Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ E-Book

Margaret Elizabeth Köstenberger

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Short Studies in Biblical Theology
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

A Biblical Theology of Sanctification from Genesis to Revelation God's holiness and the sanctification of his people are key themes throughout the biblical narrative. In this addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series, Marny Köstenberger explores the topic of sanctification—being set apart by God for holiness—which is the impetus for a believer's God-given mission.  Surveying the Bible from beginning to end, Köstenberger teaches that sanctification is a trinitarian enterprise: God creates humanity in his holy image, Christ delivers them from sin, and the Spirit applies the benefits of Christ's saving work, restoring the original image in Christ. At the core, a believer's union with Christ, and their experience of abiding in him, powerfully propels their growth in holiness. - Short Studies in Biblical Theology: Part of a series designed to give readers accessible volumes on God's word—other volumes include Resurrection Hope and the Death of Death; The Sabbath as Rest and Hope for the People of God; and more  - Analyzes the Word "Sanctification" in Both Hebrew and Greek - Helps Readers Understand How the Old and New Testaments Relate to Each Other 

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“This short but careful, compelling, and comprehensive study accomplishes a great deal, exposing the reason for conflicting views about sanctification, examining the biblical terminology in context, and tracing the way the theme develops as God’s purpose for humanity is progressively disclosed in Scripture. Marny Köstenberger writes with great clarity, showing how a biblical-theological approach to this topic is both necessary and empowering for those who would lead a godly life.”

David G. Peterson, Emeritus Faculty, Moore Theological College; author, Possessed by God

“This book skillfully summarizes the whole Bible’s witness to a highly important doctrine and practical life reality. While readers may differ on particulars, the author builds on the compelling thesis: ‘Anyone desiring to grasp God’s work in, and call to, sanctification . . . must first come to terms with the glorious, matchless, and undefiled holiness of God.’ Study this book for help in understanding how God’s holiness pours into and out from the lives of his people through faith in Christ and the Spirit’s work.”

Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

“The reality that God not only desires but is also at work to accomplish the sanctification of his people cannot be missed in the Bible. But why? And how? And when? In this short but significant book, Marny Köstenberger capably leads readers through Old Testament history, the first coming of the Holy One and his teaching on what holiness of heart looks like, and to the epistles of Paul and Peter and James, which press in the urgency as well as the Spirit’s sufficiency to make God’s people holy.”

Nancy Guthrie, author and teacher, Biblical Theology Workshop for Women

“Marny Köstenberger ably traces the biblical story of the holy God who graciously sanctifies his people for his praise. Sanctification comes at God’s initiative, continues by God’s power, and culminates in God’s glorious presence. Köstenberger explains how positional sanctification empowers believers’ progressive growth in holiness through participation in Christ, propelling us toward moral excellence, missional community, and meaningful relationships. I warmly recommend this book!”

Brian J. Tabb, Academic Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies, Bethlehem College and Seminary

“In this informative study, Marny Köstenberger provides an accessible introduction to the important, but often neglected, biblical concept of sanctification. Through a careful analysis of the books of the New Testament, this study offers an engaging exposition of how Jesus Christ bestows on his followers a holy status (positional sanctification) and empowers them to grow in holiness (progressive sanctification). Köstenberger’s discussion is especially helpful in addressing the practical implications of holiness for everyday life.”

T. Desmond Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Union Theological College

“In this comprehensive yet concise treatment of sanctification, Marny Kӧstenberger masterfully handles the Scriptures to demonstrate that God’s call to holiness is clearly presented from Genesis to Revelation. Through careful historical, literary, and theological study, each page unpacks compelling truths that are essential for the individual and corporate Christian life as we await the return of Christ. Kӧstenberger reminds us that sanctification is not an end in itself; it is given by grace through faith to empower Christ followers to go to the nations. Her thoughtful applications are timeless, making this an essential resource for disciple makers in every cultural context around the world.”

Angie Brown, Associate Professor of Women’s Ministry, Gulf Theological Seminary, Dubai

“How is it that, throughout history, God takes fallen and broken individuals and makes them into a holy people set apart for himself? Marny Köstenberger takes us on a journey through the Scriptures, exploring both the language and the process of what theologians call the ‘doctrine of sanctification.’ Characterized by thorough research, this summarization of the author’s longtime study and love for the subject examines how and in what contexts God seeks to sanctify or ‘holify’ us, setting us apart for himself and his purposes in this life and the life to come. I am confident that this volume will be a welcome and worthy addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series.”

