Hebrews 11:32-34 (NASBStr)
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
There is debate in the Christian church in regard to the Sanctificatioin. Regretfully, most church goers are so enthused with exciting worship and so weak in doctrine they seldom see the nuances of the discussion. Stated simply there are those who believe that although Justification is by faith, sanctification requires my participation with God ... by works. Most Work-based-sanctification theologians would not state it so bluntly, but that is the simply truth of it. When "I" have to play a part in sanctification (or justification, or anything), and I bring my "works" to the table, I have a "works-based" sanctification. A tenant of this theology is that if I obey the things of God, good things happen to me. God blesses my obedience. The converse of the argument is, that like justification, sanctification is wholly by faith. This argument states: God produces fruit in me as put faith in Him. This argument maintains that the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc) are products of the Spirit's work in me as I live in faith toward Christ. The above passage gives us a clear understanding of how faith is the agent that produces good works in my life. Note that in the writers summary of Hebrews 11 that he states it was "by faith" that they conquered, performed, obtained, escaped, and from weakness were made strong. These are not the elements of justification. These are descriptions of things in the sanctification process. It is by faith that works are done in our lives. As we yielded once to the flesh to commit sin (Romans 6 ... it takes no work to sin ... we just yield to the impulses of the flesh) so now we yield to Christ in the same way (Romans 6 ... we don't work to complete sanctification ... we just yield in faith to Christ). We continue to yield to Christ and the Spirit of God produces fruit in our lives that are the evidence of our justification ... or, sanctification of our lives. Salvation is NOT just justifications. It begins with predestination, includes sanctification, embraces sanctification and ends in glorification (Romans 8:29-31). Not ONE link in the golden chain can be take away to add our works with it to make it complete. "The just shall LIVE by faith," is stated in Habakkuk; Romans; Galatians and Hebrews. If we have "work" to do in the sanctification process, we must yield to Christ in faith and allow Him to "perform acts of righteousness" in us. Sanctification, like all parts of Salvation, is completely by faith.
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