43. Working Out Our Salvation

Sunday Morning Sermon
July 26, 20202
The Essentials – Redemption Applied
“Working Out Our Salvation”
Philippians 2:5-13
Pastor Marc Brashear


5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now 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 do for His good pleasure.


The title of our sermon this morning is “Working Out Our Salvation.” In Philippians chapter 2, the text read in your hearing, Paul is addressing the Philippian church and is exhorting them, he’s commanding them from the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul, if you look at verse 5, Paul commands the church in verse 5: Let [the same] mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Now don’t let the translated word “let” there fool you. It’s not a suggestion. It doesn’t mean that you must allow this to take place. This indicates a command. “Let” indicates a command. Paul is saying, “Listen. Be of one accord. Be of one love, one purpose, one mind, one intention with the Lord Jesus Christ. Have the very same mind that He does.”

Well what was the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ in Philippians chapter 2? The Lord Christ humbled Himself. He made Himself of no reputation. He took the form of a slave and He became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So Paul is saying then to the church and to us by implication, “Listen. So then, you also, my beloved, [verse 12] as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, [Listen. Obey the Lord in this.} work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; [Why? Because] it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Now, in other words, we are to conduct ourselves in the Christian life working out our own salvation with the same humility and with the same attention to obedience that we see in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the text doesn’t say work for your own salvation, does it? That work has been done. Praise God. The text doesn’t say to work at or to work toward your own salvation but to work out. “Because you are already saved now,” Paul says, “work out your own salvation in fear and trembling.” No one can work out a salvation that God hadn’t already worked in. Amen?

Now notice in the text, “work out,” that verb, is a command as well. We are commanded to work out our own salvation. It’s an imperative. It’s a command. Why is that? Because what God intends for you in your Christian life requires work. What God intends for you in your walk with Christ – in your Christian life – what God intends for you requires your labor. Through the grammar we know that Paul has in mind here a continuous, ongoing, sustained, strenuous effort; strenuous exertion.

Paul elsewhere refers to this as a pursuit, something we must actively pursue. It requires labor. And labor, frankly, to the point of exhaustion. It’s referred to elsewhere in Scripture as a fight. It’s referred to as a battle, a spiritual warfare. It’s a race. It’s the labor of a hardworking farmer, the exertion of an athlete. All of these pictures that the New Testament gives us of this labor, this work. What God intends for you in the Christian life requires this kind of diligent work, this labor. In other words, you and I can’t take our ease. We cannot take our ease in the Christian life.

Most people today seem to believe that we are saved from our sin, saved from the wrath of God, and then that one time, past tense work is then the end of the matter of our redemption. Most professing Christians live like that’s exactly what they believe. “Now that I’ve made a decision, now that I’ve prayed the prayer, now that I did that hard work of getting down the aisle, I’ve checked that box, I can go back to living my life now the way that I want to and don’t ever have to worry about hell again.” They’ll even tell you, “Don’t doubt. If you ever doubt, just go back and look at the date.” And later, later, when the only good work that they can muster to give any evidence of a living, healthy, vibrant, thriving faith is showing up to church on a Sunday morning, someone comes along and labels them a “carnal Christian.”

They’re not concerned with the reality of their sin. There’s no hunger, there’s no thirst for righteousness. There’s no compelling affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. There’s no driving obedience, driving faithfulness, or driving growth in the Christian life. They sit back on their laurels. And they continue to sow to the flesh. There is no lasting fruit of the Spirit. There’s no evidence of a work of the Spirit in their life. And they say to themselves, “I am sure am glad that I’m saved. I sure am glad that I made it.” All the while they’re walking the broad road that leads to destruction.

That is a worthless Christianity. A worthless, so-called Christianity. It is an absurd waste of time when you consider that our souls hang in the balance. This is a matter of life and death, heaven and hell. It’s the profession of faith without the possession of faith. – broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. That is a wicked and deceitful broad road and there are many crowding, packed onto that broad highway.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who [What? He who] does the will of My Father in heaven. Having been genuinely redeemed by the blood of the Lamb we have a responsibility then to do the will of the Father. What the Lord intends for you and I in the Christian life requires work. It requires labor. It requires effort. We cannot let up in the effort. We cannot give in to laziness, sluggardliness. We cannot give in to apathy. We cannot give in to indifference. Whether Paul is there, as he says, to look over their shoulder or not, follow Christ’s example of obedience and work out your own salvation.