Theresa Wigington Bowen, Host, Life Impact Ministries; Founder, A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network

Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ

Short Studies in Biblical Theology

Edited by Dane C. Ortlund and Miles V. Van Pelt

The City of God and the Goal of Creation, T. Desmond Alexander (2018)

Covenant and God’s Purpose for the World, Thomas R. Schreiner (2017)

Divine Blessing and the Fullness of Life in the Presence of God, William R. Osborne (2020)

From Chaos to Cosmos: Creation to New Creation, Sidney Greidanus (2018)

The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross, Patrick Schreiner (2018)

The Lord’s Supper as the Sign and Meal of the New Covenant, Guy Prentiss Waters (2019)

Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel, Ray Ortlund (2016)

The New Creation and the Storyline of Scripture, Frank Thielman (2021)

Redemptive Reversals and the Ironic Overturning of Human Wisdom, G. K. Beale (2019)

The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God, David S. Schrock (2022)

Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ, Marny Köstenberger (2023)

The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer, Andrew David Naselli (2020)

The Son of God and the New Creation, Graeme Goldsworthy (2015)

Work and Our Labor in the Lord, James M. Hamilton Jr. (2017)

Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ

Marny Köstenberger

Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ

Copyright © 2023 by Marny Köstenberger

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Jordan Singer

First printing 2023

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated into any other language.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7365-1

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7368-2

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7366-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kostenberger, Marny, 1963– author.

Title: Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ / Marny Kostenberger.

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2023. | Series: Short studies in biblical theology | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022038670 (print) | LCCN 2022038671 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433573651 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433573668 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433573682 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Sanctification—Christianity.

Classification: LCC BT165 (ebook) | LCC BT165 .K67 2023 (print) | DDC 231.7 23/eng/20230—dc20

LC record available at https://www.google.com/url?qhttps://lccn.loc.gov/2022038670&sourcegmail-imap&ust1674838321000000&usgAOvVaw2v8CddllJcj52RGWq1Ca2I

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2023-05-16 01:13:00 PM

For my husband,

Andreas Johannes Köstenberger

Contents

Series Preface

Introduction

1  Foundation: Creation and Covenant

2  Inauguration: God’s Kingdom

3  Sanctification: The Age of the Spirit

4  Community: United to Christ

5  Adversity: Discipline and Suffering

6  Legacy: Love and Virtue

7  Practice: New Life in Christ

For Further Reading

General Index

Scripture Index

Series Preface

Most of us tend to approach the Bible early on in our Christian lives as a vast, cavernous, and largely impenetrable book. We read the text piecemeal, finding golden nuggets of inspiration here and there, but remain unable to plug any given text meaningfully into the overarching storyline. Yet one of the great advances in evangelical biblical scholarship over the past few generations has been the recovery of biblical theology—that is, a renewed appreciation for the Bible as a theologically unified, historically rooted, progressively unfolding, and ultimately Christ-centered narrative of God’s covenantal work in our world to redeem sinful humanity.

This renaissance of biblical theology is a blessing, yet little of it has been made available to the general Christian population. The purpose of Short Studies in Biblical Theology is to connect the resurgence of biblical theology at the academic level with everyday believers. Each volume is written by a capable scholar or churchman who is consciously writing in a way that requires no prerequisite theological training of the reader. Instead, any thoughtful Christian disciple can track with and benefit from these books.

Each volume in this series takes a whole-Bible theme and traces it through Scripture. In this way readers not only learn about a given theme but also are given a model for how to read the Bible as a coherent whole.

We have launched this series because we love the Bible, we love the church, and we long for the renewal of biblical theology in the academy to enliven the hearts and minds of Christ’s disciples all around the world. As editors, we have found few discoveries more thrilling in life than that of seeing the whole Bible as a unified story of God’s gracious acts of redemption, and indeed of seeing the whole Bible as ultimately about Jesus, as he himself testified (Luke 24:27; John 5:39).

The ultimate goal of Short Studies in Biblical Theology is to magnify the Savior and to build up his church—magnifying the Savior through showing how the whole Bible points to him and his gracious rescue of helpless sinners; and building up the church by strengthening believers in their grasp of these life-giving truths.

