I have just realised the biggest gaping hole in my theological education, which has been dogging my preaching since.
The goal of preaching is information, inspiration and transformation (1 Tim 1.5). Leave one out, and the thing falls over. Transformation is another way of speaking about sanctification, so that a doctrine of sanctification is one of the most shaping elements in a preacher’s toolkit.
And right there is the problem. I guess we looked at that doctrine, but mostly what I remember was what sanctification was not – not justification, not complete, not perfection, etc – which is all true, but it leaves out the big issue.
In particular, we never got a grip on the the question of how sanctification takes place (not so much the technique, but the spiritual dynamic behind the technique) and I never heard the phrase which has completely captivated my imagination, sanctification by faith.
The thing is, without a really explicit understanding that sanctification is by faith, we naturally revert to either of two things (which turn out to be common in Sydney Anglican preaching I think)
- almost no emphasis on sanctification (since we don’t know what to say). This is the constant complaint of so many church members – “light on application”.
- or worse, sanctification by just trying more, working harder, taking it more seriously etc. The irony of this is it effectively becomes ‘justification by grace, sanctification by effort’!
So, here’s the challenge – think back to last week’s sermon (or take note of this Sunday’s) – recall how the sermon was applied to life, and see what spiritual dynamic was expressed that would lead to that change. Was it in terms of faith, or was it more a Nike application – just do it?
The next post will look at how faith not only justifies, but sanctifies.
Hi Andrew,
Really enjoying the blog. This thought and the phrase ’sanctification by faith’ reminds me of Jesus’ words in John 15 about the True Vine. To my lights, he seems to be saying that he is the True Vine, and so he is the one who produces fruit. His commands to his disciples there is less ‘try harder to produce’ fruit and more ‘remain in me’ because I am an great vine which is in the business of producing fruit. The choice is to abide in him and produce much fruit, or not to abide in him and produce nothing (!!). The direction seems to be pusing us back to realizing that the Vine Produce fruit, and so long as we are connected with the Vine he will produce fruit through us. Faith, of course, being a big way of the New Testament talking about how Christians are connected with Jesus.
The thought captures my imagination too. But the objection of laziness or adopting a ‘let go and let God’ seems to arise fairly naturally to this. Perhaps that is what you were trying to circumvent with you distinction between ’spiritual dynamic’ and ‘technique’.
Preaching on Jonah 4 this weekend. Not much santification going on in that passage. The challenge then will be to think about how God is challenging us to change in regards to His grace… It is always clearly God at work in Jonah (& in ‘Jonah’), working faith in the strangest places. I guess mt challenge/exhortation to the congregation needs to be ’see how good God is, and let that change your attitudes’, rather than ‘just love people more–you can do it!’. Good thoughts, and very true for our Sydney context, I think.
On Sunday I spoke on the issue of abortion at Barneys (available at http://www.barneys.org.au). It was the culmination of a series exploring the intersection between our life with God, church and ‘biological families’ through themes like marriage (the delight of God in his children), parenting (trusting God even through hardship) and hospitality (the community of God’s people as a conduit of his welcome). My argument wasn’t so much from the commands to protect the weak and the powerless, as from the broader theme that scarcity is not the problem.
I raise this not to ring my own bell, but because even a couple of months ago I would not have done it in quite the same way. I would have probably preached a much more pneumatological sanctification (you have the Spirit so are able to obey) than a Christological one (wherein sanctification finds its roots as much in freedom and Lordship).
Andrew, this is really interesting! I think this is one of the reasons why I appreciate Tim Keller’s preaching method. In that he actually shows how the Gospel changes people’s lives. By showing how the Gospel replaces idols within the heart of the believer, he’s implicitly showing unbelievers how the Gospel works, and why all people need to bend the knee to Christ as Lord of their *whole* lives (else, we’ll be enslaved to something anyway…). Sanctification by faith. I like it. Perhaps a topic for the poddy?!
PS – Keller and Ed Clowney have their preaching course up online at iTunes.
Tim,
the Jn 15 passage is so crucial – I guess the thing I think it does is raise the question, what is the nature of our connection with Jesus that causes the production of fruit? There is a botanical answer with vines, and I am hoping a spiritual dynamic answer for Christian fruit!
Richard,
let us know how you think the sermon goes, and in particular, whether you give shape to the attitude change!
Interesting post, Andrew.
Hey Andrew,
This is an issue I have been wrestling with for a least 2years during my College studies. It has come from a preaching that concludes with ‘be who you are!’. That is a very biblical call, but my question always is HOW? I have spent some great time with old Puritans such as Owen, Edwards, and an interesting guy called Andrew Murray. Murray wrote two books both related to John 15 – ‘The True Vine’ and ‘Abide in Christ’. Both really interesting, showing us that this BIG ISSUE was just as big for him back then.
I wonder whether our problem gap has come from a lack of emphasis on Christian piety? John Owen’s two books, ‘Communion with God’ and ‘The Glory of Christ’, have been pivotal for my understanding of this issue. I think we push union with Christ (our justification & sanctification) but have not though much of our communion with Christ (transformation). I think 2 Cor 3:18 is key for Owens technique as his book ‘The Glory of Christ’ implies.
