Today we are going to cover a little more of 1 Peter 1, and delve into the concept of sanctification. What is it? What does it mean? How does it happen? Sanctification is a beautiful promise we should embrace and never shrink from. Jonathon Edwards describes the process of sanctification as a “transformation of nature” which culminates in “perfection in glory.” Let’s read what he wrote.
As it is with spiritual discoveries and affections given at first conversion, so it is in all subsequent illuminations and affections of that kind, they are all transforming. There is a like divine power and energy in them, as in the first discoveries: and they still reach the bottom of the heart, and affect and alter the very nature of the soul, in proportion to the degree in which they are given. And a transformation of nature is continued and carried on by them, to the end of life, until it is brought to perfection in glory. Hence the progress of the work of grace in the hearts of the saints, is represented in Scripture as a continued conversion and renovation of nature.
Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, Part III, Section IIV, (Cannon Press, 2020) 327
1 Peter 1:1-2 continued
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
1 Peter 1:1-2
A daring prospect
Yesterday, Day 18.0: Called, we managed to get through the first verse, at least concerning those who are elect, as well as according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the second verse. If you are still unclear as to whom Peter is referring with those qualifying statements, I would humbly ask that you go back in time with me and read yesterday’s article. Today, I daren’t aim too high, so let’s just try to, Lord Willing, cover the rest of verse two.
Peter addresses his epistle to the elect, and then he lists four qualifiers, or we could even think of them as compound adjectives. The elect who: are in the Dispersion in these various areas; who are elect according to the foreknowledge of God; who are elect in the sanctification of the Spirit; who are elect for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling with his blood.
Sanctification
What does sanctification refer to? We know from Paul and others that sanctification is the process whereby Christians are continually being molded in the image of Christ. Put another way, as we continue to walk and grow in faith we become more and more like the savior we follow.
Crucified with Christ
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
A new creation
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17
Conformed to the image of Christ
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:28-30
Take up your cross
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matthew 16:24-26
Defining good
Way back on Day 1.0: Steadfastness, we discussed sanctification. I ran a preemptive strike against the Prosperity types who have misappropriated Romans 8:28. I pointed out that the meaning of the good in that verse is the sanctification. It has nothing to do with worldly increase in wealth or status.
Impractical application?
The verses above cover the issue both broadly. There are many verses I have here left out which speak directly of sanctification. But, what I wanted to do here was to illustrate a picture of a heart and mind pursuing sanctification. Remember, we were crucified with Christ, and the old has been made new. We live according to the spirit and not the flesh. (See Romans 8) Each day we are being more and more conformed into the image of Christ. We take up our crosses daily and follow our Lord.
What is the goal? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect – Matthew 5:48 That seems daunting. It’s surely impossible!
Reluctance of the saints?
Many people read this and say, nope. They don’t want to go around in a white robe with their hands pressed together before them in an attitude of prayer, the light of a golden halo hovering just above the crown of their head. The image is ridiculous of course, and that is only some artist’s interpretation of a saint. Real saints do, have done, and will do real work. Their hands are dirty, and their hearts are joyful come what may. The work they do, have done, and will do is the will of God. Think of Christ in the garden, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” – Luke 22:42
The fatal mistake
Here’s what C.S. Lewis had to say about this verse, and more specifically about sanctification:
On the one hand, God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures. Each time you fall He will pick you up again. And He knows perfectly well that your own efforts are never going to bring you anywhere near perfection. On the other hand, you must realise from the outset that the goal towards which He is beginning to guide you is absolute perfection, and no power in the universe, except you yourself, can prevent Him from taking you to that goal. That is what you are in for. And it is very important to realise that. If we do not, then we are very likely to start pulling back and resisting Him after a certain point. I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted Him to do, and we should be obliged if He would now leave us alone. As we say, “I never expected to be a saint, I only wanted to be a decent ordinary chap.” And we imagine when we say this that we are being humble.
But this is the fatal mistake. Of course we never wanted, and never asked, to be made into the sort of creatures He is going to make us into. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what He intended us to be when He made us.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (174-175), Touchstone, 1996
Is it all so much cowardice?
Resistance to sanctification seems to me, if you will forgive me, downright silly. I am not sure why someone would not desire to be made like unto the savior they claim to follow. Is it because our minds conjure up pictures of struggle, social difficulties, and physical suffering? Is it all so much cowardice? Maybe so. But, in answer to this objection allow me to point out a few scriptures.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:34
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
A pair of dingo’s kidneys
As a part of – and even more, an aid to – our sanctification, let us erase from our minds the worries about tomorrow. Our minds can be renewed to the extent that such things cease to matter to us. If you fear sanctification, perhaps you need to forget about that and worry about today. Are you taking up your cross and following our great captain? Have you presented your body as a living sacrifice? Start there. I’ll wager if you repeat that daily routine your mind won’t give a fig (as Lewis might say) (or, a pair of dingo’s kidneys as Adams would say) for the imagined threats of tomorrow.
Is this going too far?
Why the shrinking back from sainthood, anyway? I got the following quote from Gary Thomas’ book The Beautiful Fight. It is by John Wesley. To do Mr. Thomas (Dr. Thomas?) credit, I will quote him as well as Wesley, as he addresses the concept of sanctification. In this passage he has been discussing our slacking as we start to believe we have come “close enough” in becoming Christlike.
It’s this continuous creep toward complacency that leads me to read those classics that awaken me from my slumber. One such writer is John Wesley, who generated a lot of criticism when he dared to talk of Christian perfection. While I’m not a Wesleyan, I have tremendous respect for Wesley and his teachings, because he was courageous enough to confront the Christless Christianity of his day. One woman, troubled by the phrase “Christian perfection,” wrote to Wesley about her concerns. Here’s how the great evangelist responded:
Gary Thomas, The Beautiful Fight, Zondervan, 2007, 182-183By Christian perfection, I mean, 1. Loving God with all our heart. Do you object to this? I mean, 2. A heart and life all devoted to God. Do you desire less? I mean, 3. Regaining the whole image of God. What objection to this? I mean, 4. Having all the mind that was in Christ. Is this going too far? I mean, 5. Walking uniformly as Christ walked. And this surely no Christian will object to. If anyone means anything more or anything less by perfection, I have no concern with it.
John Wesley, John Wesley’s Journal (London: Isbister & Co., 1902), 347
How then shall we live?
Should we aim for less? You know the answer, dear reader. Will there be struggles? There will. Will they be real and painful? They will. But, we should exemplify our Lord and say, not my will, but yours be done. We admire the saints, the reformers, the great theologians, and evangelists. We should emulate them rather than being okay where we are.
Let’s close with a remembrance from our sojourn in James which speaks of the fulfillment of our sanctification:
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
Why I oughtta!
So, looks like we only got to qualifier number 3. I cannot believe you continually thwart my efforts to ramble forward through a single verse! I suppose tomorrow morning we will aim at the fourth qualifier. Let’s see if we can get that done in one sitting!