Dane C. Ortlund and Miles V. Van Pelt

Introduction

There is a great deal of confusion regarding the nature of sanctification today. In fact, as Steve Porter observes, “an in-depth understanding of spiritual progress has often been lacking within evangelicalism.”1 He refers to church historian Richard Lovelace, who called this “the sanctification gap”—the chasm between people’s best intentions and their inadequate understanding of what the Scriptures teach on sanctification. According to Lovelace, evangelicalism, throughout its history, and in keeping with its Reformation heritage, has focused primarily on justification at conversion as well as on general doctrinal orthodoxy and activities such as church involvement, evangelism, and missions. As a result, the tendency within evangelicalism has often been to emphasize the product rather than the process—doing rather than being, and activity rather than character growth and spiritual development. Porter laments that “in the absence of a robust theology of sanctification, various erroneous models of spiritual growth have emerged that confuse and disillusion many.”2

The Language Gap

One reason for this sanctification gap may be the confusion caused by the translation of the Greek terms for “holiness” (hagiasmos/hagiosunē/hagiotēs) and “holy” (hagios) with sanctificatio and sanctus in the Latin Vulgate, which has led to the renderings “sanctification” and “saints” in many, if not most, of our English Bibles. Such renderings, in turn, open up possible connections with Roman Catholic theology and tradition, where “saints” are those who meet special qualifications for holiness. However, while believers doubtless display different levels of maturity, Scripture does not divide people into ordinary Christians and a special category of holy people. Instead, biblically speaking, holiness should set all believers apart from the world and to God. Therefore, to give but one example, it is potentially misleading for English translations to render the Greek term hagioi as “saints.” Rather, the word is better understood as designating all true believers as “holy ones” regardless of their level of spiritual maturity.

The Tradition Gap

A survey of the literature on sanctification reveals another barrier to understanding, namely, multiple and contradictory perspectives.3 This plethora of views is the result of varying hermeneutical approaches, views of Scripture, and traditions in different Christian groups or denominations. According to Wayne Grudem, perspectives range from Roman Catholic to Anglican/Episcopalian, Arminian (Wesleyan/Methodist), Baptist, Dispensational, Lutheran, Reformed (Presbyterian), and Renewal (Charismatic/Pentecostal).4Over the centuries, various traditions formed around differing notions of holiness and sainthood, starting with the New Testament church and continuing through the patristic and medieval periods, and, significantly, the time of the Reformation.5 Some viewed sanctification primarily as a contemplative and ascetic exercise in the context of monastic spirituality; others conceived it primarily—if not exclusively—in terms of progressive transformation.6 Some have contended that perfection is achieved upon conversion,7 while others have argued that a new level of holiness is attained at a second experience of the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion, a phenomenon sometimes called “second blessing” or “entire sanctification.”

The Relevance Gap

A third and final obstacle to understanding sanctification, apart from linguistic confusion and multiple traditions, is apathy. Many people today simply do not care about holiness. The age in which we live is in many ways an irreligious and irreverent age. There is doubtless a “hole in our holiness”—to cite the aptly chosen title of Kevin DeYoung’s popular treatment of the topic—at least in part because the whole notion of holiness as being set apart for God and being wholly devoted to serve and worship him has fallen on hard times.8 For many, talking about holiness seems hopelessly antiquated. There is a demonstrable “relevance gap” in the effort of communicating the concept of holiness to those caught up in the pursuit of pleasure, worldly status, and possessions. Why care? And what is holiness anyway? For others, a desire for purpose and transcendence leads to “legalism” of a more secular variety: vague spirituality, political tribalism, or even strict diets and exercise regimens fill in for true holiness. It seems we need to start from scratch in educating, and in some cases reeducating, even people in the church as to what holiness is and what the pursuit of it entails.

Starting from Scratch

Starting from scratch is exactly what I aim to do in the present volume. In fact, “start from scratch” is a good way to conceive of biblical theology. What is biblical theology?9 At its core, it is a way of studying a given topic in Scripture—in our case, sanctification—on its own terms and in its own original context. Rather than refracting our understanding of what Scripture teaches on sanctification through the Latin Vulgate or a particular faith tradition, I go back to the roots of our Christian faith—the Holy Scriptures—and set out to study the biblical teaching on holiness and sanctification historically, inductively, and, at least initially, descriptively.

