So then, leaving the elementary teachings about Christ, we must advance toward maturity, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God . . .

Hebrews 6:1ff is an instructive passage.  In it there is a strong encouragement to grow in the knowledge and experience of the more advanced doctrines of the Christian faith.  It is interesting to note that there are those today who want to linger with the elementary teachings of Christianity. Indeed, they insist that these are all we need to grow.  They tell us to keep on preaching the Gospel to ourselves, for instance. They believe by contemplating the Good News, we will be sanctified. The writer of Hebrews, on the contrary, would have us move on to other things as well. Obviously, he would not want us to ignore, or forget, the elementary truths of our faith, but neither would he wish us to linger with them, never going on to where we can handle more advanced ones.  There were things the writer couldn’t talk to his readers about because they were still babes in Christ, needing milk and not meat. The whole counsel of God was preached by Paul at Ephesus. It ought to be preached in our churches today. Unless we teach all of the word, instead of merely touting the idea of a Gospel-orientation to all we teach, we will fail to urge our people to “leave the elementary teachings.”

Think about this if you are the member of a church that fails to urge you to advance in your knowledge and life for the Lord. To be caught in such a trap can be dangerous to your spiritual growth. It may seem (and sound) spiritual to say that I will grow by preaching the gospel to myself every day, compare that idea with the text before us in Hebrews 6!

Have you ever picked up a book about a subject you were interested in and found that the author required you to learn his peculiar vocabulary, memorize his clever acronyms or acrostics, and acclimate yourself to his unique jargon in order to follow his train of thought? I seldom make it past the first chapter of such a book—it is just not worth the effort. In order to communicate well about any subject it is necessary to have a common language and understand the terminology of the debate in a uniform way. In biblical counseling circles we are experiencing several controversies in which new ways of using old terms has clouded the discussion.

The biblical counseling movement is now immersed in a troubling controversy about the nature of biblical sanctification. A view is being championed by some which teaches that understanding the Gospel, meditating and contemplating upon its riches, and teaching counselees to do the same is all that is necessary for a believer to grow and change. The Gospel, this view claims, frees us from the need to work at obeying the commands of Scripture.

This is an important discussion. A wrong view of sanctification by the counselor can have a devastating effect upon the counselee. In order to have a fruitful discussion, however, it is necessary to use our words carefully, not merely in how kind and loving we are in our discussion (for some, it is unkind to disagree or point out error), but how accurate and clear we are. To that end, I want to urge my friends in the biblical counseling movement to consider carefully how the terms “Gospel Indicatives” and “Gospel Imperatives” are being used.

The two words “indicative” and “imperative” refer to properties of verbs commonly called mood (or mode). Mood comes from a Latin word which means manner. Thus, by using these terms, we are speaking of the manner in which the verb expresses the action or state of being. A verb in the indicative mood makes a statement or asks a question—he sat, they sang, we ate. A verb in the imperative mood expresses a command or request—eat your peas, insert tab A into slot B, close the door.

The word “Gospel” is more important to understand. Language changes with usage and our English word “gospel” has become a much broader word than was used by the New Testament writers. Today, the word is often used to simply mean anything that is true. In this discussion, however, we should be careful to use the term the way the New Testament writers used the word. It is a translation of the Greek word euangelion which means simply “good news.” In three of the Gospels it is used generally to mean good news about the coming of Christ and His Kingdom. In the epistles Paul and Peter used the term in a narrower sense—the Gospel, my Gospel, our Gospel. For Paul and Peter, the gospel was the saving message of Christ. It was “the power of God unto salvation.” It was always used in a soteriological sense.

Now, it is not wrong to use the term gospel to mean countless other things or to point out that all we have and enjoy in Christ is indeed “good news.” But for the purposes of our discussion about sanctification and counseling it would be helpful if we all talked about the same thing and used the term the same way the New Testament uses it.

Our forefathers in the faith would have been baffled by our use of the terms “Gospel Indicatives” and “Gospel Imperatives.” These were not categories that ever occurred to them. It is new jargon and, as such, they do not have any kind of settled theological meaning. If we are to use the terms in their common grammatical sense when referring to “the gospel” we only confuse the discussion by freighting the terms with all the Bible teaches that is true (indicatives) and all the Bible requires of us (imperatives). “The Gospel” (as the term is used in the New Testament) has only two indicatives and but one imperative!

