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HOLY SPIRIT: Adoption, Sanctification, and Perseverance

HOLY SPIRIT: Adoption, Sanctification, and Perseverance. ADOPTION: Definition. S.C. # 34, “Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.” Also see WCF 12, L.C. # 74

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HOLY SPIRIT: Adoption, Sanctification, and Perseverance

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  1. HOLY SPIRIT:Adoption, Sanctification, and Perseverance

  2. ADOPTION: Definition • S.C. # 34, “Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.” Also see WCF 12, L.C. # 74 • WCF is the only symbol that gives a complete chapter to the biblical teaching on adoption! • Adoption: • is an immediate act • is instantaneous with justification • places us in a relationship with God as son or daughter. Holy Spirit 6

  3. ADOPTION • Only one specific term for adoption used in the Bible, huiothesia. This term is found five times, all in Paul • Rom. 8:15, “Spirit of adoption” • Rom. 8:23, “adoption of the body” • Rom. 9:4, “to whom is the adoption” • Gal. 4:5, “receive the adoption” • Eph. 1:5, “predestined us to be adopted” Holy Spirit 6

  4. ADOPTION • Adoption is referred to indirectly, however • David’s sons in Davidic covenant, II Sam. 7:14 • Israel as God’s children, Ex. 4:22; Jer. 31:9,20; Hosea 11:1 • God as Israel’s father, Deut. 32:6; Jer. 3:4,14 (husband) • Adoption related to covenant, Isa. 43:6; see II Cor. 6:16-8 • See also John 1:12; Rom. 8:16-7; I John 3:1 • Adoption is sometimes linked to marriage, Hosea 1-3; Ezek. 16; Jer. 3:4,14 Holy Spirit 6

  5. ADOPTION • There are varied benefits of Adoption, WCF, 12 • Liberty of children of God (see WCF, 20; Rom 8:15). Liberty from: • Sin • Death • Wrath of God • Law • Other people! (Spiritual Tyranny, or Binding of the Conscience) Holy Spirit 6

  6. The Privileges of the children of God God’s name is on us, Jer. 14:9; Acts 11:26, 26:28; I Peter 4:16; Rev. 3:12 We have the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8:15 We have access to God in prayer, Matt. 6:9; Rom. 5:2; Eph. 3:12 We call God “Father,” Matt. 6:9; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6 (“Abba” is Aramaic for Father) We are pitied, Psalm 103:13 (compassion); protected, Prov. 14:26; provided for, Matt. 6:30-32; I Peter 5:7; and chastened, Prov. 3:11-2; Heb. 12:7-10 We are secure as children, never cast off, Lam. 3:31; John 10:27-30 We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, Eph. 4:30 We are heirs to inherit the promise, Heb. 1:14; 10:36; 1:39-40; I Peter 1:3-4 ADOPTION Holy Spirit 6

  7. SANCTIFICATION: Definition • S.C. # 35, “Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” • In the Westminster Standards, sanctification includes all divine increase in holiness, even including what later theologians distinguished to be “regeneration”; Cf. WCF 13:1, “further sanctified,” and L.C. # 75, “having seeds . . . put into their hearts.” • Normally, however, sanctification refers to the process of increasing holiness after conversion. Holy Spirit 6

  8. JUSTIFICATION Imputes Christ’s righteousness Sin is pardoned Total, equal, complete SANCTIFICATION Infuses grace to exercise personal holiness Sin is subdued Partial, different, increasing SANCTIFICATION/JUSTIFICATION Holy Spirit 6

  9. SANCTIFICATION • qadash, Piel and Hiphil, “Set apart, consecrate, sanctify” • The Verb is related further to: • qodesh, 469x, “apartness, sacredness, holiness • qadesh, qadeshah, “temple prostitute, harlot” • miqdash, 74x, “holy place, sanctuary” • qadosh, adj. “holy” • The primary meaning of this word is to set apart, separate; but it does not require a good moral purpose (e.g., term for temple prostitute). Normally the verb is associated w/sacred purposes, w/ a correspondingly good moral flavor. Holy Spirit 6