That is, I do not start with our own contemporary context or questions—though application is our end goal—but trace how God’s people were instructed about holiness historically, first in the Old Testament (Israel) and subsequently in the New Testament (the church).

I do not start with an already set theological system or faith tradition and read Scripture through its lenses but attempt to infer and reconstruct the biblical teaching as much as possible by reading and interpreting the relevant texts in Scripture inductively.

Finally, I try to connect the dots between the relevant passages as they progressively unfold throughout Scripture and mutually inform each other so as to construct a coherent whole—a “biblical theology of sanctification”—descriptively before moving on to apply it to our lives today. This is a considerable but not unmanageable task, as I hope to show in this short volume. I believe that such a biblical-theological approach will help avoid much of the confusion that has arisen and unfortunately has kept many from growing in holiness.

The Language of Sanctification

Scripture often uses multiple related words that contribute to its overall portrayal of a concept. For instance, we would be remiss to focus our attention exclusively on the meaning of the single word sanctify when there are descriptions of the concept of sanctification in Scripture in the form of other words and phrases even where the particular sanctification word group is not used.10 A biblical-theological survey of sanctification, then, commences with a simple word study but does not stop there. An initial immersion into relevant passages will help us absorb the intricacies of the doctrine of sanctification in the context of Scripture.

In this way, we will find bits and pieces of the entire biblical teaching communicated in ways that may be foreign to us in terms of their cultural and historical background and uniqueness. As with a closeup view of a painting’s details, we may not immediately perceive the overall picture, but we can nonetheless begin to examine the various colors and textures that make up the beauty of a given doctrine.11 In the following chapters, as I begin to survey first the Old Testament, and then the New, I will therefore survey the terminology that together helps us reconstruct the biblical concept of sanctification.

Getting Started

I cannot do much for those who simply do not care about the things of God—irreverence or irreligiousness. But I hope to do my small part in helping to alleviate lack of knowledge or confusion regarding the biblical teaching on sanctification and to stir those who feel in themselves a growing lethargy and desire to be awakened. A greater understanding of what God’s word teaches about sanctification will, I trust, lead to a more confident and effective pursuit of holiness, resulting in holier individuals and a holier community of faith. In fact, as we will see, striving for greater holiness is not merely an individualistic quest but has an important relational dimension. What is more, not only is holiness lived out in community; it should also result in mission. With this, I begin where any proper investigation of a matter must necessarily take its point of departure—in the beginning.

1. Steve L. Porter, “Sanctification,” in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, ed. Glen G. Scorgie (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 734. See also Porter’s entry “Holiness, Sanctification,” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1993), 397–402.

2. Porter, “Sanctification,” 734–35.

3. See, e.g., Don Alexander, ed., Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1989); Melvin E. Dieter, Anthony A. Hoekema, Stanley M. Horton, J. Robertson McQuilkin, and John F. Walvoord, Five Views on Sanctification, Counterpoints: Bible and Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996).

4. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020), 938–39. See also the resources on the various views in the “Further Reading” section at the end of this volume.

5. Cf. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960), 3.3.14 and 3.14.9, who defines sanctification as being “more and more consecrated to the Lord in true purity of life.”

6. See, e.g., Porter, “Sanctification,” 734.

7. Perfectionism is the belief that, once converted, believers have the ability to live sinlessly. On perfectionism, “second blessing,” and “entire sanctification,” see Laurence W. Wood, “The Wesleyan View,” in Christian Spirituality, 95–118.

8. Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012).

9. For a detailed discussion, see Andreas J. Köstenberger and Gregory Goswell, Biblical Theology: A Canonical, Thematic, and Ethical Approach (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), chap. 1.

10. Andreas J. Köstenberger with Richard D. Patterson, Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2020), 516.

11. We will cull the meaning and definition of the relevant words from resources such as Willem A. VanGemeren, ed., New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, 5 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997); Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, 2 vols. (New York: United Bible Societies, 1989); and Moisés Silva, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, 5 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 11.

