😍IPOC Podcast S1, E3 – Sanctification, a neglected doctrine – there is no salvation without…❗❗❗

In this Podcast I tell why I no longer believe that I am nothing but a “worm in God’s hand.” I teach what sanctification is, and what it is not. That sanctification is a Doctrine that’s rarely taught or understood these days, and perhaps why. I teach why there is no salvation without sanctification. I share personal experiences with friends that have fallen away (no sanctification means no justification), and my thoughts on Kanye West. The only part I edited out, was the results and details of one of my police pursuits. The show-notes can be read below this video.

SHOW NOTES FOR S1, E3 – Sanctification

I often refer to myself as nothing but a worm in Gods hand, as King David referred to himself as a worm. But as the Lord sanctifies me, I no longer think that. That’s because a worm has a useful purpose. Therefore I am more like a maggot, but the truth is modern science has discovered that maggots have a ‘forensic and medical’ value, or purpose….

2 Cor 13:5 to examine ourselves….

One of the dearest doctrines to study and ‘pray for more of’ – is sanctification.

The Baptist Catechism

Q. 39. What is sanctification?

A. Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 4:23-24; Rom. 6:11).

Let’s see what my LBCF says about sanctification.

CHAPTER 13 Paragraph 1 says, “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,1 through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them;2 the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,3 and the several lusts of it are more and more weakened and mortified,4 and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,5 to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Acts 20:32; Rom. 6:5,6, John 17:17; Eph. 3:16-19; 1 Thess. 5:21-23, Rom. 6:14, Gal. 5:24, Col. 1:11, 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 12:14).

Paragraph 2 says, “This sanctification is throughout the whole man,7 yet imperfect in this life; there abides still some remnants of corruption in every part,8 wherefrom arises a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” (1 Thess. 5:23m Rom. 7:18, 23, Gal. 5:17 & 1 Pet. 2:11.)

Paragraph 3 says, ”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” (Rom. 7:23, Rom. 6:14, Eph. 4:15,16 & 2 Cor. 3:18, 7:1).

I’ve said before that ‘there is no salvation without repentance.’ Though there’s nothing a sinner can do to merit salvation, but once a sinner is saved by grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone; the Lord will ‘grant repentance’ to those He saves (His elect). Therefore, ‘an evidence’ of salvation is repentance.

And so it is the same with ‘Sanctification.’ Sanctification is not the ‘cause’ of salvation, it is ‘because’ of salvation, and so it too is also is ‘an evidence’ of salvation. Or as another scholar said (JC), “to have Christ is to have all of Christ – His justifying grace as well as His sanctifying grace, lest we rend Christ in two.”

In other words, sanctification flows from justification. Though salvation is the monergistic work of the Godhead, but sanctification is synergistic. Salvation is a one-time event, but sanctification is a progressive process.

Without holiness you cannot see God. Hebrews 12:14 warns us to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

True believers will cultivate holiness from Christ. It says in Ephesians 1:4, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love.”

True believers will be in a continual pursuit of Gods holiness. Paul said in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”

The Bible commands and expects holiness. Upon salvation the Lord commands in 1 Pet 1:16 “because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Sanctification is covenantal. A Christian is obligated to respond to Gods sovereign grace, and His holiness is what we will desire. Once saved, we will desire to be set apart, to be consecrated.  

A true believers sanctification will submit to the godhead. They will strive to please the Father, they will pursue Christlikeness, and they will be sensitive to the convictions of the Holy Spirit.

True believers will be killing sin, before sin kills them. Let’s hear from men hundreds of years ago.

John Owen wrote, “There is no imagination wherewith man is besotted more foolish, none so pernicious as this; that persons not purified, not sanctified, not made holy in this life, should afterward be taken into the state of blessedness which consists in the enjoyment of God.”

Stephan Charnock wrote, “Holiness is the life of God; it endures as long as his life; he must be ‘eternally adverse from sin.’ He can live no longer than he lives in the hatred of loathing in it.”

1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

This word ‘sanctification is the Greek word hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mos’), which means purification, purity, holiness, consecration, or sanctification of ‘heart and life,’ and/or to be set apart. It also means to be separated from the world, and united to Christ. It is used over and over throughout the Scriptures.

Imagine this passage (this command) being ‘preached and taught’ at a mega church full of fornicators.  BTW this is another definition of a ‘Biblical love.’ (Eph 5:1-21).

God commands professing Christians in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8,

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

I’m going to continue by reading excerpts from another old dead man, via this book. Thomas Watson (a Puritan) said…

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