Tag Archive for righteousness at Zeal For Truth

Tag Archive for 'righteousness'

The Importance of Fellowship: Sanctification

Published by Colin June 9, 2009 in Religion and Theology. 5 Comments

This is part of an eight part series on the importance of fellowship. Read the other parts here:

Part 8: Unconditional Love
Part 7: Honesty
Part 6: Fighting Superficiality
Part 5: Sanctification
Part 4: Why You Need It (Yes You)
Part 3: Dealing With A Dead or Dying Church
Part 2: Accountability
Part 1: Introduction

One of the greatest purposes of fellowship is the work of sanctification. This term eludes many, both theologically, in that people don’t understand what it means; but also practically, in that sanctification, for all intents and purposes, requires fellowship.

A believer is marked by three important markers on their path towards eternity.

Regeneration - that is, the moment when sin’s dominion over a person is broken and they are no longer a slave to sin, but have been freed in Christ.
Justification - the consequences of sin are no longer applicable to the person. The wrath of God is no longer upon them and Christ becomes their righteousness.
Sanctification - sanctification is the removal of the lingering effects of sin and a sin nature. It is when a person becomes holy in Christ. They are no longer polluted in any way by sin.

Sanctification is radically different than justification, and is a process that cannot be completed in this life. If we were holy, then we ourselves would not be able to bear any sin around us and in us. It would be completely gone - like the purging of logic from a Vulcan.

But sanctification is still a goal for Christians, we just have to realise that it is a progressive goal which we gradually move towards, despite its unachievability. While we live and breathe on earth, sanctification is not so much about the ends, but the means. As God continues to sanctify us, the life of a believer becomes progressively aligned with and conformed to our legal status before God. That is, sanctification moves us towards a material articulation of our justification.

Sanctification is an outgrowth of our love for God and our gratitude for what he has done for us. It is not:

Keeping rules and guidelines to “pay God back” or in any other way earn our salvation
A means by which we can judge each other’s spiritual maturity and effectively rank each other
A way to separate leaders from “normal” Christians or otherwise assign ministry positions or responsibilities
A way to shame and guilt believers into an artificial dependence on leaders, pastors or other men

Sanctification is motivated by love and enabled by grace. That is, the power to change comes from God as a gift and we embrace it not because we have to, but because God is worthy of our lives.

Because sanctification has not yet occurred for anyone reading this (or writing it!) it means that we still have to deal with our sin nature and indwelling sin. Sin may not have dominion over us, but its influence and its very presence is still within us. Again, if this were not true - we would be sanctified and holy, able to approach God. Anyone who feels qualified to approach God - please raise your hand. Didn’t think so…

Paul talks about this process often, speaking of it plainly in Romans 7:8 and 21. Sin is our responsibility and our burden - which God, in his grace, is removing from us. Sin is not caused by Satan, demonic influence, other people, events in our lives or other boogy-men - sin is within us (James 4:1). Sinfulness is the natural pursuit of our hearts - which desires to seek out completion and fulfilment apart from God.

Fortunately God gives us the grace to pursue sanctification. We have an active part in cooperating with the Holy Spirit in receiving God’s sanctifying grace and responding to it by putting sin to death - effectively “working out our salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12)

Fellowship comes into play because we need each other to help us with our own areas of spiritual blindness. Our sin masks and clouds our ability to be 100% accurate it identifying and combating sin in our lives. Other Christians can be a valuable help in pointing out sin and providing accountability in order to see it put to death. The Holy Spirit uses believers to minister to one another often. As I had said before - of course God may give you visions, dreams and even speak audibly to you about areas of sin you need to combat - but more than likely, he chooses to use quite simple and obvious means such as your spouse, your family, Christian friends and your leadership.

We like to think that we are special, and that God is going to do BIG THINGS with us, and his wonderful plan for my life is going to be all about telling me where to go (Mission to Africa, Big Christian Event, This Church Where The Girl I like Goes!) and what to do (Lead Worship, Teach, Be A Pastor, Write A Book, Be Famous [For God’s glory of course…]). But, quite honestly, God probably wants you to be sanctified and made holy by having enough humility to listen to what others are telling you about your sin. He also wants you to get off the sidelines of ministry and actually start caring for people by offering observations, engaging in fellowship and putting yourself in a position to serve others.

The point is that sanctification might be less grandiose, but it is far more important than all of the dreams and visions we have for ourselves as the great purpose of our lives. If God wants glory, he can achieve it easily - he doesn’t need our help. What would glorify God, is if we devoted less time to our ambitions and more time towards “working out our salvation with fear and trembling.”

On to Part 6: Fighting Superficiality.

