Simultaneously Righteous and Sinful: Our Spiritual Journey

 

Summary

In today's exploration of the profound theological concept of being "Simultaneously Righteous and Sinful," we delved into the story of Lazarus as a vivid analogy for our spiritual condition. Lazarus, raised from the dead by Jesus, emerged from the grave still wrapped in grave clothes, symbolizing the remnants of death. Similarly, as Christians, we have been raised to new life in Christ, yet we continue to carry the remnants of our old sinful nature. This duality is a reality of our spiritual journey.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 7, describes this struggle as the "body of this death," highlighting the ongoing presence of sin in our mortal flesh. While we are no longer slaves to sin, its presence remains, creating a tension between our new life in Christ and the remnants of our old self. This is not a superficial issue that can be easily resolved; it is a deep-seated struggle that requires our constant attention and effort.

We examined the erroneous teachings of entire sanctification, which suggest that believers can achieve a state of sinlessness in this life. This notion, rooted in perfectionism, is flawed and leads to a misunderstanding of the Christian life. True sanctification is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit, not an instantaneous leap to perfection. It involves a lifelong battle against sin, requiring us to mortify the flesh and live according to the Spirit.

The key to understanding our spiritual condition lies in recognizing the inseparable nature of justification and sanctification. Justification is an instantaneous act of God's grace, declaring us righteous through faith in Christ. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a gradual process of becoming more like Christ, marked by an increasing awareness of our sinfulness and a growing desire for holiness.

In conclusion, our journey as Christians is one of transformation, not addition. We are new creations in Christ, yet we must continually fight against the sin that remains. This struggle is not a sign of failure but a testament to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we await the redemption of our bodies, we are called to live in the tension of being simultaneously righteous and sinful, relying on God's grace to sustain us.

Key Takeaways:

- The story of Lazarus serves as a powerful analogy for our spiritual condition. Just as Lazarus emerged from the grave still wrapped in grave clothes, we too have been raised to new life in Christ but continue to carry the remnants of our old sinful nature. This duality is a reality of our spiritual journey. [03:28]

- The Apostle Paul describes the ongoing presence of sin in our lives as the "body of this death." While we are no longer slaves to sin, its presence remains, creating a tension between our new life in Christ and the remnants of our old self. This struggle requires our constant attention and effort. [05:09]

- The teaching of entire sanctification, which suggests that believers can achieve a state of sinlessness in this life, is flawed. True sanctification is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit, not an instantaneous leap to perfection. It involves a lifelong battle against sin, requiring us to mortify the flesh and live according to the Spirit. [11:20]

- Justification and sanctification are inseparable aspects of our salvation. Justification is an instantaneous act of God's grace, declaring us righteous through faith in Christ. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a gradual process of becoming more like Christ, marked by an increasing awareness of our sinfulness and a growing desire for holiness. [30:14]

- Our journey as Christians is one of transformation, not addition. We are new creations in Christ, yet we must continually fight against the sin that remains. This struggle is not a sign of failure but a testament to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we await the redemption of our bodies, we are called to live in the tension of being simultaneously righteous and sinful, relying on God's grace to sustain us. [46:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:26] - The Story of Lazarus
- [01:42] - Lazarus and the Stench of Death
- [03:28] - Raised but Still Stinking
- [05:09] - The Body of This Death
- [06:23] - Transformation, Not Addition
- [09:20] - The Reality of New Life
- [11:20] - The Flaw of Entire Sanctification
- [16:43] - Justification and Sanctification
- [23:47] - The Influence of Perfectionism
- [30:14] - Understanding Justification and Sanctification
- [35:56] - The Battle Against Sin
- [41:08] - Simultaneously Righteous and Sinful
- [46:55] - The New Creation and Remaining Sin
- [51:19] - The Call to Mortify Sin

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Simultaneously Righteous and Sinful

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 7:24-25
2. Romans 6:5-6
3. John 11:38-44

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the story of Lazarus serve as an analogy for our spiritual condition as Christians? ([03:28])

2. What does Paul mean by the "body of this death" in Romans 7, and how does it relate to the ongoing presence of sin in our lives? ([05:09])

3. What is the difference between justification and sanctification as described in the sermon? ([30:14])

4. How does the sermon describe the flawed teaching of entire sanctification? ([11:20])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the story of Lazarus illustrate the tension between our new life in Christ and the remnants of our old sinful nature? ([03:28])

2. How does the sermon challenge the notion of achieving sinlessness in this life, and what implications does this have for our understanding of sanctification? ([11:20])

3. How does the sermon explain the relationship between justification and sanctification, and why is it important to understand them as inseparable? ([30:14])

4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of the Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification, and how does this differ from the idea of entire sanctification? ([11:20])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt the tension between your new life in Christ and your old sinful nature. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now? ([03:28])

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing the ongoing presence of sin in our lives. How can you remain vigilant in your spiritual journey to address this reality? ([05:09])

3. How can you actively participate in the process of sanctification in your daily life? What specific steps can you take to mortify the flesh and live according to the Spirit? ([11:20])

4. Consider the flawed teaching of entire sanctification. How can you guard against perfectionism in your spiritual life and embrace the progressive work of the Holy Spirit? ([11:20])

5. The sermon describes our journey as one of transformation, not addition. How can you focus on transformation in your spiritual life, and what areas do you feel need the most attention? ([09:20])

6. How does understanding the inseparable nature of justification and sanctification impact your view of salvation and your relationship with God? ([30:14])

7. In what ways can you rely on God's grace to sustain you in the struggle of being simultaneously righteous and sinful? How can this reliance be reflected in your daily actions and decisions? ([46:55])

Devotional

Day 1: Raised to New Life, Yet Wrapped in Grave Clothes
As Christians, we are like Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus but emerged still wrapped in grave clothes. This imagery serves as a powerful analogy for our spiritual condition. We have been given new life in Christ, yet we continue to carry the remnants of our old sinful nature. This duality is a reality of our spiritual journey, where we are called to live in the tension of being simultaneously righteous and sinful. The remnants of our old self are not easily shed, and they require our constant attention and effort to overcome. This struggle is not a sign of failure but a testament to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. [03:28]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Reflection: What are the "grave clothes" in your life that you need to shed? How can you actively work on removing these remnants of your old self today?


