Whose Role Is It Anyway?

John 17:17-19 ESV Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (18) As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. (19) And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Recently, Brent Wells (bio), pastor at Lakewood Baptist Church (website) in Somerville, TN, responded to a group of pastors concerning the verses above.  I received permission to post his comments here.  Hopefully, you will be edified/encouraged by his remarks.

"I can't remember where I read this, but a long time ago I came upon this: In regeneration, it is all the work of God and we are passive. In sanctification, it is all the work of God and we are active. 

This has helped me to not be, on the one side fatalistic (if He's going to sanctify me He's going to sanctify me...until then, eat, drink, and be merry) and on the other side, not neglect grace (it's up to me, I must do it, I did it, I get the glory...or maybe the opposite--I can't do it, depression, undue pressure and lack of assurance).

God has given us many means of grace, all of which can be means by which He sanctifies us (make us more like Christ): prayer, fasting, assembling of saints, word--memorization/meditation, confession of sin, church discipline, etc.

We must be active in all of these, but we must honestly confess that it was the grace of God that led us to participate/be faithful in these means of grace. AND if sanctification occurs through these (because sometimes it doesn't--when we are going through the motions, cold, sluggish), then it was all from the God who alone sanctifies us (1 Thess 5.23-24)."