J. C. Ryle's Holiness
I just finished this book Friday
And I can say its the best book on Sanctification
that I'm aware of in all of Church History
the Moody Classics edition that I read is still very
readable; despite the original being from 1820- I think.
defined-
Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity, of being made or becoming holy. To sanctify is literally "to set apart for special use or purpose" [By God], figuratively "to make holy or sacred," [By God] and etymologically from the Latin verb sanctificare which in turn is from sanctus "holy" and facere "to make"
3 common errors with Sanctification in American Churches today:
Since Americans love being lazy instead of learning about God- they reject formal Theological terms. Are terms inerrant? No; but its the knowledge of the term that resists these common errors.
1- Mainline Evangelicals: confusing or combining with Justification (being declared righteous by God; Salvation) with Sanctification (growing in Righteousness or being made more Holy; not completed till Heaven - with Glorification) this Historically leads to the Heresy of Salvation by Good Works.
2- Reformed: being so hardened against error #1, "obedience to law earns salvation: legalism or works righteousness," that they veer to Antinomianism (refusing to obey any law even God's or Christ's)
3- Liberalism: redefining biblical terms to mean the exact opposite of what they originally mean or intend (ex. Predestination, Creation, Atonement, Propitiation, Expiation, Slavery, Election, Miracles, ... etc. are all biblical terms that are not allowed in a Liberal version of Christianity)
Basically there is a place for your Good Works, not in Salvation (Justification) but in Sanctification (your Holiness making) - If your a Christian you need to get to work; if you're not a Christian you need to become one BEFORE you start trying to do good works or like its says in Holy Writ - all your good works are as filthy as used tampons and shit! (Is 64:6, Phil 3:8)
No comments:
Post a Comment