How does sanctification work in a "gospel-driven" manner?

[Jackie Kaulitz]

So I've been reading Michael Horton, John Piper and Elyse Fitzpatrick and they seem to speak of a synergistic sanctification that looks back on what Christ did for us (the gospel) for the ability to move forward in sanctification. So we can love our brothers and sisters only when we see that we were loved by Christ. But when we fail to love our brothers and sisters, then it is because we don't really understand/get what Christ did for us. So we go back and look upon the gospel and see what Christ did and so then we are given the strength/ability through the Holy Spirit to move forward and love our brothers and sisters because we were first loved by Christ.

Can someone better explain how this all works?

I understand trying to love my brother and sister. But then I fail. I feel bad. I try again. I get that.

But how am I supposed to get power/the right motivation by looking back to what Christ did? I can't seem to get this part to work in my brain. What movitvates us? Gratitude? Is it that we can't see or appreciate clearly enough what Christ did for us so this is the reason we can't love our brothers and sisters properly?

How does legalism come into play in sanctification? I want to make sure I don't fall into the trappings of legalism.

Is it all about motivation?

 

[sevenzedek]

So I've been reading Michael Horton, John Piper and Elyse Fitzpatrick and they seem to speak of a synergistic sanctification that looks back on what Christ did for us (the gospel) for the ability to move forward in sanctification. So we can love our brothers and sisters only when we see that we were loved by Christ. But when we fail to love our brothers and sisters, then it is because we don't really understand/get what Christ did for us. So we go back and look upon the gospel and see what Christ did and so then we are given the strength/ability through the Holy Spirit to move forward and love our brothers and sisters because we were first loved by Christ.

Can someone better explain how this all works?

I understand trying to love my brother and sister. But then I fail. I feel bad. I try again. I get that.

But how am I supposed to get power/the right motivation by looking back to what Christ did? I can't seem to get this part to work in my brain. What movitvates us? Gratitude? Is it that we can't see or appreciate clearly enough what Christ did for us so this is the reason we can't love our brothers and sisters properly?

How does legalism come into play in sanctification? I want to make sure I don't fall into the trappings of legalism.

Is it all about motivation?

If I had time, I would write more. It sounds like you are a deep thinker. And deep thinkers are not usually satisfied with a quick answer. So I give you this; a link to a book considered by many the definitive work on sanctification. Its not very long. But I think it addresses the question you ask.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Gospel-My...1-1&keywords=Mystery+of+gospel+sanctification

 

[moral necessity]

Spot on, Jon.

in my opinion, the answer is to pray and wait.

Romans 8:
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

I think this passage refers to our sanctification, as well as our final glorification.

Blessings!

 

[Zach]

In terms of motivation, John Owen writes this about sanctification which I've always found helpful: "Supposing what was said before, of the connection between mortification and eternal life, as of means and end, I shall add only, as second motive to the duty prescribed that, the vigor, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depend on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh."

We should always look back to the Cross of Christ with thanksgiving and gratitude because a heart full of thanksgiving and gratitude, one that knows the love of Christ, will be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19) and will not/cannot desire sin. Our sin stained minds cannot know this perfectly, but the more of the love of Christ we comprehend the further we will be sanctified as we are filled with the fullness of God. However, I think Owen is also on to something by also encouraging us to look forward in recognizing that the vigor, power, and comfort of our Spiritual life depends on our sanctification. When these go together I think there is a very powerful motivation for sanctification. As we know the love of Christ we will desire a vigorous, powerful, and comfortable spiritual life as part of our glorifying and enjoying of God forever and in knowing that sin threatens to make our worship of God weak we will seek to mortify sin in our flesh in complete reliance upon God's grace.

 

[Scott1]

The best explanation of sanctification I know of comes from Concise Theology, JI Packer, p. 170:

"[Sanctification].... it is an ongoing cooperative process in which regenerate persons, alive to God and freed from sin's dominion (Rom. 6:11, 14-18) are required to exert themselves in sustained obedience. God's method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) nor apathy (God-reliant passivity), but God-dependent effort (2 Cor. 7:1; Phil 3:10-14; Heb. 12:14). Knowing that without Christ's enabling we can do nothing, morally speaking, as we should, and that [H]e is ready to strengthen us for all that we have to do (Phil. 4:13), we "stay put" (remain, abide) in Christ, asking for [H]is help constantly- and we receive it (Col. 1:11; I Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:17;2:1)."

And yes, gratitude for what God has done (is doing, and will do) for you is motivation.

You can love God and your neighbor more readily when this is rightly understood.

 

[Jack K]

Jackie:

My own writing is often seen to be in the same camp with Horton and Fitzpatrick, so I'll attempt to explain.

Jon's answer that you ought to read The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification is an excellent recommendation. However, unless you have a strong love for the 400-year-old English of the Puritan period, I'm going to recommend that for ease of understanding you get Bruce McRae's modern English version of that book. It's only avaliable in print (no Kindle), but it's surely the best and easiest explanation of the thinking that has influenced the folks you're reading (and me).

Horton and Fitzpatrick are part of a second generation of mostly Reformed/Presbyterian types who started systematically applying the doctrines of grace to sanctification back in the 70s. These two have moved away from some of the attention to personal holiness that marked the start of that movement, but have kept the notion that a true zeal for holiness must be fueled by the assurance that God is on our side and loves us. And they're absolutely right about that. There's little power to love unless you know you are loved. And self-effort is not the path to holiness. Horton and Fitzpatrick say very good things.