And then notice with me in the text, what is the manner then in which we are to go about that work? We’re to work out our own salvation with fear and with trembling. Now wherever that phrase is used in the New Testament, it has to do with a Godward fear that comes through a knowledge of Him, particularly a knowledge of God as holy. It’s not the slavish terror that unbelievers face in their condemnation, the picture of those who are fleeing from God, wanting the rocks of the mountains to fall on their heads. It’s not a slavish terror, the terror of unbelievers, but it is a reverential fear. It’s a trepidation that is the appropriate response of believers who know the living God and know that He is holy. It’s the proper response for those who would contemplate the high cost of their redemption.

This work should be carried out with all diligence in fear and trembling. Why? Because, the text says, it is God [Almighty] who is at work in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

1 Corinthians chapter 6 expresses it this way: do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own. For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. He might say, “Work with diligent fear.” No cavalier attitude. We can’t have a cavalier attitude in the Christian life. We can’t rest on our laurels. We cannot take our ease. There’s no such thing in the Bible, no room given for a theology that says, “Just let go and let God.” No theology of that in the Bible. There’s nothing in the Bible that gives us any room to fall asleep on our duties, so to speak, in the Christian life to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Why is that? Why is that? Because – it is God who is at work in you to will and to do [according to] His good pleasure – for His ends. Now that is an awesome thought.

Think with me for just a moment. We have the living God through His Spirit working in you, believer, to accomplish His ends that He has determined before the foundation of the world for you, that you should be holy and without blame before Him in love. God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, the One who knit you in your mother’s womb, you are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him, it is that God at work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. He’s working in you. So then you, what should you do? Just lay back? “God you can do that work while I watch TV for the fifth straight hour today.” No, it’s an awesome reality that God is at work in you. So then, you work. I work. And we work with a diligent fear and trepidation at the weightiness of it all, the glory of it all, the magnificence of it all, that God Almighty is at work in us.

If you’re a genuine Christian, if you have turned from your sin to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then God has already begun that work in you. God began that work in you. You were dead in your trespasses and sins, running in the course of this world, according to the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience, and God by His Spirit then called you with a holy calling, not according to your works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. He caused you to be born again by His Spirit, and you became a new creation in Christ.

When you became a new creation – testify if it isn’t so – your heart disposition changed. There was a radical change in your heart disposition towards sin. The Bible says you will loathe yourself in your own sight for your own iniquity. There was a hatred now for sin, a sin that you once formerly loved and cherished. There was a change in your disposition toward holiness. It was something that you hungered and thirsted for, something that you wanted. There was a change in your heart disposition toward the Lord Jesus Christ, the One whom you took no interest in before, now is exceedingly precious. All I want to do is please Him. All I want to do is worship Him and be in heaven with Him forever, “whom having not seen, you love.”

You have a new heart. You have new affections after having turned to the Savior in faith. You recognize a new disposition. You become a new creation. Upon turning to Christ in faith, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ was then credited to you. And God declared you, in Christ, to be righteous. His righteousness became your righteousness by a free gift of God’s grace. You were justified. Justified. Praise God. Reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. On the basis of His righteousness credited to you, imputed to you, your status changed. You were declared not guilty. And not just declared not guilty, you were declared righteous because of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the glorious work that God began in you on the day that you were converted.

And though He justified you, declaring you to be positionally, legally, or forensically righteous, that work of regeneration and that work of justification did not make you practically righteous. That work, by which we are made practically righteous in the Christian life, and that work intended by God for our Christian lives that we should pursue with all diligence and godly fear, is called the work of our sanctification. It’s called sanctification. You can be confident of this very thing, that if God began a good work in you, He will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. He’ll complete that work.

Therefore, my beloved, [verse 12] Therefore...as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and with trembling; [Why? Because] it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

I want you to notice something with me from the text. There’s a relationship here – verse 12 and verse 13 – there is a relationship here between the indicative and the imperative. We’ve talked a little about that in the past. The indicative, an indicative is a statement of fact. It’s an assertion of truth. The imperative is a command. There’s a relationship here between verse 12 and verse 13, a relationship between the indicative and the imperative. The imperative given is to – work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Work it out. That’s the command. And the reason for the imperative is given through the assertion of truth, the indicative. Because – it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

In other words, there’s a foundation given, a foundation upon which the command then is established. We see this all over the New Testament, don’t we? This is a good explanation, if you will, or a good description of the relationship between God’s work, God’s sovereignty in our salvation, and our responsibility as Christians.

