How Do You Grow in Grace?

There is a big debate brewing of the wider Christian blogosphere on the matter of sanctification, or how we are made increasingly holy in Christ. Historically, this debate is not unexpected, as we just through a two decade debate on the matter of justification, or how we are made right with God in Christ. Typically, as in the Christian life, the former follows the latter.

But with every debate, there is an opportunity to refine one's comprehension of biblical truth and grasp the beauty and the power of the Gospel with greater depth, love, and reverence.

First, let's define a couple of terms:

When someone receives and rests upon Christ alone for their salvation, it is because they have first been effectually called. Effectual calling, according to Westminster Shorter Catechism 31, "is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel."

So the Christian life begins with Christ calling us to saving faith, and giving us such saving faith, by His Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8-9). As with the disciples, He looks upon and calls us before we follow Him (Mark 1). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

WSC 32 then tells us that "They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them." Here then our three of the primary facets of the Christian life:

Justification, which is "an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone" (WSC 33).

Adoption, which is "an act of God’s free grace,a whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God" (WSC 34).

Sanctification, which is "the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness" (WSC 35).

The WSC then tells us that the benefits that accompany or flow from these acts/works of God's grace are an "assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end" (36). Don't you love how simply and logically the WSC outlines these basic Biblical truths?

So when Christ calls us and unites us to Himself by grace through faith, we are justified, adopted, and begin the process of being sanctified. All of these are acts/works of "God's free grace."

As mentioned before, we just passed through another healthy season of debates on justification, in which the truth that we're pardoned of all our sins and accepted as righteous in His sight is only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. This righteousness is not infused in us, as Rome claims, so that our righteousness is made acceptable to God. Nor do we add any righteousness of our own, since it only constitutes filthy rags in the sight of God (Is. 64:6).

Sanctification is a more tricky animal, in the sense that it is an ongoing work, and thus a practical struggle in our daily lives. Like justification, we confess that sanctification is wholly of God's free grace, but what are the means of that grace that enable us to "die unto to sin, and live unto righteousness?" (cf. Rom. 6).

Is it not Christ, operating by Word and Spirit (Acts 1) through the preaching of the Word (Rom. 10) and the sacraments (Acts 2; 1 Cor. 10-11)? But, acknowledging our own responsibility in this regard, are we not called to "meditate on the Word day and night" (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2) and set "our minds on things above" (Col. 3:1-4) in prayer?

Brothers and sisters on both sides of the sanctification debate will likely respond in the affirmative to both of those questions. But there is a more specific question that seems to be at the nub of this debate: How is God's Word to be preached and other utilized for the growth of God's people and the glory of His name? Do we focus on the Gospel to spur sinners on toward good deeds, or do we focus on the Law?

On The Gospel Coalition website, Tullian Tchividjian (grandson of Billy Graham) is arguing for the former, while Kevin DeYoung and Richard Phillips are arguing more for the latter

They all agree that the Law should be used to convict sinners in order to drive them to the cross ("Second Use of the Law") and to instruct Christians in the duties that God requires of them ("Third Use of the Law").

Tullian argues that it is only the Gospel that transforms Christians and that it is the Gospel, and Christ's perfect obedience to the Law on our behalf, that should be stressed in preaching. The others would argue that the Law is meant to give Christians a good kick in the pants and can also be used for their conviction and growth. They also question whether Tullian firmly believes in the third use of the Law.

It seems that they probably agree on about 90% of the sanctification issue, and that is what should be stressed as we consider how it is that we grow in grace:

Just as we are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ, we are grown by God's grace through faith in Christ. As plants in the Gardener's care, we cannot grow ourselves, but can only grow when tended by the sunshine of God's Word and the nourishing rain of His Spirit.

