Half a Zebra

How not to measure sanctification

I have three friends who are physicists. In my experience, these Guardians of the Universe treat us lesser mortals with equal measures of pity and patience. When answering any question, glasses are removed and polished languidly, before replacing them, having considered how to explain to a mere mortal the intricacies of The Standard Model as the basic kit needed to peel away the scales from my eyes.

You may know the drill?

Shocking news then this week that the Standard Model which has proven to be an excellent theoretical basis for, well, everything…may not be as perfect as once assumed. The W Boson, apparently, is heavier than predicted by the Standard Model and this has left Physicists scratching their collective heads.

Shocking news also for evangelical theologians as their Standard Model may need to progress to 3.0 from 2.0

In Science, theories and Standard Models are as good as they are until a result comes its way that requires the theory to be modified or rejected. History tells us that pioneers of the former theory fight tooth and nail before yielding to the greater wisdom of a new theory. A classic example is the Newtonian Theory of Universal Gravity yielding its pre-eminence to the warping of the space and time care of Albert Einstein in his superior theory of General Relativity.

Is this the case in theology? By ‘theology’ I mean, in essence, correct biblical understanding of the scriptures, or doctrine, if you will.

My thesis on the Standard Gospel Models

Standard Gospel Models 1.0 and 2.0 are fundamentally flawed. The evidence for this is that 1.0 and 2.0 fail to explain the NT position on sanctification and glory. As 1.0 had to yield to 2.0 so 2.0 will yield to 3.0.

NB the original apostles who wrote the NT understood, taught and experienced all of the material they wrote. Much of that early teaching was diluted and forgotten as church traditions grew. Since the Reformation we have been in a ‘recovery’ mode of rediscovery; 1.0; 2.0; and 3.0 are all necessary stages on that recovery road.

Standard Model 1.0 Evangelical (from 1520 to 1900)

Romans 1-5 the remaining chapters are outliers e.g. confusion over Romans 6 and 7 and straight contradiction of Rom 8 v 28 – 30.

In summary:  salvation from sin and the gift of eternal life, the gift of righteousness, salvation by grace not by works, sola fide, and justification by faith.

The Reformation theologians re-discovered much of 1.0.

Standard Model 2.0 Pentecostal/Charismatic (1900 to…)

As above but in addition the rediscovery of Jesus not only as Saviour and Lord but as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and a re-awakening to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through each believer e.g. the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit.

Charles Fox Parnham was the early 2.0 pioneer  Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929) (revival-library.org)

Standard Model 3.0 Nicknames take a while to land…

Before we look into 3.0 there is an important point to face.

Luther and others who defied Rome and called for a Reformation and rediscovered what was always there in the Scriptures were shunned, opposed, persecuted, and worse. European history is a sorry tale of Reformation and Counter-Reformation, of opposing politico-religious forces, with consequent wars, theological tussles, and wrestling matches. It was costly moving into 1.0.

Equally the early Pentecostals who experienced the baptism of the Spirit were often rejected by evangelical churches and forced to form their own churches, the Pentecostal churches. Many mainstream denominational churches in the 1970s embraced baptism in the Spirit as part of their NT doctrine, taught it, becoming the charismatic churches we see across the UK and the world – whatever the denominational label on the side of the building.

But still, in 2.0, sanctification and glory are ‘outliers’, Romans 6 & 7 are not integrated into the theology and Romans 8 v 28-30 is routinely contradicted. They stick out like wrong-shaped jigsaw pieces.

Standard Model 3.0 attempts to incorporate Romans 6 & 7 and Romans 8v28-30 and gets to grips with what it means to be ‘in Christ’.

Billy Graham preached the 1.0 version of the gospel, as had Luther, Calvin, John Wesley, George Whitfield, and countless others before him. Those converted under those ministries speak of being ‘born again’ or of ‘being saved’ or of the assurance they have of their salvation from the ‘witness of the Spirit’. They would be encouraged to be part of a church, pray and read their bibles as the word of God and be willing to share the gospel with others. It is estimated that over 3 million individuals came to faith in Christ through Billy Graham’s ministry alone. I have met many in the UK converted through his preaching.

From 1967 until 2019 another evangelist, the German Reinhart Bonkke, trained in Swansea Bible College before preaching mainly in Africa. It is estimated that over 70 million came to faith in Christ through his ministry. He preached the 2.0 gospel like Charles Fox Parnham and William Joseph Seymour at Azusa Street in Los Angeles in 1904 had before him. In many other continents since the 1960s and 1970s many ‘evangelical’ 1.0 version preachers and ordinary believers experienced the baptism in the Spirit and saw miracles. Churches were transformed and the greatest growth in the church worldwide has come from the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches. In all the major cities and many towns across the UK, you will find at least one if not many churches that preach 2.0 and have done for at least a generation.

My contention, and the contention of many others, though is that the biblical basis for 2.0 is restricted to Romans 1-5 + baptism in the Spirit. Hopefully, I can give a clear explanation of the differences between 1.0 and 2.0, and 3.0.

Under 1.0 and 2.0 salvation is understood as Justification by faith followed by a lifetime process of sanctification and then resurrection and glory. Inherent in this understanding of the gospel, sanctification is seen as a gradual transformation of the individual into the likeness of Christ.

