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

[sevenzedek]

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?

Suppose I bought my wife some flowers on the way home from work one day. Now suppose several responses. Which would honor me more? That she give me money for the flowers? That she make me dinner precisely because I bought her flowers? That she obey me in some matter while she says to me, "Because you bought me flowers, now I will do this"? We see what is wrong in this illustration without expounding it. Now suppose she hugs me and kisses me because she is happy to be the object of my affection.

The bible commands gratitude, but I think it is wrong when we turn it into a motive for obedience to God. Gratitude is a fitting response when we are receiving good from God because it honors he who is the giver. It is misused, however, when we make it the reason for doing the obedience already owed him. The only way that we can honor a God who already owns everything is not to give him anything but to ask for more of him (What I also mean to imply in this statement is that we desire his gifts because of what they show us about our God—the whole earth is full of his glory and we desire that which we desire for his name' sake).

In the light of all this, what do I think is a better motive for obeying God? I believe there is more than one motive that is biblical. All of them are for God's glory.

One way that we could honor God in our obedience is to imitate Jesus. Do it for the promises of God.

Hebrews 12:2
...Jesus... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...

Another biblical motive for obedience is that it boasts in the greatness of God.

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

There are others.

Still, there will likely be others who will not agree that it is wrong to use gratitude as a motive. Is it possible to confuse the prospect of joy in God with gratitude toward him? It is difficult to make abstract distinctions. Perhaps I am making the wrong ones. However, what do we do with the scenario in which I give flowers to my wife? This is the error I am arguing against, whatever distinctions may be exacted from my subsequent statements.

Without running into "using God" or is that good?

Desire the good and perfect gift because of what it communicates about him. If this is seen as "using God," then let it be seen as using him for the end for which he gives himself to us—that he be glorified and enjoyed forever.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

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."

When was the last time you read Bridges? It has been a while since I read Pursuit of Holiness but I have recently read The Transforming Power of the Gospel. He is very familiar with the Puritans and indwelling sin. He is also very familiar with the inward aspects of God's working to sanctify us. His book Pursuit of Holiness might seem to represent what you are discussing but he fully was aware of the Puritans and indwelling sin. He has written a whole bunch on this topic. Sanctification is something that God does in us as He causes us to pursue Him. It is something that is inward that proceeds to the outward. It is something God does by His Word and Spirit. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word (Law) of God. God creates by His Word. It is a part of the Gospel in that reconciliation to God is inward renewal and a part of our Union with Christ. If it doesn't come from a renewed man then there is no sanctification. There is no Gospel. Dead in sin is still present instead of Dead to sin.

BTW, the purpose of the Hiedelberg is different and had specific purpose concerning justification and means of Grace. The Belgic Confession goes a little deeper teaches more completely. Its purpose is more broad. Dr. Horton's tradition holds to the 3 Forms of unity. I am not so sure he focuses purely on the outward. He does believe in the work of the Holy Spirit. I do understand his view of the Gospel is a bit truncated in my estimation but I do believe he knows that the inward working of the Holy Spirit is the way we are sanctified.

Belgic Confession

Article 24: The Sanctification of Sinners

• We believe that this true faith, produced in man by the hearing of God's Word and by the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerates him and makes him a "new man,"^57 causing him to live the "new life"^58 and freeing him from the slavery of sin.Therefore, far from making people cold toward living in a pious and holy way, this justifying faith, quite to the contrary, so works within them that apart from it they will never do a thing out of love for God but only out of love for themselves and fear of being condemned.
  So then, it is impossible for this holy faith to be unfruitful in a human being, seeing that we do not speak of an empty faith but of what Scripture calls "faith working through love,"^59 which leads a man to do by himself the works that God has commanded in his Word.
  These works, proceeding from the good root of faith, are good and acceptable to God, since they are all sanctified by his grace. Yet they do not count toward our justification-- for by faith in Christ we are justified, even before we do good works. Otherwise they could not be good, any more than the fruit of a tree could be good if the tree is not good in the first place.
  So then, we do good works, but nor for merit-- for what would we merit? Rather, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he who "works in us both to will and do according to his good pleasure" ^60-- thus keeping in mind what is written: "When you have done all that is commanded you, then you shall say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have done what it was our duty to do.' "^61
  Yet we do not wish to deny that God rewards good works-- but it is by his grace that he crowns his gifts.
  Moreover, although we do good works we do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment. And even if we could point to one, memory of a single sin is enough for God to reject that work.
  So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior.
  ^57 2 Cor. 5:17 ^58 Rom. 6:4 ^59 Gal. 5:6 ^60 Phil. 2:13 ^61 Luke 17:10

 

[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."

