Being saved the beginning or end?

From John Gill

Some make sanctification to lie in the deposition, or putting off, of the old man, and in the putting on of the new man. This has a foundation in the word of God (Eph. 4:22, 24) and belongs to sanctification, and may be admitted, if understood of the actings of it, as these are, which suppose a previous principle from which they arise. By the "old man", is meant corrupt nature; which is as old as a man is in whom it is, and which he brings into the world with him; and by the putting of it off, is not meant the removal of it from him; for it continues with him, even with a sanctified person, as long as he is in the world; nor any change in the nature of it, which always remains the same; much less a destruction of it, which will not be till this earthly house is dissolved: but a dispossession of it, of its power, a displacing it from its throne, so as not to yield obedience to the lusts of it; nor walk according to the dictates of it; nor have the conversation according to it. By the new man, is meant the new principle of grace and holiness, wrought in the soul in regeneration: and by the putting on of that, the exercise of the several graces of which it consists; see Colossians 3:12, 13.......

2d2. Secondly, though sanctification is imperfect, it is progressive, it is going on gradually till it comes to perfection; this is clear from the characters of the saints, who are first as little children, infants newly born; are in a state of childhood, and by degrees come to be young men, strong and robust, and overcome the evil one, and at length are fathers in Christ (1 John 2:13, 14), and from the similies by which the work of grace is illustrated; as that in general by seed sown in the earth, which springs up first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear; and faith in particular by a grain of mustard seed, which when first sown is small, the least of all seeds, but when it grows up, it becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches (Mark 4:28, 31, 32), so spiritual light and knowledge at first is very dim and obscure, like the sight that the man had whose eyes Christ opened; first he saw men like trees walking, and after that all things clearly; so the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Mark 8:23; Prov. 4:18), there is such a thing as growing in grace, in the grace of faith, and abounding in hope and love, and increasing in the knowledge of divine things which there would be no room for, if sanctification was perfect. Yet,-John Gill

14. Of Sanctification.

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Of course Lord Jesus says we should strive for perfection in this life.

"Matthew 5:46-48
English Standard Version (ESV)

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

It dose seem impossible to complete in a human life span even after being saved.

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We can easily come to routine after initial enthusiasm in first coming to Christ as our Lord. This can be so with being in good Christian fellowship, with teaching from the Bible. We are truly called to this perfection, though, which comes from this sanctification, a matter of spiritual growth, Jesus Christ called us to that, saying it is to be done, and there is apostolic teaching for it, and the Spirit of God leads us to it, permitting circumstances in our lives for our learning to come to that. It is a realistic goal. But there is no point that we can come to saying that we are past sinning. If we come to saying we are past sinning, we are found yet sinning.

SeventhValley said:

From John Gill

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You are right, he did say:

though sanctification is imperfect, it is progressive, it is going on gradually till it comes to perfection; this is clear from the characters of the saints, who are first as little children, infants newly born; are in a state of childhood, and by degrees come to be young men, strong and robust, and overcome the evil one, and at length are fathers in Christ (1 John 2:13, 14),

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And entire sanctification will never be completed in this lifetime, unless your alive when He returns.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -1 Jn 3:2 (KJV)

Did not Paul tell the Galatians:

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -Gal. 5:17 (KJV)

Just because we have been saved, does not mean that sin is not still a part of us. It is something we are at war with every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day.

ANd it will always be a thorn in our side until He returns and we are made just like him.

Work towards it, but it will never a completed work in our lifetime.

God Bless

Till all are one.

jamespyles said:

Just my personal opinion, but salvation is the beginning of the journey, not the end. Too many people answer an altar call and then figure they're set for life. They go to church on Sunday, maybe attend a class at church on Wednesday, but otherwise, Christian faith is a passive activity.

My Pastor told me that a person isn't really saved unless they're living a transformed life. If the evidence of your relationship with Jesus isn't in everything you do with every day you live, then you may be mouthing the words, but you aren't really his.

Feed the hungry, comfort the grieving, give water to the thirsty, show love to your neighbor. Pray, study the Bible, draw closer to Jesus. God will take care of everything else.

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Amen!!!!

DeaconDean said:

You are right, he did say:



And entire sanctification will never be completed in this lifetime, unless your alive when He returns.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -1 Jn 3:2 (KJV)

Did not Paul tell the Galatians:

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -Gal. 5:17 (KJV)

Just because we have been saved, does not mean that sin is not still a part of us. It is something we are at war with every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day.

ANd it will always be a thorn in our side until He returns and we are made just like him.

Work towards it, but it will never a completed work in our lifetime.

God Bless

Till all are one.

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Sounds good

DeaconDean said:

And entire sanctification will never be completed in this lifetime, unless your alive when He returns.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -1 Jn 3:2 (KJV)

Did not Paul tell the Galatians:

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." -Gal. 5:17 (KJV)

Just because we have been saved, does not mean that sin is not still a part of us. It is something we are at war with every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day.

ANd it will always be a thorn in our side until He returns and we are made just like him.

Work towards it, but it will never a completed work in our lifetime.

