The Fundamentals of Sanctification

Why is it that conservative, Bible-believing churches will have similar stands on cultural expressions and social behaviour? No two churches are exactly alike, but if churches hold a high view of the Bible, emphasize obeying the Scriptures, seek to preach what the Bible says, and so on, they will tend to hold to similar “standards,” as we used to call them.

It is no surprise that a common world view, centered around the Bible, will produce similar results. Name the issue that is raised: dress, entertainment, places you go, things you do, whether you take part in one activity or another — if informed by a biblical worldview, Christians will tend to have similar responses. Yes, some might eschew Hollywood movies altogether, while others might be willing to attend some movies in theatres, but nonetheless believers with a conservative biblical worldview will not likely have an “anything goes” approach.

When it comes to those doctrines that unite Christians across denominational lines, we tend to refer to them as “fundamentals.” That is, in order to be a Christian, you must believe in the deity of Christ, but you might disagree on a Presbyterian model of the church as opposed to the (correct!) Baptist model of the church. The fundamental doctrines that mark out faithful, Bible-believing Christians are well understood.

Recently, in teaching through 2 Peter 1, I was struck once again by the list of virtues in 2 Pt 1.5-7 and their similarity to other such lists in the scriptures. Compare these lists:

2 Pt 1.5-7	Gal 5.22-23	Jas 3.17-18	Phil 4.8
2 Pt 1.5-7 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.	Gal 5.22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.	Jas 3.17-18 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.	Phil 4.8 ¶ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

A quick overview of these lists shows much overlap among them. Where there are unique terms, they are consistent with the general aims of earnest Christians. All Bible-believing Christians agree, this is what we strive for in our sanctification, our Christian growth. We want to be more Christ-like. We want to be godly. So we pursue these ways of thinking and acting.

These lists, and similar passages exhorting us to godly behaviour, form part of what I’m calling “the fundamentals of sanctification.” My notion is this, if Christian growth in godliness means anything, it means developing these qualities in the inner man (which find their expression in the outer man). Sanctification cannot happen without this kind of growth.

Suppose you have a professing believer who is selfish and abrasive. What do you think of him (or her)? Well, you might think they need to grow in love and gentleness. They need to surrender themselves. They need to cultivate personal loveliness.¹

I doubt any Bible-believing Christian would say, “No, it’s fine. He’s a little selfish. He’s a little abrasive. That’s OK, he loves the Lord.” No, we would pray for that person to grow. If we are in a position of influence, we might challenge that person with their inconsistency and their bad behaviour. We would take opportunities to foster growth.

That is because we have a fundamental concept of what sanctification is like — the fundamentals of sanctification.

Now, let’s consider the flip-side of this equation. Not only does the Bible give us the fundamentals of the positive side of sanctification, it also gives us a negative picture of what we need to cast off as we are growing in grace, becoming sanctified:

Jas 3.14-16	Gal 5.19-21	1 Pt 2.1	1 Jn 2.15-17
Jas 3.14-16 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.	Gal 5.19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.	1 Pt 2.1 ¶ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,	1 Jn 2.15-17 ¶ Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Notice that some of these passages are connected with the positive lists. The wisdom from below, James 3.14-16, precedes the wisdom from above of James 3.17-18. The works of the flesh (Galatians 5.19-21) immediately precedes the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5.22-23). These negatives, things we need to put off are part and parcel of the passages that urge us to put on the new man. (See Ephesians 4.22-23.)

The negative lists help us to define the positive lists. It isn’t enough to merely pursue a mystical relationship with Christ that makes us “more loving, caring, kinder,” etc. All of those things are necessary, and essential. They are fundamentals. So too are those things we must put off.

You can’t really have sanctification if you won’t put off the world.

I have noticed that some Christians seem to want to have all the world they can, and cultivate loving gentle spirits at the same time. They think that all there is to sanctification is developing a sweeter demeanor. (Sanctification doesn’t mean developing a mean demeanor!!) But the Bible makes it clear, you can’t really have one without the other. You must separate yourself from the world as well.

This is what fundamentalists mean by “personal separation.” It doesn’t mean that we take ourselves out of the world, or refuse to have friends who are lost or spiritually weak. But it does mean that we will make decisions about our interactions with the world (and things we will do with our lost, weak friends) so that we don’t draw close to the world at the same time as we say we are drawing closer to Christ.

This, too, is part of the fundamentals of sanctification.

There is a tendency to develop a list of things “Christians don’t do” and think that if we know the list and just follow that, we’re good. That attitude is rightly criticized, but not for the reasons usually given. It’s not that it is just “legalism,” but that it shows a shallow grasp of sanctification.

You must turn away from the ways of the old man. You must turn to the ways (and spirit) of the Lord Jesus, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the will of our God.

Those are the fundamentals of sanctification.

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UPDATE: For the sermon that prompted this article, see this YouTube video.

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Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.

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1. Most of us, who are trying to grow in godliness, will confess that we fall short of these ideals. Every day. May God help us! [↩]