McCall's CV

Moltmann Spirit of Life Sanctification

McCall Moltmann Preview:

Moltmann structures his book with 3 overarching themes, consisting of the Attributes of the Spirit of God, the Actions of the Spirit of God, and the Associations of the Spirit of God. I pointedly discuss the Actions of the Spirit of God, focusing acutely on the Import of Sanctification Today by the initial interior action of the Spirit of God, as understood by Moltmann. Moreover, where needed, I make necessary adjustments to Moltmann’s views. Blessed Father God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sender of the Spirit of Righteousness, is also the God of the godless. However, Father God does not expect one to remain godless, for the godless know no peace. Contrariwise, by the implantation of the Spirit of God, one is internally empowered to cast off the restraints of sin, shatter the shackles of perversion, and demolish the demons of iniquity. Indeed, the Spirit of God is the Righteousness of the living and loving Father God. As Father God’s energetic Love, the Spirit of God penetrates into fallen humanity’s harden heart, and thereby generates peace. A pertinent area of application regarding sanctification today is the detestation known as abortion. Spirit-derived Causation of sanctification today is hereby affirmed to protect The Spirit of Life.

 

 

 

NOW Show the Power Point Presentation, and then conclude with the following:

 

  • Spirit-derived Causation of sanctification today is hereby affirmed to protect The Spirit of Life.
  • It has been accurately noted by John Wesley that the two fundamental doctrines of Christianity are justification, which is that which God does for us, and sanctification, which is that which God does within
  • Humanity was originally made imago dei, which refers comprehensively neither to the natural image of humans (the way we look), nor to the functional image of humans (the way we have dominion).
  • On the contrary, imago dei chiefly refers to humanity’s moral image, which is the way we act.
  • However, through the primal disobedience of humanity’s corporate heads, imago dei within humanity was disturbed and distorted.
  • The Reformers identified the objective causal Agent of Justification as Jesus Christ.
  • John Calvin was the first theologian of the Reformers to make a distinction between the concepts of sanctification and justification.
  • Picking up where Luther left off, Calvin did not disagree with what Luther stated in regards to justification, but thought that Luther did not go far enough.
  • Luther focused almost exclusively upon the justification of the ungodly, whereas Calvin, in extension of this concept, spoke of the sanctification of the ungodly.
  • Calvin taught that these were two very separate events in the Christian life, but when justification occurred, invariably did also sanctification.
  • In fact, Calvin taught that the two happened simultaneously with one another.
  • When one was justified in position before God, one was also sanctified in position before God.
  • With Calvin, this positional sanctification then worked outwardly into our practical sanctification.
  • Calvin postulated that this sanctification was enacted by us repenting before God, mortifying our lives, and vivifying our Spirits.
  • The end result of our repentance, Calvin states, is our restoration into the very image of God.
  • Whereas the Reformers focused upon justification, it was the Pietists that brought the needed attention to— and development of— the sanctification of sinners.
  • Pietists realized that it is the Spirit of God who is the subjective causal Agent of Justification.
  • Whereas both justification and sanctification are Christologically based, they are both Pneumatologically appropriated.
  • Therefore, one might accurately ascribe both justification (understood Pneumatologically as regeneration) and sanctification to the work of the Spirit.
  • The nature of sanctification is such that the Spirit of God works within the mind and brings it to life, renewing in it imago dei.
  • Traditionally speaking, sanctification has been seen as being a process, which is seemingly the most correct, based on our experience.
  • In support of this traditional interpretation, James Dunn, in his Romans commentary in the New International Commentary on the New Testament series, postulates that we sinners have been cleansed already, but not yet fully (because sin still affects us humans).
  • In extension, then, we have already been redeemed from this body of sin, but not yet completely (for we are still in this tent).
  • David Peterson, in his volume for the New Studies In Biblical Theology series entitled, Possessed by God, advocates contra the traditional view of sanctification, and instead avers the instantaneous and definitive sanctifying of a person in position unto the Lord.
  • Therefore, according to Peterson sanctification is a state that believers “find” themselves in as a result of faith in Christ (14).
  • According to Peterson, Christians are considered to be dead to sin in 4 ways.
    • First, we are to be dead to sin in the judicial sense (98).
      • God no longer holds the wages of sin against us, because the Christ has taken them upon Himself.
    • Second, Peterson states that we are to be dead to sin in a baptismal
      • We were baptized into the death of Christ; therefore, by extension, we died with Him.
    • Third, Peterson advocates the notion that we are to be dead morally to sin in that we are to walk in the newness of life that the baptism expresses that we have.
    • Fourth, Peterson posits that we are to dead to sin literally.
  • In opposition to the position just outlined by Peterson, this reviewer affirms Moltmann by stating that Sanctification is both progressional & participatory, so it requires continuation for completion.
  • The results of sanctification include relying on God so as not to sin, thereby enjoying the Peace of God (Romans 6:1-14).
  • In Romans 8:1-39, Paul is describing the differences between the saved and the unsaved by the frequent phrases, life “in the Spirit”, and life “in the flesh”.
  • When a person is “in” Christ, they have the Spirit of God, and thus they are no longer lost (i.e. not under damnation).
  • Pointedly, this is The Spirit of Life, and it only applies to those who receive the Spirit and walk
  • The Spirit of Life, then, is the defining mark of those who are His (presence), as well as those who are not (lack thereof).
  • The people who have life “in the flesh” have not God, and therefore are lost (and will receive damnation).
  • The presence of behavior that is characteristic of a Christian is the mark of whether a person has the Spirit, because the Spirit produces His fruit (i.e. righteousness).
  • The contrasts of life “in the Spirit” and life “in the flesh” can also be attested to by the new obedience that the Spirit invariably works in those who belong to Him unto God’s laws.
  • Imprinted by the Spirit of God, the sanctified patron loves God in all areas of their life, and thereby is perfected positionally before God.
  • As a consequence of being perfected positionally before God by the internal action of the Spirit of God, the patron is thereafter merciful as God also is merciful.
  • Moreover, sanctification by the Spirit of God changes the worldly mind into the mind of Christ.
  • As a result, those who are led by the Spirit of God perpetually act in His stead and in His name, and therefore protect the most vulnerable of creatures: the “unborns”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanctification Today Addendum:

  • The initial step in performing a partial-birth abortion involves two days of dilating the mother’s cervix.
  • Afterward, the abortionist uses an ultrasound probe to locate the lower extremities of the unborn baby.
  • He then works large grasping forceps through the mother’s vaginal and cervical canals and into her uterus.
  • The abortionist grasps a leg of the infant with the forceps and pulls the leg into the mother’s vagina.
  • With a lower extremity in the vagina, the surgeon uses his fingers to deliver the opposite lower extremity, then the torso, the shoulders and the upper extremities.
  • The skull lodges at or near the cervix.
  • While clutching the baby’s shoulders, the abortionist then takes a pair of blunt curved scissors.
  • He carefully advances the tip of the scissors, curve down, along the spine until he feels it contact the base of the skull.
  • The surgeon then forces the scissors into the base of the skull.
  • Having safely entered the skull, he then spreads the scissors to enlarge the opening.
  • The surgeon removes the scissors and introduces a suction catheter into this hole and “evacuates” the skull contents (i.e. brain matter) by suction.
  • With the catheter still in place, he applies traction to the dead fetus, removing it completely from the former mother.