Particular Pitfalls of Independent Baptists: Performance-Based Sanctification

That was a good post!

I might add that preachers need to teach people how to interpret the Bible for themselves.

A good book that could be used (I used it once like this) as a semester of Adult SS is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

Complex passages and verses should be presented as such with the pastor indicating that there are various views on the text. He should present various views and then indicate his own with why he favors that view.

The attitude of “The Pastor says so” needs to be disabused. “The Bible is our authority” should be emphasized.

sentiment Pastor Innes often expresses from the pulpit.

[Jim] SNIP

The attitude of “The Pastor says so” needs to be disabused. “The Bible is our authority” should be emphasized.

is not just to read the Bible, but to love It, to see the Lord we love on Its pages and to see how He treats us, what He wants of us, His example for us, etc., etc. etc.

God’s goal for His people might be fulfilled starting with reading (assuming a literate culture). Meditating on it day and night is what He wants for us. Loving His law is what He wants for us. Realizing more and more experientially that it is written on our hearts is what He wants for us.

Regular, cyclical reading would just be a basic here. And I will say, one thing I tell people on a certain spiritual level: read It daily even if you don’t feel the value of it each day—just the habit and the cumulative reading over years of time makes your decision-making easier, guards your path, etc. It will be a lot easier when you’re an adult if you use your youth to get a good handle on Bible basics by continual reading… . . It’s not the end goal, but it will move you towards that.

I had never heard of *reading through the Bible not in a year* until I was in grad school at BJ. Dr. Horton explained that he has a list of all books of the Bible in a long column, then after he reads each book (in whatever order) he puts the date in the column next to the book. When that column is filled, he dates the top of the next column and starts again. He explains that he reads the Bible at different paces—like poetry takes longer than a story, for example. But it’s important to read it all so you have a more complete view.

So this is what I’ve done ever since then. I recently started my cycle over again, and I think I’m going to spend time just reading and re-reading Genesis and Exodus in large chunks for a while. There are some things I want to understand about the beginnings of the Hebrews.

I will say though, that even the daily reading—this used to be a very strict rule for me for many years. With small children, I don’t read every day now, but I actually probably read the Bible more now that I have ever in my life weirdly. Just enjoying it so.

[Jim]

That was a good post!

I might add that preachers need to teach people how to interpret the Bible for themselves.

A good book that could be used (I used it once like this) as a semester of Adult SS is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

Complex passages and verses should be presented as such with the pastor indicating that there are various views on the text. He should present various views and then indicate his own with why he favors that view.

The attitude of “The Pastor says so” needs to be disabused. “The Bible is our authority” should be emphasized.

One slight disagreement. People need to be taught to read [comprehend] what the Bible says. I don’t think there is any issue in American christendom with people “interpret[ing] the Bible for themselves.”

I agree, Anne- it isn’t just about reading Scripture, but loving it. We shouldn’t serve the Lord simply because we want to avoid chastisement, but as an expression of our gratitude and devotion.

But part of that is developing good habits. We teach our kids to love good food by serving it to them daily, and they develop the habit of preferring an apple to to Gummi Bears. Daily exposure to undiluted Scripture, IMO, serves the same purpose. We won’t learn to love the Word without reading it. Too many Christians sit around waiting to be ‘in the mood’ to read, study, witness, serve, etc…

As for performance-based sanctification, I think the bottom line of that is a neglect of what the Bible defines as the fruit of the Spirit. We ‘work our salvation’ from the inside out, not the outside in, and the initial change happens in our affections, which is not necessarily visible at first. But that doesn’t mean we don’t try to develop good habits either. We should be encouraged to read and study faithfully, to attend church regularly, to learn to love the saints, to act in the best interest of others, and sometimes we do have to ‘make’ ourselves do those things simply because it is the right thing to do. That’s bringing our bodies into subjection, and I find that when I tell my flesh what to do and where it can go, my affections quickly follow my intentions.

Problems arise any time someone else decides the Holy Spirit is lying down on the job and steps in to take up His slack, attempting to act as the convicting power in another person’s life. God will work in the life of His child, but since when is He on our time clock? We too often think our job is Quality Control. Well, that’s just scary. As if.

Interesting… but aren’t you all being kind of legalistic by suggesting that you have to read your Bible to be a better Christian? Aren’t “read your Bible through in a year” or “read a chapter a day” just “man made rules” that encourage reliance on the flesh, spiritual pride and self righteousness? Isn’t there a tendency to think, “I read my Bible every day, so I’m OK” and feel ourselves superior to those who don’t read their Bibles as much/at all? Don’t you know “rules are not means of spirituality”?

