Definitive Sanctification w/ Timothy Brindle

Christ has taught

This is the Westminster Podcast. I'm Brandon McLean Smith, and today I am joined again by Timothy Brindle. And uh today we're going to be talking about definitive sanctification. Now typically when uh the believer thinks about sanctification, sometimes we we're we're apt to think about a ongoing process where we are conformed more and more to the image.

Christ over time was progressive sanctification, but today we want to talk about um definitive sanctification, which is an aspect of sanctification that is overlooked all too often. And about this, uh John Murray says it is biblical to apply the term sanctification to this prophet. But it is a fact too frequently overlooked that in the New Testament the most characteristic terms that refer to sanctification are used not of a process, but of a once for all.

So with that said, thanks for joining me, Tim. Looking forward to the conversation. Brandon, thanks for having me back. And I'm excited to discuss this because it is so For pastoral ministry. And I have found many of our people, our church members, um, many disciples of Christ only think of sanctification in terms of it being a process. And it's important to think of it. As the daily process of being made more and more

Into the image of Christ, conformed into the image of Christ. But as we'll talk about today, oftentimes scripture thinks about Wants us to think about sanctification in its definitive once for all sense that we have been already. Set free from the enslaving power of sin. And I would say that's been the most transformative uh life-changing truth for me in my walk with Christ. So uh hap uh really happy to talk.

And you know, Murray, we've already we started off with a quote from him, we're gonna talk about uh his work quite a bit. Um and I think this and when we're talking about definitive. Hard to uh come up with a better deck. Murray provides when he says, quote, there is a once for all definitive and irreversible breach with the realm in which sin. And Murray is not getting that. From speculation or just from reading uh Calvin uh or other theologians who are so helpful to the church.

But he's getting it straight from scripture. Uh in particular, Romans six should be the first place uh we should go when we think of definitive sanctification. And it strikes that after a handful of chapters on really laying out justification by faith alone. The fact that God has provided a saving righteousness for us in Christ. Which believers receive by faith.

In which Christ has He's forgiven all our sin. All of our sin was imputed to Christ on the cross, who suffered God's wrath and condemnation and judgment for it. And all of Christ's law-keeping righteousness has been imputed to the believer, received by faith, so that we're seen as if we live the perfect life of Jesus immediately after Paul finishes Romans 3, 4, and 5 on that topic.

In Romans 6, he turns first to definitive sanctification as the basis for our progressive or ongoing daily sanctification. And so if we're gonna think about sanctification uh as a coin. I think it's fair to say definitive sanctification is the head side of the coin, which then provides the foundation for for the tail side of the coin, namely progressive sanctification. So let's read from Romans.

But chapter six and I'll start at verse six where Paul says, knowing this that our old self, literally in the Greek, our old man has been crucified together with him. In order that the body of sin might be destroyed so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. So we see very clearly there in Romans six six. Uh the fact that our old man, that is, who we were in Adam, Adam is the old man for Paul, Christ is the new man for Paul, who we were in Adam not only as condemned sinners.

But as those who were enslaved to sin, we think about the fact that in Adam there's the double trouble that comes from the fall. There's not only the guilt, the kit the the guilt of sin, which results in condemnation and eternal wrath from God. But the but the corruption, the enslaving power of sin is the fact every b every person in and of themselves while in Adam, outside of Christ, can't stop sinning. Love sinning. Hate God and love sin. Um

Praise God that in the gospel he not only addresses the penalty of sin, he also addresses the enslaving power of sin. So that's what we're getting at with definitive sanctification. Yeah, and I think sometimes when when we focus of sanctification. It can be um you know I think Dr. Dugad refers to this as uh you know throwing another brick in the backpack. It's like you just feel And He would talk about progressive sanctuary.

Sometimes you're sometimes you're down, sometimes you're up. And it's really easy to focus on the down. But then he would say progressive sanctification is like that yo-yo, but it's like a yo-yo But it's so easy without definitive sanctification being at the front of our minds to focus

I love how you put that Brandon in crap. Because when we think of the gospel Oftentimes what's highlighted highlighted most or what is described as the gospel is only justification. But we know from First Corinthians one thirty, and because of him, because of God the Father, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, namely righteousness, And sanctification and redemption. And so in our union with Christ, we have all of these glorious benefits.

Not only justification is ours in Christ, adoption is ours in Christ, sanctification is ours in Christ, both in its definitive and progressive sense. And so we were taught here at Westminster in our MDiv program in the in our in our systematic theology classes that we have these benefits, these gospel blessings in our union with Christ. And the moment the Lord regenerated us, gave us saving faith, united us to Christ.

