Progressive Sanctification & the Assurance of Pardon - 7

Below I continue to post quotes and comments on Forde's article.

"Talk about sanctification can be dangerous in that it misleads and seduces the old being into thinking it is still in control. We may grudgingly admit we cannot justify ourselves, but then we attempt to make up for that by getting serious about sanctification."

Forde’s essential conclusion here is that talk about sanctification as progressive in nature can be “dangerous” and I can sympathize with this concern when such talk of our theology of sanctification either leads to a practical application that doesn’t include God’s gracious gift of that progress, or if it stems from a theology that denies the same type of graciousness from God which is subsequent to the grace of justification. The Westminster Divines, among others, concluded that the justified life necessarily involves some degree of the mortification of sin. Dying to the desires of the flesh, recognizing and repenting of (seeing it in light of God’s holiness) personal sin, confessing it and believing that Christ died with it on His shoulders, and having it once for all cast away is the sanctified life. But it is this matter of progression that is somewhat nebulous, even in the definition given in ages past. So I must admit that many a bruised reed and smoldering wick has been broken and snuffed out by well-meaning pastors (those intending to fight heartily against “Easy-believism” as they have taught on the progressive nature of sanctification. At times I’ve wondered if the gospel was simple left behind as though it was simply the boarding pass to get on the jet of sanctification. And in that way I sympathize with Forde’s (and what I think is peculiarly the present Lutheran concern for souls who have been prepared for legalism in the midst of the practical application of the doctrine of progressive sanctification. However, I must part ways when it is suggested that simply because the doctrine has been abused, it must therefore be erroneous. Consider Luther himself as he answered the Roman Catholic objection to sola fide, that if it were true, then a flood-gate of iniquity will be opened. To that protestation he said, “…so be it.”
Quotes and comments to be continued...