Grieving the Spirit

Pastor Martin opens the question of agency in progressive sanctification by warning against two opposite errors: sanctification by naked human effort (which drifts into legalism, asceticism, and self-righteousness) and sanctification by the negation of human effort (Keswick/higher life, 'let go and let God,' leading to subjectivism and antinomianism). He then unfolds the first half of the biblical answer: the triune God is an active agent — the Father sanctifies through pruning and preserving (John 17, John 15, 1 Thessalonians 5, Hebrews 13), the Son by his indwelling, advocacy, and intercession (Philippians 1, Colossians 2, 1 John 2, Hebrews 7), and the Spirit by peculiarly taking the lead in mortification and Christlike fruit (Romans 8, Galatians 5, 2 Corinthians 3). Glory belongs to God alone.

Pastor Martin closes his four-part treatment of sin in the justified life with the final principle: sin must always be dealt with in conjunction with evangelical repentance. He distinguishes evangelical from merely legal repentance using 2 Corinthians 7, then unfolds four marks of true repentance in a believer — honest acknowledgement, genuine grief, a sincere resolve to forsake the sin, and willingness to confess and make restitution horizontally. Rich illustrations from David, Peter, Judas, and homely family scenes ground the whole pastoral counsel.