1 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 7 for example: purge out the old leaven [That’s the command. Purge it out.] purge out the old leaven – Why? Because you are truly unleavened. It’s an imperative based upon an indicative, a statement of fact.

Colossians chapter 3, verse 3. Think with me. For you died [with Christ], and your life is hidden with Christ in God [Paul says] Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth. “Well Paul, I thought I had died in Christ. My life is hidden with Christ.” Yes. Therefore, put to death... Do you see? It’s an imperative based upon the foundation of an assertion of truth, based upon the indicative.

And notice the fact that we have died doesn’t make our effort meaningless in putting to death the deeds of the flesh. The fact that we have died in Christ, that our life is hidden in Him, does not make meaningless our effort, our diligence, our work in putting to death the deeds of the flesh. We are to put to death our members Paul says, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, so on and so forth, precisely because we have died with Christ and our life is hidden with Him.

The truth gives the foundation then for our obedience. The truth gives a glorious, a magnificent reason why to our effort, to our labor. In other words, what Paul is saying is this, “Become what you are. Become what you already are in the Lord Jesus Christ. You have been given tremendous, glorious status in Him. Now become, in the strength of the Spirit, what you already are in Him. Does that make sense? The imperative – work out your own salvation. The indicative – because God is at work in you.

Notice it doesn’t say, “Work out your own salvation and God will be at work in you.” There’s no evenness on either side of that equation. We work because God works. Do you see? God’s work in you, brother, sister, God’s work in you doesn’t make meaningless or insignificant or unnecessary your work. It makes your work that much more important, that much more necessary, that much more wondrous and necessary. It’s precisely because God is at work in us that we should expend every effort.

If we were working on a project together, and the Lord Jesus Christ stood next to you, laboring at your side, wouldn’t that, the joy of that… Imagine maybe as a child you worked on the car one day with your dad. And because your dad was there next to you, laboring alongside you, it just charges you up to work that more diligently, doesn’t it? – that much more joyfully, rejoicing in the work? It knits you together with him. The Lord Jesus Christ, imagine if He was next to us as we work. He is, by His Spirit, not just next to us but in us. It should compel us to work that much more diligently, to expend every effort, to strive, to press, to run, to labor, to toil, giving all diligence with fear and trembling.

Now notice further with me, there’s no division of labor in the text. It’s not you do your part and God will do His part. It doesn’t speak to that. That division of labor is not in the text. In other words, this is not speaking of synergism. It’s not speaking of an equal cooperation between man and God in the work of our sanctification where each one does his part. God is at work in us. And because God is at work in us, we then go to work. Do you see? Our working is not the effectual cause of our sanctification. Whose work is the effectual cause of our sanctification? God’s work. It’s God’s work. We don’t make ourselves holy. Who makes us holy? God makes us holy. But God makes us holy through the means of a living, working, thriving faith. Do you see? God uses means.

All of salvation, from start to finish, is monergistic. It is God alone, grace alone, through faith alone. All of our salvation, including our sanctification, is by grace alone, a free gift of His grace through a working faith.

Finally, look in verse 13 with me. This work of God, the work of our sanctification, brings to fulfillment His good pleasure concerning you and I. That’s an awesome thought to me. He is holy and it’s His good pleasure, He delights that we should be holy. God takes joy in making His people holy. It’s His good pleasure.

Now in the time remaining this morning for this very brief introduction to this subject – this could be a sermon series couldn’t it – I want us to consider three points together. 1) The nature of sanctification, 2) The means of sanctification, and 3) The marks of sanctification. The nature of sanctification, the means of sanctification, and the marks of sanctification.

1) The Nature of Sanctification

First, consider with me the nature of our sanctification. The word “sanctify” means “to make holy,” means “to separate as holy.” The word “holiness” or “holy” in the Bible refers to being sanctified, refers to being set apart. Now God’s people are set apart, they are sanctified or made holy in two ways. 1) God’s people are set apart from the sinful practices of the flesh and of this fallen world. They are set apart from sin. 2) Secondly, God’s people are set apart to the service of our God who made us. We are set apart or consecrated to God. Set apart from sin, set apart to God. They are to be separated from that which is common or profane or unholy, and they are to be separated to God, consecrated to Him and to His service alone.