We had these distinct benefits. They're distinct from each other, justification, adoption, and sanctification. They're also inseparable in that you can't have one without the other, and they all became ours simultaneously. And that's really important'cause oftentimes as Christians we think Justification is first, then sanctification.

And although it's true that progressive sanctification follows the once for all grace, the once for all grace of justification, definitive sanctification was yours in Christ the moment you receive the new birth, the moment you are born again, and God removed the heart of stone and gave you a new heart. He gave you definitive sanctification. And so the i it's crucial though how you put it, Brandon, in Christ. It's in our union with Christ. Absolutely. And I also

By no means and this is the crucial follow up, this is the reason why we should not sin so that grace may abound, is because how can we who died to sin still live? That is definitive sanctification. We are dead. By no means. That's the grounds of the I love how Murray in his commentary on Romans six really highlights dead to sin and now alive to God in Christ. Uh it's what we call the dative of sphere, the date of of realm, Murray says.

What the apostle has in view is the once for all definitive breach with sin, which constitutes the identity of the believer. If we view sin as a realm or sphere then the believer no longer lives in that realm or sphere, and just As it is true with reference to life in the sphere of this world that the person who has died passed away but could not be found, Psalm thirty seven thirty six.

So it is with the sphere of sin. The believer is no longer there because he has died to sin. The believer died to sin once and he has been translated to another realm. And this is where Dr. Gaffin really helps. connect this to the teaching of the kingdom of God. Where we know that we want uh were slaves to Satan in the kingdom of darkness. But fur uh Colossians chapter one.

uh eleven through thirteen talks about how we've been transferred out of the authority or the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom. of God's beloved son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. But Paul uses kingdom language not only for our justification, where he says in Romans five twenty one in order that just as sin once reigned, uses the verb basile connected to basileic kingdom, once sin uh although sin once reigned in death.

So also now grace reigns, grace is king through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Well, Paul continues to use kingdom language where he talks about how Sin no longer rules us. Sin is no longer Lord over us. He uses the verb that connect that's connected with the noun curios, the verb curio. Uh sin no longer dominates the believer because its enslaving power has been broken once for all in Christ.

And Paul ti takes this all the way back to the cross in verse six of Romans six. Knowing that. That our old man was crucified together with him. I have been crucified with Christ. Galatians 2 20. What we believe in our union with Christ is is that what happened to Christ happened to believers since Jesus represented us. So we were crucified with Christ. We were buried with Christ, raised with Christ.

We are now seated with Christ and so on. Uh, and so it's it's it's important to point out when he says crucified with him. Uh Paul uses this wonderful prefix, soon, uh in the Greek that he often uses for other union with Christ verbs. When the our position in Christ sometimes it's easy in some in some mystical abstract way we are where he is. But Gaffin says no, it's it's it's not an abstract way. It is more real

in the earthly in our earthly existence. We are it is more true of us that we are in I love that'cause as we walk with fellow believers and as uh pastors I shepherd struggling Christians, a as I as I shepherd men who who who wrestle with the indwelling power of sin.

And I'm teaching them this, they say, well, Pastor Timothy, I don't feel that there's been a once for all definite break with the enslaving power of sin. I mean, look at my life. Look at how my week has been. Oftentimes the problem uh for the believer who's thinking that way is just that. That's how they're thinking. And therefore Paul will say uh in Romans six eleven as the first imperative of the entire book. uh so you also must consider the logitsam.

Count it to be true, reckon it to be true. Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. But so you also the also connects back to verse ten. Where Christ, the death he died to sin. He died to sin once for all, but the life he lives to God. There was a once-for-all death that Christ experienced, where the power of death uh that Jesus experienced at the cross is n is now ended for him in his resurrection.

In that same way, the enslaving power of sin is ended for the believer. So we have to continue to think about this daily. And it becomes the basis for how we put off the old and put on the new every day. And so yes, this really must uh be central for the thinking for the Christian. It's interesting too looking at Romans six, um, that in verse four It what's interesting to me there is that he in verse four

And then in verse five, you know, we're not making up this in Christ stuff. It's for if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death certainly.

And so I guess uh that and raises the question in my mind of of the history. And so can you uh talk a little bit about that, about where um sanctification definitive progressive where that lands in the order

I was actually talking with Jonathan Brack earlier today as I was sharing with him we were gonna discuss this. He was very excited and he pointed out when it comes to Historia Salutis and just for our listeners When we talk about Historia Salutus, we're talking about the history of redemption, the history of salvation, in terms of what Christ objectively accomplished in time.

