The Sword Room

Like many of you, I spent too much time yesterday watching CNN on the flat screen waiting for the big wave to hit the Hawaiian Islands. An old high school friend had the unique experience of being on the island of Kauai on vacation these past few days, and he kept in contact via Facebook.

Some people on the islands heeded the warnings and were perched on the cliffs far above the beach with cameras at the ready. But on the  horizon were scores of boaters actually wanting to ride the swell when it arrived. Beachcombers and surfers seemed not the least bit concerned about the impending danger.

I was reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37: But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. In the days leading up to the flood it was business as usual. People were eating, drinking, getting married, going to work, paying the bills, putting out the trash, and watching the evening news. There had been ample warning for over a hundred years, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

I was also reminded of the passage which talks about the Day of the Lord coming suddenly and unexpectedly, like labor pains, upon those who say “peace and safety” (1 Thess. 5:2-3). Or that there will be mockers saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4).

The Tsunami never came yesterday. Or, as the experts said, it came in a form less severe than had been expected. Apparently the worst of the impact passed by the Hawaiian Islands and dissipated somewhere in the South Pacific. As one news agency reported, “We dodged a bullet.”

As sinners we cannot dodge the bullet of God’s judgement without Christ as our shield and protector. Whether it be through physical death or the Lord’s return, we will all one day face the King of Kings on bended knee. In the meantime, unfortunately, there are always those who see the latest earthquake or Tsunami, or the latest political upheaval or economic downturn, as an opportunity to pin the tail on the Antichrist and set dates for the Lord’s return. Such speculative nonsense notwithstanding, the Lord will return one day at a time known only to God. It might be in our lifetime; but then again it might not. Let others mock if they will, for such mocking will be turned to weeping on the day of judgment for those who stand naked in their own so-called righteousness.

If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4).

For this blogpost you will want to look up Eph. 4:22-24 and Col. 3:9-10.  I consider these two passages to be a definitive starting point for discussion of the “how to” or mechanics of sanctification. As you will see, the Word of God gives some general instruction but does not explain exactly how to gain victory in each specific area of behavior. More on this later.

Sanctification involves growth in three areas: holiness, righteousness, and knowledge. Growth in holiness involves separation from the defilement of sin and is performed through the putting off of the old man. Growth in righteousness involves replacing sinful behavior patterns (thoughts, words, deeds) with upright behaviors and is performed through putting on the new man. Growth in knowledge involves changes in thinking (repentance) about who God is, who we are in relation to Him, what He wills for us, and the nature of reality in general. Growth in knowledge is performed through the renewing of the mind.

This is not rocket science. In fact Paul gives several examples to illustrate the mechanics of sanctification, but I will cite one: Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need (Eph. 4:28). If you are a converted thief, growth in holiness means you put off the old man and stop stealing. Growth in righteousness means you put on the new man and replace stealing with the honest earning of money. Notice, the Bible does not spend any time telling us how to stop stealing. Why? Because as a believer you do not need to be told how to stop stealing. Scripture assumes that as a regenerate child of God you have all the ability and ingenuity you need to stop stealing. You sin because you want to sin and choose to sin. No one twists your arm and drags you kicking and screaming into sin. If you are a born again thief you can stop stealing if you want to. If you are a drunk or a fornicator or a liar or a glutton you can stop if you want to with no instruction in how to stop. Your sinful habits are not diseases over which you are powerless. This doesn’t mean it will be easy; but do not be deceived by the wimpy non-Christian 12-step/disease/idiocy of the world. Do not call God a liar–He says you can stop (1 Cor. 10:13).

What about growth in knowledge, or the renewing of the mind? I believe this takes two forms. First there is the daily re-conditioning of our thinking through reading, study, meditation, hearing, and discussing the Word. Just like a daily shower a steady consistent exposure to the Word has a cleansing sanctifying effect (John 17:17). In addition to this there is the specific restructuring of fleshly thought patterns that accompany and justify sinful behavior. I believe this is hinted at in the example given above. The thief is told to stop stealing and start working. Why? So that he will be able to share with others in need. This is a purpose clause in Greek, and denotes the purpose of working instead of stealing. It gets at the root of what our work ethic and motive should be.

What are the thought patterns of a thief? Is he thinking of others? Well, usually no. He accustomed to easy money which he can lavish upon himself. Certainly he is not concerned for the hardship he is causing his victims. When the thief stops stealing and starts working he is to adopt a new way of thinking, one reflected in the statement of Jesus that it is more blessed to give than receive. When a man works hard to earn money to provide for the needs of his family, and he takes pride in being a responsible breadwinner, he is then thinking in a way that is a delight to the Lord. Can you see the difference in thinking between the thief and the hard-working provider? This kind of shift in thinking is at least part of what Paul is alluding to when he speaks of the renewing of the mind. Of course this concept is comprehensive, and includes theological indoctrination as well.