Now there is a sense in which believers are set apart in this way or sanctified at conversion. John Murray refers to this as “definitive” sanctification. It’s not just positional. It’s not just declarative. But it is definitive. The Christian is born again by the Spirit of God and having been born again, his natural love for sin and this world is broken. The pattern of sin is broken. Our love for the world is broken. Our love for sin is broken. He has a new nature, a new heart, new desires, new affections. It’s more, you see, than a simple declaration. So our definitive sanctification is not a legal or a forensic declaration, it’s an actual work of God’s Spirit in you at conversion, whereby He separates you from a love for sin and a love for this world. Your life radically changes – new disposition, new heart, mind renewed. It’s a radical break with sin. It’s a work in you by the Spirit.

Having been definitively sanctified then, the believer is then further or progressively sanctified by the Spirit. They embark upon a process whereby the believer is then conformed into the image of the One who is holy, the Lord Jesus Christ, God. They embark upon a process of progressive sanctification.

Our confession of faith, the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, in the chapter on Sanctification, chapter 13, article 1, it reads this way:

“They who are united to Christ [union with Christ], effectually called, and regenerated [born again], having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection,[That’s definitive sanctification. They’ve been set apart at conversion.] are also farther sanctified [further set apart], really and personally [individually], through the same virtue [the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ], by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them;”

That is sanctification. Now what’s the nature of that sanctification then? Our confession goes forward:

“the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed [Sin no longer has reign over you. Sin no longer has dominion over you. The choke chain of sin around your throat has been broken], and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified [What does that point to? It points to a progress, doesn’t it? A process.], and they [the believer] more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

And notice here the work of the Spirit. Notice the work: Lusts are more and more weakened – believers are more and more strengthened to the end of a practice of all true holiness. Our flesh is subdued. We’re empowered, strengthened by the Spirit to the end that we should be holy. That’s the process, the progress of our sanctification. We are called to be holy.

Now a text that explains this really well is Romans chapter 6. Turn with me to Romans chapter 6. And let’s look at sanctification, both definitive and progressive. Romans chapter 6. As you turn there, Paul is arguing, and has begun that argument in Romans chapter 5, Romans chapter 4, that we are saved by grace and not by works of the Law. We’re saved by grace, not by works. Where the Law then is brought to bear on the heart of a sinner, we see sin – under the searing spotlight of the Law – we see sin as exceedingly sinful. Sin in that sense abounds. It becomes exceedingly sinful. But where sin abounds under the law, Paul says, grace rises to meet the challenge and grace abounds all the more, reigning through the righteousness of Jesus Christ to eternal life. Grace reigns through Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Now someone might object when they hear that, “That logic would just lead to more and more sin. I mean if grace is going to abound because sin is abounding, well then let’s sin it up because the more we sin the more grace abounds.” Paul says, “Absolutely not. No way.” Salvation by grace alone through faith alone, far from encouraging a life of sin, actually guarantees a life of holiness and here’s why, verse 1, Romans chapter 6, verse 1:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Do you see the logic? Now some people today actually hold to that devilish theology. You just live however you want to live, sin it up, don’t concern yourself with that at all. Just keep remembering your justification. And as you just keep remembering the fact that you’re saved, if God wants you to be holy, God will make you holy. Don’t be concerned with that at all. That is a lie from the pit of hell. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly [absolutely, unequivocally] not! [Verse 2] How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Do you see the logic? We’ve died to sin. How can we who’ve died to sin live any longer in it? It’s a rhetorical question. The expected answer is, we cannot because of definitive sanctification. We’ve been set apart. At conversion, new heart, new disposition, new affections, new desires, new love for Jesus Christ, a new hatred for your sin. We’ve been set apart from sin. It’s definitive sanctification.

Now Paul then, goes and defines what that definitive sanctification looks like. Look at verse 3: Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Do you see the relationship between the indicative and the imperative? That relationship helps us understand our work in sanctification. We have the indicative and we’re given the imperative. Based upon the assertion of truth, we live and obey the command. We were baptized into His death, spiritually speaking. We were buried with Him through baptism into death. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we then – imperative – should walk in newness of life. Do you see?