Where Walter Marshall's book will take you beyond what I've read from Horton and Fitzpatrick is in how to nurture this in your daily life. It's not just looking back to the cross and feeling appreciative. It's not even just seeing the beauty of Jesus and the cross more and more fully and feeling more and more appreciative. That's part of it, no doubt. I strongly recommend a greater appreciation for the beauty of Jesus and his cross. But this is done through daily resting in Christ and trusting the work of the Spirit. Marshall is good at showing the critical difference between self-effort and trusting-in-God effort as we work at our sanctification. Some of the newer books may give the impression that there's no kind of work involved at all.

I think the best recently written book in this vein is Jerry Bridges' short read, The Bookends of the Christian Life. I think he gets at the theological basis of the thoughts Horton and Fitzpatrick are working with both more fully and more succinctly than they do. He's focused only on the question you've asked.

For a short answer to your question of what motivates us, try this one: God does. We would never have the slightest desire to serve him were it not for his amazing love for us—we love because he first loved us. And we could never appreciate this love he has for us without the transforming work of the Spirit in our hearts. So it's God from top to bottom. If you're trying harder to serve him from a distance, in order to impress him or avoid making him grumpy, you're missing out on the power. The power to be loving comes when you draw close to God daily, confident that he welcomes you in Christ and putting all your hope for acceptance on being joined to Jesus, trusting him to use all this to nurture a thankful zeal for godly service.

Finally... use the means of grace—the Word of God (preached, read, and in the Lord's Supper) and prayer—as ways of relying of the Spirit and using his tools. Just be careful not to use prayer and Bible reading as a means of trying to impress God but rather as a means of relying on him and trusting the fact that he's on your side.

 

[HaMetumtam]

Personally speaking i find that any teaching or book that takes my eyes of Christ my righteousness and makes me look at myself and my filthy rags ends with me in spiritual depression and despair. Then i go back to Luther and read 'the Freedom of a Christian.' and my eyes are directed back to Christ.

Excerpt from Freedom of a Christian.

When a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, and become anxious by what means he may satisfy the law--for the law must be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of it may pass away, otherwise he must be hopelessly condemned--then, being truly humbled and brought to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for justification and salvation.

Then comes in that other part of Scripture, the promises of God, which declare the glory of God, and say, "If you wish to fulfil the law, and, as the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in Christ, in whom are promised to you grace, justification, peace, and liberty." All these things you shall have, if you believe, and shall be without them if you do not believe. For what is impossible for you by all the works of the law, which are many and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and summary way through faith, because God the Father has made everything to depend on faith, so that whosoever has it has all things, and he who has it not has nothing. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all" (Rom. xi. 32). Thus the promises of God give that which the precepts exact, and fulfil what the law commands; so that all is of God alone, both the precepts and their fulfilment. He alone commands; He alone also fulfils. Hence the promises of God belong to the New Testament; nay, are the New Testament.

Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but is penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues. For if the touch of Christ was healing, how much more does that most tender spiritual touch, nay, absorption of the word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to the word! In this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without works, is from the word of God justified, sanctified, endued with truth, peace, and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is truly made the child of God, as it is said, "To them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John i. 12).

Read Freedom of a Christian in full here
or listen to it explained if your lazy like me.

 

[OPC'n]

When you were bought and paid for by Christ essentially you no longer belong to yourself but to God. You are his love slave. In the OT, a Hebrew who was owned by another Hebrew could be released after six years of service, and on the seventh year he would be free to leave. However, if that slave loved his master, he could choose to stay with his master, and the master would bore an awl through his ear to signify that he was a slave to that master for the rest of his life. Thus, he became a love slave. A slave had no rights except for those that his master gave to him. When Christ bought us we became his love slaves having no rights other than that which he gives to us. Those rights are walking in righteousness which he works within us as our Master. He IS our Master and WILL work sanctification within us. My greatest prayer is this: "may I truly love you, Lord, with all my being and truly love your ppl with all my being". When you truly do love this is what happens: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." And you day by day become that love slave realizing that you don't live for yourself but you live for the one you love more than yourself as he commands here:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” And herein lies sanctification. You becoming less and him becoming more. When you love him and his ppl legalism flies out the door. You might find yourself doing something resembling righteousness, but then notice you are doing it for yourself even though on the outside it looks like you're doing it for him and his ppl. Your heart breaks and you turn to your Master asking for forgiveness, asking for love and humility which emulates how he walked on this earth. Without love all your works do become legalistic. You're doing it out of pride and self dependence. You become "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." And so it is that when your eyes are on Christ and his work and what he's done for you, then your eyes are off self. You have put him center and you realize you are his slave and the slave of his ppl. You have done this bc he first loved you and bought you with a price, and he is faithful to finish that good work which he began in you. His grace is sufficient for us.