Which then gets applied to us in the Ordo Salutis, Latin for the order of salvation, really focusing on the application where the Spirit takes. uh the saving work of Christ that he accomplished in history and he applies it to the believer in in uh in in in time for each individual believer. And Jonathan pointed out that in Historia Salutus, in the history of salvation, Christ was crucified on the cross, and when he was crucified on the cross

Many things were happening. Not only was God the Father punishing our sin on Christ when he was crucified, but he was destroying the old man. So Jonathan asked the question. And and you'll have to be careful as you seek to answer it, listeners. When Jesus died on the cross, was that accomplishing our justification or our definitive sanctification? Yes. And it's very interesting that just as Christ simultaneously was suffering the penalty of sin.

He also was destroying the enslaving power of sin for all of his elect. For all of his elect. And it's interesting, Paul elsewhere. connects the fact that our definitive sanctification was accomplished at the cross. Uh this here is um 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where notice what Paul says. The love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore, the all have died for.

And he died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

To answer your question, Brandon, when it comes to the Ordo Salutis, the way that the Spirit applies the saving benefits of Christ to us in definitive sanctification. As we said at the opening, the moment Christ made us born again, regenerated us, gave us the gift of faith, and united us to Christ. definitive sanctification occurred. The alpha point, the beginning point of definitive sanctification, therefore, is regeneration. In that regard, the once for all definitive act of grace.

that we experience in our justification, that's once for all. Likewise, once for all, the definitive uh work of God's Spirit in sanctification, in terms of definitive sanctification, has already occurred. And so the moment you were united to Christ, friends, if you're in Christ, you were justified once for all. You were definitively sanctified insofar as the enslaving power of sin has been broken.

even though indwelling sin still exists, and you were adopted. All of these things occurred the moment the Lord saved you. Does that answer that question?

I want to quote Dr. Gaffin here, who was a student of John Murray, who has wonderfully unpacked John Murray on definitive sanctification. And this is what uh Dr. Gaffin says. uh in his uh book in the fullness of time an introduction to the biblical theology of acts and paul. You can find this on page three eighty four and three eighty five. Gaffin writes The opening verses of Romans six teach that

That by virtue of their union with Christ, believers have experienced a decisive break with sin. That's definitive sanctification, a decisive break with sin. A key point is that being united to Christ. A definitive once for all cleavage has occurred between believers and sinning as a walk or way of life. As the terms of the passage make clear, this once for all break is with sin as the controlling power in their lives. And here's where Gaffin helps bring even more clarity.

Paul is not here denying the reality of indwelling sin in the believer, think of Romans 7, verse 20, but he is affirming that while sin is indwelling, it is not dominated. Sin or sinful conduct. is not what ultimately rules in the life of the believer. As a consequence, Of their old self, having been crucified with Christ in union with him, believers are no longer enslaved to sin. Romans 6, 6.

They have been set free from sin, Romans 6, 7. This freedom from sin is from sin and sinning as Lord or overmastering enslaving power. So what we would say to our brothers and sisters in Christ. as each of us are wrestling with different sins, as the book of Hebrews talks about the sin that clings so closely and that may vary from believer to believer. Whatever sin you're wrestling with, please know.

It does not rule you. You do not have to give in. In other words, you can submit yourself to the Lord. You can resist the devil and he will flee. Uh, and when you do sin, when you fall. Repent, go back to the cross for forgiveness, and also to be reminded, wait, this sin doesn't really rule over me. Next time I get tempted, Lord help me. Surrender to you and obey you by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Yeah and one of the things that I think i is is awful also helpful because I uh you know when we're as we're talking about definitive sanctification, it can kind of um be misunderstood to to m it is possible for us to See sinning altogether, uh perfection. And and Murray is is very helpful in in arguing against that position. And so I guess um help me uh think through ways that that that this um that we can we can argue against that perfectionist. It means perfection.

And therefore, they don't have motivation to actively participate in progressive sanctification. I think what we can distinguish right off the bat is that in definitive sanctification, the believer is completely passive. It's interesting that in uh First Corinthians six, eleven, and this is some examples of how Paul refers to our sanctification definitively elsewhere, he tells the Christians in Corinth.

that such were some of you that is, such were s such uh some of you used to be adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, revilers, thieves, drunkards, and so on. Such were some of you, but you You were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. And there when he says, but you were washed.

He's referring to regeneration, where Paul talks about the washing of regeneration in Titus chapter three. And when he says, but you were sanctified in the airest past tense, and in the in in in and it's put there in the passage. It's something that has happened to you in the same way, but you were justified. Erist past.

