Sanctification and God’s Grace and Moral Effort in the Christian Life
by Bryan Carlson
Sanctification is defined as: “set apart for a divine purpose, consecrated” (Faith notes 121). God’s grace is defined as "the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God shown to sinners" (Grudem 200). Moral effort in the Christian life is defined as "the conscious and sustained effort to obey God's will, to conform one's thoughts, words, and actions to the moral law, and to seek to please him in all things" (Grudem 764). Synergistic is defined as both God and man at work.
The doctrine of sanctification in Christianity teaches that Believers are being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Jesus Christ. This transformation involves both a progressive growth in holiness and a definite change in the moral and ethical character of the Believer. Sanctification is the work of God's grace in the lives of Believers, who are set apart for God's use. The Holy Spirit indwells Believers and empowers us to live a life pleasing to God. Titus 3:5 and Ephesians 2:8-9 make it clear that we cannot be justified by our own good deeds and that our good deeds are as filthy rags before a holy God. We are justified through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who being God in flesh, lived a perfect life in our place, died on the cross for our sins, rose from the grave conquering death and Hell forever, and ascended into Heaven where He intercedes daily on behalf of His saints (1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Acts1:9; Romans 8:34). We are all unrighteous sinners, deserving of death and eternal separation from God in Hell—our sin made us unholy and caused us to fall short of His glory. Hopeless and helpless, God in His grace sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sin. Grace is a gift that cannot be earned or deserved but is freely given by God out of his love for humanity, despite our sinful nature (Romans 3:10-18, 23; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Though salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ, and that it is God who works in us to will and to do his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13), the Bible also calls on Believers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and to pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). James 2:17 says, "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." This passage teaches that faith in Jesus Christ is not just a mental assent to certain truths, but it must be accompanied by action and good works. Good works are a necessary evidence of true faith in Jesus Christ, and they demonstrate that a person's faith is genuine and not just an intellectual belief. In addition, James 2:24 says, "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." This verse reinforces the idea that faith must be accompanied by works in order to be considered genuine faith. It is through our obedience to God and our good works that we demonstrate our faith in Him and our commitment to following Him. Scripture provides examples cooperating with God's grace in our own sanctification. For instance, in Romans 12:1-2, Paul urges Believers to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we can prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. In 2 Corinthians 7:1, Paul writes, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." This verse shows the active role that Believers must play in the process of sanctification, cooperating with the grace of God to pursue holiness.
This synergistic relationship between God's grace and the Believer's moral effort is the key to understanding the doctrine of sanctification in the Bible. We are saved by grace alone, but our faith in Jesus Christ must be demonstrated by our obedience and good works. Just as faith is necessary for justification, good works are necessary for sanctification and the ongoing growth in our Christian life. Through faith in Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Believers are empowered to pursue holiness and to grow in their likeness to Christ.
In a counseling situation, we must remind our counselees that moral effort involves a conscious and sustained effort to obey God's will, which requires conforming one's thoughts, words, and actions to the will of God. The goal of moral effort is to glorify God in all things. The moral effort of mankind emphasizes the importance of intentional and ongoing obedience to God's will as a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers are called to respond to God's grace by putting forth effort to live a holy life. This involves making a deliberate choice to turn away from sin and to follow God's commands. In practical terms, this means that sanctification is not simply a matter of passive surrender to God but of active cooperation with the Holy Spirit in the work of transformation. It requires both faith in the promises of God and the application of biblical principles to the daily choices and actions of life. “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 121.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 200, 764.