1

Foundation

Creation and Covenant

The Bible is the divinely inspired account of God and his relationship with humanity. Genesis and Revelation are the bookends of the great library of Scripture that narrates the story reaching from God’s creation of the universe and humanity to the new creation. Between these bookends, the Bible provides an account of humanity’s fall and God’s successive covenants with his people, climaxing in the new covenant through Jesus the Messiah.1 Essentially, the story of God’s relationship with humanity is bound up with presence: God created humans to live in his presence; they transgressed the Creator’s command and consequently were expelled from his presence. In the tabernacle, later in the temple, and ultimately in the Lord Jesus Christ, God manifested his presence. Those who trust in Christ are reconciled with God, receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, the “other helping presence” (John 14:16), and look forward to eternity spent in God’s presence. Being introduced to, and transformed by, the Spirit in the here and now so as to be made fit to live in the presence of God for all eternity is entering the realm of sanctification.

Old Testament Language of Sanctification

Before surveying the Old Testament teaching regarding sanctification, it will be profitable to examine the particular Hebrew words related to holiness. The concept of sanctification is most commonly expressed in the Old Testament through the qadosh word group, the Hebrew root word for holy, whether noun (“holiness”), adjective (“holy”), or verb (“to make holy, to sanctify”).2 The noun qōdesh, “holiness,” has the general meaning “be holy, withheld from ordinary use, treated with special care, belonging to the sanctuary.” It typically designates “a holy person, thing, place, or time, something sacred, consecrated to God.” The term is most commonly found in Exodus 25–Numbers 10; 1–2 Chronicles; and Ezekiel 40–48.3

The core meaning is best discerned from key passages in Leviticus and later Ezekiel, which contrast what is holy with what is common or profane. Take Leviticus 10:10, for example: “You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.”4 When used in conjunction with another noun, the noun functions like an adjective, as in “mountain of holiness,” that is, “holy mountain”: “But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holymountain . . .” (Isa. 65:11; cf. 58:13; 65:25). God is the source of all holiness; thus the noun conveys “the essential nature that belongs to the sphere of God’s being or activity and that is distinct from the common or profane.”5

In fact, the term “can be used almost as a synonym of deity” where God is contrasted with his creatures.6 The expression “holy name,” for instance, is virtually synonymous with God: “My holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel” (Ezek. 39:7; cf. Amos 2:7). Because God is holy, he can deliver his people (Ex. 15:11) and can be trusted to keep his promises (Ps. 105:42). The idea of God’s holiness also conveys his moral perfection in contrast to all moral imperfection (Isa. 63:10–11). While holiness is clearly not an integral part of the world, it can operate within it,7 a reality which has important implications for our understanding of the New Testament call on believers to be in but not of the world.

The adjective qadosh, “holy,” indicates a dynamic quality rather than merely the “state of belonging to the realm of the divine.”8 It conveys a sense of moving people into the divine realm; while God is the source of all holiness, “human beings can participate in . . . sanctification.”9 In the vast majority of contexts, the adjective is used in conjunction with divine (1 Sam. 6:20; Isa. 43:3; Hab. 1:12) or human beings (Deut. 14:2; 26:19) and the sacrificial court (Ex. 29:31; Lev. 6:16, 26; 7:6; 10:13; 24:9; Ezek. 42:13).10 On the whole, the adjective conveys the sense that God, in his very essence, is holy and calls his people to be holy as well, identifying the standard by which they can attain holiness.11 The word is also used in the title “the Holy One of Israel” or simply “the Holy One” (esp. in Isaiah; see, e.g., 43:15; 45:11).

The related verb means “to make holy,” that is, to (literally) “holify” or “sanctify.” This term conveys the state of or transition toward holiness (i.e., consecration). Such consecration involves both entering into communion with the divine realm and being set apart from the worldly domain.12 While some consider separationfrom the world to be the essential meaning of the verb, more likely separation is the prerequisite for living in accordance with, and being wholly devotedto, God’s special purposes.13 Some instances of the verb indicate that touching a holy object makes a person holy himself. Take Exodus 29:37, for example: “Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.”14

Another set of passages refers to the disregard for God’s holiness in the context of Israel’s disobedience, resulting in dishonor being brought to God’s name among the nations. Representative examples are found in Deuteronomy and Ezekiel: “Because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel . . .” (Deut. 32:51); “I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations” (Ezek. 36:23; cf. 38:23). Finally, a type of usage relates to people consecrating themselves to perform a sacred task or to be allowed to enter into God’s presence, at times after temporary defilement: “Consecrateyourselves, therefore, and be holy