Some Questions about the Holy Spirit

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LeeJUk

Puritan Board Junior
Hi,

OK so I know that one of the victories Christ won for us on the cross is sanctification and mortification of sin. To set us free from the power of sin.

So heres my question

did Christ win sanctification in some way on the cross for us and the Holy Spirit is just the one applying that (e.g. just like salvation, Christ died, shed his blood for us and the Holy Spirit applied that to us)

or

did it work like Christ removed the separation we had from God thus allowing the Holy Spirit to indwell us and it is the Holy Spirit who is the one doing the sanctification by himself, not applying sanctification from the cross work of Christ?


I want to know this because I don't know really what to do. Some people say the way to sanctification is trusting what Christ has done for us on the cross, that the cross is the way of sanctification.

Some people say the way to sanctification is reliance on the person of the Holy Spirit who indwells us to sanctify us and fill us.



Thanks a lot
Take Care

Lee
 
Lee, do remember that when theologians try and break down the works of the Godhead they speak of the ontological Godhead which is basically the nature and essence of each person, and the ergonomic or operational Godhead where an effort is made to differentiate God's work into a trinity of categories. These exercises are for academic study and defy getting overly rigid without doing violence to the truth.

I will let the theologians describe the ergonomic works of the Godhead but I did want to offer a caution about making exaggerated differences within the Trinity. In other words, "is the Holy Spirit who is the one doing the sanctification by himself"? That just sounds a little weird, doesn't it?
 
Well what I mean is it his power or is it applying something that Christ done for us on the cross.
 
I don't know the exact answer to what you are asking, but I was reminded of Galatians 3:2-3, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Paul is saying that we "began" in the Spirit and our sanctification is also by the Spirit.

Perhaps the answer to your question is "both." Christ obtained our sanctification during this life, but the Spirit is the one who applies it (like Christ obtained our justification but the Spirit regenerates us and applies that justification, as it were). Just my guess.
 
LeeJUk

So heres my question

did Christ win sanctification in some way on the cross for us and the Holy Spirit is just the one applying that (e.g. just like salvation, Christ died, shed his blood for us and the Holy Spirit applied that to us)

or

did it work like Christ removed the separation we had from God thus allowing the Holy Spirit to indwell us and it is the Holy Spirit who is the one doing the sanctification by himself, not applying sanctification from the cross work of Christ?


I want to know this because I don't know really what to do. Some people say the way to sanctification is trusting what Christ has done for us on the cross, that the cross is the way of sanctification.

Some people say the way to sanctification is reliance on the person of the Holy Spirit who indwells us to sanctify us and fill us.

Good questions.

One thing Christ did for us is break the dominant power of sin and death over us.

The Holy Spirit is sent into us as a deposit for our redemption and this changes our nature from one dominated by sin to one that is truly free to obey (and please) God both outwardly and inwardly. This was not possible before the Holy Spirit came.

Remember also, there is perfect agreement among the Trinity in relation to this- God the Father chose to redeem in eternity past, God the Son came and lived a perfect life and died a perfect sacrifice for all those the Father chose past, present and future, and God the Holy Spirit effectually calls the sinner and comes to abide in Him at the appointed time.

Ephesians 1

13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Yet, a remnant of the fallen, sinful nature remains in us. But we are given God’s grace to overcome it more-and –more, though not perfectly in this life. That overcoming grace should characterize us more as we grow in Christ (not only as an imperative for the way we live, but as the reality of our nature, changed by God becomes more apparent).
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]
 
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Didn't read the answers from others but here's my take. Double imputation! Christ came down and lived a perfect, righteous life on our behalf to impute upon us and then died for our sins to wipe them out. The Holy Spirit works within us (sanctification) Christ's perfect, righteous works. So in the end, it's all His working and He gets all the glory.
 
In any activity of the Godhead, all three are involved. We can distinguish their functions in the work, but you must be careful in radical divisions. Our sanctification is wholly the result of Christ's finished work. And there is a sense in which you can say that it is complete. But it is applied by the Holy Spirit, and all this was according to the plan of the Father. Our sanctification, like everything else is fully trinitarian. See Rom 15:16; 1Co 6:11; Heb 2:11; 10:10, 29 as just a sampling of passages indicating this.
 
Thanks a lot guys that's really cleared it up.

Another question I have though.

Some people are saying its all Christs work on cross, sanctification that is. Thats great.
Though I sense a kind of thing among Presbyterians and others outside of Charismatic denom.'s it's like the Holy Spirit is in a lesser position in practice (not in theological definition) but in practice to us.

Are we to ascribe all the glory and praise to Christ Alone for sanctification and ignore praising the Holy Spirit in prayer? The ministry of the Holy Spirit and the applying of the merits of the cross to the sinner also for example?

I'm not saying thats what you meant but its the general feeling I get.
 
Thanks a lot guys that's really cleared it up.

Another question I have though.

Some people are saying its all Christs work on cross, sanctification that is.
God does election, inner calling, justification, adoption, saving faith 100%- we have no part in it at all.

Sanctification is a cooperative effort between God and man's (newly freed by God) will. God still gives unmerited favor to become more like Christ, and gives us the means to "see it through" (by the power of the Holy Spirit), but man's "free will" is truly involved in sanctification.



Thats great.
Though I sense a kind of thing among Presbyterians and others outside of Charismatic denom.'s it's like the Holy Spirit is in a lesser position in practice (not in theological definition) but in practice to us.

Are we to ascribe all the glory and praise to Christ Alone for sanctification and ignore praising the Holy Spirit in prayer?
Scripture seems to tell us the Holy Spirit is perfectly content to fulfill His co-equal and co-eternal part in the Godhead, but does not call attention to Himself. While He is a glorious part of the three-in-one God He does not seek pre-eminence of priority.

There's mystery in this. Self-centered, fallen human beings do not think like this. It's hard to even imagine human beings be pleased to spend their whole existence serving another, and not getting credit for themselves.

But Scripture tell us, our marvelous God the Holy Spirit is content pointing the elect toward the Son and executing the will of the Father (e.g. regenerating a believer at the appointed time).


The ministry of the Holy Spirit and the applying of the merits of the cross to the sinner also for example?

I'm not saying thats what you meant but its the general feeling I get.
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Now that's profound. It really just exposed how different and self-centered I am from God and showed me something of God's holiness, his difference and purity.

Praise God.

It's all cleared up at least for now, thanks a lot.
 
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