 

[Zach]

When you were bought and paid for by Christ essentially you no longer belong to yourself but to God. You are his love slave. In the OT, a Hebrew who was owned by another Hebrew could be released after six years of service, and on the seventh year he would be free to leave. However, if that slave loved his master, he could choose to stay with his master, and the master would bore an awl through his ear to signify that he was a slave to that master for the rest of his life. Thus, he became a love slave. A slave had no rights except for those that his master gave to him. When Christ bought us we became his love slaves having no rights other than that which he gives to us. Those rights are walking in righteousness which he works within us as our Master. He IS our Master and WILL work sanctification within us. My greatest prayer is this: "may I truly love you, Lord, with all my being and truly love your ppl with all my being". When you truly do love this is what happens: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." And you day by day become that love slave realizing that you don't live for yourself but you live for the one you love more than yourself as he commands here:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” And herein lies sanctification. You becoming less and him becoming more. When you love him and his ppl legalism flies out the door. You might find yourself doing something resembling righteousness, but then notice you are doing it for yourself even though on the outside it looks like you're doing it for him and his ppl. Your heart breaks and you turn to your Master asking for forgiveness, asking for love and humility which emulates how he walked on this earth. Without love all your works do become legalistic. You're doing it out of pride and self dependence. You become "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." And so it is that when your eyes are on Christ and his work and what he's done for you, then your eyes are off self. You have put him center and you realize you are his slave and the slave of his ppl. You have done this bc he first loved you and bought you with a price, and he is faithful to finish that good work which he began in you. His grace is sufficient for us.

Your post, Sister, makes me think of John the Baptist in John 3: "He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 ESV)

 

[Scott1]

Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter XIII
Of Sanctification

I. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection,[1] by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:[2] the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,[3] and the several lusts thereof 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 true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.[6]

II. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man;[7] yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part;[8] whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.[9]

III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail;[10] yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome;[11] and so, the saints grow in grace,[12] perfecting holiness in the fear of God.[13]

.

Scripture Proofs

[1] 1CO 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. ACT 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. PHI 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ROM 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

[2] JOH 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. EPH 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. 2TH 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

[3] ROM 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

[4] GAL 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ROM 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

[5] COL 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. EPH 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

[6] 2CO 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. HEB 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

[7] 1TH 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[8] 1JO 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. ROM 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. PHI 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

[9] GAL 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 1PE 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

[10] ROM 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

[11] ROM 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 1JO 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. EPH 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

[12] 2PE 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2CO 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

[13] 2CO 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

For what you are looking for I would highly recommend Jerry Bridges. I would also tell ya to read His book Trusting God. It is a main stay.

Amazon.com: The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness (9781576839898): Jerry Bridges: Books

http://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-...&qid=1346706565&sr=1-5&keywords=Jerry+Bridges

The Pursuit of Holiness: Jerry Bridges: 9781576839324: Amazon.com: Books

He has written so much on this topic.
Amazon.com: Jerry Bridges: Books

 

[Scott1]

To paraphrase Mr. Packer's explanation of sanctification closely:



Sanctification is an ongoing cooperative process in which regenerate persons, alive to God and freed from sin's dominion are required to exert themselves in sustained obedience.

God's method of sanctification is neither self-reliant activity nor God-reliant passivity, but God-dependent effort.

Knowing that without Christ's enabling we can do nothing, morally speaking, as we should, and that He is ready to strengthen us for all that we have to do, we abide in Christ, asking for His help constantly-

and we receive it!

 

[PaulCLawton]

Here goes my first foray into posting something other than just a book recommendation...

It would seem that Romans 11-12 bears on your question, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2
I understand the "therefore" to be referring back to chapter 11 where we are told “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." Verses 26B-27
I see there a pattern of gratitude for redemption being the primary motivator for our striving for godliness.

Also, here's a book recommendation! The Fruit of the Spirit Is by J.V. Fesko - very readable and helpful.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Just to be honest. My obedience isn't only gratitude. Most of the time I obey because I don't want to be disciplined and I believe God loves me enough to discipline me. So it isn't always something done out of gratitude. It is a healthy fear and reverence that keeps me sometimes. Sorry, I am just not always grateful. I am not all that sanctified yet I suppose.

 

[sevenzedek]

For what you are looking for I would highly recommend Jerry Bridges. I would also tell ya to read His book Trusting God. It is a main stay.

Amazon.com: The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness (9781576839898): Jerry Bridges: Books

http://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-Even-When-Hurts/dp/1600063055/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346706565&sr=1-5&keywords=Jerry+Bridges

The Pursuit of Holiness: Jerry Bridges: 9781576839324: Amazon.com: Books

He has written so much on this topic.
Amazon.com: Jerry Bridges: Books

I can vouch for Bridge's 'Discipline of Grace.' It was a breakthrough book for me. I read it when I was first learning about the doctrines of grace and it helped me to sort through the relationship of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. It is a book that I may return to again and again. I have read it twice already. I really like how he lays out the gospel in it.

 

[sevenzedek]

Here goes my first foray into posting something other than just a book recommendation...

It would seem that Romans 11-12 bears on your question, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2
I understand the "therefore" to be referring back to chapter 11 where we are told “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." Verses 26B-27
I see there a pattern of gratitude for redemption being the primary motivator for our striving for godliness.

Also, here's a book recommendation! The Fruit of the Spirit Is by J.V. Fesko - very readable and helpful.

Paul,

Thanks for posting. Welcome.

I response to your comment, I would prefer to see the relationship between 'by the mercies of God' and 'presenting ourselves' as one of 'assurance as the ground of obedience' rather than one of gratitude. This is something I enjoyed hearing Walter Marshall emphasizing in his book I recommended earlier: The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. Not being assured of our peace with God before we move to obey him dishonors his grace and seeks to WIN his favor.

At any rate, I am inclined to stay away from gratitude as a motive for obedience because it comes so close (if not all the way) to becoming a method for paying God back. What shall we render to God but to lift our cup salvation and say 'more?'