Uh and this is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God. Paul also talked to the Corinthians, and he talked about how they have been sanctified in Christ Jesus in verse two of the opening chapter in the first letter to Corinth to Corinthians. But it's quite clear that when Paul nails home definitive sanctification, He doesn't mean that there's no work left to be done. Progressive sanctification, on the other hand, is not monergistic.

Where it's only God who did the work. It's what we call synergistic, where it's God by his power giving us the grace that we need and us humbling ourselves and cooperating by faith to daily put off the old and put on the new, to daily uh seek to obey the Lord. And in that regard, definitive sanctification forms the basis for our ongoing daily progressive sanctification.

Romans 6 12. Therefore, since definitive sanctification is true, do not let sin reign in your mortal body to make you obey its love. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourself to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments for righteousness, because

Sin will have no dominion over you since you're not under law but under grace. So, Brandon, I'd like to ask, why would Paul tell believers to count definitive sanctification to be true and to not let sin reign in your mortal bodies unless Christians, because we're not yet glorified,

Can functionally at times live as if sin does reign. That's why definitive sanctification is so true. And that's why there's a need to continue to present ourselves to God as those who are resurrected already spiritually, although not yet physically. Yeah, and it's it it's I think Murray says the same He cannot sin because he is begotten of God. And the way Murray puts that is he says, Well if this is perfectionism then it it it proves too much, right? Because it is

So to say that this there there's no reason to say this. There's no reason for John to to talk about this if sin is not a problem for the believer. So, you know, it it it is something that is uh assumed

We see that, you know, all and and another thing that uh is coming to mind as we talk about first John is that sometimes we can think of definitive sanctification as A Pauline concept and that it doesn't appear elsewhere. But we see it all through first John. Peter and and his works we see it uh all over the place. It's it's not a a distinct Pauline idea, it is a a thoroughly biblical. Good point, Brandon. And James is also very clear uh that believers in Christ

those in all believers in Christ already have justification, adoption, and definitive sanctification in daily the Lord is working progressive sanctification. James makes quite clear uh that the Christian is not perfect yet. He says in James three two, for we all stumble in many ways. And he goes on to talk about the tongue. If one has completely, perfectly controlled the tongue. Well, then you are perfect, complete, mature, perfected believer.

He goes on to make clear that's not the case for any of us until glory. And then he goes on in in James four to say, What causes quarrels, what causes fights among you, is it not this? that your passions are at war within you. You desire and do not have, so you murder, you covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not He it's it's quite clear that sin still rages to an extent within the believer, but it doesn't do so as a matter.

It does so as a defeated em enemy that's trying to rear its ugly head, whom we must, which we must put to death by the power of the Spirit, since sin doesn't rule over us. That's why we have the power to kill sin by the Spirit, that is through the word of the Spirit, the Scriptures, and through prayer, through the means of grace.

The preaching of the word through the Lord's Supper in Christian community and fellowship. We have all we need in the means of grace, uh, to to overcome sin daily. So yeah, many passages in scripture show Um although sin doesn't rule us, the the the the reality of indwelling sin is still the believer's biggest problem in life, but the solution to it is definitive sin.

First John two one, I I love this passage. It says my little children, I'm writing these things to you, so that you may not sin. Yeah. But if anyone sinks,

And Brandon, it's worth maybe pivoting now to show this is extremely practical um brothers and sisters in Christ, uh, for your walk. Think about the sin that clings so closely in your own life. Um that that sin doesn't truly rule over you. I'll never forget uh my professor at Westminster told us students about a decade ago Because the believer is in who is in Christ

Uh the definitive enslaving the the the enslaving power of sin has been broken. The Christian can never again be in love with sin the way that the unbeliever is. I can never really love my sin again. And that uh maybe g uh goes against your experience, Christians. Wait a second. If I'm honest, I feel like I really love my sin. Well As we reckon with the reality. the enslaving power of sin no longer has mastery over me. I can never love sin again. That's the power that Christ has broken, friend.

And the Lord is now working by his spirit in us to grow more and more in love with Christ. So we pray that you apply this practically, but we can also apply it. Uh and I'll let you maybe cut out that last two minutes uh when I mention w we can pivot to some practical matters.

We can apply this to many current issues of our day when we think about um LGBTQ agenda when we think about homosexuality and its temptations. According to Paul in Rom in First Corinthians chapter six. It's not only fornication and adultery, but also homosexuality that once defines. the Corinthian Christians, but such were some of you. Yes. You were washed, yet you were definitively sanctified, yet you have already been justified.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. So, Brandon, in what way would you say uh that definitive sanctification uh really destroys the arguments uh that are made from uh maybe side B Christianity and and the revoice. Yeah, well I think it it it you know the s the whole concept of of side B of of that sort of living

I think unraveled by definitive sanctification because you are not enslaved to your lusts. You are not a a helpless victim of your sexual proclivities. You have there's a a a break. Uh your sin, and you can resist it. You can fight against it. You're not relegated to a lifetime of service to. the the the concept of a gay Christian uh is sort of an oxymoron because of definitely The believer really is uh new creation.

