There are various errors of doctrine
which arise out of faulty principles of philosophy which have their
appeal to the religiosity which is rooted in the sinful flesh
of men. These errors become so entrenched
in the thinking of men that to oppose them, even with plain
scriptural truth, is to be thought by that religious flesh as to
be propagators of false doctrine. One of the most egregious of
those errors that has wrought untold heartache to those who
would claim to be the followers of Christ is a doctrine which
is called by some progressive sanctification, or in its fullest
and foulest form, entire sanctification. This doctrine has its roots in
the notion that man's service and obedience to God arises out
of his own free will and that he has the ability in his flesh
to improve himself even to the point of ceasing from sin. Thus the proponents of this doctrine
and their multitude begin their error by supposing that a man
is born again when he chooses to become a follower of Christ.
This is often called making a decision or letting the Lord into your
heart. If one begins with this notion, it is impossible that
he could have a true understanding of the depraved nature of man
in his natural state or of his absolute deadness in trespasses
and sins. In fact, such a notion denies
the very description and illustration of the new birth which is set
forth by our Lord. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John
had begun his epistle with this plain truth as he describes the
origin of this new birth of those who believe, which were born
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God. It is absolutely necessary that
a man have an understanding of the source of this birth if he
is ever to have any understanding of the results of it. If a man
is born again by his own free choice, then he must be its author,
and all power which might arise out of it must of necessity be
subservient to the will of the one doing the choosing. This
is the foundation for the errors which follow, and result in the
error of the Galatians. Are ye so foolish, having begun
in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Thus, those
who think this power resides in the free will of man must
also believe that it is up to him to either bring about a progression
of spirituality, as they might describe it, or to flounder around
in mediocrity, backsliding, and disobedience. The sanctification
of the Lord's people is not a progressive work, but is rather an accomplished
work that is imputed to them through no effort of their own,
that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of him are
ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Those who are made
free from sin by the blood that is the death of Christ are not
the servants of sin, nor can they in any wise be condemned
by any activity arising from a broken law, because Christ
has died in their behalf. He has not left them some unfinished
work yet to do, nor does he expect that they could perfect something
which is already perfect. We know that Christ has submitted
Himself to the condemnation of sin, that is, ours, once. By His own blood He entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us. If He has brought finality to
condemnation, standing in the room instead of His elect, how
can any charge be laid against them, most especially since He
has now made them righteous? To the same degree that we were
guilty sinners, worthy of death and destruction, We are now made
to inherit the essence of God's righteousness in Christ, according
to the same power of imputation. Only those who are still alive
unto sin could possibly think that it is fitting, proper, and
or desirable to approve the wickedness of their own flesh. Yet those
who are in Christ are not now the servants of sin, for they
are dead, and their life is hid with Christ in God. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream.net.