The Importance of Fellowship: Accountability

Published by Colin May 20, 2009 in Religion, Christian Books and Theology. 40 Comments

This is part of an eight part series on the importance of fellowship. Read the other parts here:

One day, I hope to write about my three years with the US government. But part of my requirements were three four-hour long polygraph/interrogations and a subsequent three hour interrogation over a period of months. I knew for over a month in advance when these meetings were going to occur and I knew that to whatever they asked they would get an honest answer. They would know if I lied and would then probe deeper and deeper into that lie until everything came out. They were incredibly persistent.

Imagine walking around your normal life with the knowledge that within a couple months you were about to confess your deepest darkest secrets to a power which could prosecute you for them and expose you to the whole world. There were times when the US Government knew more about me than even my wife (this was summarily remedied). There were times that I was so ashamed and fearful that I cried and cried in front of men and women with nice black suits.

It felt like torture. I would finish one, and before even making it back down the elevator, the dread and foreboding over the next one would be reborn. Knowing that in a couple more months, I would be back in that same building, and things even more deep and dark would be brought to light.

But I am also very grateful (in hindsight of course) for that experience. I learned that it isn’t the end of the world if people know what you’ve done. Life moves on. The sun still shines. But I also feel this experience prepared me for learning to be more open and honest with others about my spiritual needs.

Accountability with God?
Even until recently, I have always been sceptical of people allowing too much intimacy with others. It seems like such a cliché - men sitting in a circle lamenting that they struggle with pornography, couples talking about the fact they argue and don’t even like one another at time, women praying for one another and crying in a big blubbery circle… In many ways, these are the kind of things that came to mind when I thought about accountability.

And, quite frankly, aren’t my problems between me and God? If I had a problem with pornography, for example, shouldn’t I just wait for an angel to appear to me or something and tell me I’ve gone to far? Wont God just make me lose money or something if I am being to greedy. If I’m too proud, won’t God put me in the hospital or something so I have to depend on people?

So many Christians have the view that because God is a God of the individual - and he is - that ultimately things like correction, rebuke, encouragement and fellowship are going to come more directly - through quasi-mystical experiences or circumstances where God seems to speak in a very personal way.

We Need One Another
We live in a world where independence is valued. Our view of God and the Holy Spirit has been adapted to this value and tinkered with - so that we can go to church and be with people, but ultimately not allow them any kind of position where we rely on them. We no longer see the church as a mechanism that God uses to minister to us - no, he will do this directly through revelation or “the Holy Spirit.”

If someone is struggling with a sin, then they should be left alone and they need to allow “the Spirit” to guide them. If someone is in error, we hope “the Spirit” will convict them. If someone is unsure about a decision - they should be “guided by the Spirit.” We have, by relying on a false set of attributes for God’s Holy Spirit - made him into the image of the church, and shirked off our responsibilities to one another at the same time.

The church - the group of believers in the area where you live - is there to be a direct means of God intervening in your life. That sentence may offend people who are wrapped up in their own privacy and individuality. The church, of course, is not the only means of God’s intervention - but by ignoring fellowship - even if we claim we are doing so in favour of “God himself”, “the Word” or “The Holy Spirit” we are ignoring a vital way that God has said he will minister to us.

The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to point towards Christ. He may convict you of sin directly, but he may also use means to do this - primarily other believers.

The Core of Accountability
Accountability has a few core requirements:

humility - we have to be willing to acknowledge that we are sinners to ourselves and also to others. We have to give up the idea that we should be able to project a certain confidence, righteousness, correctness, smartness or purity to others. We must give up the idea that we are not better than other people and that it is all right for other people to know this. We must accept that we can be wrong.
a correct doctrine of indwelling sin - we must realise that, while not ideal, we are sinners. We will sin. We will spurn grace. If given the choice, even after being saved, to reject God for some kind of sinful indulgence, we will choose sin. We make this choice every time we sin as Christians. We are sinners by nature and so it is not a big shock or surprise if we confess to one another that we struggle with sin.
a correct doctrine of salvation -we have to realise that salvation has come by grace, and not because we’re good enough. As Christians, we all know this. But do we understand and apply it? Just as we did not gain our salvation because of what we’ve done - we cannot lose it because of what we’ve done. Grace is a unilateral contract that God has made with us which we could not break if we tried. God, in his unfailing and steadfast love, has chosen to love us in spite of what we have done and he is not shocked that we continue to attempt to reject his grace.

Once we realise these things, and those barriers of pride, fear and ignorance are broken down in our hearts - the idea of sharing with others where we need help is no longer radical or shameful. It becomes necessary and essential.
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