John Owen

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 completes his exposition of the essence of Christ's sacrifice with the words 'penal' and 'satisfaction.' He explains that Christ's sufferings were not merely calamity or chastisement but legal punishment that fully met the demands of God's law against sin. Drawing on the triangular realities of the nature of the law, the nature of God, and the nature of man, he shows from Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, and Colossians 2:14 that Christ bore the curse of the law as the God-man, and he closes with John Owen's beautiful imagery of the sinner as Noah's dove finding rest only in the ark of Christ.

Pastor Martin shows that Christ is uniquely fitted to be the great prophet of His church, not merely because He was appointed, but because of who He is. He opens two of three planned arguments: the unequal dignity of His person (from John 1:14-18 and John 3:11-13, the God-only-begotten who comes out of the bosom of the Father), and the unrivaled authority of His position as mediator (the Father having given Him all things). He draws out implications for our understanding of Scripture, for refusing the tyranny of men over conscience, and for the simplicity of true biblical worship.