After briefly summarizing six points that are generally agreed upon, Dr. Thomas offered three points of clarity concerning the doctrine of sanctification. Each of those points are appropriately pastoral. That is, a proper doctrine of sanctification never finally remains theoretical but speaks to how we actually live. 

On Wednesday of General Assembly, the Gospel Reformation Network sponsored a luncheon with Derek Thomas as the featured speaker. His subject was sanctification. It is an address that is desperately needed in the church today. As recent months have proven, it is desperately needed within the PCA where confusion over sanctification has been on public display. This is odd to me as a new Presbyterian given the fact that our confession of faith is quite clear on the doctrine of sanctification and the use of God’s law in the lives of believers.

After briefly summarizing six points that are generally agreed upon, Dr. Thomas offered three points of clarity concerning the doctrine of sanctification. Each of those points are appropriately pastoral. That is, a proper doctrine of sanctification never finally remains theoretical but speaks to how we actually live. 

1. Teaching on sanctification must point to the necessity of effort.
Sanctification differs from justification in that God employs means in the sanctification of his people. In justification God declares sinners righteous by grace alone through faith alone. Works of obedience do not ever enter the picture. However, this is clearly not the case in sanctification. It is true that, like justification, sanctification has a declarative aspect – God declares his people to be set apart (holy). So it is appropriate for the church to be spoken of as having been sanctified. However, sanctification is also a progressive reality so that we are also being sanctified. 

Sanctification therefore is not passive as is justification. God actively employs means to sanctify his people. Among those means are Spirit-driven effort (1 Cor 15:10; Phil 2:12-13). Dr. Thomas helpfully pointed out that our efforts toward obedience are “a product of the bi-lateral nature of the covenant.” In other words, covenant is unilaterally initiated by God but bi-laterally applied. That is, there are real expectations for our obedience in the covenant of grace. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, the New Testament is rich is the language of effort and striving toward obedience and the putting to death of sin. 

2. “Multifaceted Motivationalism”
Dr. Thomas described a “reductionistic theology that wants to see only one motive for obedience – gratitude.” I have seen this repeatedly now for years. It is the idea that any motive for obedience other than gratitude somehow diminishes God and is inherently legalistic. The one problem with that line of reasoning is that it is patently unbiblical. 

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