Day 2: The Body of This Death
The Apostle Paul describes the ongoing presence of sin in our lives as the "body of this death." While we are no longer slaves to sin, its presence remains, creating a tension between our new life in Christ and the remnants of our old self. This struggle requires our constant attention and effort. It is a deep-seated struggle that cannot be easily resolved, but it is a part of our spiritual journey. We must continually fight against the sin that remains, relying on God's grace to sustain us. This ongoing battle is a testament to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. [05:09]

Romans 6:12-13 (ESV): "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself struggling with the remnants of your old self? How can you present yourself to God as an instrument for righteousness today?


Day 3: The Flaw of Entire Sanctification
The teaching of entire sanctification, which suggests that believers can achieve a state of sinlessness in this life, is flawed. True sanctification is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit, not an instantaneous leap to perfection. It involves a lifelong battle against sin, requiring us to mortify the flesh and live according to the Spirit. This process is marked by an increasing awareness of our sinfulness and a growing desire for holiness. As we grow in our faith, we become more aware of the areas in our lives that need transformation, and we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in this journey. [11:20]

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit for transformation? How can you press on toward the goal of becoming more like Christ today?


Day 4: Justification and Sanctification: Inseparable Aspects of Salvation
Justification and sanctification are inseparable aspects of our salvation. Justification is an instantaneous act of God's grace, declaring us righteous through faith in Christ. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a gradual process of becoming more like Christ, marked by an increasing awareness of our sinfulness and a growing desire for holiness. Understanding the relationship between these two aspects of salvation is key to understanding our spiritual condition. As we grow in our faith, we become more aware of the areas in our lives that need transformation, and we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in this journey. [30:14]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: How does understanding the relationship between justification and sanctification change your perspective on your spiritual journey? What steps can you take today to grow in holiness?


Day 5: Transformation, Not Addition
Our journey as Christians is one of transformation, not addition. We are new creations in Christ, yet we must continually fight against the sin that remains. This struggle is not a sign of failure but a testament to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we await the redemption of our bodies, we are called to live in the tension of being simultaneously righteous and sinful, relying on God's grace to sustain us. This transformation is a lifelong process that requires our constant attention and effort, but it is a journey that leads us closer to the image of Christ. [46:55]

Colossians 3:9-10 (ESV): "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

Reflection: In what ways have you seen transformation in your life since becoming a Christian? How can you continue to pursue transformation in your daily walk with Christ?

Quotes

I’ve been assigned an important and a wonderful subject, Simultaneously Righteous and Sinful. And this is probably going to be a little bit more like a theological lesson than a typical sermon because I want to do all that I can to help you understand how important this is. [00:00:11]

As long as the stinking grave clothes filled with the decay and stench of death clung to Lazarus, he did stink, and he was unable to fully express his new life. In a very real sense, I think, this is a graphic analogy of our predicament as regenerate Christians. [00:03:36]

We have been raised from the dead. We have been raised to new life. We, however, are still stuck with the remnants of our previous existence. We have been raised, but we stink. That’s the title of my message. We have been raised, but we stink. That’s the reality of our spiritual condition. [00:03:53]

Paul calls it in Romans 7, verse 24, the body of this death. It is the presence of sin that remains in us, in our mortal flesh. We live and yet the stench of death is not just on us – but all through us. That is why Romans 8:23 says, we wait for the redemption of the body. [00:05:20]

We have been freed then from slavery to sin, freed from the domination of sin. Sin’s mastery has been broken. It is not to say that sin is no longer present. It is to say it no longer rules. It no longer has dominion. Follow down to verse 11. Consider yourselves to be dead to sin. [00:07:11]

I grew up hearing that salvation was addition. That you were an old man and an old nature, and when you became a believer, you got a new nature added to your old nature. That is not the language of the New Testament. It is not addition. It is transformation. And the language cannot be stronger. [00:09:06]

Entire sanctification is wrought instantaneously by faith, preceded by entire consecration. This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as Christian perfection, perfect love, heart purity, the fullness of the blessing, and Christian holiness. [00:13:05]

He traces the modern influence back to John Wesley, of course. It was John Wesley, says Warfield, who injected and infected the Protestant world with this idea of entire sanctification – that a believer can reach a point in this life, because of an instantaneous, willed faith experience where depravity is cancelled out. [00:15:31]

Justification is instantaneous. Sanctification begins and is progressive. And there are no leaps into some other category of eradication or perfection. This is, by the way, a serious and consequential error. It’s been around a long time, and as I said, it just permeates our contemporary evangelicalism. [00:30:16]

In 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 30, Paul says, “By His doing” – by sovereign grace – “you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness” – that’s justification – “and sanctification.” All at once. All at the same time. [00:31:31]

In other words, if you’re really being sanctified, you are more and more and more aware of your sin. Young people come to me at the Master’s College all the time, and they ask questions. And it’s just… it’s such a joy to work with these kids. [00:35:39]

Believers live, believers fight the battle, believers, to use the old language, mortify the flesh. Believers do everything they can to kill the sin that remains. This is the distinctive behavior of true Christians – not imagining they have no sin, but constantly endeavoring by all the mean of grace, to mortify the sin that remains. [00:51:19]

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Transcript
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