By the end of Romans 5 Paul has taught us that the crucifixion of Christ was ‘substitutionary’. I was the sinner that deserved to be punished but Jesus, in dying willingly on the cross, stood in my place and took the punishment I deserved. A typical illustration used is of a thief awaiting sentence in court. But the judge acquits the criminal: ‘Acquitted. Fine paid.’ The guilty man looks at the judge in astonishment. The judge himself had paid the fine and the criminal is free to go.

The great problem with this illustration is that, although the debt had been paid, the nature of the thief has not fundamentally changed. He is still the same man that leaves the court. Whether he commits another crime or lives an exemplary life from that point on is not the point; he is still the same man. In more biblical terminology: his sins have been forgiven but the sinner remains. He may even use the phrase to describe himself as a ‘sinner saved by grace’ – this is a distortion of the gospel.

In Romans chapter 5 Paul begins to use the language to describe the whole of humanity as either ‘in Adam’ or ‘in Christ’ to show that, in the crucifixion of Christ, God not only dealt with our sins but sin itself and, therefore, the sinner. For example, v19: ‘For as by one man’s disobedience (referring to Adam) many were made sinners, so also through one man’s obedience (referring to Christ) many will be made righteous’.

How this has occurred is explained in the following chapter, chapter 6.

‘Do you not know that as many of us were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death…knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him…’ v3-6

Paul is showing us that Christ’s death was not only ‘substitutionary’ but ‘inclusive’. That the old ‘in-Adam-sinner’ died, was crucifed with Christ and the new ‘in-Christ’ person has come to life.

Our salvation, then, is not just that our sins have been forgiven (that is wonderful of course) but that the sinner has been dealt with in the crucifixion. This is consistent with verses elsewhere in the NT:

1 Cor 1 v 30 ‘But of Him you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption’

‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new’ 2 Cor 5 v17

‘I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ, who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me’  Gal 2v20

‘For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life…’ Col 3 v 3,4

Once we ‘see’ this it changes our starting point as believers. We are brand new in Christ. The future then is a process of growth and maturity, not self-improvement. We have been sanctified by God setting us apart in Christ. Sanctification/holiness and saints are all equivalent Greek words. 1 Corinthians – a letter written in part to address serious moral failings in the church in Corinth – affirms that the believers are saints i.e. are holy, are sanctified. That isn’t in doubt:

‘To the church…to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints…’ 1 Cor 1v2

NB translators who are from 1.0 and 2.0 contradict Paul’s statement and insert ‘…called to be saints…’ but this is not in the Greek text. If you belong to 1.0 or 2.0 then clearly in Corinth the problem was a lack of sanctification. But in 3.0 sanctification is the starting point. We are saints, not, of course, by virtue of our innate goodness or moral superiority, but because we have been made new in Christ. The problem, as Paul argues in 1 Cor 3, was of immaturity, of living by the flesh, and imitating ‘mere men’ i.e. old-in-Adam men not by the Spirit.

‘I could not speak to you as spiritual people but as carnal as babies in Christ…you are still carnal…and are behaving like mere men’ 1 Cor 3v1-4

This is why the NT describes the Christian life as one of moving from glory to glory not Adam to Christ; our starting point is Christ as is our end:

‘But we all…are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory’ 2 Cor 3 v 18

In 1.0 and 2.0 this is simply re-interpreted as ‘from our old man progressively into the new man’…a self-improvement programme run by the Spirit. But this verse shows us that in the first instant of time after placing our faith in Christ we have been glorified and are set then to grow in that glory…because the glory is in Christ.

In 3.0 Romans 8 v 28-30 works smoothly.

‘’…whom he called, these he also justified; and whom he justified he also glorified.’

Paul’s use of the past-tense for ‘glorified’ doesn’t fit with 1.0 and 2.0 and appears to be the wrong-shaped jigsaw piece. Consequently, commentaries written by 1.0 and 2.0 believers routinely contradict and re-work Paul’s use of the past tense:

FF Bruce

Sanctification is glory begun, glory is sanctification is glory completed. Paul looks forward to the completion of the work.

Thomas R. Schreiner

The glorification posited here does not start in this life

Douglas Moo

While not experienced yet the divine decision to glorify those who have been justified has already been made

Ellicott

Glorified: strictly, the glorifying of the Christian awaits him in the future, but the Apostle regards all these different acts as focused together as it were on a single point in the past.

Matthew Poole

Some, under this term of glorification, would have sanctification included; because, otherwise, they think there is a great defect in this chain of salvation.

Cambridge Bible School

Glorified: a past tense used, with wonderful power, of a thing future.

None agree with Paul that glorification, as well as sanctification and justification, are all wrapped up and describe the salvation we enter by faith. They cannot agree because their Romans 1-5 faith is limited to the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Once the cross is seen as inclusive as well as substitutionary Paul’s use of the past tense makes sense and is logical.

We move, as the apostle wrote, from glory to glory.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians ‘to Him be glory in the church in all generations’ Eph 3v21 is within the remit of the gospel not a fanatical hope and cannot be postponed to the end of the age if the glory is to be in the church in every generation.

Final Comments

1.0 and 2.0 Christians believe in half a zebra.

If you are in 1.0 or 2.0 you believe and hope that there will be a little less of me and a little more of Jesus as time progresses, mirroring John the Baptist’s words ‘I must decrease; He must increase.

But, as we have seen, according to the New Testament, you have been crucified. You cannot decrease!

You cannot measure sanctification on a supposed scale of holiness, in holy Zebras, or any other unit of holiness, there is no scale.

‘Of Him, you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us our…sanctification…(so)…glory in the Lord’’ 1 Cor 1v30

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