The problem I see with using gratitude as a motive is that it can create a debtor's ethic in our hearts that undercuts God's glory. It is a dishonor to God to presume to 'pay him back.' I believe a better response that honors him is not one that says, 'you have done this for me; now I DO this FOR you,' but one that says, 'YOU have done this for me; I enjoy you; give me more of you.' There is a subtle difference, but seeing such subtleties exposes the plots of that subtle serpent whose method is to conquer the toe before the foot and leg.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Jon,

I think I understand what you are saying but I do believe that duty and response also play a part in this scenario. In fact, if I am not mistaken we are encouraged to obey him as debtors. It doesn't dishonor God to obey him out of debt that He paid a price for us and now we owe him reverence as sons. In fact that is exactly why Paul states the following. It is an adoption thing and we need to recognize this and be grateful to God. In Romans Chapter 1 the beginning of sin is that they became unthankful and then they spiral down into depravity. So Gratitude is very important. it isn't the only reason I can muster up on my wicked heart to obey him though. As I noted above. i am a sinful man who needs much sanctification.

(1Co 6:18) Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

(1Co 6:19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,


(1Co 6:20) for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

(1Co 7:19) For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

(1Co 7:20) Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.


(1Co 7:21) Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)


(1Co 7:22) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.


(1Co 7:23) You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

There seems to be a need to recognize this.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

When we apprehend that the Holy Spirit is the agent of gratitude (Guilt/Grace/Gratitude, the Heidelberg breakdown, following the Trinitarian shape of the Apostle's Creed), we should not misplace its proper function or attempt to make God our debtor.

 

[a mere housewife]

When you were bought and paid for by Christ essentially you no longer belong to yourself but to God. You are his love slave. In the OT, a Hebrew who was owned by another Hebrew could be released after six years of service, and on the seventh year he would be free to leave. However, if that slave loved his master, he could choose to stay with his master, and the master would bore an awl through his ear to signify that he was a slave to that master for the rest of his life. Thus, he became a love slave. A slave had no rights except for those that his master gave to him. When Christ bought us we became his love slaves having no rights other than that which he gives to us. Those rights are walking in righteousness which he works within us as our Master. He IS our Master and WILL work sanctification within us. My greatest prayer is this: "may I truly love you, Lord, with all my being and truly love your ppl with all my being". When you truly do love this is what happens: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." And you day by day become that love slave realizing that you don't live for yourself but you live for the one you love more than yourself as he commands here:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” And herein lies sanctification. You becoming less and him becoming more. When you love him and his ppl legalism flies out the door. You might find yourself doing something resembling righteousness, but then notice you are doing it for yourself even though on the outside it looks like you're doing it for him and his ppl. Your heart breaks and you turn to your Master asking for forgiveness, asking for love and humility which emulates how he walked on this earth. Without love all your works do become legalistic. You're doing it out of pride and self dependence. You become "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." And so it is that when your eyes are on Christ and his work and what he's done for you, then your eyes are off self. You have put him center and you realize you are his slave and the slave of his ppl. You have done this bc he first loved you and bought you with a price, and he is faithful to finish that good work which he began in you. His grace is sufficient for us.

Sarah, what a beautiful perspective. Thank you.

 

[Jack K]

When we apprehend that the Holy Spirit is the agent of gratitude (Guilt/Grace/Gratitude, the Heidelberg breakdown, following the Trinitarian shape of the Apostle's Creed), we should not misplace its proper function or attempt to make God our debtor.

Exactly. And I would add that when the authors mentioned in the OP speak of "gratitude" as the basis for obedience, they mean it in the sense that the Heidelberg does... absolutely NOT as something done to pay God back or earn his approval. Their point is that it's NOT repayment, but rather a free and glad obedience that's appropriate for saved people. I can see how one might hear the word and think in terms of repayment, but that's not how those guys use it.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I think much has been said already and I don't want to re-tread old ground. I think on the matter of sanctification it is important to consider the mediatorial work of Christ and all the benefits which union with Christ affords the believer. The believer is not only made grateful for his salvation and receives, as a fruit of the graces received in salvation, the desire to please His heavenly Father BUT (and this is important) Christ has put sin, as power, to death on the Cross for all who are united to Him in His death and He has given us indestructible life as we are united to Him in His resurrection (see Romans 6:5-14). In other words, I might conclude incorrectly that what primarily impels me is my gratitude for the grace shown and, even though I know that gratitude is born of the Holy Spirit, if I lose sight of Christ's power over sin and death and the life I'm vitally united unto by the work of the Holy Spirit then I am missing a critical component in understanding that my sanctification is as definitive as my justification.

I think it might be a bit hard to follow at first but really reflect on what the Q&A from the WLC is saying here:

Q. 36. Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?
A. The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ,137 who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father,138 in the fulness of time became man,139 and so was and continues to be God and man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, forever.140

Q. 37. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
A. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul,141 being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance, and born of her,142 yet without sin.143

Q. 38. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death,144 give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession;145 and to satisfy God’s justice,146 procure his favour,147 purchase a peculiar people,148 give his Spirit to them,149 conquer all their enemies,150 and bring them to everlasting salvation.151

Note: Notice that this "conquering" is part of our sanctification

Q. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature,152 perform obedience to the law,153 suffer and make intercession for us in our nature,154 have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities;155 that we might receive the adoption of sons,156 and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.157

Q. 40. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us,158 and relied on by us as the works of the whole person.159

Q. 41. Why was our Mediator called Jesus?
A. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins.160

Q. 42. Why was our Mediator called Christ?
A. Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost above measure,161 and so set apart, and fully furnished with all authority and ability,162 to execute the offices of prophet,163 priest,164 and king of his church,165 in the estate both of his humiliation and exaltation.

