A recent post on the Gospel Coalition website by Trevin Wax gave a helpful review of my book Possessed by God. A New Testament Theology of Sanctification and Holiness. This was published in 1995 by InterVarsity Press (USA) and Apollos (UK) as the first in the New Studies in Bible Theology series edited by D. A. Carson. Following the lead of earlier writers, I argued that sanctification in the New Testament is an integral part of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. It is regularly portrayed as a once-for-all definitive act and primarily has to do with the holy status or position of those who are ‘in Christ’.
In his original commendation of the book, Carson concluded that ‘much godly living, Christian assurance, stable faith and Christian maturity stem from a firm grasp of what the Bible says in this regard.’ This was my emphasis throughout the book, and Trevin Wax has continued to evaluate the pastoral implications of seeing sanctification primarily as a position or status, rather than as a process of growth or maturation. Other terms are used in the New Testament to signify progress and development.
Although this book has been published for almost 30 years, it has surprised me that little public discussion on the topic has taken place (with some notable exceptions). Apart from the pastoral implications, the thesis raises important questions about the relationship between Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology. Nevertheless, I am regularly challenged about these issues by students in my classes and increasingly by online contacts!
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