What is our role in sanctification?

Seeker,
The best advice I have ever gotten on this subject is by reading Jerry Bridges he addresses this topic I was so confused for so long. Please read his stuff. If you need any suggestions please give me a yell.

Bob C

 

Rom. 6:12. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13. and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

 

I do not know how many people actually fall into the categories you described.

My church is very strong on the sovereignty of God, for salvation, and also sanctification.

Put simply, a call to sonship is a call to discipleship. It is clear that those who are true possessors of saving faith will also be sanctified by the work of the Spirit. It is important to note however, that Paul specifically commands us to participate in the process, it is not compulsory in nature, any more than salvation is, in spite of the working of God in the life.

Most of the proof texts for God's sovereignty in salvation refer not just to salvation but talk about the actual walk of the believer.

1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

That last verse if you look at the grammar, at least in English, it says if you move the descriptive clauses that we are elect unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, a reference to the atonement.

 

I agree, Bridges is EXCELLENT!!!

 

that is an easy question
we must first realize we are a sinner we realize we are sinners by the commandments of God.

we must believe by faith God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

ask Jesus to cleanse you of your sins

Obey his commandment to love Him with all of your Mind, body and spirit and to love one another

once one becomes a christian we were commanded By Jesus to go and tell others of the good news.

to disciple one another.

Pretty simple.

if I had to rely on the tulip theroy for my salvation I would have never come to Christ.

 

Seeker, I have noticed what your are describing and I, too, find the phenomenom interesting.

To me, the most succinct biblical statement decribing the process by which one is sanctified is Philippians 2:12-13: ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure.

 

I think I disagree with the premise. The Calvinists I read emphasize that all of salvation is all of God, and while we must work out our salvation, it is God who is working in us. We are crucified with Christ, and He now lives in us. I haven't read all of the Calvinists, so I could be wrong, of course.

 

I agree, Bridges is EXCELLENT!!! </font>[/QUOTE]Which book, "The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness"?

I'd love a truly great book (with lots of scripture refs) on the subject of walking the difficult path of self-discipline and utter dependence.

 

I would classify myself as calvinistic - although not a 5-pointer. The best book I've ever read on the process of sanctification was written by Jim Berg (of BJU fame). The name of the book is "Changed into His Image".

In the book, brother Berg gives the best definition of sanctification that I've ever read. He says the following: "Sanctification is the process whereby the SPIRIT of God, takes the WORD of God, and changes me to become like the SON if God."

It's still an act of God. I can no more sanctify myself than I can save myself. God saves. God sanctifies.

 

Which book, "The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness"?

I'd love a truly great book (with lots of scripture refs) on the subject of walking the difficult path of self-discipline and utter dependence. [/QB][/QUOTE]

I was thinking of "Pursuit of Holiness"