In the sermon titled 'Of Sanctification', Eric Bechler explores chapter 13, paragraph 2 of the Second London Baptist Confession, focusing on sanctification as a process that affects the entire being of a believer. Sanctification is described as imperfect in this life, with remnants of corruption remaining, leading to a continuous internal struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. The sermon distinguishes sanctification from justification and glorification, explaining that sanctification delivers from the power of sin, while justification and glorification address the penalty and presence of sin, respectively. It is highlighted that sanctification involves both definitive and progressive aspects, breaking the reign of sin, yet engaging believers in lifelong spiritual warfare. The sermon draws from various scriptures, illustrating how sanctification impacts intellect, emotions, will, and body, and emphasizes the necessity of meditating on and adhering to the law of God as a mark of true sanctification. The ongoing battle against sin is portrayed as evidence of one's faith, urging believers to evaluate their lives and strive for holiness daily.

Our reading this morning from the Second Lennon Baptist Confession comes from chapter 13 of sanctification, paragraph 2. The sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life, thereby distills some remnants of corruption in every part. Whence ariseth a continual and an irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. Again this week we continue in chapter 13 on sanctification. Recall the word sanctification means to set apart, to concentrate, to make holy.

It's one of the parts of the salvation process described by Paul in Romans 830 where he says, and those whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified. This process starts with God the Father for knowing and predestinating the elect. Those he predestinated he called. Those he called and regenerated responded with faith. Faith yields justification and then comes sanctification and finally glorification.

I came across a website, biblicalresources.org, that gave a very simplified comparison of justification, of sanctification, and glorification that I hope will help you better understand what is happening to the believer in each part of this process. Justification delivers us from the penalty of sin. Sanctification delivers us from the power of sin. And glorification delivers us from the presence of sin. Kind of like the distinctions that this highlighted.

Last week I described the two parts of sanctification, definitive sanctification and progressive sanctification. Both exist and can be found in scripture. The point to catch or to remember is that definitive sanctification is not a matter of perfection, it is a matter of direction. Definitive sanctification changes our nature. It breaks the reign of sin, but does not free us from sinning.

When the Holy Spirit regenerates us and gives us a new heart, our will is transformed and now we are inclined towards godly things, whereas before we had no inclination towards God. Now we want to draw closer to God. Now we want to obey His commands. Because of this change, this new direction, we find that we're in a constant conflict, a struggle between the sin remaining in the Spirit. This struggle is not bad.

It's not an indication that we're not Christians, but it's actually one of the evidences that we are a Christian. This progressive sanctification is a lifelong struggle that is not complete until we're glorified. As we go through our paragraph this morning, I want to draw out a number of points from this morning's teaching. One, sanctification affects our entire being through our whole person. Sanctification is imperfect and complete in this life.

Christians have died to the reign of sin but must deal with the remaining sin. This remnant of corruption touches every part of our being. And finally, sanctification is depicted as a real battle, real spiritual warfare. So let's begin with the first part. This sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life, and thereby there's still some remnants of corruption in every part.

So sanctification affects the whole man, every part of him, the intellect, the emotions, the will, the body, the soul, the spirit. When we look at intellect, Colossians 1.10, so as we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. It affects our emotions. In 1 John 2.15, do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

It affects our will. In Philippians 2.13, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. It affects our body. 1 Thessalonians 4, 3, and 4. For this is the will of God, your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor.

It affects our body and spirit, 2 Corinthians 7.1. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. And it affects our spirit, soul, and body in 1 Thessalonians 5.23. And the very God of peace sanctify you holy. And I pray God your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We must control ourselves in holiness and honor. We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, yet our sanctification is not perfect. John Gill comments on the sanctifying holy in 1 Thessalonians 523 where it says, and the very God of peace sanctify you holy. Sanctify you holy or all of you as the Arabic version, or all of you perfectly as the Syriac version. These persons were sanctified by the Spirit of God, but not perfectly.

The gospel was come to them in power and had wrought effectually in them, and they were turned from idols to serve the living God and had true faith Hope and love implanted in them in which they were enabled to exercise in a very comfortable and commendable manner Yet this work of grace and sanctification begun in them was far from being perfect, nor is it in the best of saints. Our sanctification is not completed in this life. When we die, we will be glorified, we will be made perfect. There will no longer be any corruption in our members, any sin dwelling in us. We will finally be like Jesus.

In 1 John 3, 2, beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." In Philippians chapter 3, verses 20 and 21, but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to himself. Until then, there are remnants of corruption in every part of us. In 1 John 1 8, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. In 1 John 1 10, if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Then in Romans 7, 18 through 20, for I know that in me, that is my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that, I would not. It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find in a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me." Paul tells us that there is a war going on inside of him.

For the good that I would, I do not. But the evil which I would not, that I do. The sin dwelling inside is waging a war." And we see this in the next part of our paragraph. Whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war? Paul speaks about this in his letter to the Romans and furthermore exhorts Timothy to fight the good fight in this warfare, and continuing in Romans 7, 22 and 23, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." In 1 Timothy 1, 18, this charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare." 1 Timothy 6.12.

Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, wherein to thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." Again, this fight, this warring is not a single battle. It is a war over a lifetime. It is not finished until we die, until we are glorified, and when Christ transforms our lowly body to be like His glorious body. We see that in the final part of our paragraph, which comes directly from Scripture in Galatians 5.17, For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

And these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that you would." This warfare between the flesh and the Spirit and between the law of sin and the law of God, as Paul talked about, We read this also from Peter in his first epistle, where he tells us to abstain from fleshly lusts. 1 Peter 2, 11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Dr. Sproul offers some thoughts on this paragraph. The true mark of sanctification is found in the Old Testament saints and in the attitude found in Psalm 119 verse 97.

Oh, how I love your law. Psalm 1 tells us blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers. That means we don't live the lifestyle of a pagan. We don't participate in the ungodly pleasures of this world. And we're not to be cynical and skeptical and mock the things of God.

Psalm 1 continues, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away." Here we see the stark contrast between the godly person and the ungodly person. The godly person has deep roots that are substantively planted, bringing forth the fruit because their roots are being nurtured and nourished every moment by drinking deeply of the law of God.

The godly person does not have a casual understanding of the law of God. He meditates on it. He thinks about it. He studies it. He exposes himself to it.

The ungodly person ignores the law of God and has a superficial religion, a religion of externals, not a religion that takes hold of the soul and of the heart and says, I'm going to live my life for God, and I want to please him. Oh, Lord, reveal what pleases you." And God says, Here is what pleases me. Here is my law. And Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments in John 14-15. How is your sanctification progressing?

If someone dispatched a private investigator to observe and document all that you do during the next week, takes pictures and videos, he looks at your phone and your email and your Instagram and all of this. What would he conclude? What would that report at the end of the week look like? Would he conclude that you have a superficial religion and a religion of externals? Would he determine that you look and act just like the average worldly person?

Or would he witness you drinking deeply from the law of God and meditating on it day and night? Would he conclude that you are living your life for God? I would recommend that you take time this week and seriously examine the choices that you're making in all aspects of your life and the life of your family. If you're not trying to please God in your choices, if you're not trying to honor God in your choices, if you're not trying to glorify God in your choices, you should repent and confess to Him and pray to our merciful and gracious God for forgiveness. As Paul exhorted Timothy, fight the good fight.

Each day brings new battles. Some we win and some we don't. But remember that sanctification is a lifelong process towards holiness to become more and more like Christ. Amen.