we can smile at the future, for in His provision the Lord has promised that growth will happen. Rely on the Spirit, let His word dwell in you richly, and with endurance pursue sanctification.

Questions to Consider

• Are you trusting in the Holy Spirit as you pursue holiness?

Day 203

Of Sanctification.

Chapter 13, Paragraph 1.

“…the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts of it are more and more weakened and mortified…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 6:14
Galatians 5:24

Reflection

The elect are called, justified, and also sanctified. Through the Holy Spirit and the word of Scripture dwelling in them, they are freed from sin’s rule, and that remaining corruption of sin that believers possess is put to death. This sanctification is a constant battle in this life, but victory is assured.

Look at what the confession says: “the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed”. Sin no longer has any power over you. Is there any part that still reigns? No, for the whole body of sin is destroyed. When you are in Christ, there is not one sin that is still master over you. You are free to live to righteousness!

While sin no longer has any hold over the believer, though, like an evicted tenant who claims squatter’s rights, it refuses to leave. Thomas Boston wrote:

[Believers] are planted together with Christ in the likeness of His death, which was a lingering death (Rom. 6.5). Sin in the saint, though not quite dead, yet is dying. If it were dead, it would be taken down from the cross, and buried out of his sight: but it hangs there as yet, working and struggling under its mortal wounds. – Human Nature In Its Fourfold State

We will still succumb to temptation. Knowing we are no longer slaves to sin should make our grief over the times we do sin more keenly felt. Thankfully, through Christ we are forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness.

Through the grace of sanctification, our corrupt nature is progressively weakened and put to death. It doesn’t always feel that way, does it? As believers, we have heightened senses to the sin in ourselves, so we see it for the hydra it is: one head is slain and two more pop up in its place. Despair can tempt us to give up. Yet the Holy spirit is dwelling within us, with the same omnipotence that raised Christ from the dead. We need not doubt that He will accomplish what He says. Christian, your sin is being stamped out; trust Him to give you strength to continue the fight!

Questions to Consider

• Are you drawing strength to fight sin from the Holy Spirit?

Day 202

Of Sanctification.

Chapter 13, Paragraph 1.

“They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them…”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 20:32

Rom. 6:5,6

John 17:17

Ephesians 3:16-19

1 Thessalonians 5:21-23

Reflection

A regenerated sinner does not stay a mere sinner. Not only is she declared righteous on account of Christ’s perfect obedience to the law, she is set apart as well. She is declared holy, or sanctified, because of what Christ has done on her behalf.

Freed from the guilt of sin, God enables the believer to will that which is good. The elect desire to be righteous since they have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. However, they still drag their corrupted nature with them throughout this life. How can they do what is right with such an enemy as their own flesh hanging around?

Herein lies the beauty of sanctification: not only are we declared righteous due to Christ, but God works in us so that we are personally sanctified. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Word, the alien righteousness of Christ becomes ours as we are gradually conformed to His image. Our corrupt nature is slowly but surely defeated. Victory over sin is guaranteed at death.

It is important to note that sanctification requires the dwelling of the Spirit and the Word. Scripture is not only necessary for conversion, but for the rest of the Christian’s walk. Thus Paul instructs believers to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:6). To neglect the Word is to neglect our sanctification. The same is true of the Spirit. We are not regenerated so that we may turn around and tell God “I’ve got it from here, thanks!”, but constantly depend upon the Spirit for strength to produce the fruit of sanctification. Through His guidance combined with His Word, we will grow in godliness.

Questions to Consider

• Do you find you separate the Spirit and the Word, rather than see how they work together for your sanctification?