The Gospel is the reporting of news, good news. It consists of two facts of history—Christ died for our sins and He rose again from the dead. Once reported and received by the listener it has been communicated in its entirety. We are not told to “preach it to ourselves” over and over again once we have heard it. It is news. The only gospel indicatives are those two facts of history—Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead.

When it comes to gospel imperatives there is only one—BELIEVE! The Gospel is the power of God to everyone who believes. All that the Bible teaches we are to do and all it commands that we are to obey are indeed imperatives but by referring to them as “gospel” imperatives we confuse sanctification with justification and do violence to the New Testament usage of the term “gospel.” For Peter, “those who do not obey the gospel” are those who do not believe (1 Peter 4:17).

Let’s have this discussion. It is a vital issue. Those who have resurrected this quietist or contemplative view of sanctification are identified by a number of labels these days—Sonship Theology, New Calvinism, Gospel Sanctification, Christian Hedonism. But regardless of the label, it must be clearly identified as outside the borders of truly Biblical counseling. We will not deal with it as we should if we use fuzzy or cloudy terminology in our discussion. Let’s be clear about what we believe and how the Scriptures teach us to help people change in a way that pleases Him.

Today we welcome guest blogger Lou Priolo. Lou is a long time friend, author, counselor, and conference speaker. Check out his regular blog site at www.loupriolobiblicalcounseling.com.

To my way of thinking, the place of the doctrine of justification in the believer’s life is much like the operating system on a computer. I’m a PC guy. My personal computer operates under a Windows operating system. Windows is always up and running, but most of the time, it runs in the background. I don’t see it. I can go for days without looking at it (although I know it is functioning as long as the other programs are operating properly). Occasionally, I have to go to the control panel to troubleshoot a problem, make some minor adjustments, or defrag my hard drive, but I don’t give it another thought because I have faith that it is doing what it is supposed to do. So it is with my justification. It is always up and running. Though I am not always consciously thinking about it, everything I do flows from it. Indeed, I could do nothing without it. But there are many other things I am called to do (there are many other responsibilities God calls me to fulfill) on which I must diligently focus my attention. Although I am very grateful for it, I cannot allow myself to be distracted by checking the stability of my operating system of justification every five minutes.

But what about the growing number of those who say that we must (or should or ought to) “preach the Gospel to ourselves every day?” If by Gospel they mean the entire ordo-salutis: effectual calling, regeneration, faith, justification, adoption, sanctification,[1] and glorification—the whole enchilada—there is not a problem (other than the fact that the Bible doesn’t exactly command us to do this). But if, like so many seem to be espousing today, they take a reductionist view of the Gospel—reducing it to justification (or to adoption) alone—there is a problem.

If a new or immature believer does not yet have the faith to believe once and for all that God has truly justified him, he would do well to “preach the Gospel of justification to himself every day” until his faith is mature. But to require me to “preach that gospel to myself daily” is to relegate me to the “O ye of little faith” society (which membership I would be only too happy to acknowledge if I thought it were true in regard to my justification). But the truth is that I believe God. I took Him at his Word when He said that He justified me. By and large, I walk around 24/7 with a righteousness consciousness that flows from my faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Even in the midst of my sin, I fully believe that I stand righteous and clean before my Lord (that I am still a son who is loved and accepted by my Heavenly Father) because I have been once and for all justified by faith in His blood. Indeed, my absolutely favorite Bible verse is Romans 4:8, “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not take into account.” Consequently, I have little desire to spend precious moments every day laying anew a foundation that has already been laid for me. Nor do I think that the foundation on which I am building my life somehow needs daily reinforcement. My foundation is firm! I would rather (and I believe the bulk of Scripture directs me to) spend my time building upon that foundation by growing in love, in holiness, and in good works. (I don’t believe we should have a reductionist view of the concept of grace either—grace is more than unmerited favor—it is the supernatural ability and desire that God gives His adopted sons and daughters to obey Him.) And yes, of course, I realize that I can do none of this apart from the Spirit’s enabling power, and that my motivation for working so diligently on my sanctification is out of a heart filled with gratitude for what Christ has done by justifying me (not to mention thanksgiving for a myriad of other mercies with which He has blessed me).