Tim Chester has written a great book on ‘gospel change’ which gives more practical outworkings of the issue. Though one of the struggles I found in it was an understanding that transformation comes as a cross-road. We either choose sin or choose Christ, when it comes to obedience. I dont think it is so much a cross-roads, but more of a leaving the house. Owen shows that sin in the Christian life disturbs the ‘communion’ the Christian has between them and Christ.
Anyway, long post. Will have to wait till my 4th Year Project to get the answer… hopefully
Mark,
you’re spot on in referring to Keller, and I’m planning to continue this thread next week with more from him! It’s by far the best insights I’ve heard on how to preach for transformation without it being ‘just try harder’.
James,
sounds like some fascinating material you’ve been reading. When you get the project done, I’d love to have a look.
Andrew,
Do you think sanctification by faith is going on in 1 Thessalonians, particularly 5.23-24?
Katay,
Faith should be expressed through the activities of life (“be salt”) and you’re looking to define the activities based on the content of a sermon.
This is really hard to manage. People don’t get to identify where they are “being salty” as often when they are given a checklist. “Are you doing X, Y or Z? Then you’re being salty!” leaves other people thinking “But I’m good at F, M, N & O… so I need more Z to be salty??” So people find a “disjoin” between their lives and the sermon (hence the “I want more application…”)
As confronting and risky as it may be for the minister, it might be worth having someone (and not an “elder someone”), speak about how they think they do the Faith Activities that come out of [insert passage here]. You can easily do a little “pre-sunday interview” and help guide them to do it. I would doubt there are things as effective as common people telling their stories. It works for AA and the other Anonymous programs… what’s wrong with a periodic dose of “Sinners Anonymous” in church?
“Hi everybody, I’m Dave and I’m a reforming Sinner. This week I’ve been working on doing [thing]. I’m not great, but I’m getting better. It’s hard to do it when other people are…”
Andrew,
love Sinners Anonymous! And from time to time, I have done exactly what you suggest – ask people about their experience of a text, and interview them at church.
But I think the question remains – what is the spiritual dynamic at work which transforms people? I am now convinced that the answer is ‘faith’, understood in a specific sense, which I hope to get to tomorrow.
Great post.
I have found Jerry Bridge’s book “Transforming Grace” to be very helpful in this regard, linking gospel and life together.
I think Gal.5 is also a great chapter which helps address this as Paul links justification with living in freedom. Paul relates our obedience to the work of the Spirit such that the law is not necessary for right behaviour. It almost seems that his only ethic is “go with the Spirit”.
I wonder if some of our struggles with this are related to our pneumatology. Is our tendency to teach “sanctification by effort” a symptom of the fact that we have little confidence in the Spirit to actually take the truth of the gospel and produce fruit as we respond to it in faith? So we feel the need to add on our own little forms of “try harder” disconnected from the gospel.
Not sure but I agree it is an area we have not put enough energy into understanding and preaching.
Phil,
I’m sure pneumatology is the key. At the same time, I wonder if there is an answer to the question, “How does the Spirit do his work in us?” or is that impertinent?
Mmm, good question. I guess we do not need to know all the details of HOW the Spirit works and I think perhaps some of the extremes of teaching about sanctification are the result of trying to pin this down too rigidly.
But surely we need to know that He DOES work and also answers to some of the related questions. e.g. what He uses to work (through the gospel), what should be our response to the fact that He works (keep in step, pray), etc
I think these type of questions can at least give us a framework by which to evaluate whether we are preaching a biblical “sanctification by faith” or something else.
Hi Andrew.
Ummm, did you write the second entry that you mentioned here? I’m hanging on the edge of my seat to hear about sanctification by faith!
This is a great discussion! John Piper’s book ‘Future Grace’ offers an answer to how the Spirit works in ones life. He argues that we need almost to talk about faith in two lights – firstly, the faith that saves, and secondly (always building on this) the faith that continues to trust in God’s provision for his children. I like the fact that he speaks about faith in light of ‘grace’. We tend to only speak of grace when we speak about our justification. Why not our sanctification (transformation) also? Can living in the Spirit mean that we humbly depend (‘faith’) on the continuing grace of God, deepening our understanding of his character so that we might know all the promises that are ours in Christ, and thus trusting in them? Can it be that simple? I think so…
Thus for preaching, it will then mean that we want people to understand more who God is in the cross of Christ, and then let them understanding that it is this God that ‘delights over them with singing’ (Zeph 3:17)
I’m loving this stuff. Really Helpful. I’m also blogging through the Keller material (as part of my 4th year project). Keller’s teaching on this stuff is indeed profound. He’s publishing the course as a book next year.
Yet I reckon *we* generally preach assuming sanctification is the fruit of justifying faith, or the result of such faith. With this assumption we often morally exhort people to live better lives, assuming that they have a ‘general’ faith in Jesus (with all its existential ups and downs). Yet this approach is different to Keller’s analysis of bad preaching: “justified by faith, sanctified by works” (I think).
Keller seems to suggest that each individual change of person/behavior towards ‘actual righteousness’ should be the result of a particular faith-sighting of the work of Christ (‘doing commerce with your imputed righteousness’).
Perhaps this is why his sermons are typically imagery laden, aim at the affections, yet contain not much moral exhortation. I don’t hear: ‘Men! move out of home, get a job, get married. Get your act together!’
I don’t necessarily have a problem with this, but the (relative) disappearance of moral exhortation makes me a little curious.