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We indeed do not become in this life what we in the adoption through Christ become in eternity. We are truly called to this perfection, though, which comes from this sanctification, a matter of spiritual growth, Jesus Christ called us to that, saying it is to be done, and there is apostolic teaching for it, and the Spirit of God leads us to it, permitting circumstances in our lives for our learning to come to that. It is a realistic goal. But there is no point that we can come to saying that we are past sinning. If we come to saying we are past sinning, we are found yet sinning. Sin does remain at war with us in this life here, through our fallen nature called the flesh, often through suggestion from the enemy, but it is periodic, hardly every second, unless you are truly exceptional. Although I have indeed heard a pastor, surely exceptional if what he said was true, claim that as well.

SeventhValley said:

Should a already saved Christian then work towards "theosis" or the more modern term "entire sanctification" in which after being saved a person should continue to strive to be more and more like Christ?

2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Good News Translation (GNT)
17 Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.

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There is a widespread issue these days that those who are Christians are not very distinguishable from many of the others in the world. It shouldn't be that way. It is related to the belief, taught among some, that coming to believe in Jesus is the one needed thing. This is taught, and it is believed, in error, and causes a belief in cheap grace. There is reason Jesus taught to do a number of things, and we are to grow in those, and even that we should be perfect, for our Father in Heaven is perfect, Matthew 5:48. Many other scripture passages show there is more for us, we can only do these things with growing, and turning from sin more, which, with being with Christ, with him in us, we don't have to do, and we can flee from any of it.

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification - London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689

1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they 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. ( Acts 20:32; Romans 6:5, 6; John 17:17; Ephesians 3:16-19; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-23; Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14 )

2. This sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 7:18, 23; Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:11 )

3. 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. ( Romans 7:23; Romans 6:14; Ephesians 4:15, 16; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 7:1 )

I reject the EOC and RCC notion of theosis or deification. We are not God, and we will never be God. God alone possesses His divine nature. I am a sinner who knows I am imperfect and I thank God every day for His Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross that I might live through faith alone, not of works, lest any man should boast.

In the Protestant sense theosis (never used by us) stems from our union with Christ, justification and sanctification being two sides of the same coin.

The question of deification in the theology of John Calvin

Jonathan Edwards's Reformed Doctrine of Theosis * | Harvard Theological Review | Cambridge Core

http://jtoddbillings.com/2005/07/un...on-of-deification-harvard-theological-review/

John Calvin;

The whole lives of Christians ought to be a kind of aspiration after piety, seeing they are called unto holiness (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:5). The office of the law is to excite them to the study of purity and holiness, by reminding them of their duty. For when the conscience feels anxious as to how it may have the favor of God, as to the answer it could give, and the confidence it would feel, if brought to his judgment-seat, in such a case the requirements of the law are not to be brought forward, but Christ, who surpasses all the perfection of the law, is alone to be held forth for righteousness. (Institutes III, 19, 2)

First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us. Therefore, to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become ours and to dwell within us. For this reason, he is called “our Head” (Eph. 4.15), and “the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8.29). We also, in turn, are said to be “engrafted into him” (Rom. 11.17), and to “put on Christ” (Gal. 3.27); for, as I have said, all that he possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him (Institutes, 3.1.1).

We know, moreover, that he benefits only those whose “Head” he is (Eph. 4.15), for whom he is “the first-born among brethren” (Rom. 8.29), and who, finally, “have put on him” (Gal. 3.27). This union alone ensures that, as far as we are concerned, he has not unprofitably come with the name of Savior. The same purpose is served by that sacred wedlock through which we are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone (Eph. 5.30), and thus one with him. But he unites himself to us by the Spirit alone. By the grace and power of the same Spirit we are made his members, to keep us under himself and in turn to possess him (Institutes, 3.1.3).

Although we may distinguish them, Christ contains both of them inseparably in himself. Do you wish, then, to attain righteousness in Christ? You must first possess Christ; but you cannot possess him without being made partaker in his sanctification, because he cannot be divided into pieces (1 Cor. 1:13). Since, therefore, it is solely by expending himself that the Lord gives us these benefits to enjoy, he bestows both of them at the same time, the one never without the other. Thus it is clear how true it is that we are justified not without works yet not through works, since in our sharing in Christ, which justifies us, sanctification is just as much included as righteousness (Institutes, 3.16.1).

Yours in the Lord,

jm

JustAsIam77 said:

I reject the EOC and RCC notion of theosis or deification. We are not God, and we will never be God. God alone possesses His divine nature. I am a sinner who knows I am imperfect and I thank God every day for His Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross that I might live through faith alone, not of works, lest any man should boast.

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May I just say, please, as clarification, that theosis does not mean that we become God, heaven forbid that we would ever think that! We aren’t Mormons. God is God, and we are not and never can be.

Theosis means becoming Christ-like, being perfected by God’s grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 King James Version (KJV)
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Grace is getting what we do not deserve. In grace we get eternal life, something that, quite obviously, we do not deserve. We will never become "Christ-like" in this life, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.