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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is sanctification a joint effort? | Bible general Archive 1 | benjamite | 34696 | ||
Does the believer have to cooperate? Argument from individual passages of Scripture: I would look to Philippians 2:12ff to answer this. Paul says "work out your salvation" (side note: this is most definitely NOT to be confused with "work FOR your salvation"). He then gives practical "advice" as to how to work it out (stuff that we must do for sanctification). Argument from reason (and Scripture as a whole): From our standpoint, sanctification might be seen as a two way street. Otherwise, why would we need the bulk of Scripture? Does Scripture only give sound doctrine, or does it also give practical application? It gives both. If sanctification were entirely of God (from our standpoint), why would He need to tell us what to do, instead of just doing it in us, for us? On the other hand, from God's standpoint, "He who began a good work will perfect it." and "We are His workmanship" to do the deeds that "God prepared beforehand". (Phil 1:6; Eph 2:10) I guess, and you probably won't like this, my answer to your question is "yes". Sanctification is entirely a work of God and the believer will co-operate in the sanctification process. I would love to hear your thoughts on the issue. In Him, Benjamite |
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2 | Is sanctification a joint effort? | Bible general Archive 1 | zach† | 34704 | ||
Benjamite; I enjoyed your response. I hope you don't mind if I ask another question or two. Do we surrender, submit , and yield ourselves to His molding influences? Can we refuse to daily submit to what He wants to accomplish in us and through us? Is surrender a once done act, or is it something which needs to be done daily? I would appreciate your sediments on this, because I believe it continues to relate to what we have been discussing. In Christ zach† |
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3 | Is sanctification a joint effort? | Bible general Archive 1 | benjamite | 34723 | ||
Zach, I enjoy questions. (As long as you don't ask how much I ate for dinner.) Judging from the last two questions, I take it that you see the answer to your first question as "Yes". Romans 6:11 says, "Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ." From my understanding of the how "consider" is used, in the Greek, it is a "present imperative" meaning basically that 1) it is a command or a request, and 2) the considering is an ongoing process. Now lets look at James 4:7 - "Submit therefore to God...." Here (and in the following verses) we have an "aorist imperative" - meaning that it is a command that doesn't carry with it the idea of an ongoing process. Rather than "keep doing it", it just says "do it". "Submit", "resist", "draw near", "cleanse your hands", "purify your hearts", "Humble yourselves". Do we do these once? I don't know about that, but if we aren't doing them, we must do them. Can we refuse to daily submit? Do we still sin? Yes. 1 John 1:5-10. I would, however make a distinction between what God would like to accomplish in us, and what He intends to and will do, Philippians 1:6; 2:13. I could say more, but I have to go now and this is enough to start with. In Him, Benjamite |
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4 | Is sanctification a joint effort? | Bible general Archive 1 | zach† | 34734 | ||
Benjamite Once again I need to say, I am enjoying this discussion with you. So I hope you forgive me for asking more questions, which continue to help me collect my thoughts. Concerning the maturity part of the life of a believer, I think you will agree that growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus takes time, which is to say it too is a process. When we are born again, we are not born as mature Christian's but as spiritual babes in Christ. And a baby needs time to grow and mature. New-borns need milk and are unable to chew meat. They crawl instead of walk or run. But give them time and they begin to mature. The same can be said of fruit. Fruit begins with a bud, advances to become a flower, then appears the young fruit. But it is not mature, it needs to be watered and exposed to the sun, before it can be said to be ready to harvest. So we too need to be watered and our exposure is to the Son. Let me throw out a Tozer quote that may relate to this. Tozer said: "To any who might object that we cannot fashion ourselves, that God alone can fashion us, we offer this explanation: A young man decides he wants the benefits of a healthy tan. Now, does he tan himself or does the sun tan him? Of course the answer is that he tans himself by exposing himself to the sun. He has to bring himself into contact with the sun's rays and the sun will take care of the rest. So we fashion ourselves by exposing our lives to the moulding influences. good or bad, that lie around us. I would appreciate your further comments In Christ† |
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5 | Is sanctification a joint effort? | Bible general Archive 1 | benjamite | 34782 | ||
Zach, I love the way you phrase your questions. (By the way, they ususally end with a question mark - ? .) Growing is a process, agreed. As our conversation continues, you seem to be wanting to be steered in different directions. Originally I might have sent you towards Romans 6-8. Now, however, I hear a lot of 1 Corinthians in your "questions". In Corinth, there were many who had been believers for some time, and they should have grown. Paul, however calls them "still fleshly". They should have been ready for solid food, and yet they were not. They still needed milk. (1 Cor 3:2ff) It should be noted that Paul rightly rebukes them for this. At the same time, it is not the planter, nor the waterer, but it is God who causes the growth. I still see the Bible preaching both 1) that it is God's work entirely 1 Thess 5:23-24; Phil 1:6; Rom 8:28ff; Gal 5:22-23; Eph 2:10 2) that it appears that we must have some part in it. (Otherwise, why the rebuke in 1 Cor 3?). cf. 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2 Cor 5:10; etc. (not meant to be "unbalanced" - but it is getting a little late) To answer Tozer's quote, "Tanning salons aside, one cannot get a suntan at night." (I must have heard it from someone, but I don't remember from whom.) In Him, Benjamite |
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