Now this is where it gets really exciting to consider how Christ's offices function in our salvation. Keep in mind that "salvation" encompasses not only our justification but our sanctification (being saved) and glorification....

Q. 43. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church,166 in all ages, by his Spirit and Word,167 in divers ways of administration,168 the whole will of God,169 in all things concerning their edification and salvation.170


Q. 44. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to God,171 to be reconciliation for the sins of his people;172 and in making continual intercession for them.173

Think about that!

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,174 and giving them officers,175 laws,176 and censures, by which he visibly governs them;177 in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,178 rewarding their obedience,179 and correcting them for their sins,180 preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,181 restraining and overcoming all their enemies,182 and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,183 and their good;184 and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.185

In brief, when we meditate upon our sanctification it really helps if we "zoom out" and consider Christ at work in the means of Grace - proclaiming His benefits to us in Word and Sacrament, making continual intercession for us, and conquering every hindrance to our sanctification (yes, including ME as the hindrance). When temptations arise, then, I may not only think with gratitude that I'm an adopted child of God, saved from wrath, but also proclaim that "...He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world!"

 

[Jack K]

I don't want to re-tread old ground.

Oh, I think you're right to re-tread this particular ground. It's easy to turn this into something that becomes all about us, so that we look to our ability to conjure up gratitude (or our lack of ability) rather than looking to Christ and trusting the Spirit. It's never a bad idea to point us once again to the work of God for us and in us!

 

[Jackie Kaulitz]

Wow! Thank you for all your detailed responses. This is one of the biggest areas I'm struggling with and I have about 7+ people (plus all the rest of the Christians I meet in life) I will be teaching this to, so it is really important for me to get this down. Thanks for the book recommendation The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification and link, Jon.

Zach: We should always look back to the Cross of Christ with thanksgiving and gratitude

Thanks for your reply, Zach. Ok, so I read about the gospel and the cross and am grateful but certainly not at all THAT grateful as I should be (Of course, a big part of me can't grasp the depth of what He gave me). If gratitude is part of the correct motivation for living the life, how do I get more gratitude? A pastor told me to watch "The Passion" movie to conjure up more feels of gratefulness but this seems fake or like some sort of legalism to me? Is it? Is it impossible for me to work to produce any gratitude? Is this one of those cases where I must seek a passion for God and to fall in love with God more and while I take my eye off of myself and put it on God, that He will produce that gratitude inside of me?

Zach: the more of the love of Christ we comprehend the further we will be sanctified as we are filled with the fullness of God. … look forward in recognizing that the vigor, power, and comfort of our Spiritual life depends on our sanctification. As we know the love of Christ we will desire a vigorous, powerful, and comfortable spiritual life as part of our glorifying and enjoying of God forever and in knowing that sin threatens to make our worship of God weak we will seek to mortify sin in our flesh in complete reliance upon God's grace.

So are we then to become goal-oriented like “I want a good spiritual life, so I need to be sanctified. So I will obey in order to become more Christ-like.”

Jack K: My own writing is often seen to be in the same camp with Horton and Fitzpatrick, so I'll attempt to explain.

Great! I feel like they are on to some sort of truth that I'm missing and I am eager to know deeply what it is.

unless you have a strong love for the 400-year-old English of the Puritan period, I'm going to recommend that for ease of understanding you get Bruce McRae's modern English version of that book

Thank you! I love the old dead guys but yes, 400 pages would be quite difficult to get through. Thanks for the easier book.

the notion that a true zeal for holiness must be fueled by the assurance that God is on our side and loves us. And they're absolutely right about that. There's little power to love unless you know you are loved. And self-effort is not the path to holiness.

Okay, yes!!!!!! This is exactly what I hear them saying and it sounds true but I don't quite get it. So someone tells me that I need to realize I am loved by God in order to love others. So... how do I realize? I read the gospel and I'm grateful. But not ALL THAT grateful. So I lose patience and yell at my mom. I feel bad, tell God sorry and tell mom sorry. But how does my knowing God loves me REALLY ACTUALLY fuel my love towards my Mom where I can be patient with her and not even have that yucky desire to yell at her? How does this work in the real world? So how can I become fueled in the right way by the Holy Spirit and NOT by self-effort? Because "trying harder to be nice to mom" looks like self-effort. And trying to "hold my patience" looks like a lot of self-effort. But then Owen tells us to mortify the flesh and since sanctification is synergistic, I know part of my sanctification is by.... gasp... self-effort. But then I'm so afraid of performing works of self-effort and thinking they might be "legalistic" (whatever that means).

Jack K: Where Walter Marshall's book will take you beyond what I've read from Horton and Fitzpatrick is in how to nurture this in your daily life. It's not just looking back to the cross and feeling appreciative. It's not even just seeing the beauty of Jesus and the cross more and more fully and feeling more and more appreciative.

Hmmm... thanks for writing this. This is exactly what I'm hearing. I hear this teaching from Horton and Fitzpatrick but I read little about HOW it is APPLIED in daily life. I keep hearing to look back at the cross, see the beauty of Jesus, be gospel-driven... but HOW?

But this is done through daily resting in Christ and trusting the work of the Spirit. Marshall is good at showing the critical difference between self-effort and trusting-in-God effort as we work at our sanctification.