When was the last time you read Bridges? It has been a while since I read Pursuit of Holiness but I have recently read The Transforming Power of the Gospel. He is very familiar with the Puritans and indwelling sin. He is also very familiar with the inward aspects of God's working to sanctify us. His book Pursuit of Holiness might seem to represent what you are discussing but he fully was aware of the Puritans and indwelling sin. He has written a whole bunch on this topic. Sanctification is something that God does in us as He causes us to pursue Him. It is something that is inward that proceeds to the outward. It is something God does by His Word and Spirit. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word (Law) of God. God creates by His Word. It is a part of the Gospel in that reconciliation to God is inward renewal and a part of our Union with Christ. If it doesn't come from a renewed man then there is no sanctification. There is no Gospel. Dead in sin is still present instead of Dead to sin.

BTW, the purpose of the Hiedelberg is different and had specific purpose concerning justification and means of Grace. The Belgic Confession goes a little deeper teaches more completely. Its purpose is more broad. Dr. Horton's tradition holds to the 3 Forms of unity. I am not so sure he focuses purely on the outward. He does believe in the work of the Holy Spirit. I do understand his view of the Gospel is a bit truncated in my estimation but I do believe he knows that the inward working of the Holy Spirit is the way we are sanctified.

Belgic Confession

Article 24: The Sanctification of Sinners

• We believe that this true faith, produced in man by the hearing of God's Word and by the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerates him and makes him a "new man,"^57 causing him to live the "new life"^58 and freeing him from the slavery of sin.Therefore, far from making people cold toward living in a pious and holy way, this justifying faith, quite to the contrary, so works within them that apart from it they will never do a thing out of love for God but only out of love for themselves and fear of being condemned.
  So then, it is impossible for this holy faith to be unfruitful in a human being, seeing that we do not speak of an empty faith but of what Scripture calls "faith working through love,"^59 which leads a man to do by himself the works that God has commanded in his Word.
  These works, proceeding from the good root of faith, are good and acceptable to God, since they are all sanctified by his grace. Yet they do not count toward our justification-- for by faith in Christ we are justified, even before we do good works. Otherwise they could not be good, any more than the fruit of a tree could be good if the tree is not good in the first place.
  So then, we do good works, but nor for merit-- for what would we merit? Rather, we are indebted to God for the good works we do, and not he to us, since it is he who "works in us both to will and do according to his good pleasure" ^60-- thus keeping in mind what is written: "When you have done all that is commanded you, then you shall say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have done what it was our duty to do.' "^61
  Yet we do not wish to deny that God rewards good works-- but it is by his grace that he crowns his gifts.
  Moreover, although we do good works we do not base our salvation on them; for we cannot do any work that is not defiled by our flesh and also worthy of punishment. And even if we could point to one, memory of a single sin is enough for God to reject that work.
  So we would always be in doubt, tossed back and forth without any certainty, and our poor consciences would be tormented constantly if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior.
  ^57 2 Cor. 5:17 ^58 Rom. 6:4 ^59 Gal. 5:6 ^60 Phil. 2:13 ^61 Luke 17:10

Yeah, the Persuit of Holiness was the one I remember reading. I heard he adjusted his view since then. I figure the newer book you referenced displays this, but I haven't read it yet. I agree that sanctification is inward. I think the "gospel-driven sanctification" cliche involves where we place our emphasis in our striving for sanctification. The cliche refers to an outward focus on the gospel, from my understanding.

Blessings and fellowship...

 

[Semper Fidelis]

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...