This is not to say that there aren’t moments in my life when, because I am overwhelmed with the guilt of a particular sin, I have to take a bath in Psalm 32, 103, and Romans 3–5 for a few days in order to personally appropriate that justification which I forensically know is mine but that seems to have eluded me experientially. Nevertheless, these moments of weakness (concerning my faith) thankfully for me have been the rare exception rather than the rule.

Of course, there are many other exceptions that could be cited of people who may rightly be encouraged to take a daily booster shot of the Good News of justification. Perfectionistic people, for example, or legalistic individuals, or those who struggle with certain eating disorders are typically those who don’t comprehend justification and its implications on their lives and therefore would do well to review (indoctrinate themselves with) that part of the Gospel until they are fully assured that what God has promised He is able to perform.

So, this is certainly not to imply that there is something wrong with meditating on Christ and what He has done in regard to one’s justification. Indeed, such meditation serves as our greatest motivation for cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the progressive sanctification process. Thus, it is certainly a good thing to do. But, it is the insistence by some that we are all obligated to do this daily that has prompted me to speak out about what I believe amounts to an unbiblical approach to sanctification.

Meditating on what Christ has done by justifying us is not, from the human perspective, what brings about our progressive sanctification (it is not the scriptural modus operandi for or the practical key to it). Obeying Christ’s commandments (in the power of the Spirit and from a heart that is properly motivated) is what does. Understanding justification (and being appreciative for it) is our primary motivation for sanctification, not a principal means of it.

So again, for those whose faith is weak (momentarily or chronically), or who do not understand or properly value the precious doctrine of justification by faith in Christ, or for those who are so proud as to believe that they can obey the Bible in their own power, I believe they should by all means proclaim the doctrine of justification to themselves as often as necessary until their faith is strengthened or until they come to grips with their own depravity. And for the rest of us, meditating on our justification and being thankful to God for it is a fine and proper thing to do.[2] But for one Christian who struggles with (or is weak in) his faith to tell those of us who don’t that we are obligated to daily do what his lack of faith or knowledge (or perhaps lack of humility) impels him to do is presumptuous, if not legalistic. And for teachers and preachers of the Word who want to encourage others to meditate on the blessedness of being justified more regularly than perhaps they do in order to be properly motivated to obey God, for such teachers to not clearly delineate the biblical distinctions between justification and sanctification and thereby synchronize them in the minds of their hearers, is to put a stumbling block before those saints whom they are wanting to help walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. The Gospel is more—much more—than justification by faith alone.

Reformation teaching about justification and subsequent obedience hasn’t changed.

The only obedience that God accepts is that which comes from the work of the Spirit within the believer. It is, therefore, both the fruit of the Spirit and the work of the Christian. To position one of these aspects of biblical obedience over against the other is the error of those who believe that sanctification hardly, if at all, necessitates the efforts of one who is converted. But that work—and it is work—is the effort of the believer spurred on, and assisted, by the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” He made it clear that these two elements are juxtaposed, not placed in opposition to one another. It’s foolish—not only unbiblical, therefore—to think or teach otherwise. Those who do so, serve only to confuse believers about a matter that was cleared up early in Reformation theology. Why do they now think they are wiser than the Reformers?

This seems to me to be an unsuccessful effort, of people who have nothing new in biblical interpretation, to discover something anyway. If a matter has been settled by the church, it is wrong to stir up the thinking of the general population of Christians about any change in such long-settled theology unless it is clearly an exegetically-supported change that can be demonstrated to be a genuine advance in thought that improves upon accepted Reformation doctrine.

And, in particular, it’s dangerous to play around with the Gospel, which is good news to be believed: it is the news that Jesus died to save His people, bearing their punishment for their sins, and that He rose again from the dead. When one by grace, through faith, trusts Jesus as Savior, all His sins are forever forgiven, His righteousness, now placed on the books, is that perfect righteousness of the Lord, and He now possesses the Spirit Who enables Him to please God by obedience (as he could not beforehand: Romans 5:5).