Verse 5: For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, There is no such thing as an unsanctified Christian. No such thing. That is like a unicorn, Big Foot, Yeti, whatever. There’s no such thing as an unsanctified Christian. Sanctification is distinct from justification, distinct from regeneration., but sanctification is married to them. There is no separation. The day that you were converted is the day that your sanctification began. It is married. That is a blessing given by the grace of God that is a part of our redemption, is our sanctification. There is no such thing as a non-sanctified, an unsanctified Christian. If you are not being sanctified, you are not a Christian. Do you see? If the Spirit dwells in you, the Spirit will bear out evidence of that work of grace in your heart. You’ll be sanctified. You will bear fruits of the Spirit.

So many today who claim to be saved because they made some decision, they did some thing – their little evangelical sacrament, whatever it was – and now they believe themselves to be saved, but they deny the power of the gospel to transform a life! They believe themselves to be saved and there is no evidence in their life for the fact that they are! There is plenty of evidence given for why they are not.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, [verse six] knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, [Old man, dead. Died in Christ.]that the body of sin might be done away with, That’s the process of sanctification. We are a new man in Christ. Paul says, didn’t he? “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer me who lives but Christ who lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who gave Himself for me.” This is speaking of, again, the process of sanctification, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Notice the indicative: If you’ve died to sin and self in Christ, you have been free from the power, from the dominion of sin. Indicative. Verse 8: Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him [Christ], knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Indicative. And glorious indicative. Amen?

Imperative, verse 11: Likewise you also, [then...due this fact...on the foundation of this assertion] reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We’ve got to think that way and act upon that assertion in faith. I am dead to sin in Christ, it is not going to have dominion, it does not have dominion over me! I died in Him. I am dead indeed to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Notice again the relationship between indicative and imperative? He died to sin... He lives to God…You also then, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin.

When you battle sin in your Christian life, that battle, that fight has to be done in faith! Faith in the promises. If you sit back and you think to yourself listen, “You know I'm struggling in sin, I'm not even sure if I'm a Christian, I don't even know if these promises pertain to me.” That's not faith, that's faithlessness. The battle will not be won on the foundation of faithlessness! Faith is apprehending, embracing Christ for the promises! Fighting sin must be done in faith. You also then, reckon yourselves – in the battle with sin – reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. Sin does not have dominion over me. I can in faith conquer. Do you see?

Therefore [Verse 12. Imperative.] do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. How many times to your shame, how many times to my shame have I said “I have no control over this. I can't win.” A defeatist attitude. “I'm not going to overcome. I'm a victim of my sins,” so to speak. No. Listen, you're right, you're not gonna overcome. You're not going to overcome in your own strength, in your own power. You're right in that sense. But you're not fighting in your own strength and in your own power. You're fighting in the power of the Spirit of God, and you are dead indeed to sin. Do not let it reign in your mortal body! Go to work! Work out your salvation with fear and trembling! Strive! Labor! Toil! Give all diligence with fear and trembling! And don't let it reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts! This is a present, ongoing work of putting off sin, putting off the old man with its lusts, and putting on the new man.

The imperative continues, verse13: And do not present [do not make an ongoing, active work of presenting] your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but [in an ongoing, active, present way] present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.. This is the work of sanctification. Do you see? For [Indicative. Verse 14. Assertion of truth] sin shall not have dominion over you, – That’s a promise. That’s a promise.

I used to think about that, early in my Christian life, when I’m battling sin. You’re fighting, embattled over your own flesh, embattled over your own sin. And I read verse 14 and I would think to myself, “Verse 14 says, “sin shall not have dominion over you,” and I would think in my own Christian life, “Man, it really feels like sin has dominion over me. I must not be a Christian. How can I be a Christian if this sin has this kind of dominion?”

It's a promise brother! It's a promise sister! Lay hold, apprehend that promise in faith! By faith in Jesus Christ sin will not have dominion over me. Lay hold of that promise and present your members as instruments of righteousness. Sin shall not have dominion over you. The choke chain of sin around your throat has been broken! Now go forward and conquer in faith in the power of the Spirit, faith in Jesus Christ. Why? Because you are not under Law, but under grace. No longer under Law as a means through which you would have to attain to righteousness in your own effort. You are now under the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we have – Romans chapter 5 – we have access to that grace, that justifying grace in which we stand. We have access to that through faith. This is progressive sanctification.

