Ordinance/Sacrament

[AnthonyB]

Justification comes through being in a covenant relationship with Christ. We are both cleansed of sin (the negative removed) and declared right in God's eye (put in positive standing with God.) We are adopted us sons of the Father, clothed with Christ, receive the Holy Spirit. It is brought about by our faith (ie justified by faith), although faith is the whole response of the person to the gospel, believing the gospel, repenting of sin, confessing Jesus, being baptized for the remission of sins and receiving the Holy Spirit. Baptism is the ordinance (sacrament) that is linked to beginning the covenant, that is why it is a once at the beginning of the covenant not every week.

Sanctification is the ongoing process of being made holy, the renewal and transformation of us. Growing in our personal righteousness and being pruned where we are unrighteous. Communion is linked Santification because it is the ordinance given to assist us in keeping the covenant in check. To make sure we are not straying from our covenant.

Sin does not end the covenant, but it will impair the covenantal relationship. When we sin, God still sees Christ righteousness instead of our sinfulness. However if we do not choose to cleanse the sin it will grow, it will spread, it will eventually turn us from God. God does not throw us out of the family for every indiscretion but if we continually show no regard for our membership of His family, God will grant our desire. Communion gives us the weekly opportunity to renew our covenant (not restart), to confess our sin and be cleansed of the sin we pick up. Unrepentant sin will effect who we are in Christ, make us ineffective in our walk with God and minimize the righteous works that God can work in us. This will lead to a lesser reward in heaven.

Edited November 11, 2011 by AnthonyB

[Spartan117]

Communion gives us the weekly opportunity to renew our covenant (not restart), to confess our sin and be cleansed of the sin we pick up.

I'm assuming that the "communion" you are speaking of is the Catholic communion? (or taking the sacrament for LDS)

If so, how can the covenant be "renewed" and not be "restarted" as well? What would be the difference between them?

[Justice]

Very interesting, Anthony. I enjoyed reading your post.

In your description of Justification, how do you define covenant, and what about faith?

Also, I'm having trouble seeing any real differences between Justification and Sactification in your definitions. What would you say are the primary differences?

[AnthonyB]

Spartan117,

I’m not Roman Catholic, so I mean it simply as the meal that Jesus initiated. I do however believe that physical actions have spiritual consequences. Communion is a meal given to us to bind us to Jesus by remembrance of his saving actions, our future hope in him and our oneness as his body. It is a time to clean the slate through confession of sins and take account of how we are walking with God.

As for renew verses restart, it depends what you mean by restart. If you mean by restart move forward “as if” you were starting again then they are the same. If you mean the thing has stopped or ceased and needs to be restarted as it had never been, then no. People who renew their wedding vows are not restarting their marriage in the same way they once started it but they indeed may be wiping the slate clean and give their marriage a fresh go.

The NT talks of our commitment to Jesus as somehow paralleling marriage. People who are renewing their covenant with Jesus through communion are not getting remarried after a divorce but rather more like a married couple who are choosing to constantly reaffirm and recommit to each other.

Edited November 13, 2011 by AnthonyB
Spacing

[AnthonyB]

Justice,

Faith is not just mental ascent, it is active personal engagement. It is subtly different for every person because it is the interpersonal bond between two people (God and the disciple) not a legal set of tick boxes to complete. However the NT gives examples and promises as a guideline of how our God desires for us to approach him. Believe the gospel, confess our faith, repent of our sin and be baptized. For me baptism is a faithful part of a faith response. It is God’s gift to his disciples of a bodily act to assist in our “binding” ourselves in covenant.

Covenant is harder to describe, you have to go back to the example of Suzerain\Vassal covenants to build up a framework. Marriage is about the last covenant that most people still experience and for the majority it has probably ceased operating that way. Coronation is other example but not many understand what is going on. That it is a mutual covenant between the Sovereign and his/her subject.

Justification and Sanctification

Justification is like adoption, the legal aspect of being made part of the family. It is declaration that legally you belong. It is the beginning of being family. Sanctification is taking on the traits of the family. Your adoptive parents (presuming they are good and loving parents and God is both good and loving) don’t throw you out for one failure but if you persistently and demonstrably want to go your own way and have nothing to do with the family they will let you go. If you hang around your family your start (often without even being aware of it) acting and behaving like part of the family.

Justification is becoming as subject of a kingdom, getting the rights, responsibility, status and protection that entails. Sanctification is taking on the culture and mores of your new society. If however you refuse to participate or enjoy your new culture and keep living as if you where in your old country then there is a very good chance you’ll up and move back.

Justification is being grafted on to a living tree, you have access to the new sap, which will grow you and produce fruit. If you refuse to take the sap then you will neither grew fruit and eventually if you persist be pruned as a dead branch.

Edited November 13, 2011 by AnthonyB
Spacing