Finally, all this takes work (Phil. 2:12-13). There are no shortcuts. It takes daily consistent effort over the long haul.

I hope this short discussion will prove helpful and motivating to you as you seek to grow in the Lord. For more, see my video series on sanctification.

Today we will discuss the means of sanctification, also known as the means of grace. These are the resources or tools God has provided for us for use in our daily path of spiritual growth. We will look at these means of sanctification under three broad headings: up-reach, in-reach, and outreach.

Up-reach is the worship and glorifying of God. It is more an attitude than a mere activity. The Westminster Shorter Catechism declares that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 1 Cor. 10:31 commands us to do everything to the glory of God–our words, thoughts, and deeds. The Bible does not present a narrow compartmentalized view that sees true worship only in the corporate singing of praise songs on Sunday morning. The best approach to worship is to see it as a lifestyle. God is present in all of life, and evidence of His presence is evident all around us and in us through general revelation in creation and conscience. Growth is cultivated more readily through a life of  worshipful recognition of God’s glory 24/7.

In-reach involves the up-building of ourselves and others. The Word of God, prayer, the indwelling Holy Spirit, fellowship, and the ordinances, are all means whereby we are strengthened and enabled to grow in conformity to the image of Christ. Many of these means are available for use in one’s private life, but the truth is that God has made His Church a primary custodian or steward of these forms of enabling. Therefore churches are under Divine obligation to offer sound Bible teaching and preaching, regular observance of the ordinances,  and real opportunity for corporate prayer and small group fellowship. All must be Christ-centered; and to Christ-centered means to be Bible-centered (John 17:17).

Outreach involves sharing your life as well as the gospel message with those around you who do not know the Savior. It means living an honest and upright life in the community and workplace. It means being able to sincerely share the testimony of what Christ has done in your life. It also means knowing how to explain to an unbeliever the message of salvation. Some are more gifted in evangelism than others, of course. But to some degree we are all ambassadors for Christ. Seeing ourselves in this light and acting upon it can be a source of joy and growth in Christ.

So I suppose if I could offer one word of encouragement to anyone wanting to grow more in the process of sanctification it would be to plug into a church where the above means are available. In that context you will be blessed and be a blessing.

Today we kick off with the first of three blog posts on the subject of sanctification. The order of presentation will be: (1) the meaning of sanctification; (2) the means of sanctification; (3) the mechanics of sanctification.

Sanctification is the act or process of being sanctified or made holy. Holiness in this context denotes both separation from defilement or contamination and separation to or for special use or service. The Bible presents the concept of sanctification in several ways. First, there is ceremonial holiness or sanctification. Certain garments, utensils, vessels, and foods were set apart for use only by the Levitical priests in the temple service. Positional sanctification denotes God setting the believer apart as a member of His body at the point of salvation (1 Peter 1:2).  In this positional sense sanctification is a completed act and cannot be improved upon or detracted from. Third, there is progressive sanctification, which denotes the ongoing spiritual growth of the believer.

Briefly let me offer the following introductory distinctives to flesh out our definition of progressive sanctification. (1) The starting point is regeneration, or the new birth. Once alive in Christ the believer’s sanctification is but a continuation of the process initiated by God at salvation. (2) The goal or end point is glorification, or resurrection. At this point our mortal flesh will give way to glorified bodies free from any trace of sin. (3) In the meantime, sanctification is an ongoing process of growth in holiness, righteousness and knowledge whereby the believer is gradually conformed and restored to the image of God (Christ). (4) Sanctification takes daily work and effort on the part of the believer. There are no quick and east shortcuts to true godliness. There are setbacks and failures along the way. At times there will be seasons of victory, and at other times it might feel as if one is regressing. But at the end of the day God will lead the true believer in triumph in Christ Jesus.

If you want to look up some verses on this subject, please see Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 4:17-32; Phil. 2:12-13. Tomorrow we will discuss the means of sanctification, sometimes also called the means of grace. After that we will finish with a nuts-and-bolts discussion of the mechanics of sanctification.

BTW, if you want to really get into this study, see my video series on sanctification.

OK. Today I will explain these two-bit theological terms in response to a comment made by Doug in reference to my blog post: What is a Christian? I will not quote much Scripture today.

