1. A Work of God’s Free Grace
Rev Roderick Macleod
Lachlan Mackenzie, the esteemed eighteenth-century Highland minister of the gospel wrote the following description of the man who by the grace of God desires to “die unto sin and live unto righteousness”:
“The happy man was born in the city of Regeneration, in the parish of repentance unto life. He was educated at the school of Obedience. He has a large estate in the county of Christian Contentment. And many times does works of self-denial. He wears the garment of humility and has another suit to put on when he goes to court, called the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness. He often walks in the valley of Self-abasement and sometimes climbs the mountains of Heavenly-mindedness. He breakfasts every morning on Spiritual Prayer, and sups every evening on the same. He has meat to eat the world knows not of, and his drink is the sincere milk of the Word of God. Happy is he who has gospel submission in his will, due order in his affections, and sound peace in his conscience, real divinity in his breast, the Redeemer’s yoke on his neck, a vain world under his feet, and a crown of glory over his head. Happy is the life of that man who believes firmly, prays fervently, walks patiently, works abundantly, lives holily, dies daily, watches his heart, guides his senses, redeems his time, loves Christ, and longs for glory. He is necessitated to take the world on his way to heaven, but he walks through it as fast as he can and all his business by the way is to make himself and others happy.”
This describes the cheerful and humble godliness which inward sanctification has produced in people we have known from our youth. As to its reality, its growth and its perfection, it remains the elusive effect we long for in our own hearts and lives, and look for also in those to whom we have attempted to preach the truth which is calculated to crucify the flesh, and circumcise, or sanctify, the heart.
The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Larger and Shorter Catechisms state that sanctification is the work of “God’s free grace”.
- Is it of free grace? Then it is a gift that is sovereignly bestowed on some, though no one deserves it (Ruth 2:13). Sanctification should be viewed first and always as a privilege freely bestowed by God. It is to be viewed also as a duty: wherein true believers “are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness”, and to do so in the strength of promised grace.
1Based on some of the material on this subject presented to the 2018 Theological Conference.
The progress of sanctification is possible only by a free, irresistible, sovereign, mysterious work of divine love and kindness in those who are born again. Were it not for the power of God making a real change in the heart possible, there would be no sanctification; even the most holy Christians “are hindered in all their spiritual services, and their best works are imperfect and defiled in the sight of God” (Larger Catechism Ans 78).
If one saw a spark fly from a fire into a swift river, he would see the spark expire in the water and he might say, That is the work of nature. But if he saw instead the spark dry up the river to its very source, he would say, This is the power of God. The power of God in the sanctification of a deceitful and desperately wicked heart by a spark of divine grace is well illustrated by this oft-repeated analogy.
- Is it a “work of God”? It has to be because:
(1.) It is utterly impossible that an unregenerate sinner would ever sincerely and knowingly choose to be holy. You would sooner find a man who would genuinely wish to live underwater than find an unregenerate sinner who would sincerely desire to possess gospel holiness; in both cases the absurdity lies in the fact that what is suggested is utterly contrary to their desires, according to their natures. The sinner’s will is in bondage to sin. He is “taken captive by” the devil “at his will” (2 Tim 2:26). He cannot, and he will not, desire holiness – a thing so alien to the moral disposition of his heart.
His will is free in the sense that he chooses as he pleases. But that is the crux of a sinner’s misery: (in things pertaining to salvation) he can only choose the soul-ruining things that are pleasing to his sinful fallen nature. Holiness, obedience, the yoke of Christ’s love – these are rejected by his sinful heart. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14). “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jer 13:23).
(2.) Nothing but the exceeding greatness of the power of God, calling a sinner effectually, can change his heart. It is when God gives one a new heart and a new spirit that he begins to learn what the way of the gospel mystery of evangelical holiness actually is. Only then will he freely yearn to possess it and grow in it, saying,
“O let my footsteps in Thy word aright still order’d be:
Let no iniquity obtain dominion over me” (Ps 119:133).
(3.) Nothing else can explain it. The practice of evangelical obedience is
even beyond the power of converted people, without God working it in them (Phil 2:13). They are taught to be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” for they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness” (Eph 6:10,12). Both the Larger and Shorter Catechisms affirm that believers more and more die unto sin, and live unto righteousness only because they are enabled to do so by the gracious power of God. “Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Westminster Confession 16:3). The hypocrite makes a pillow of this, but it brings those who have the hearts of true children to mourn. Yes, the happy man has a habitual tear on the eye of his soul until he “is made perfect in holiness”.
Every aspect of salvation is from Christ. If we are to be happy, we will not only ask, that it may be given us; not only seek, that we may find it; not only knock, that the way may be opened unto us; but we will keep on asking, seeking and knocking that we may keep on receiving, finding and gaining access to the capacious stores of spiritual nourishment in the fullness of sanctifying grace in Christ. There, strengthened by communion with Christ, our souls will receive grace out of the fullness of grace in Christ. Only by union and communion with Him will one grow in grace.
In the diligent use of the means of obtaining grace, the believer will get a token to assure him that he has a new heart. The Lord not only loves His people, it is good in His eyes for them to know that He loves them. He not only pardons them, He wishes them to know that He pardons them. Such things stir up the soul to holy gratitude. “The love of Christ constraineth” the Happy Man to walk in this gospel way of sanctification. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. . . . Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 Jn 3:1-3). “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (Jn 14:23).
When the Word is preached, there is more company present than is visible; there are angels and devils in the assembly. . . . The devil is present to distract the mind by wandering thoughts, by raising prejudices, that we may cast out the Word.
Thomas Manton