No, it is not quite trusting in something Christ has already performed in us but trust that Christ is faithful to conquer our foes and that He will get the victory. On the one hand, my confidence in my status as a child of God comes from my justification and adoption. That is certain. Now that I'm a child and I free to obey the question is what you're asking: How am I going to obey? It seems nigh impossible at times. If I try to obey am I not somehow sacrificing my trust in the finished work of Christ?

You're not precisely asking this but I think what you're concerned about is the idea of motivation. You've sort of hit the nail on the head where the mistaken notion is that if I simply sit around and muse about what Christ has done for me that it solves the sanctification problem. It becomes a matter of content of sorts treated this way. As long as I have the right truth in my head then somehow this sanctifies me.

It's not that the knowledge helps me, it's the reality of vital union with Christ. Now, on the one hand, I know it seems kind of like all I'm saying is "reflect" on these things but this is precisely what Paul does. Read through Romans and look for every time he writes "do you not know", "remember", etc. He's calling us back to bedrock.

Why this is necessary is that our thoughts drive our motivations which drive our actions. It's not as if the redeemed man is free from indwelling sin so my default thinking is not always going to be solid. I may sin and then conclude I need to work harder in the flesh to make up for that sin and erase the anger that God has for me. I may also think about the Gospel in such a way that I think that Christ has only provided for my justification and deny in the Gospel the power that Christ has to sanctify me.

Please keep asking questions because I want you to understand this but, when it comes to brass tacks, when I'm tempted to sin I sometimes spend way too much time entertaining the temptation. Instead, I need to discipline my thinking of sorts to be thinking of Christ's power over sin in my union with Him. Now you might think that all I just said was that I've got lots of self-discipline but this is a "self" that is united to Christ and the "new man's" thinking is something that the Holy Spirit supplies as I'm brought in contact with the living Christ. It's not merely a motivation or a comfort to me that Christ prays for me! That's real power. It's not merely a motivation or comfort to know that Christ will sanctify me. It's something applied to me so that when I overcome temptation I'm not patting myself on the back.

 

[J. Dean]

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.

You're not the only one, brother. Even in our sanctification, we still do the right thing for for the wrong reason.

I've yet to find a brother in Christ who (if honest) can confess to doing every good and right thing for the right reason and with the right thought process 100 percent of the time.

I also think "gospel-driven" sanctification implies that, while we are sanctified, that our sanctification is NOT the basis for our justification, no matter how sanctified we might agree. Our sanctification, as great as it is, is never to eclipse the work of Christ on the cross.

 

[OPC'n]

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.

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.

As you know, before being regenerated, we all hate God. There wasn't one section of us that even "sort of" liked God much less loved him. When you are regenerated you are given a new life in him. This new life now loves God. We had nothing to do with our regeneration. In sanctification we work with God not in a manner that we are robots, but instead, we "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (you remember this verse isn't talking about regeneration but about sanctification) because he has given us the desire to do so according to his will. Phil states, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. So you're not "letting go and let God", but instead, you are working out your salvation (sanctification) with fear and trembling because God has given you the desire for righteousness. A good subject to read up on is the fear of God. Awhile ago I used several commentaries to do some research on the fear of God.

Phil 1: I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

So all the righteousness we do comes through Christ working within us for his Glory. And we do this bc of the love he has given to us for him. It isn't anything of ourselves that does this work, but instead, we do work out righteousness through Christ. Ok, i'm not just repeating myself! lol

One more verse, Phil 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

 

[Jack K]

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.

You are right. Bridges has changed quite a bit since writing "The Discipline of Grace." Either "The Pursiut of Holiness" or "Bookends of the Christian Life" would better reflect his current thinking. I'd say he's closer to "gospel-driven" thinking now, though that label itself remains in need of defining at times.

 

[JMKing]

Here is Jerry Bridge's explanation of the way his understanding of sanctification has changed. It's also a decent article articulating Gospel-driven sanctification:

http://www.ouruf.org/d/cvt_sanctification.pdf

 

[malum in se]

Just remember, that as you grow in sanctification if you look to yourself you won't see any progress, you will only see the sin and darkness attached to your good works. Just as though the moon were to look on itself to see if it were producing more light. However Christ and his saving work on the cross will become more and more precious to you. Looking to Christ and appreciating that He has done what we could not do is what makes us grow.