Yes, I will get his book because this is EXACTLY my question. HOW do I do this? Because it seems like I do both but not enough of both to make much of a change. I'm a very slow sanctifier. But of course, it's not really me, right? How much is me, how much is Him? Can I accidentally do too much?

I was reading Jerry Bridges' The Pursuit of Holiness and it seemed like mostly just telling me to "make myself obey" and seemed like mostly self-effort but at the same time as I do all the "forced obedience", I give thanks to God for the "power" behind this obedience because I recognize that He is helping me perform these "acts of forced obedience." I just hear "obey obey obey" so much from the Christians around me that I worry somehow we are being legalistically driven because there is so much fear and pressure involved in the obedience. It isn't motivated by "love of God" or "gratitude" so much as "obey because God told you to." Which is correct to some extent, I think... but is there a point where it goes too far?

Jack K: what motivates us, try this one: God does. We would never have the slightest desire to serve him were it not for his amazing love for us—we love because he first loved us. And we could never appreciate this love he has for us without the transforming work of the Spirit in our hearts. So it's God from top to bottom. If you're trying harder to serve him from a distance, in order to impress him or avoid making him grumpy, you're missing out on the power. The power to be loving comes when you draw close to God daily, confident that he welcomes you in Christ and putting all your hope for acceptance on being joined to Jesus, trusting him to use all this to nurture a thankful zeal for godly service.

Yes, God is the one who gives us the desire to move. "Trying harder to serve God in order to impress Him or keep from making Him angry" So does "earning closeness with God" count as trying to buy God? Is this concept that when we sin "we pull away from God" or "God pulls away from us" false? Is it that God never pulls away and even when we "pull away", God is right there not really letting us go? So we can be grateful when we sin that He still has us and we have not lost ANY STANDING with God? (Not talking about salvation, I'm clear on that concept)

JJ said: Personally speaking i find that any teaching or book that takes my eyes of Christ my righteousness and makes me look at myself and my filthy rags ends with me in spiritual depression and despair

Right! Piper always teaches that when I take my eye off of God and put it on myself and my problems, that I will despair. He says the solution is to KEEP your eye on God and don't worry about those other things. But I get thrown off because sanctification is partly my job to work out so I try to be good but I worry I have the WRONG MOTIVATION for being good. Is there another right motivation besides gratitude?

Sarah: He IS our Master and WILL work sanctification within us. My greatest prayer is this: "may I truly love you, Lord, with all my being and truly love your ppl with all my being".......And herein lies sanctification. You becoming less and him becoming more. When you love him and his ppl legalism flies out the door. You might find yourself doing something resembling righteousness, but then notice you are doing it for yourself even though on the outside it looks like you're doing it for him and his ppl. Your heart breaks and you turn to your Master asking for forgiveness, asking for love and humility which emulates how he walked on this earth. Without love all your works do become legalistic. You're doing it out of pride and self dependence. ....And so it is that when your eyes are on Christ and his work and what he's done for you, then your eyes are off self.

I love the prayer example, thanks, Sarah. I love God but I have trouble loving His people because I lack love for God, right? So I try to put my eyes back on Him to see and appreciate who He is (reading Attributes of God and TULIP) and let God work in me a desire to obey but I worry I might be "letting be and let God"? Other Christians tell me to "obey" even when you absolutely don't want to. But they use fear of seperation from God in relationship as the motivation or "God will give you a spanking" for not obeying. I wonder that there might be a positive motivation, like gratitude but then "fear of God" seems logical as a good motivation.

Scott: God's method of sanctification is neither self-reliant activity nor God-reliant passivity, but God-dependent effort.

Scott, what is this blend look like and motivated by? Why do we obey (when we don't feel like it)? Is it because we TRUST God despite how we feel and obey because we KNOW He is right and our feelings are wrong? But then how do we fall back on gospel-drivien-gratitude a Horton and Fitzpatrick encourage? Why do they say to keep going back to the cross for motivation and for the power to act and be?

Randy:Just to be honest. My obedience isn't only gratitude. Most of the time I obey because I don't want to be disciplined and I believe God loves me enough to discipline me. So it isn't always something done out of gratitude. It is a healthy fear and reverence that keeps me sometimes. Sorry, I am just not always grateful. I am not all that sanctified yet I suppose.

haha... thank you for your honesty, Randy. The "Fear of God" motivation. So then are the Christians who tell me that "you will lose communion (not salvation) with God" correct? And even if I obey, God will chastize me to keep me depending on Him and growing. I will always have trials and I am grateful for those.

Jon: I response to your comment, I would prefer to see the relationship between 'by the mercies of God' and 'presenting ourselves' as one of 'assurance as the ground of obedience' rather than one of gratitude. This is something I enjoyed hearing Walter Marshall emphasizing in his book I recommended earlier: The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. Not being assured of our peace with God before we move to obey him dishonors his grace and seeks to WIN his favor.

I LOOOOVE THIS!!! Thank you Jon. That's part of what I'm getting at. Trying to win God's favor is an incorrect motivation, right? Is it true as Piper says that God is 100% "on our side" because of what Jesus did? And we cannot "earn" even .01% of God's favor by our prayers and deeds? So am I ever "seperated" from God? Please explain this concept a little more, Jon. What should our motivation for obedience be if not gratitude? "Not being assured of our peace with God... BEFORE we obey..." This is SOOOO deep and yet I never hear it in church or from any Christian I know. Only from Piper, Horton and Fitzpatrick.

