Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 13)

Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter 13

Of Sanctification

(Part  2)

II. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

Throughout the history of the Church, there have been those who taught what has come to be known as “perfectionism.” Generally speaking, this is the belief that the Christian can reach a state of sinlessness in this life. As the first paragraph said, the sanctification of the justified sinner is sure; however, his sanctification is not, as we pointed out, instantaneous. The sinner is delivered from the mastery of sin, but not from the presence and continuing influence of sin.

The present paragraph, therefore, specifies that our recreation is not completed in this life. Every part of the sinner is being recreated, the first phrase teaches, but the overall process of his recreation is not accomplished as long as he is in this world. Our thorough corruption will be thoroughly repaired, but this restoration only begins and progresses in this life, it is not completed.

The result of this begun but not finished process of sanctification is a tension, a tension between the seed of the new life implanted in the sinner at regeneration and the remnant of sin in his flesh. The Divines describe this as “a continual and irreconcilable war” in which the flesh is pitted against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.

It’s interesting to note the use of the word “irreconcilable.” This drives home the point that the believer cannot walk in his former ways; those ways are incompatible with his justified state. This is the tension that we must struggle to maintain throughout our lives; we must constantly remind ourselves that sin is a foreign element in our redemption. We cannot be comfortable with it and must work to defeat its impulses at every turn.

III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome; and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

One of the things that commends the Confession is the honest manner in which it deals with the Christian adventure. You can tell that many who wrote this document were acquainted with the struggles, temptations, failings, and heartaches of the Christian life. They recognize the power of sin and the fact that it might, indeed, seem to overwhelm the believer for a season. To deny that this happens would be to deny reality and the Divines make no pretense that our post-regeneration experience is going to be without its problems.

Nevertheless, they also know the power of the gospel, the reality of the new birth and the veracity of God. In spite of sin’s sometimes frightening power, the believer surely will prevail as the Spirit of the Savior resides in Him supplying the strength, grace and perseverance that are needed. The call of God is unto salvation and once that call has been manifested in the heart of the sinner, once he has been brought to life, there is no possibility that God’s call will fail to issue forth in the glorious and eternal salvation of the soul.