Hello KittyF

Thanks for the comment. I am sorry I was so slow approving it. I thought WordPress would e-mail it to me automatically, but I don’t recall seeing this one. So?? My apologies for the delay.

I think you are correct on the “complete in thee” part. Certainly we are complete in Christ. There is nothing we can add to our salvation. However, at the time I wrote, I was wondering about the line “no more shall sin”. I have since studied sanctification at a much more intense level than before and I think the writer is expressing a Calvinistic view of sanctification in the line. He is essentially saying that if I will just rest in grace, I will not sin.

In an earlier comment on this post, I mentioned that I thought the author of the poem was speaking about sanctification too passively. I think that is the result of the Calvinistic/Reformed view of sanctification. Today, you hear a lot of talk about “Gospel-centered” sanctification, which is another term for the same thing.

While some of the things this view teaches are true, it is an over-emphasis that creates an error in the thinking of Christians. Sanctification does involve the fruit of the Gospel and my sanctification must start with the Gospel, but there are things I must do as well in order to be sanctified. Some of those things are external and some (the most important) are internal. I have written about this more in detail here. Perhaps you will find my article there helpful. (Don’t miss the articles preceding the one I link to, links are in the first paragraph.)

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Here’s another that might give some more help. Be sure to look at p. 123 where it notes that the title, at least, comes from Col. 2:10.

Perhaps you are right, but I have to say that my background growing up is the holiness movement. I became a Baptist at BJU. My holiness friends would really like that verse.

It also seems to speak of sanctification as entirely passive, which seems problematic to me also. Maybe not to others.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3