Monergism and Synergism are terms used to explain the way God works and man cooperates in regeneration, or the new birth. Monergism teaches that one person does the work in regeneration, while Synergism denotes a collaborative or cooperative effort of man and God. Those who hold what is commonly known as an Arminian view lean towards synergism, while those from a so-called Reformed, Augustinian, or Calvinist position are monergistic. So which view is the biblical concept?

The answer to this question really hinges on what you believe the Bible teaches about the nature of man in the unregenerate state. If you believe that man is a sinner but still retains a spark of ability to respond in faith and obedience to God, then you will find a synergistic view of the new birth to be attractive. You might even opt for the Wesleyan concept of Prevenient Grace, which is the belief that God has granted to all sinners in the unregenerate state enough grace to either accept or reject the Gospel of their own free will.

The problem is that nowhere does Scripture teach that man has a libertarian free will–that is, the ability to freely will or choose to exercise saving faith. Nor does the Bible teach that God has somehow enabled all sinners to respond positively to the Gospel. To the contrary, Scripture says that in the unregenerate state man is dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). It is clear from verses like John 6:36-44, Acts 16:14, and Romans 8:28-31 that God draws and enables some sinners to come to Him; but he does not choose, draw, or regenerate all.

So clearly, the Word of God teaches a monergistic view of the new birth. God reaches down and unilaterally regenerates those dead sinners whom he has chosen from all eternity. He implants saving faith in them as a free gift (Eph. 2:8-9). They of course trust in Christ as Savior. From that point forward they have new hearts that desire to serve God. It is true that a residue of the flesh remains, causing the believer struggle and conflict in the good fight of faith (Romans 7). The believer continually puts off the old man and puts on the new man (Eph. 4:22ff.) and works out his salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is God working in him to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13).

Now in the post What is a Christian? I was not referring to entry-level requirements (how one becomes a Christian). That process is touched upon here. The earlier post deals with the characteristics or defining marks of one who is already a Christian (or professes to be one). A true believer will exhibit certain moral and doctrinal distinctives as a general rule. It goes without saying that no one is perfect, and all believers will have those seasons where they are not exhibiting victory. But in the process of sanctification the flesh is mortified progressively and the believer grows in the grace and knowledge of the Savior, culminating in glorification, or resurrection.

Enough. Doug (and all who read), I hope this answers your questions and hopefully stimulates some fruitful discussion.

As news reports continue to come to us from Haiti we begin to grasp the magnitude of the disaster. It all seems so removed from our comfortable experience. We hear of more police officers being shot and killed on an almost daily basis. Businesses are closing up and folks are losing jobs as we sit before the flat screen and watch Olympic figure skating. As one famous writer put it, these are the best of times and the worst of times.

We are truly blessed, and we must never lose sight of whence these blessings issue forth: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17). God’s common grace causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and unjust alike (Matt. 5:45). As believers in God’s sovereignty we understand that His grace in all its forms does not come to us because we are more righteous than others, but in spite of the fact that we are anything but righteous in and of ourselves.

We also understand that adversity is not necessarily a consequence of personal transgression, although it is a result of living in a fallen world. When we are stricken with disaster, bad health, or financial reversal, like Job we are able to say: The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). 

A few years ago when the Tsunami ravaged the coastline of Indonesia I remember one televangelist saying it was obviously a sign of God’s judgment on the nation for its years of paganism and rejection of the Gospel. If in fact this were the reason for the Tsunami, only God could know it for certain; and it was presumptuous for anyone to attempt to speak for God under such circumstances. On the other hand I heard another famous preacher say God had nothing to do with this disaster, and that it was a result of natural law and that Mother Nature was to blame. Those were his exact words.

News flash–God had everything to do with it. The God who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11) allows nothing to come to pass in His universe apart from his sovereign decree. This might sound harsh, but if we do not hold to the absolute sovereignty of God over all events, who can we trust and lean on when the bottom drops out from under us? We might not know why God has allowed adversity to come to us, but if we know He is in control we can trust in Him even though our circumstances range from mildly uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful.

So count you blessings my Christian friends. And remember that when God allows you to be buffeted by a thorn in the flesh, He will use it to build your faith in Him as your sufficiency.

