The relation between our walking in sanctification of life and God's work of sanctification must not be conceived in the Arminian or synergistic sense. God is first also in the work of sanctification. Without him we can do absolutely nothing. Only when he works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure can we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12, 13). Only when he realizes his promises unto us, so that we actually have hold of those promises, can we cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1). Our work is rooted in the work of God, and it is the fruit of his work in us. He works in us his spiritual energy, the living spiritual power, to work out our own salvation and to walk as children of light. All spiritual power is alone from him. Herman Hoeksema. Reformed Dogmatics. Vol. 2. (Grandville: Reformed Free Publishing), pp. 127-128.
****
The Canons instruct further:
The Canons of Dort: Third and Fourth Heads of Doctrine
Faith is therefore to be considered as the gift of God, not on account of its being offered by God to man, to be accepted or rejected at his pleasure; but because it is in reality conferred, breathed, and infused into him; or even because God bestows the power or ability to believe, and then expects that man should by the exercise of his own free will, consent to the terms of salvation and actually believe in Christ; but because He who works in man both to will and to do, and indeed all things in all, produces both the will to believe and the act of believing also.
The Canons therefore attribute the work of sanctification to God only. . . . (Ibid., 129).
--
Reasonable Christian Blog Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost; Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen. 1662 Book of Common Prayer
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment