Evangelism And Sanctification By works?

I came across an article about the call for Christians to evangelize and to disciple others. Here are a few of many I took exception to.

• Progressive sanctification over the life of a true believer is about being fisher of men
  
• These two things provide the foundation for spiritual growth, serving others and
  Evangelizing the lost by supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in us. I cannot think of anything else that would fall outside the realm of being a fisher of men and disciple making that would sanctify us.
  
• No, you cannot be a fisher of men and disciple maker just at home, but is a good place to start! Many parents think at home is enough. It is not! Sorry to burst your bubble.
  

Now I believe strongly in the importance of Christian’s evangelizing and discipleing. But not at the expense of understanding the doctrine of sanctification.

These statements can surely, if believed and practiced, strap someone to the performance treadmill version of Christianity. This can cause unnecessary guilt and condemnation of the believer who buys into these statements. It shows a poor understanding of the centrality of the gospel, and the importance of realizing that the gospel is not only for the lost but is for believers as well. This is why we need to preach the gospel to ourselves everyday. At the center of our Christian life is not what we "do" it is what He "did". Our obedience and actions should flow naturally from the gospel. It is all of GRACE.

Salvation includes both regeneration and sanctification, and are 'GRACES' that are the inevitable result of being in "union with Christ" Therefore they are rooted in the gospel.
John 17:17-19, Titus 2:13-14, 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 13:20-21, Ephesians 5:26-27,2 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 6:11

When a person puts his faith and trust in the person and work of Christ, that person is justified and now is in "union with Christ" by faith. He/she receives a righteousness that is external and not their own. It is apprehended by faith. A Christian is in "union with Christ" by believing in the object of Christ, (His person and work) and we continue to believe the promises of God. We believe the gospel and keep believing the gospel because of God's Grace. He/she is born again.

When a person is born again he not only is justified but also experiences what theologians call "definitive sanctification".

Justification and sanctification do not exist apart from one another. Both are the effects of "union with Christ".

Definitive sanctification refers to the Holy Spirit empowered break from the bondage and slavery to sin, in the believer’s life that happens at the inception of the Christian life. Romans 6:1-7:6

SinClair Ferguson writes….
This, then, is the foundation of sanctification in Reformed theology. It is rooted, not in humanity and their achievement of holiness or sanctification, but in what God has done in Christ, and for us in union with him. Rather than view Christians first and foremost in the microcosmic context of their own progress, the Reformed doctrine first of all sets them in the macrocosm of God's activity in redemptive history. It is seeing oneself in this context that enables the individual Christian to grow in true holiness.

Progressive sanctification is the believer becoming more holy and being conformed into the image of Christ. The Christian is made more and more aware of the ongoing presence of sin that remains, and is enabled to mortify those sins, (although not perfectly), empowered by the GRACE of God. This continues through out the course of a Christian’s life.

Scripture emphasizes that the person and work of Christ is the source or foundation of a believer’s sanctification. Not evangelism and discipleship.

To say that someone should evangelize or disciple to be more sanctified is confusing the results of GRACE as the means of GRACE. This is teaching sanctification by works. This is not progressive sanctification. Yes, we are called as Christians to pursue holiness and be obedient to Gods word. A Christian being obedient to Gods commands is the result of GRACE and not the cause or means of it.

Progressive sanctification, as defined by Wayne Grudem, is "a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like
Christ in our actual lives."


The idea of doing the work and then getting the GRACE is akin to the Roman Catholic view of "means of grace" or "ex opera operato" (by the work done).

The Reformers rejected this idea. The reformers emphasized the Word and sacraments and necessity of faith. Some Reformed theologians would also include prayer and the fellowship of believers as a means of grace. The means of grace are God's Word (I Peter 1:23-2:22; I Col 1:20-21), the sacraments (I Cor. 11:23-33; Col. 2:11-12), and prayer (Matthew 6:5-13; Phil. 1:9-11).The Word of God given prominence. This is the way God ordinarily grows and strengthens Christians spiritually.

I hear it said over and over again, we need to live the Gospel. No, we believe the Gospel. There was only one person who could live the Gospel. We can't live the gospel. We live in response to the gospel, by the GRACE of God. Always keeping the cross of Christ at the center of our Christian life.