  10. hagiazo; 29x “make holy, consecrate, sanctify, set apart” and is related to other words: hagios; 164x, adj. “holy, sacred, dedicated” hagia; 11x, “sanctuary” hagios; 65x, “saint, holy one” hagistes; 1x, “holiness” hagiosune; 3x, “holiness” hagiazo; is applied to various subjects: Things Gold on temple, Matt. 23:17 Sacrifice, Matt. 23:19 Food, I Tim. 4:5 People: The church, Eph. 5:26 Children, I Cor. 7:14 Christians, I Thess. 5:23 God himself, Matt. 6:9, I Peter 3:15 SANCTIFICATION Holy Spirit 6

  11. SANCTIFICATION • hagiasmos; 10x, “holiness, consecration, sanctification” This noun, related to hagiazo seems to emphasize a condition which results from a practice, e.g., Rom. 6:19,22; I Thess. 4:3-7 • Conclusion: The term “sanctify” is used in the Bible in a general sense, “to set apart for some (usually sacred) purpose,” and in a theological sense to describe personal growth in holiness. This growth is seen in four stages: • Preparation to Conversion, I Cor. 6:11; 7:14; I Peter 1:2 • Conversion and Justification, Heb. 10:14, 13:12 • Growth in Grace during the Christian life, I Thess. 5:23 (the most common theological usage) • Final Perfection, Eph. 5:26 Holy Spirit 6

  12. The verb qadash is applied to various subjects: Things: Sabbath, Gen. 2:3 Houses and fields, Lev. 27:14,16 Firstling beasts, Lev. 27:26 Tabernacle and its furniture, Lev. 8:10-1 People: firstborn, Ex. 13:2 Priests, Ex. 28:41 Nation of Israel, Ex. 19:4 Prophet Jeremiah, Jer. 1:5 God himself, Ezek. 38:23 SANCTIFICATION Holy Spirit 6

  13. SANCTIFICATION: Three Categories • Definitive Sanctification- • at the moment of union with Christ • A complete break with the power of sin and the implantation of a new principle of life. Rom. 6:1-7:6, “dead to sin”; I Peter 2:24, “having died to sins”; I John 1:8, 3:6-9 • Progressive Sanctification- • a continuous process, beginning at conversion and continuing throughout the Christian life • Negatively: Sanctification is a turning away from sin: Rom. 6:5-6, 14; 8:13; Gal. 5:24 • Positively: Sanctification is a turning unto God: II Cor. 7:1; Eph. 3:16-19; 4:14-15; Col. 1:11 • Final Sanctification-Glorification, • Rom. 8:17, 29,30 Holy Spirit 6

  14. SANCTIFICATION • Sanctification • Affects every part of the believer (I Thess. 5:23) • But is never complete in this life, WCF 13:2; L.C. # 78: Ecc. 7:20; Philip. 3:12; James 3:2; I John 1:8-10 • Paul’s witness in Rom. 7:14-25 is the testimony of a spiritual Christian; • Cf. vs. 22 and the present tenses beginning at vs. 14. See Cranfield, Romans, ad loc. See also Warfield, Works, vol. 7,8, Perfectionism • Sanctification is incomplete in this life • The Christian must make progress in sanctification • This requires effort • The Christian life often= warfare, WCF 13:2-3. Holy Spirit 6

  15. SANCTIFICATION: Its Means • The weapons of spiritual warfare are the various means of grace: Gal. 5:16-25; 3:2-3; Eph. 6:10-18. The Westminster Standards name three means of grace, L.C. # 154, S.C. # 88 • The Word of God is a means of grace • It examines hearts, II Cor. 3:18; Heb. 4:12-3; James 1:23-4 • Cleanses us, John 15:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26 • Shows us Christ, II Cor. 3:18 • Prayer is a means of grace • It brings Grace for ourselves, Luke 22:40; 18:13-4 • Grace for others, Eph. 1:16-9; 3:14-6; 5:18-9 • The Sacraments are a means of grace, I Cor. 11:28 Holy Spirit 6

