Comments on: on how we are sanctified – a difference with a friend

By: Jerry Bouey

Jerry Bouey — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 02:56:00 +0000

Bro. Don, I would certainly agree that meditating upon Christ plays a big part in our sanctification - but not without effort and application on our side. We still need to die to self, apply Biblical principles, be diligent about our growth (2 Peter 1), strive against sin, etc. It is my looking more steadfastly to Christ that leads me to strive against sin even more - it is when I take my eyes off of Him that I start to slip.

By: Don Johnson

Don Johnson — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 01:19:00 +0000

Regarding meditation...

I think that my friend does mean to meditate on Christ as revealed in the word. He certainly doesn't mean to meditate on something outside the Word.

My objection to the way this is expressed is that the impression is given that somehow if you just meditate on the right subject, you will automagically be sanctified. This seems very little different to me than the Keswick Deeper Christian Life movement that speaks about becoming 'wholly consecrated', 'relying totally on Christ', with no struggle. Somehow if you just delight in God enough, that's all that is needed.

I don't think my friend advocates the idea that there is no struggle in sanctification, but he uses language that suggests it. The language comes largely from the teaching of John Piper, I believe. I think that language at least leaves room for a serious error, if not being a serious error itself.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

By: Don Johnson

Don Johnson — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 00:59:00 +0000

Hi Jerry

Yes, I forgot to post the notes to that message. You can find them now at the blog entry entitled:

on the next installment of our legalism series

that post is dated July 30.

Sorry about that.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

By: Jerry Bouey

Jerry Bouey — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:59:00 +0000

Meditate in order to grow, yes, but meditate in the Word.

Worship in order to grow, yes, but worship according to the Word.

Could your friend possibly be referring to meditating on Christ as He is revealed through the Word? If He was referring to some kind of meditation on Christ apart from the reading and studying of the Word of God, then there would certainly be a problem with what he was saying.

I do believe one of the key elements of our growth is learning about the Lord Jesus Christ as we dig into the Word of God (as 2 Peter 1:2, 5-7 and 3:18 indicate; also Matthew 11:29-30).

By: Jerry Bouey

Jerry Bouey — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:08:00 +0000

I see six sermons in this series listed so far, but your next blog entry refers to the seventh sermon (which is available from your blog). Have you put this one on your site ("The Saved are Being Saved"), perhaps under another title? If not, here is a gentle nudge to add it.

I have appreciated this series so far (reading the fourth one now). It has been food for thought. What I have read I have agreed with - but it has encouraged me to think about some of the underlying reasons for my positions on this subject (such as devotion to Christ being the motivating factor, rather than simply outward conformity).

Thanks for posting this series. May the Lord richly bless you.

By: AVU

AVU — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 05:08:00 +0000

Don,
The interaction on this topic interested me. Just finished a paper on Galatians 5 that dealt with some of this. Perhaps this link will be of interest in this discussion. I think you both have hold of part of the concept of sanctification. Sharpen me please. http://mytrailthoughts.blogspot.com