God appoints certain means to grow us, and we should take advantage of those means of grace. God calls us to worship on the Lord's Day in order to feed us upon His grace and send us back into the world. He calls us to constant meditation upon His Word, prayer, and fellowship (Heb. 10:24-25). While we are as helpless as plants in our own growth, God calls us to grown where there is rain and sunshine. And even this call would be impossible for us to heed, unless Christ Himself enabled our wills to avail ourselves of the rain and shine (Phil. 2:13).

All of this should guide us to praise His name. When we consider how much we need His grace, not only for our salvation, but for our day to day living, do we not weep in sorrow at our sin? But in the same vein, knowing that His grace is new every morning, and that the Father of good gifts will never change (James 1), are our tears not mingled with profound hope and joy?

As we experience the painful process of our sanctification that occurs between our justification and glorification (when we will be rid of all sin and live in perfect fellowship with our Savior), are we not filled with mingled grief and gratitude? And does this painful process not lead us to affix our eyes on the throne of grace in prayer, where Christ ever intercedes for us? And does it not affix our eyes to the throne of grace that awaits us at the end of our days, when our petty struggle with sin is finally made a thing of the past? And do we not endeavor after new obedience as a result?

As a final note, perhaps the glue that will bind these debates to greater humility and gratitude is the oft-overlooked and precious truth of adoption. All men have free will, but we our only given the ability to utilize that will in service of God when He captures our hearts by His grace. We yearn after Him--and debate these issues to gaze upon His beauty with greater clarity--because we have been adopted to His family. We take these issues to the Almighty God without fear because He is our Daddy, caring for us in our sorrows and stumbling and delighting in our growth and grace.

Let us place the profound truths of our justification and sanctification in Christ into the cradle of our adoption in Christ, and rejoice that our Daddy will carry us like a father carries a child through this wasting wilderness of sin into the Promised Land of His glory (Deut. 1:31).

Three War-Related Movies to Watch This Year

I think the occasional war movie is a healthy part of one's viewing diet, especially as these movies remind us of the persistent reality of ongoing bloodshed in this broken world and the cost necessitated to maintain order amidst the chaos.

Band of Brothers is always an obvious pick for a list such as this, so I will exclude it for that reason. Here are three movies you haven't watched in a while (or at all) that will be worth your time (all of which are based on true stories):

1) We Were Soldiers. I watched this movie again in one of our B-hut office complexes in Afghanistan. What it lacks in character development, it makes up for in showing the unvarnished emotion of war--both for the soldiers and for the families at home. While the Vietnam War shares many similarities with Iraq and Afghanistan (no front lines, no clear identification of combatants and civilians, risk of ambush, etc.), this movie highlights they type of full warfare rarely seen in the modern conflicts. For me, this movie is all about the psychological impact of soldiers/families.

2) Lone Survivor. I hosted a movie night for all of my redeploying soldiers one of our final nights in country, and we watched a bootleg copy of this movie (perfectly legal out there). While most war movies present the big picture with zooming in on individuals, this account was all about a handful of individuals who fought--and largely died--alongside each other. It neither glorifies war or the combatants (their body armor can take a lot of hits and adrenaline and loyalty can keep a wounded soldier in the fight), nor does it disparage them. It shows the uncertainty of decisions made in that environment, and the consequences that follow such decisions. War is messy. Since this takes place in Afghanistan, you'll get a much fuller flavor of elements of life out there.

3) Taking Chance. This made-for-HBO movie followed a Marine colonel who had never deployed and wanted to support our fighting men and women by escorting the body of a fallen Marine home. The story follows the COL and the fallen soldier home to Wyoming, with touching moments of love and patriotism along the way. You will be impressed by the care the military takes for its fallen heroes, as well as the way such tragedy draws people together in grief and in pursuit of comfort.

It also reminds me of the many military funerals I have performed for veterans--from performing the honors alongside veterans from other wars, folding flags, playing TAPS, and looking a grieving widow in the eyes. The first two movies on this list survey the battlefield. The last movie will take you where every fallen soldier must travel: Home.