I think the difference is ‘my rules for me’ cannot become ‘my rules for you’. I can encourage others to read the Scripture, especially since it is a command. I can suggest ways they can accomplish this- prioritize, create a routine, form good habits… (and I’d better be a good example of anything I suggest to others!) but I can’t tell someone how much they should read and study, because the Scripture doesn’t give us a measure of time or number of pages or chapters, so ultimately that is between them and God. It makes sense to me that Bible reading and study is going to be in proportion to a person’s abilities- IOW, how much Bible is going to be different for someone who has never read a book in their lives as another person who reads 4 books a week. Or maybe they need to learn to read, period, and must use an audio Bible to read and study.

When we cross over into legalism is when we say “I read the Bible every _______, and if you don’t, you are not as spiritual as I am.” That is the underlying issue/attitude of legalism, at least as I understand the term. Because the heart of legalism is pride, the blood type of legalism is hypocrisy.

Funny story- I was chatting with a lady about our favorite books, and another lady walked up and made a mocking comment about us being bookish and reading too much, then she stated that she never reads any book but the Bible. This was supposed to be a rebuke of some kind. The problem is that I had many other conversations with this lady, and while she may never read another book but the Bible, from her talk, she spends inordinate amounts of time glued to her television. Thing is- I don’t take offense at her attempt to measure my spirituality by her own odd definition- I felt sorry for her that she announced to all and sundry that she was dumber than dog hair.

you know, I can’t make the rule for others, they have to make it for themselves. But I can tell them what I did ;) And it’s up to the Spirit as to the time and place someone comes to love it. I kind of regret that it has taken me so long. I think my time in legalism … . well, at least I kept up the habit, but strangely it did not give me the freedom to enjoy the law.

There’s another guy here who also very legalistically reads the Bible daily—he’s a young church leader, preaches weekly„ been to seminary, has read the Bible a lot. But for other reasons of his theology, he is moving away from God. He doesn’t see God’s relationship to him in a love-way. It’s kind of sad to watch. It doesn’t lead him to sanctification. He is getting angrier and angrier at the trials God is sending for him.

My church actually was very instrumental in my particular case, though I’m not sure of the effect on others. The youth group had a voluntary program where we’d read daily, pray daily, take sermon notes, and some other things. We had an adult who’d check our booklet once a month—the Lord also had that as a very particular case in my life, a relationship I still value a lot. At the end of the school year, those who’d finished the program went on a mission trip together. I’m really grateful for my church for doing that for me, that God used it.

as for my kids, there are gracious ways I can try to help them develop this habit, too, but it needs to be very carefully, in a Spirit-led way.

From Martin Luther:

Thus, too, we do not contemn works and ceremonies—nay, we set the highest value on them; but we contemn the belief in works, which no one should consider to constitute true righteousness, as do those hypocrites who employ and throw away their whole life in the pursuit of works, and yet never attain to that for the sake of which the works are done. As the Apostle says, they are “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. iii. 7). They appear to wish to build, they make preparations, and yet they never do build; and thus they continue in a show of godliness, but never attain to its power.

I’m now reading Spurgeon on sanctification. He has several sermons touching on the subject.

Anne’s post reminded me of something that all this legalism talk brought to the surface, and that is- church programs that are built around trophies, charts, and point systems for kids and teens. When they receive rewards and recognition for bringing their Bible to church, passing out tracts and bringing visitors, reading the Bible and doing devotions, exactly what are we teaching them about sanctification, humility, and serving God from the heart?

Just askin’.

because, if a law cannot be made against the fruit of the Spirit, can a law be made that forces them to be expressed in someone’s life?

probably no… . I have been playing around with that thought for a while, but not writing about it.

Aaron,

I knew someone would point out that line. I felt funny typing it out. It’s part a function of blogging that you don’t always have time to correct yourself or think through your post enough times.

I’ll stick by it, though. You can qualify words to death sometimes, and I think that is what can happen here. Sure we do have to obey and Scripture does give us rules, but is our sanctification something we measure by our visible external progress against an extra-Scriptural rule code? Are we measuring up to someone else than God? Is it performance-only-sanctification, or performance-plus?

God works in us - and He does accomplish work in us. Yes. But we can overly focus on the works and the list and the rules and our performance - leading to pride or despair, as my post points out.

Thanks for bringing the balance out, I’m not trying to veer away from all rules. I just think that a rules-heavy atmosphere (which is what we have in many IFB churches) can tend toward a legalistic-friendly atmosphere. Two people in the same environment can come out differently, however. One legalistic and comparing everyone else to how well they are keeping the community rule book, and another can be obeying from the heart and helped by or educated by the same rule book. It is a matter of the heart, and knowing Scripture sure helps. But the environment itself can make a difference, I contend.

As to Scripture reading, so many are ingrained in a mystical use of Scripture - non-expositional preaching from phrases and words of Scripture at the whim of a loud preacher — this doesn’t teach them how to think and interpret the Scripture correctly. So just reading it doesn’t necessarily help. And then, as some pointed out facetiously, Scripture reading itself can become a legalistic rule or a burden. If you aren’t keeping pace with others on the “through-the-Bible-in-a-year” chart, you can beat yourself up over your failures. Have you ever thought of the fact that in Bible days, actual copies of Scripture were quite rare. Even the first 1,000 years after Christ, most people didn’t read and copies of Scripture were somewhat scarce. It is a privilege to have Scripture but there isn’t a command to read it every day - meditate on the message of the Gospel - yes, but to read the book every day? I’m not saying this isn’t helpful and good, but it can become an extra-Scriptural rule for some. Some have called this “quiet-time guilt”.

