Sanctification and a ruptured...

disc walked into a bar bookstore.

I wish I could think of a joke and punchline for this particular point, but I do not have one. I leave it to more clever heads. However, I am thinking very much, lately, on the sanctification aspects found in having a ruptured disc. Since I come from a reformed perspective and believe all things to be in the Providence of God for the good and perfect will of His people, I choose to trust that even this time of inconvenience, affliction, trial, and impatience when submitted to Him and His purpose, will be found useful in my life and for His glory.

What recognition therefore to face how very little I like this part of things. It seems to make no sense. I am a believer. I have entrusted my life to God. I love and adore Him. He is Lord of my life.

I want this ruptured disc to be a broken arm that has a cast for 6 weeks and is then restored back to regular activities. Instead, it is a ruptured disc with an indefinite time period attached to variable effective treatment options with no guarantees attached to how I may or may not recover or what I may or may not be able to do for who knows how long.

I'm thinking that ruptured discs are a limited visual aide for teaching sanctification--limited because of a key exception that I'll get to eventually. Bear with me in the bookstore.

Sanctification can be defined as the believer's progressive growth in holiness or conformity to the image of Christ, being set apart for God and His work. 1 Thess 4:3 teaches that sanctification is God's will for believers. The third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, is recognized as being principally active in sanctification. This tells me that sanctification is a divine work of God. This assures me I can trust His work.

Like many Biblical principles, there is a unique tension between what part does God do and what part does man play. Choosing to lay all at God's door can create an antinomian view towards obedience. Choosing to lay all at my door can manifest itself in a works driven theology. Instead the Bible teaches that God sanctifies, and man is responsible to God in his sanctification.

In looking up some verses on this doctrine, I found myself continually turning back to Philippians where so many of these truths are contained. Perhaps Paul found the Philippians in need of encouragement regarding sanctification. Maybe some had ruptured discs.

Php 2:12-13 says,

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

That working out our salvation with fear and trembling is an ordained and required active response. Passages in 2 Cor 6:14-18, Gal 5:16-26, Eph 4:27-5:31, and Col 3:1-17 all helpfully describe a believer's obedient response to the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification.

An opening verse, Php 1:6, gives very specific encouragement to the believer for this process,

6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Two other New Testament passages in 1 Pe 1:2, 1 Thess 5:23 show God's sovereignty of completing His will in every one He has given to the Son to receive His Spirit. Old Testament passages such as Jer 31:33-34 also show the inception of this work.

With all that being said, I used to ask the question, "Why doesn't God just save people and immediately whisk them to heaven to reside in His kingdom?" Sanctification is a huge part of the answer. He doesn't just save us unto eternity, but He also saves us to bear upon the world the eternal effects of His very great salvation.

And this takes time. This takes work. This takes obedience to persevere even when there are limitations and adverse circumstances. It does not take place within a vacuum, my schedule, or even with fuzzy stickers for accomplishment.

For the length of time that God uses to sanctify His people is His prerogative. The ways that He chooses to refine us, to set us apart, to conform us to the image of His Son, is all His prerogative. He commands us to be faithful in obedience to Him through prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, service to Him, and service to His Body. But the most significant exception is that what He has begun, He completes--with the fullest of guarantees, His Holy Spirit as the seal of His work (Eph 1:13-14). He does not have unfinished needlework projects in His closets. He displays the beautiful tapestries of His work, detailing the lives of His people.

I pray that my ruptured disc will appear on my tapestry as only a beautiful knot or vine or even a bird's beak, because I choose to trust His hand.