Grace and Morality

In the early days of American history, David Brainerd preached the gospel to the American Indians. He said, “I never get away from Jesus, and Him crucified, and I found that when my people were gripped by this great evangelical doctrine of Christ, and Him crucified, I had no need to give them instructions about morality.” We agree with the statement that morality follows as the sure and inevitable fruit of the other, but this preacher cannot go as far as Brainerd to say that people who are gripped by the gospel need no instruction about morality. For example, what about all the space in the Bible taken up with the subject of sanctification?

The Greek noun hagiasmos is used in the sense of separation from that which is impure. It speaks of man’s relationship with God; therefore, man is “set apart for God.” Paul said to the Romans, “I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life” (Rom. 6:19-22).

Paul said to the Corinthians, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD” (I Cor. 1:26-31).

The Greek verb hagiadzo is a derivative of hagios, which expresses the idea of separation. The verb means to place in a relation to God, which answers to His holy character. In the case of a Christian, the word means “to set apart for God—the only true God.” The verb hagiadzo is used several ways:

1. It is used in a mental sense when the believer sanctifies Christ as Lord in his heart (I Pet. 3:15).

2. It is used when the God-called man cleanses himself from things that do not edify the assemblies of Christ (II Tim. 2:21).

3. It is used in the sense of the subjective work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the elect (I Cor. 1:2; 6:11). Are we guilty of guarding the truth against doctrinal error while permitting its pollution through carnal living?

4. It is used in the sense of an unsaved mate in marriage sanctified by the believing mate (I Cor. 7:14).

5. It is used in the sense of Christ’s expiatory work of Hebrews 10:10.

6. It is used in the sense of the believer’s separation from the world (John 17:17).

7. It is used in the sense of food that is set apart by the word of God and prayer (I Tim. 4:4, 5).

The relation of Leviticus to Exodus is the same as the Epistles to the Gospels. The last division of Leviticus, which follows Chapters 1-16, has two parts: (1) Chapters 17-22, which typify “separation” and “moral holiness,” and (2) Chapters 23-26, which represent “times for worship.”

Israel was warned against trying to penetrate the secrets of the future. A true concern for the future is motivated by something other than mere human curiosity. The only legitimate expectation is the one oriented to Israel’s God. Only of God can it be said, “Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail [fall to the ground]” (I Sam. 3:19). Isaiah said, “Confirming the word of His servant and performing the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, She shall be inhabited! And of the cities of Judah, They shall be built. And I will raise up her ruins again” (Is. 44:26).

True eschatology is always concerned with the expectation of Jesus Christ, the One who has already been revealed to the heart in regeneration and who will appear the second time to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. The revelation of the suffering Savior to put away sin is the fruit of Christ’s first advent. The revelation of the King of glory will be the consummation of Christ’s work. Thus the two give the key to true eschatology; this distinguishes true eschatology from mere futurism which is filled with the unknown. True eschatology, unlike mere futurism, is filled with promises the elect embrace. True eschatology does not produce in Christians either anxiety or passivity. Peter said, “The end of all things is near [has come near]; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (I Pet. 4:7).

Sanctification is not sinless perfection. Both John Wesley and Charles Finney taught that each believer must take Jesus Christ twice—once for justification and once for sanctification. Wesley taught the new believer to be “so renewed in the image of his mind as to be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect.” Finney said, “Regeneration is an instantaneous change from entire sinfulness to entire holiness.” When pressed on the issue, perfectionists modify their position from “freedom from all sin” to “freedom from all known sin.” Others go from “known” sin to “entire” consecration to God.

The fundamental errors of perfectionism are its low view of God’s law, and its narrow conception of sin. Wesley said, “I believe a person filled with the love of God is still liable to involuntary transgressions, such transgressions you may call sins, if you please; I do not.” One can leap over a church steeple, if he is permitted to make the steeple low enough. One can obey God’s law if he can only make God’s law what he wants it to be.

The fact is that God could not give a law which a sinner could obey. The law demands perfection. The law is a transcript of God’s nature. The best Christian comes short of perfection. Regeneration makes the dominant disposition holy. Many affections still remain unholy and require cleansing.

The sanctified—set apart—life of God’s people is not a moral quality which arises from their own actions and achievements. It is the life that has been rooted in the sanctifying action of God. Let each one of God’s people listen carefully to what God said to Moses: “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy. This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten” (Lev. 11:44-47).

Since Israel was chosen and sanctified by God, she had no other task than to live as God’s people. The sanctification initiated by God has evident consequences. Sanctification involves separation from sin as well as unto God. The one logically follows the other, just as faith follows ordination. Listen to Doctor Luke: “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed [perfect passive participle of tasso, meaning appointed, designated, ordered, or determined] to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.