  16. SANCTIFICATION: Its Fruits • Assurance of God’s love • Peace of Conscience • Joy in the Holy Spirit • Increase of Grace • Perseverance to the end Holy Spirit 6

  17. PERSEVERANCE • WCF 17:1, “They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.” Holy Spirit 6

  18. PERSEVERANCE • Perseverance applies only to those who are elect, justified, and now in the process of being sanctified; it does not apply to all professing Christians • Perseverance refers to the state of grace, not to the attainments of grace; “backsliding” is possible, WCF 17:3 • Perseverance of the saints is better than “eternal security” for it emphasizes the necessary human effort and responsibility. “Eternal security” often places undue dependence on the initial experience of salvation, instead of the continuing life of saving faith. Holy Spirit 6

  19. PERSEVERANCE: Scripture • The Father sets us free and places his unchangeable love on us, Jer. 31:3, II Tim. 2:18-9 • The Son paid for us to save us, and now prays for us, Luke 22:32; John 10:28; 17:24; Rom. 8:33-9; Heb. 7:25 • The Holy Spirit abides in us, John 14:16-7; I John 2:27 • Additional Scriptural affirmations: Rom. 8:29-30; Phil.1:6; II Tim. 1:12; I Peter 1:5,9; I John 3:9 • The terms of the Covenant of Grace, sealed with Christ’s blood, assure us of final salvation. WCF17:2; Jer. 32:40; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 10:14; Heb.13:20-1 Holy Spirit 6

  20. PERSEVERANCE and Backsliding • Based on our experience and the teachings of the standards (WCF, 17:3) and Scripture, we must recognize that Christians can to a large degree fall away from the pattern of Christian life and sanctification. See II Sam 11:27 (David) and Matt. 26:70,72,74 (Peter) • The WCF lists four possible causes of backsliding • Temptation of Satan • Temptation of the World • Remaining Corruption in us • Neglect of Means of Grace Holy Spirit 6

  21. PERSEVERANCE and Backsliding • The WCF lists seven results of backsliding: • God’s displeasure, II Sam. 11:27; Isa. 64:5,7,9 • Holy Spirit grieved, Eph. 4:30 • Loss of grace and comfort, Psalm 32:3-4; 51:8,10,12 • Heart hardened, Isa. 63:17 • Conscience wounded, Psalm 32:3-4 • Others hurt, scandalized, II Sam. 12:14; I Cor. 5:1 • Temporal judgments, II Sam. 12:14; Psalm 89:31-2; I Cor. 11:32 Holy Spirit 6

  22. PERSEVERANCE: Objections • There are passages that apparently introduce a condition in perseverance: Col. 1:23; I Thess. 3:8; Heb. 3:6,14; Rev. 2:10 • However, the Calvinist recognizes in these verses the doctrine of human responsibility- just as we are responsible to believe and are commanded to believe, so are we responsible to persevere and therefore are so commanded • This truth does not contradict the truth that God alone causes us to believe and to persevere • Indeed, it is merely the way of salvation Holy Spirit 6

  23. PERSEVERANCE: Objections • There are passages that state a possibility of falling: Ezek. 18:24; I Tim. 1:19; II Peter 2:20-2; Rev. 3:5 • There are passages that warn against final apostasy: Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29; II Peter 3:17 • The verses in Hebrews 6:3 and 4 are clearly given to the covenant community. While it is possible for the professing Christian, the member of the covenant community to fall away, it is not possible for those who are truly elect and redeemed ever to do so. • The warnings are real and should be preached, however, since no pastor has access to what truly happens in the heart of any parishioner. Holy Spirit 6

  24. HOLY SPIRIT Part 6, end

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