Jon: At any rate, I am inclined to stay away from gratitude as a motive for obedience because it comes so close (if not all the way) to becoming a method for paying God back. What shall we render to God but to lift our cup salvation and say 'more?'

This is so deep. Exactly. Hmmm... can gratitude be a right motivation at all? I love that we cannot GIVE God ANYTHING. Not even worship, right? But in church all I hear is that we are to worship God FOR GOD but isn't it FOR US? As if God needed anything from us. Or we could add to God in any way?

The problem I see with using gratitude as a motive is that it can create a debtor's ethic in our hearts that undercuts God's glory. It is a dishonor to God to presume to 'pay him back.' I believe a better response that honors him is not one that says, 'you have done this for me; now I DO this FOR you,' but one that says, 'YOU have done this for me; I enjoy you; give me more of you.' There is a subtle difference, but seeing such subtleties exposes the plots of that subtle serpent whose method is to conquer the toe before the foot and leg.

If possible, please explain a little more. So how do I do this in worship? In prayer? Without running into "using God" or is that good? Because we truly ARE dependent upon God. I'm afraid it might lean towards people only wanting God for His benefits and not Him. How can I use this to have patience with my mother? With loving others?

Randy: I think I understand what you are saying but I do believe that duty and response also play a part in this scenario. In fact, if I am not mistaken we are encouraged to obey him as debtors. It doesn't dishonor God to obey him out of debt that He paid a price for us and now we owe him reverence as sons. In fact that is exactly why Paul states the following. It is an adoption thing and we need to recognize this and be grateful to God. In Romans Chapter 1 the beginning of sin is that they became unthankful and then they spiral down into depravity. So Gratitude is very important. it isn't the only reason I can muster up on my wicked heart to obey him though. As I noted above. i am a sinful man who needs much sanctification.

And just when it looks narrowed down... heehee... thanks, Randy.

Jack K: absolutely NOT as something done to pay God back or earn his approval. Their point is that it's NOT repayment, but rather a free and glad obedience that's appropriate for saved people. I can see how one might hear the word and think in terms of repayment, but that's not how those guys use it.

So be grateful and WANT to do good deeds why again? God forgave me so why should I forgive my neighbor? I am glad God forgave me but my tendancy is to not forgive my neighbor. I know, really ugly, I know. How does this gratitude pass on? Am I just not grateful enough to God to pass it on?

 

[Jackie Kaulitz]

In brief, when we meditate upon our sanctification it really helps if we "zoom out" and consider Christ at work in the means of Grace - proclaiming His benefits to us in Word and Sacrament, making continual intercession for us, and conquering every hindrance to our sanctification (yes, including ME as the hindrance). When temptations arise, then, I may not only think with gratitude that I'm an adopted child of God, saved from wrath, but also proclaim that "...He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world!"

So this is trusting Christ's promise that He will work out in us sanctified lives because He has already given this to us? Similar to how he gave justification apart from anything we did. So you are staying that part of our sanctification depends upon our KNOWING and TRUSTING in Christ's finished work. So even when we fail, we succeed because He has pronounced us as having succeeded due to his imputed righteousness? In other words, the pressure is off on "having to perform"? Aside from pressure to try to achieve the impossible, how can this knowledge
help me to become more sanctified? Sorry if I don't really get it yet...

 

[Scott1]

Scott: God's method of sanctification is neither self-reliant activity nor God-reliant passivity, but God-dependent effort.
Scott, what is this blend look like and motivated by? Why do we obey (when we don't feel like it)? Is it because we TRUST God despite how we feel and obey because we KNOW He is right and our feelings are wrong? But then how do we fall back on gospel-drivien-gratitude a Horton and Fitzpatrick encourage? Why do they say to keep going back to the cross for motivation and for the power to act and be?

The answer has been alluded to in other posts.

But, it's really a central truth of Scripture-
God takes sinners and changes their constituent nature. Once in bondage to their sin nature, they are freed from its dominance and its judgment.

Sanctification does involve our will, though (unlike regeneration).

God has appointed ordinary means by which our faith (obedience and repentance) are strengthened.

Those means are primarily His Word and the sacraments.
Also prayer.

They draw us closer to God, what is actually true (not what we "feel"), and discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

Ephesians 4

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

 

[Scott1]

Remember,
The first question for a believer, by God's Grace, is how may I give God glory in the situation of my life?

Is it to suffer to do right by Him? For His witness? To discipline the mind, will, emotions (flesh) to obey and glorify Him?

This is something to teach, but also is something to ask God to help you do each day,
For His Honor and His Glory.

 

[Jack K]

If gratitude is part of the correct motivation for living the life, how do I get more gratitude? A pastor told me to watch "The Passion" movie to conjure up more feels of gratefulness but this seems fake or like some sort of legalism to me?

As you've surely found out, it's impossible to make yourself have deeper gratitude. You need to be relying on the Spirit to work that in you. The question of how one relies on the Spirit is a great question.

One of the best answers is that we use what theologians call the "means of grace." These are the Word of God (read and preached and in the Lord's Supper) and prayer. Because the Spirit is the author of the Word, and because he assists us in our prayers, these disciplines are ways of relying on the Spirit. Your pastor was somewhat close to being on the right track when he suggested watching "The Passion of the Christ," except that movie is a very poor substitute for the actual Bible and biblical preaching. Rather than watch something that tries, wrongly, to interpret Jesus and the Bible in a movie, spend time in the Bible directly and listen to sound biblical preaching. Also spend time in prayer, trusting the Spirit to help you. These two disciplines are critical.

