Sanctification/New Obedience and Evangelism

“Suppose a Final Paper is proposed for orienting mission thinking toward evangelism as a matter of sanctification. What would be the appropriate theological foundations: Why?  

Compose a summary of these theological foundations and their supporting rationale."

 

            A MAP on orienting mission thinking toward evangelism as a matter of sanctification could have as base line the following definition: “Sanctification is The Transformation that happens when someone comes across Great News or a wonderful promise.” (Okamoto)

           Great News and Wonderful Promise - From article VI of the CA we learn that  “It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone.” Sanctification follows this Great News. We are transformed. From losers we become winners, from people of glory we become people of the cross. From dead we are made alive, and that is the reason why we can go and produce fruit, because we are alive in Christ. “John 8:36: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Therefore by reason we cannot be freed from sins and merit the remission of sins. And in John 3:5 it is written: Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. But if it is necessary to be born again of the Holy Ghost” (Apology of the CA, article IV). If this transformation is not well understood, then the entire teaching of Sanctification is under jeopardy.

As we read in the Apology of the CA, Article V “But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you. Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost be received through faith. Accordingly, Paul says that the Law is established by faith, and not made void; because the Law can only then be thus kept when the Holy Ghost is given.” This is the Great News and the Wonderful Promise that the Church will share with neighbours yet to know Christ and have trust in Him in their hearts.

        Transformation – The Great news and the wonderful promises cause the transformation that leads Sanctification. It would be important also to clarify that Justification and Sanctification should not be understood linearly or in a temporal mode. They are so close together that is difficult to delineate where one stops and the one begins from a mere human perspective. As we work out our salvation, we know that God is working in us both our will and our work (Philippians 2:13). This transformation leads to the understanding that good works are necessary. Not only the ones we choose, as Forde points out, but also the ones that are needed, whether they are our preferred ones or not.

A Right to left definition of the transformation: “Wurmbrand describes his own conversion: " I was like the man in the ancient Chinese story, trudging exhausted under the sun, who came on a great oak and rested in the shade. 'What a happy chance I found you!' he said. But the oak replied, 'It is no chance. I have been waiting for you for 400 years.' Christ had waited all my life for me. Now we met. " (Kolb, R. Speaking the Gospel today, p.171)

These foundations would lead up to an understanding of evangelism as a fruit of the faith of a transformed person. The Great News and the Wonderful Promises received by faith in Christ fill the heart of the Christian in such a way that he or she will feel propelled to share them with people yet to know Christ.  At the same time, evangelism is not the easiest of the tasks in the sanctified life. Perhaps attending Church and bringing the tithes would be more on our favourite section. This shows even more that it is a needed task and that a sanctified life also should lead to the desire to not only guard the fount, but also to share the water. “Each of us has received from God’s hand grace upon grace, all flowing from the sacrificial service of the One who laid down his life for us on the cross. We cannot, therefore, leave the work of God’s mission to “the church” in general or to “others” who may appear more gifted for the task or to “the pastor.” What an honour it is to follow in the footsteps of God’s Servant-Son, and to share with others the love he has so freely and fully bestowed on us! Each of us is a personal letter from Christ to the world (2 Corinthians 3:2-3), telling all who will listen of his grace, mercy, and power.” (A Theological Statement on Mission. CTCR of The LC-MS, 1991, pg.17)

            It is important also to reflect on what Kolb brings: “The first fact the witnessing disciple must remember is that God alone converts. In the Baptism of infants, the Holy Spirit does it with little reference (so far as we know) to the psychological functioning of the child. In adults He operates through Christian witness, using its application of the Word as His instrument and moving in human minds and emotions to turn them around, to recreate them so that they trust in their Creator as He designed them to depend on Him.(…) A great many contemporary Christians who want and try to stress the grace of God fall into the trap laid by our cultural presuppositions regarding human responsibility. The strong emphasis particularly since the Enlightenment on the individual and on individual responsibility has made it very difficult for North Americans to understand what it means that God is Creator and Re-creator. Because they believe that God's total responsibility for His creatures contradicts total human responsibility for us and our actions, they try to divide responsibility for conversion” (Speaking the Gospel today, p.170-71)

            Bible texts in this connection

Romans 12 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers,1 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies bas a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world,3 but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect

1 Peter 3: but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.