Really is a part of Christ's new creation, really has been made new. And the more we uh submit to that truth. dwell on it and live in light of it, uh the more and more we are progressively sanctified. Amen to that, Brandon. And another um practical cultural issue that definitive sanctification applies to is um this false teaching that is floating around in the church and even in denominations like my own in the PCA, namely affinity groups, where some teach Uh that there needs to be

groups for people of different races or ethnicities. And the premise underneath that is because people from maybe minority groups are not safe. And are potentially traumatized around Christians from majority groups or ethnicities, namely white people. Uh and therefore there's a need for an affinity space because it's just not safe for minorities, people of color, African Americans, etcetera. to be around their white brothers and sisters in Christ. But my question is, how could that be true?

If the enslaving power of sin has been broken in the believer's life, yes, believers still wrestle and struggle with different sins and need to repent of different sins. but to say that an entire people group or that a person because of the color of their skin Is a slave to racism, is a slave to bigotry, prejudism, self righteousness, and so on, is a denial of the of definitive sanctification in the gospel. Yeah, and that I think There's the you know obviously like the level one

Right. So on that on those But then there's the level two. Which is this definitive sanctification piece? That there is not an indwelling racism in the heart of every single Because it has been done away with and has put been put to death with Christ. So on multiple levels these affinity groups and this this critical race theory is completely Well, Brandon, it's been a blessing.

uh to discuss the importance of definitive sanctification. Praise God for this gospel benefit. When we when we praise God for the sacraments and when we think about the sacrament of baptism. As you you talked about earlier from Romans six, it's striking that Paul uses baptism language. the fact that um we've been baptized into Christ, therefore we've been baptized into his death, and therefore now can and must walk in newness of life.

in our union with Christ. Praise God that one of uh the the sacraments, baptism is completely connected to, representative of, uh as a picture of our definitive sanctification.

So as we wrap up I think one one final thing that we can focus in on And and it's tied up with revoice, with LGBTQ stuff, with critical race theory and affinity groups, is is identity. Identity is such a a hot topic in our our culture in this time and and so many politically progressive, not progressive sanctification, but politically progressive movement. So uh let's talk a little bit about identity and how definitive sanctification informs

Yes, when we ask a Christian, how do you think about yourself? What is your identity? Uh, we should Have in mind, I'm not only righteous in God's sight because of the imputed righteousness of Christ and justification, I'm not only a forgiven child of God, I am a holy one. I am a saint and this is connected to the fact that I have already definitively experienced

The breaking of the enslaving power of sin. This is how Paul wants the Corinthian church to think about themselves with all of their struggles, with all of their issues. He opens his letter by saying that. Paul two of chapter one in Corinthians. To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus. Called to be holy ones, together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and our.

Paul wants the Corinthian church, Paul wants you, brothers and sisters in Christ, to think about yourself as a holy one and not only positionally holy. Not only that God sees you as holy because you're covered in the holiness of Christ, but also that you really are a new creation. You really are his holy child. And this is how you should think about yourself when it comes to your identity.

You know, the the old man has been crucified. The body of sin is destroyed. We no longer serve sin. We're justified from sin. We're alive to God. In respect of every criterion by which moral and spiritual life is to be assessed, there is absolute From who we are to who we were, there is absolute differentiation. We are dead to sin. That's right. Definitely.

And in that regard, we've begun to live as those who will eventually in time be completely perfected from sin, but the new creation has begun for the believer. in our definitive sanctification. The life of heaven, on one regard, has begun because the spirit Who dwells within us causes us to bear the fruit of the Spirit, uh, the the love of heaven that will be perfected in us and around us.

uh when we see the glorified Christ has already broken through. Uh and so I'd love to close out, Brandon, uh by reading uh Galatians six. Where Paul thinks about himself, although he's still involved in this world and that uh Paul is writing here. Is still alive in this world, yet he's already begun to participate in another world. Listen to what he says in Ro uh Galatians 6:14. But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

by which the world has been crucified to me, and I have been crucified to the world. And according to Gerhardis Voss and his Pauline Eschatology, Paul thinks about himself as being shot out of this world and now belonging to another. Although still experientially daily living in this world, he's already begun the new creation existence in his union with Christ.

Lord haste the day when we our faith has become sight and we are standing glorified before the Lord. Amen. Amen. This is the Westminster Podcast.