Sadly, the value of prayer and Bible reading and church attendance easily leads people to start thinking of these things as ways to earn God's favor—as legalism. Many, many well-meaning teachers have laid guilt trips on people over prayer and Bible reading. This goes against the nature of what these disciplines ought to be—reliance on God. So you'll have to watch out for that. Always approach them as ways to rely on God and trust him, never as ways to earn anything from him or keep him appeased.

Then, rather than trying to conjure up gratitude on your own, trust the Spirit to work gratitude in you as you use the means of grace in reliance on him. That's how it works. Although we are to rely and rest, there's a sense it which it is an "active reliance." We grab hold of Christ with our whole being, using all the force we can muster because all our hope is in him.

Horton and Fitzpatrick are trying to urge preachers, teachers, counsellors, parents and the like to speak the gospel of Jesus because they recognize that this is the heart of the Word of God. By this Word we grow in Christ.

Piper always teaches that when I take my eye off of God and put it on myself and my problems, that I will despair. He says the solution is to KEEP your eye on God and don't worry about those other things. But I get thrown off because sanctification is partly my job to work out so I try to be good but I worry I have the WRONG MOTIVATION for being good.

Yeah, I think Piper can be a bit guilt-inducing on that topic. He's right that we're commanded to love God for his beauty, but few of us achieve what's he's talking about for very long. Don't think this disqualifies you. It just means you're still a sinner like the rest of us and owe everything to Jesus all the time. You will not obey with a perfectly right attitude this side of heaven. Let that just increase your reliance on Jesus. Then go on obeying and growing as he gives you strength, being encouraged that in Christ even your mixed-motive obedience is pleasing to God.

Is this concept that when we sin "we pull away from God" or "God pulls away from us" false?

Sin does get in the way of fellowship with God. But there's no good reason for it to ever stay that way because the path back is all grace, no merit required. You absolutely don't have to (and can't!) earn you way back close to God. Instead, Jesus is always, always incredibly eager to welcome sinners who come to him in faith. He always LIVES to intercede for us. It is his great joy and his ongoing work in heaven. And he is today the same person he was on earth—quick to be gracious to even the very worst sinner who turns to him in their sin. God has set up prayer to occur through Jesus (who welcomes sinners) and with the Spirit (who's there to help), so that sin never keeps us from turning to him in prayer. This means that if, like me, you often feel like your prayers and worship easily turn self-centered, manipulative and phony... well, then you need to pray. Prayer is for exactly that sort of jerk. Turn to your loving Father. Don't imagine anything gets in the way.

 

[KevinInReno]

I want to quickly point out Paul's own sanctification as an encouragement to you, he continually denounces his own righteousness more and more through scripture... starting off as the least of the apostles... onward to the chief of sinners. When Christ first started me on this walk with him, I was under this idea of constantly becoming holier and holier (in a monkish sense) when I thought of sanctification. However largely the holiness is rooted in how disgusting your sin becomes to you. How we eat our vomit time and time again rather than abound in the mercy of God's holy law.

I was in the early stages of drug dealing, and living a vile life when the Lord sought me... and yet I fully believe... I'm far more evil than I ever dreamed back in the years I was dead in sin and not alive in Christ. Yes the world might look at me and say, "Ah what a good and productive citizen", "what a nice father", "what a fantastic husband" "what an uplifting story of change"... but I know what my Lord and Savior did for the wretched filthy thoughts and deeds I constantly do... and yet I still delight often in wickedness... Romans hits on this duality in your lifetime... and if that's what you are struggling with in some ways... be thankful for it... and remember to Live is Christ... and to DIE is Gain... it's only gain to one who the Lord has provided the understanding in what the separation with the old man (the flesh) will actually mean.

 

[Scott1]

I'm not much familiar with the particular works you mention.

Guilt, per se, is not especially helpful unless it leads to positive action.

Sorrow over sin is appropriate in its time and scope, but it can also become a form of self centeredness.

Repentance involves
admitting sin (understanding it is against God)
forsaking it, by God's grace,
and making restitution or reconciliation in as much as it is within your power.

Even unbelievers who seek peace can have a form of this. However, they do not do so with a inner motive of glorifying God. Sanctification makes that possible for us.

Feeling regret alone for the consequences of sin (think of the public actions of a recent American President) can be merely self-serving. Even deceitful, further compounding sin.

It's not even necessary part of true repentance unless it is based on true sorrow for offending your God and possibly also your neighbor. And then results in a forsaking of that way. And trying to make things whole, restoring consequences by restitution or reconciliation, in as much as it is within your power.

 

[moral necessity]

Your OP refers to "gospel driven sanctification." I don't think Jerry Bridges' book is written from this perspective. It's more of a "power cord of sin is unplugged" and "there's no excuse for sin now, sort of mentality. We should "believe it has no power over you, and act like it doesn't."

Gospel driven sanctification is more of the "guilt, grace, gratitude" mentality that the Heidelberg speaks of, and Bruce references. I think Bridges changed his view some since his one book was written. I'm not sure where he stands now.

Gospel driven sanctification refers to the idea that focusing more on the gospel is the way to sanctification. An outward focus more than an inward focus. Horton emphasizes this, and takes a lot of heat for it. Luther had a similar emphasis. Many critique that Horton is more Lutheran in his approach than reformed. Yet, the reformed were involved in writing the Heidelberg with the Lutherans.

Blessings!