There are many more people who have been affected by the latest Gospel Sanctification propaganda than you—or even they—might realize (if you don’t know about it, it’s time to find out!).

You hear it in little things that they say, and /or how they say bigger ones.

People are now writing not only about “idols of the heart,” but also about the really “deep idols” that we must deal with. How they make such non-biblical distinctions, let alone distinguish idols of the heart from plain, old idolatry, is hard to gather. They have no biblical support for doing such things, but what they say sounds pious, and many are swept aside by this fact, and, I suppose are out there trying to repent, “deeply.”

Actually, down through the years it has been the vague stuff like this that has captured the minds of the untaught and unlearned (2 Peter 3:16). That’s why mysticism stills holds a large segment of the Roman church in its clutches, why liberalism with its vague neo-orthodoxy still affects the thinking of many, and why post-modern anarchism is in vogue.

The thing that needs to be done is for the members of biblical congregations to be encouraged by their pastors to buy and study good theological textbooks like, AA Hodge’s Outlines, like Berkhof’s Systematic Theology, and—more recently—Reymond’s Systematic Theology. And, of course, these churches should regularly teach true doctrine clearly and persuasively.

People simply don’t know what they are being fed, and what they are swallowing, half the time.  Speaking of time, it’s high time that we got back to thinking theologically rather than reading Christian romances and pious-sounding froth. If we don’t, error—rampant at the moment—will take over leadership in the “Evangelical” church.

Do you know what the words “justification” and “sanctification” mean when used theologically? If you don’t it’s certainly necessary for you to “catch up.” The crux of the issue has to do with the unbiblical fusion of sancrification with justification. The latter is set forth not as “keeping” God’s commandments, but as bringing about change by concentrating on the cross. As one immerses himself in the cross of Christ, sanctifying growth occurs. The biblical truth is that we are to pursue fruit, which becomes a reality and the Spirit helps us grow in grace.

It’s time to read carefully about the meaning of justification and sanctification. But be careful that you read the classics, that you compare the definitions and concepts of these more “modern” texts with them, and that you are able to distinguish the error taught today.  Get, and digest, a copy of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Becoming a discerning Christian ought to be high on your list of goals.  Otherwise you, or some of your loved ones, will be taken in by the current wave of error that is washing over the church!

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This word today is taboo in some Christian circles. Why? Because it runs counter to the new trend that confuses sanctification and justification. And yet, why should this be? There is no valid reason for such a confusion except the desire to promote the new form of quietism that some have called Gospel Sanctification. This movement runs contrary to the Reformation and the Scriptures. It is dangerous and must be exposed and halted.

When people tell us that what you must “do” to be sanctified is to preach the Gospel to yourself, or to focus, marinate, or otherwise soak one’s self in the cross, they make a totally unbiblical case for their view. You find nothing of the sort in the Bible. Thinking “deeply” about the Gospel will not, in itself, bring on sanctification. Certainly thinking about what Jesus did for us on the cross ought to motivate us to become more set apart from sin and to righteousness (i.e., sanctified). But motivate us to do what? Meditate on the cross? No. What, then?

What Jesus told us to do in the Great Commission was “obey (KJV: “observe”) all that He commanded us.” Obey—that‘s what the Gospel hymn says: Trust and Obey.  And the writer got it right—we trust for justification (as Abraham did) and we obey (for sanctification). The Holy Spirit enables us to know from Scripture, and to do by His strength, the things that please God—we don’t obey in our own wisdom or power. John 14:15 is still in the Bible, though you’d never think so if you read GS materials (see also John 14:21, and see the warning of 4:24. Don’t miss John 15:17). One wonders whether he ought to ask GS people what Paul asks in Galatians 3:1.

Anyone who wants to think “more deeply” (a favorite term of the GS people), ought to concentrate on the Great Commission and on Philippians 2:12, 13. God gives us the desire and the ability to do those things that please Him. Doing is obeying (see John’s great phrase to “practice the truth” [1 John 1:6]). And be sure to read carefully John 17:17—there we learn that God’s truth believed and obeyed in one’s daily walk (2 John 6–not meditation or fixation on the Gospel) is what sanctifies.

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