Progressive sanctification is the inseparable consequence or fruit of definitive sanctification. Do you see? Progressive sanctification doesn’t happen apart from new birth, apart from regeneration, apart from justification. It is a justifying grace in which we stand. When someone dies to sin in Christ and is then born again by His Spirit, he’s made a new creation, he is given a new nature and will from that new nature always will live a new life. There is simply no such thing as a Christian who has died to sin in Christ and yet has not been raised to newness of life in Him, such that sin will not have dominion over Him. Where there is no progressive sanctification, there has been no definitive sanctification, no regeneration, no justification, no salvation. And where there is no regeneration, no justification, no salvation, there is no progressive sanctification.

John explains it this way in 1 John chapter 3, verse 9. Listen: Whoever has been born of God does not sin, – Now from the grammar we know what that means is does not make a practice, an ongoing pattern or practice of sin. Whoever has been born of God does not [make a practice of] sin, for [because God’s] seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. Those two circumstances are mutually exclusive. “I'm a Christian” – but you're living in your sin.

I remember witnessing to a guy, standing in his driveway, and he confessed to me that he was having an adulterous affair. He was committing adultery on his wife. Professing to be Christian and committing adultery, and they were about to get a divorce. And I said, “You can't be a Christian living like that in unrepentant sin.” And his response to me was, “I can't control it. These are impulses, fleshly impulses. I can't control them.” It doesn't make it better. That makes it worse.

Whoever has been born of God does not sin. Sin no longer has dominion over you. The power of sin has been broken! His seed, God’s seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God.

Referring again to a relationship between the indicatives of our faith and the imperatives, Peter says it this way in 1 Peter chapter 1. Listen: Peter says that God the Father – has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...Therefore [Indicative. Assertion of truth. Now imperative.] Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy”. And we have strength in God’s Spirit, by Gods Spirit to obey that text. Amen?

So, the nature of our sanctification could be defined as our progressively, increasing conformity to Christlikeness. Be holy. – as He who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.

Paul explained it in Romans chapter 8, verse 29: Those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. That process of conformity into the image of the Son is called sanctification. Paul says in Romans 8, “The goal of our election is to be made like Christ!” And that is a sovereign work of God, by His Spirit. Do we conform ourselves into the image of Christ? No. God by His Spirit conforms us, but we work diligently. Why? Because God is at work in us, to will and to do according to His good pleasure. It’s a sovereign work of God, a free grace of God by His Spirit, and the responsibility of His people, through faith and the strength that the Spirit supplies.

2) The Means of Our sanctification

We understand the nature of our sanctification. Consider with me quickly, the means of our sanctification. There are many. And we could spend time in Scripture going through texts to talk about this very thing. Let’s summarize them in just a few ways here.

One of the means of our sanctification is union with Christ, union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Sanctification will not happen apart from union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says beautifully in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 30: It is because of Him, the Father that you are in [in union with] the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember the text. It is because of Him that you are in Christ. And that Christ, through that union, Paul says, has become – for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— Christ, in other words, He is our sanctification. By virtue of our union with Him, you are being sanctified – because we are in union with Him. If we are in union with Him we are being sanctified. One means of our sanctification, union with Christ.

Another means: the entire Godhead. The Trinity. We think of sanctification as being most predominately a work of the Spirit, the indwelling Spirit in the life of a believer. We find that in 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 18 for example: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of God in the life of the believer transforming Him from glory to glory into the image of the Lord.

But listen to this from John chapter 17, verse 17. The High Priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus prays to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” And he’s ascribing sanctification to the work of the Father. The Father disciplines his own, Hebrews chapter 12, and that’s so that we may share in His holiness. So the Father sanctifies us through discipline, through adversity, through trial through difficulty, through persecution.

In Ephesians chapter 5, sanctification is said to be a work of the Son. It speaks of the Son as working for our sanctification. Paul says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, so that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” That’s the work of the Son also in sanctification. And a glorious thought that we will be without blemish, without spot, not having any wrinkle, any such thing. We will be perfect, like perfect! Awesome thought.

One of the means of our sanctification is faith. The faith of believers. Not only are we justified through the means of faith, but we are also sanctified through the means of faith. In Acts chapter 26, in verse 18, the Lord sent Paul to the Gentiles in order – to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” We are sanctified by the means of faith. Through faith, we reckon ourselves dead to sin. Through faith, we access the grace, the justifying grace in which we stand. Through faith we rely upon the power of the Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh. And faith is the victory that has overcome the world. We are sanctified through the means of faith.

We are also sanctified through the means of our own working. We saw that in Philippians chapter 2. Didn’t we? The work of God and the responsibility of God’s people. We don’t make ourselves holy. God is the one who makes us holy. But God works to make us holy through the means of our own obedience, our own work.