It’s incredibly sad if the time a person spends with God, either in His Word, in meditation, or in prayer, is a drudgery. It is important that we don’t put the wrong kind of pressure on others to ‘do’ certain things. We can encourage each other to do good things without becoming legalistic, or demanding that people meet some kind of specific standard not put forth in Scripture. I want my Christian friends to experience joy, victory, and enlightenment. But I can’t give it to them, I can only encourage them to seek it out, cheer them on when they do, hold out a hand when they don’t. It’s what I’d hope they’d do for me.

But let’s not be coy- we do make judgments about others, and in the proper context/purpose, it is acceptable and even necessary. None of us go to the local halfway house to find a babysitter. We want Sunday School teachers, deacons, youth workers, pastors, music leaders, etc… to be dedicated to prayer, holiness, and Bible study.

However- why should we as laity sit back and expect from leadership what we don’t demand of ourselves? That’s just as hypocritical IMO as the pastor who lays down a bunch of extra-Biblical rules in an attempt to squeeze his congregation into his idea of the perfect spiritual mold. You want a pastor who teaches sound doctrine and delights in God’s Word? Then study and delight in it yourself.

It is also true that I choose my close companions and confidants based on their desire to walk with God, I listen to and consider the advice of those who are faithful to study and pray. Is that legalism? Phariseeism? I don’t think so. There is a time and place to make judgments, but we are to judge righteous judgment, not for the purposes of intimidation, manipulation, and power mongering.

“Some men’s sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.” (1 Timothy 5:24,25) We shouldn’t make unfounded assumptions, or neglect mercy in favor of condemnation, or forget our goal should always be healing and restoration, or ever EVER think we can stand in the stead of God.

When we cross over into legalism is when we say “I read the Bible every _______, and if you don’t, you are not as spiritual as I am.” That is the underlying issue/attitude of legalism, at least as I understand the term. Because the heart of legalism is pride, the blood type of legalism is hypocrisy.

I think this comment as well as Bob’s above show what the real problem is. It’s not the belief that “performance” is important and valuable or that rules are important and valuable. The problem is sinful attitudes. Given where these attitudes originate, the “performance” and the “rules” will just be replaced by something else if you get rid of them. Pride, hypocrisy etc. are not caused by highly valuing personal discipline or by believing that do’s and don’ts are important.

The latter is easy to prove. The Corinthians were proud of the do’s and don’ts they did not have (1 Cor. 5:1-2). The people of Israel were hypocrites precisely because they did not have the do’s and don’ts they ought to have had (e.g., Jer. 7:1-10). They showed up at the temple and claimed devotion to God and figured it didn’t matter how they actually conducted their “ways.” So God said “amend your ways” (Jer. 7:3).

So my point is that this legalism thing is mostly a distraction from the real problems. People are just as often proud of the rules they don’t have as they are of the rules they do have.

As for “try harder,” the NT is full of this message. Trying harder—and believing in trying harder—is really not the problem.

Aaron- I agree.

Here’s a doozy of an anecdote that IMO relates to this discussion:

A couple of weeks ago I visited some special meetings held at a church we used to attend, mostly just to touch base with some friends. I was not wearing my rose-colored glasses, knowing they’d be of little use anyway- I’d need a blindfold not to see the problems there. Anyway, one of the preachers uses Acts 15:36 as his text- And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

​The underlined part was the basis for his message, which was “How are you doing?”. The outline was something like “How are you witnessing?” and “How is your testimony?”. Not once after the initial reading did we turn to another verse, but to be fair, he quoted at least one verse to support each point.

When it came to “How is your testimony”, one of his stories was about how he personally protects his testimony. He lives on a corner lot, and quite often folks will throw their empty beer cans into his yard. He refuses to ever be seen with a beer can in his hand, so he kicks them into the street and down the storm drain.

Yeah- that’s what I said.

Thus I have reminded you that the prayer for sanctification is offered to the divine Father, and this leads us to look out of ourselves and wholly, to our God. Do not set about the work of sanctification yourselves, as if you could perform it alone. Do not imagine that holiness will necessarily follow because you listen to an earnest preacher, or unite in sacred worship. My brethren, God himself must work within you; the Holy Ghost must inhabit you; and this can only come to you by faith in the Lord Jesus. Believe in him for your sanctification, even as you have believed for your pardon and justification. He alone can bestow sanctification upon you; for this is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1890.htm

“Our Lord’s Prayer for His People’s Sanctification”

The whole sermon is good.