Ep. 121 What Is Salvation, Sanctification and My Responsibility?

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Shows Main Idea – If God saves me from my sin, forgives me, blots them out, and makes me a new creation in Christ, why do I continue to sin? Do my ongoing problems with sin mean I’m not a Christian, and what is my role in responding to my transgressions?

Show Notes

Rick interviews Brandi Huerta who leads our theology department for our Mastermind Training Program. Brandi is a graduate from our school, and is passionate about theology. The Lord has given her a mind to swim the deep waters of theology, as well as communicate it clearly to others. She also writes and counsels for our ministry.

You may want to read:

• The Doctrine Of Repentance
• When Obediene Collides With My Emotions
• This Happened When I Kept Silent About My Sin

Podcast Questions

1. Why do individuals sin after God gives them a new heart, by making them new creations?
2. What are some of the consequences if I ignore or don’t acknowledge post-salvation sin?
   1. What are some ways Christians ignore their sins?
   2. What is the longterm effect of not acknowledging and repenting of sin?
3. What do you think is going on with a person who does not own their sins after God saves them?

Listen to this sermon from Fellowship Greenville, SC on “Our Ongoing Struggles With Sin”

Helpful Infographics

My Condition, His Work

Justification and Sanctification Compared

Justification and Sanctification Illustrated

Theological Terms

Ordo Salutis – (Order of Salvation) our salvation is a multi-faceted process, rather than a one-time event (Romans 8:28-29). Some of the elements of the ordo must precede others (more logical than chronological, seeing as words like “before” and “after” don’t make sense when you consider they happened “before” there was time)

Regeneration – the new birth, or being “born again”; this is an act of God (John 3:3, Titus 3:5)

Justification – God’s declaration that a sinner is legally righteous before Him.

Sanctification – the setting apart of a believer unto holiness

Definitive Sanctification – (1 Corinthians 6:11) In one sense, the believer is already wholly sanctified (made holy) by our union with Christ. When the Father looks at us, He sees the merit of His Son, who is entirely sanctified.

Progressive Sanctification – the process of becoming more holy in the Christian life, of becoming what we already are.

Union With Christ – In some sense, the Father sees us as being united with Christ: Galatians 2:20 says we are crucified with Christ; Ephesians 1 has all of these fabulous “in Christ” statements about our being chosen, blessed, seated in the heavenly places, etc. What is true of Him in His humanity, such as perfect obedience, is credited to us by our union with Him.

Already, Not Yet – The Bible teaches that many things are true now, in an authentic sense, but not entirely realized; our salvation and renewal has already been accomplished in Christ, for instance, but will be consummated at His return, so in that sense, it is not yet. Satan is defeated already and not yet.

Concurrence – There are things in the Bible that are seen as being primarily caused by God, and secondarily caused by humans, such as the writing of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:16), and our sanctification (Philippians 2:12-13). Both/and, not either/or.

Active Obedience – This term actually has two distinct meanings: (1) The acts Christ performed in His earthly life to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) on our behalf, and (2) the works a believer does out of gratitude to the Lord for all He has done.

Passive Obedience – This has two meanings as well: (1) Jesus’s submission to the Father in going to the cross and dying for the sins of the Elect (“passive” because He didn’t do this, but allowed it to be done to Him, out of obedience), and (2) the righteousness of Christ is credited to the believer so that the Father sees him or her just as if they had always obeyed Him, even though they have not; some Christians mistakenly believe that, because of this, they do not have to actively obey Christ.

Working Out Your Salvation – The believer has the responsibility to fight against sin in this lifetime. We understand that God provides the power we need to fight, but we are not passive in this process.

Repentance – The process of turning from sin and turning to Christ; Martin Luther rightly said that the Christian life is a life of repentance.

Legalism – The belief that we earn God’s favor with our obedience.

Antinomianism – (anti=against, nomos=law) The belief that, since we are entirely forgiven and counted righteous in Christ, we don’t have any responsibility to obey God in this life. He will make us progressively holy apart from anything we may do or not do.

Reference Material

1. Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
2. The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent
3. The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).