It Should Have Been Me

"I'm not supposed to be here," I blurted out late one night to my wife.

"What do you mean?" she asked, obviously confused.

I tried to explain the feelings that I can barely put my finger on. Soldiers often feel out of place when they come home. I was certainly feeling that. And, no, it's not because we don't want to be home, but there is a sense of forever being caught between two worlds after a deployment.

I feel like those characters on LOST, who, once they returned to society, realized that they should have never left the island. They weren't meant to come home.

Again, all normal soldier feelings. We have lived in another world and can't figure out which one is reality and which one is the illusion.

But death heightens this disconnect and cements it as a semi-permanent feature of life with mingled grief and guilt.

Words were hard for me. It's hard for me to talk and show grief, but it's also hard for me not to talk and show grief.

I finally choked out, "It should have been me, not Dave."

I watched the tail end of We Were Soldiers last night and felt an immediate connection to Mel Gibson's character--the commander--at the end of the movie. He told his reporter friend who survived the battle that he would never forgive himself. When the reported asked him why, he said with tear-strewn face "Because...because my men died and I didn't."

It may seem morbid, but I kind of expected to die in Afghanistan.

When my wife and son seemed to be in grave danger a year and a half ago, I prayed fervently that the Lord would take me instead of them. It wasn't long after my wife was finally healed up that I was given the surprise notice that I would deploy. Four weeks after my little boy was born, I left home, presuming upon God's providence and figuring that my prayers were answered. I would not be coming home. And that was okay. My wife and baby were safe.

I said a number of final "goodbyes" in my heart before I left--to my tough childhood years, summer breezes and mowed grass, college antics and seminary graces, a wife who I enjoyed my best years with, and a little baby boy who would also be a symbol of hope and life amidst death.

My heart was filled with as much gratitude as grief when I left. Even during times of great struggle out there, my heart was still filled with gratitude. Each time I got on a convoy and went outside the wire, I prayed for our team, reflected with gratitude upon my full life, and prepared myself.

I have enjoyed a full life. People desperately cling to life, holding it like a mouse in hand a la Lenny from Of Mice and Men until it is crushed. God had brought me through so very much. When the truth of Christ broke upon my heart like a thunderstorm upon the desert, it changed everything. Life on earth was no longer the whole picture--just a broken glimpse of the greater picture. That would have been enough, but the Lord also gave me a beloved wife and the baby of my dreams.

I was ready to die. Dave wasn't.

He was just 27 and had barely begun to taste the goodness of the Lord in this life. He would go home, Dana would leave the service, and together they would plant a family and watch it grow.

I have always joked about being an old man, but even at 31, the jokes belie the reality. I have a youthful personality, but an old soul.

If I had died at 31, my wife would have grieved tremendously and my boy would've had a better example in death than in life, but would also miss the life he would never share with his daddy. At least I would've had a boy who missed me--an opportunity Dave and Dana will never have.

I know Dave doesn't regret what happened, and it's not because he's dead. He's not dead. He is enjoying the God of glory--the mystery of His providence that would have Dave somehow spend his last few days on this earth in Afghanistan with his wife by his side. And then, in a flash, His greatest earthly joy was supplanted by His greatest heavenly joy and the Savior's welcome.

And here I am, left to sort out a life I barely recognize--that I didn't really think I would return to. I am home, but I have never felt my pilgrim status more than now. Like a fellow pastor--a Vietnam vet--told me, the memories never leave. You never fully come home. And guilt would be the dominating feature if it wasn't swallowed up in the tender love and grace of Christ.

So I will bear the scars, even if not on my body. I'll grieve those we've lost and a world that will continue to squeeze the heart like a sponge until it goes dry, and look with hope to the Day when the river of life and healing flows unabated. Until that Day, may the Lord grant that I would be a more faithful husband, father, and minister of the Gospel than I would be without the scars, looking to Him whose scars brought healing and peace.