Our older son Justin began wrestling at age five for the Blaine Barracuda program in 1986. Four sons and 23+ years later we are in our final week of wrestling, at least as parents of a high school student-athlete. Our youngest son Jeremy, age 18, after winning his conference, district, and regional titles, goes into the state tournament next Friday and Saturday as the number one ranked wrestler in the state in his weight class and the number one seed. He placed second at state last year, losing a 3-2 nail biter. All his siblings will be present to watch him close out his high school career–two of the brothers flying in from San Jose’ for the event. Both of them wrestled in the Tacoma Dome and won state medals in 1996 and 1999. Jeremy does not know they are coming: he is under enough pressure as it is. He dearly loves his dad and wants to win the state championship for him. But I want him to do it for himself. Regardless of the outcome we will be proud of his accomplishments.

The world’s oldest and greatest sport has kept us busy November through February for a few years now.  This is one reason why you do not see regular blog posts in the Sword Room. One more week and all that will change. In the meantime I would remind you that wrestling is one of only a few sports mentioned in the Bible (along with track and field and boxing). In Genesis 32 we read of Jacob wrestling with the Angel of the Lord. In Ephesians 6 Paul tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Notice: nowhere do we read about the Angel of the Lord playing basketball; nor does Paul ever say that as believers we do not play basketball against flesh and blood. I am joking around of course, but it is a great sport. And it is so much like life in that it involves hard work, mental preparation, self-denial, goal-setting, elation, and disappointment. I absolutely love it.

We are so thankful to have healthy kids who could compete in sports and that we were blessed to live in a town with such a strong program and tradition. As this final week winds down we hope to see the breaking of the Holdaas Jinx. Over the years we have had sons in state finals matches seven times, and seven times we have gone home with second place medals. If Jeremy makes it to the finals next Saturday it will be the eighth and final time. Better late than never to break the jinx. Of course there is no such thing as a jinx–it is foolish superstition. Still, Jeremy must be under a lot of pressure, and this week we will be filling the days leading up to state with some fun distractions. Hopefully I will get in here and wrote two or three posts before we head down to pick up Josh and Justin Thursday afternoon at Sea-Tac.

Have a great week. Keep praising the Lord, and we will hit the ground running this time next week.

We watched the first of my four videos on this subject last night at SFC, followed by a discussion. Some people think if you believe in God you are a Christian. Or if you go to church. Or get Baptized. Or try to live by the Ten Commandments or Golden Rule. Or if you make a “decision for Christ” by reciting a sinner’s prayer, walking the aisle in a meeting, raising your hand, filling out a commitment card, etc. Ask five random people on the street what a Christian is and you might get five different answers. In this country because the word “Christian” can mean almost anything it really means nothing. Selecting churches is like going the the Old Country Buffet and pickng out what you like to eat and passing on what you don’t like.

You can call yourself a Christian and stand in a pulpit and say “G– D— America!” You can deny the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the Virgin Birth and still consider yourself a Christian. You can say with a straight face that you think the Bible is full of errors and out of the other side of your mouth claim to be a Christian. You can engage in behaviors of which the Bible states that those who practice them will not inherit the Kingdom of God and still claim assurance that heaven will be your eternal home.

We want to be inclusive in our culture when it comes to spirituality and religion; but the Bible is very exclusive when it defines who is and is not a Christian. Such an approach is not popular in this pluralistic and so-called tolerant society. But Jesus Himself claimed to be the only way (John 14:6). Peter said there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Paul said there is only one mediator between God and men–Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5-6). To become a Christian the entry-level baseline is faith alone in Christ alone–the Christ of Scripture.

The test of a professing believer is: do they believe the Word of God? Do they believe what Scripture says about God, sin, salvation, and the love of the brethren? If you tried to go into a Muslim mosque, a Hindu  or Buddhist temple, or a Kingdom Hall and deny the basic tenets of those religions, what do you think would happen? And yet in this country as evangelicals we have tried to enlarge the tent to squeeze as many in as possible at the expense of doctrinal and moral purity.

The road is narrow and the gate is small that leads to heaven. Nor is this an idea someone just dreamed up yesterday. It has been the historic position of the church from day one. For more please watch my video series on What is a Christian?

Don’t laugh. I woke up at 3 am this morning with the inspiration for this somewhat odd theme.

When I was a boy in the 1950s-60s growing up in the South Seattle suburb now known as Sea-Tac, little league baseball was the only organized youth sport. So many kids turned out that they actually had to cut some of them from the tryouts and send them home with heads hung low. Fortunately I was always able to at least make the “C” team.

As time went on I got pretty good swinging the bat, but my downfall was I would always come to the plate thinking long ball. I hit a few doubles, triples, and HR’s but my strikeouts were up there too. My hero was Willy Mays of the Giants. We were big Giants fans in those days because Seattle and Portland did not have major league teams, and San Fransisco was the nearest city with a team. On clear nights we could get the strong AM station out of the Bay Area which broadcast the games live.