2 Corinthians chapter 7, verse 1: Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now Paul tells us there to cleanse ourselves. Do we cleanse ourselves? God is the one who cleanses us. But we work to put off the old man, cleansing ourselves, so to speak, from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. We labor in that work and the Lord works through the means of our working to bring that cleansing about.

Romans chapter 12, verse1, Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, [This is what we’re to do. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice] holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed [This is a command for the believer.] be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.


3) The Marks of Our Sanctification

The nature of our sanctification. The means of our sanctification. What are some of the marks of our Sanctification?
The very presence of the new nature, the very presence of a new heart in the life of the believer, the power and presence of the indwelling Spirit means that there will most certainly be a process of change. We're going to see change in our lives by virtue of the Spirit now dwelling in us, by virtue of a new heart, a new nature. That may be small at times. It may sometimes almost be imperceptible, but there will be change, steady growth over time. Not a off the rocket launchpad straight up. It's more like the stock chart. There's a gradual inclination over time. Sometimes like this. Sometimes like this. But there's going to be steady progress made. That line is not going to be smooth. There's going to be peaks and valleys, but there will be upward growth, upward maturity. There will be a process of change.

I’ve often illustrated that by thinking of a baby, a newborn baby. A newborn baby, the baby comes. What do you do? You count fingers and toes up. Yep. Ten fingers. Ten toes. We’ve got...all the parts are there. Two arms, two legs, two ears nose. Got a mouth. You can certainly hear that. Baby does all the things that a baby does. The baby has all the parts there, and then what does that baby do? The baby grows and all the parts grow with the baby. Sort of like the process of a Christian. The Christian is born again by God's Spirit. The necessary parts are there. And then what begins to happen to the Christian? The Christian grows. The Christian matures. Their faith is cultivated. Their knowledge of Him through His Word is cultivated and grown and matured.

During that process, it's also true the believers will and do sin. We see that. We don't have time to go there today, but a good illustration of this is Paul in Romans chapter 7. Where Paul, speaks in Romans chapter 7 of his life as a believer and his struggle as a believer with remaining sin, remaining corruption. Some genuine Christians can even fall into grievous sins, maybe sins such that they would be under the discipline of the church. But then, if they are genuine believers, it may be that discipline that brings them back to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our confession of faith says this in Article 2 of Chapter 13. It says: “This sanctification is throughout the whole man, [throughout all his parts and members, so to speak] yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still [on this side of eternity] there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, [In our affections, in our desires, in our thinking, even in our faith, even in our repentance, in our imagination, there remains some remnants of corruption in every part] whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit [lusting] against the flesh.”

It’s the presence of that war, that battle that may be very good evidence that you are in fact a Christian, fighting and laboring in the power of the Spirit. There is an irreconcilable war that begins our sanctification.

Article 3 says this: “In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed them..”

It’s a work brother, sister. it’s a work that requires our great, diligent effort in fear and in trembling, Shaped and fashioned by God the Holy Spirit over our entire lives, it requires an enormous amount of labor, it is work. We must be active.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, in verse 3: For this is the will of God, your sanctification: – You ever find yourself or others wondering, “What's the will of God for my life? I wonder what the will of God is ?” This is the will of God: your sanctification! What’s the will of God for you? Your sanctification. Get to work! Paul continues: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, [God called us to holiness.] Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

As we mature in the Christian life, those peaks and valleys tend to even out. They tend to smooth out. Your line becomes a little smoother. In the beginning it can be rocky. We just must in faith continue to labor.

Well, what is the goal of all this? What’s the goal of our sanctification? It’s not only to be conformed into the image of His Son, but that conformity into His image has a purpose or an intention. And we find that goal of our sanctification multiple places in the New Testament, particularly in Ephesians chapter 1. Listen, beginning at verse 3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to [and here’s the goal] the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

To the praise of His glory! To the praise of His glory! To the praise of His glory! Brother and sister, listen, work out your salvation! Work out your own salvation! Do it with all diligence. Give it all effort! Strive! Labor! Toil! Work out your own salvation. Why? Because it is God who works in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure and it is all to the praise of His glory. We have such wondrous indicatives, such wondrous promises, such wondrous and glorious assertions of truth on which we should base our own diligent effort to live for Him. Amen?

All praise, honor, glory, and blessing be to Him who is to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.