The one thing I dreaded most was the bunt signal from the third base coach. It was called a sacrifice bunt because the idea was to risk getting put out yourself to score the guy on third. I was a lefty so I did what was called a drag bunt and had the ability to beat the throw most times. Still, I hated bunting. No glory in it. Would Willy Mays bunt?

Actually, yes. I saw him bunt one time and then bunting was cool.

After that it was bass guitar and rhythm guitar I hated. After about 1964 it seemed like every garage in the neighborhood came complete with its own rock band. No problem finding drummers, lead vocalists, and lead guitarists. But I did not want to play rhythm or bass because it was not cool. Playing lead gave you a chance to show off your chops as well as receive the adoration of the teenage girls. So I decided to become the next Eric Clapton, which of course never happened.

In high school I played one year of football as a tight end. Kind of boring because the QB and the wide receiver were best friends, so I mostly blocked and caught maybe one or two passes the whole season, which ended up being my last. When basketball season started I decided to give that a try. In the very first turnout I kept trying to grab guys as they drove past me for layups, and I actually tackled one kid. The coach took me aside and pointed me to a bunch of sweaty guys wrestling on some mats in a hot crowded room. He told me I was better suited for that sport than basketball. Which I was. Thus began my longstanding love of the world’s oldest and greatest sport. By the way, after all these years the last of our four sons is in his final two weeks of post-season. Wrestlers every one of them. If girls wrestling had been around the gals would have been competing on the mat too.

Well, the point of this post is this: as I grow older it becomes clearer to me that sacrificing your higher good by bunting to score a run for the team is a really great thing. Getting lots of assists on the basketball court behind Michael Jordan is just as important to the team as sinking double digits every night from outside the three-point line. The star quarterback is only as good as the big guys on the line blocking for him. Without a good fat bass line at the foundation holding down the fort, good rock music would not be good at all. In life in general as well as the church, those who function in support roles are every bit as important to the growth of the whole as the most prominent members.

Bunting, bass playing, and blocking are cool.

No–I am not telling you to name it and claim it or rebuke Old Slew Foot in the name of Jesus. Today I want to talk about real authority that is ours in Christ and how to use (not abuse) it.

In Mark 1:22 we see the following response from those who heard Jesus in the synagogue at Capernaum: And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. The Jewish teachers of Jesus’ day gave lip service to God’s Word, but in their discourses quoted lengthy sections from the commentaries of the noted Rabbis. “Rabbi Hillel says thus and such, but on the other hand Rabbi Shamai says…” Jesus’ approach was to simply tell people directly and clearly what God said: “You have heard it said that……..but I say to you…” The people were astonished and drawn to this new teacher from Galilee who spoke with such clear and unmistakable authority.

Where did this authority come from? It came from the person of God and from the Word of God. Of course Jesus is God, but in His incarnation He put aside the voluntary autonomous use of His divine attributes and submitted Himself completely to the Father in all his words and deeds. People are drawn to a man who speaks from the Word with authority from on high. When there is a famine of God’s Word in the land many will be attracted to false teachers and false prophets claiming a divine word.

Such was the case in this country in the 1830s, an era which saw the rise of Mormonism, Christian Science, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses), and Seventh-Day Adventism (not to mention Dispensationalism). Joseph Smith said that he visited many churches, but no one could or would answer his questions from the Bible. So he sought extra-biblical revelation, started a new religion, and drew masses of followers now numbering around ten million worldwide. Why do people find cult groups attractive? Because they have a pseudo authority that mimics the true authority of Christ and His Word. This alleged authority looks even more attractive when the evangelical churches de-emphasize the Word in favor of social programs and a watered-down message.

We do well to remember that Christ’s main focus in His public ministry was not healing and feeding people and casting out demons. These  ministries functioned as confirmation of His person and message. When the throngs clamored for more of these kinds of signs Jesus often retreated and made statements like this: Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth (Mark 1:38).

The time has never been more ripe for the authoritatively delivered Word of God. Our culture is choking and drowning in secular humanistic relativism and mushy namby-pamby wishy-washy political correctness. While the church tries to make nice in this error-polluted culture  many are flocking to the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard or the Dali Lama or some other so-called guru like Deepak Chopra. Or the LDS Church, which is growing by leaps and bounds.

Dear believer–do not be afraid to speak the truth into the lives of others. Do it in love, of course. But remember that Christ has given you authority to speak His Word in His name. It is the Gospel, not your cologne or winning smile, that is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).