Christ Our Sanctifier: Faith, Love, and the Christian Life

Christ Proclaimed

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“Sanctification” is a sermon preached from Selected Scriptures, by Michael Beatty, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin – a confessional Reformed Baptist church subscribing to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

Introduction and Overview

So this morning, my goal is to move from justification, which we saw over the last couple of weeks, to consider sanctification. From there, we’re going to look, over the next four weeks, at the means of grace. We’ll begin by thinking about how Christians grow in Christ with a broad definition, and then look separately at the Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. After that, we’ll explore how we relate to the law and things like that as we continue in this study. That’s where we’re going.

So this morning, I want to consider the broad topic of how we think about being conformed to Christ in terms of sanctification. That’s the rough plan for the next two months or so. But let’s begin with a word of prayer.

Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your kindness toward us in the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank You that You have appointed for us many blessings. We especially pause today to give thanks for the gift of the Lord’s Day and the opportunity to gather with the saints here. We’d ask that You would grow us in our love for one another and that we would all the more encourage one another to follow after Christ as we walk along the way You’ve appointed for each of us. We know You are able to give all these things to us, so we ask boldly for the sake of Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Justification as the Foundation for Sanctification

This morning, we’re moving from considering the ground of the Christian life—the basis upon which everything is built—to sanctification. You might think of it as the foundation of a house: it’s built upon Christ. We have the ground of being declared righteous, and we’ve taken time to consider those things because as we move forward into topics like sanctification or the law, it’s easy—depending on our background and even our own sin—to forget what came before.

So I wanted to prepare the ground thoroughly before pressing on. As we’ll see today, sanctification flows out of justification. Jesus is not only the author of our faith but, as the Scriptures say, the perfecter of our faith. It is still Christ’s work, whether in justification or sanctification. That’s important to remember—even though, experientially, we are told to put off the old person. We have to choose not to be sinfully angry, not to be gluttonous, not to indulge the flesh—but ultimately, even that is Christ’s work.

Sanctification Must Be from Faith

Let’s look again at Romans 14, and as you’re turning there, recall we’ve visited this passage every week of this series. At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’d like to do so again.

In verse 23, we come to the end of a section that deals with Christian liberty. But don’t miss this crucial point: whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. That means even good works, if not done from faith, are sin. This is fundamental.

Faith is required for a good work. It must be done with a clean conscience and in dependence on Christ, rather than seeking justification by it.

Now let’s turn to Hebrews 11:6, which says:

“Without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Again, we approach the Lord by faith—even in our pursuit of good works. To be conformed to the image of Christ requires faith.

What Is a Good Work?

As an aside, I really appreciate the Heidelberg Catechism on this subject. It teaches that a good work must meet three criteria:

Done in faith – We must look to Christ and trust Him.
Done in obedience to God’s command – It must be something God has instructed.
Done for God’s glory – The motive matters.

So, for example, going to a Packers game by faith isn’t a good work—it’s not commanded. But honoring your father and mother by faith is a good work.

James 2: Living Faith Produces Good Works

Turn with me to James 2, verses 14 to the end. In this section, James argues that people of faith will produce good works by faith. It’s not about mustering up the will to be better or engaging in mechanical acts of holiness. Rather, it’s about Christ working faith in us, which in turn produces fruit.

Let’s read:

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?… So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

James is saying that living faith—true, Christ-given faith—will always produce good works. It is not enough to simply profess belief; living faith evidences itself in action.

James continues:

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

True faith is not just intellectual assent (what demons have), but trust and obedience that flows into action.

Hebrews 11 on Abraham and Rahab: Faith in Action

Let’s look at Hebrews 11 again, where the same examples from James 2 are interpreted:

Verse 17: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…”
Verse 31: “By faith Rahab… gave a friendly welcome to the spies.”

So we see: James 2 shows us the outward fruit. Hebrews 11 shows us the inward root—faith. Both are true. Living faith leads to living works. Jesus always works this in His people.

Justification Produces Sanctification

So, for our purposes this morning, we might say: those who are truly people of faith will always produce the fruits of faith. There are varying degrees and expressions of this, so we should not judge ourselves by comparing with others, but by what the Word says.

Sanctification flows out of justification. In Romans 7, we see that we were justified that we might be sanctified. Christ will accomplish that good work in us. In our own lives, then, we are able to pursue holiness by faith—and by the power of Christ at work in us.

Sanctification in Galatians 3: Freed from the Curse

Let’s turn to Galatians 3:13–14. Sanctification is a joy and privilege of the Christian. It’s the process of being conformed to the image of our Savior—something that’s happening even now. We don’t just sit in a holding pattern waiting for glorification. We can actually grow and put sin to death now—by faith.

Galatians says:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us… so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

We’re no longer under the law’s condemnation. That frees us up to work and grow—not out of fear, but out of joy, love, and assurance.

Judgment, Work, and Rest in the Christian Life

Recall from earlier weeks how we distinguished life stages:

For the Christian: Judgment → Work → Rest
For the unbeliever: Work → Judgment → Punishment

We begin with judgment—that is, justification. That’s already been declared over us: righteous in Christ. Then comes work—our sanctification. Then, at the end, rest. This order enables us to work freely in this life, without fear of condemnation.

As we think about household, workplace, and church life, we must not put ourselves or others back under the condemnation of the law. Instead, we are motivated not by fear, but by love. That should animate our whole fellowship together.

The Christian Moral Life: A Response to God’s Judgment

Our moral life—our decision-making—is always a response to the judgment that God has already rendered over us. We live knowing the end from the beginning: we are justified. So we live accordingly, not just talking the talk but walking the walk.

1 John 4: Love as the Guiding Principle

Turn to 1 John 4, beginning in verse 11. This passage teaches us how we approach moral issues in the New Covenant—under grace, not law.

First, remember: every decision is moral. We’re called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Whether it’s what job to take, how to raise your children, how to respond to your neighbor, or whether to speak up in a tough conversation—these are all moral decisions.

The text says:

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another… By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”

The mindset of the Christian is rooted in this: God loved us first, and now His love is perfected in us as we love one another.

No Fear in Love

Verses 17–18 continue:

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment… There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”

Because of Christ’s love, we no longer fear condemnation. That means we can now live freely, boldly, and joyfully in love—toward God and one another.

If you find yourself afraid when thinking about Christ’s return—unable to say “Come quickly, Lord Jesus”—then perhaps there’s some lack of assurance. But as we grow in love, we grow in confidence.

The Goal of Discipline Is Love and Restoration

As we think about our life together as a church, remember: even discipline is about love. It’s restorative, not punitive. It’s not about getting even or casting someone out, but about bringing a brother or sister back to Christ. And that takes love—a love that endures even when someone resists correction.

We all need help at times. We all fall into sin. Love compels us to walk alongside one another—not just to check the box and move on, but to bear with each other, even in the hard moments.

Loving Real People, Not Just the Idea of the Church

Let’s not just say “I love the brethren” in the abstract. It’s easy to love “Christians” as a concept. But real sanctification means loving the actual people you are in fellowship with. That means your church members, your fellow disciples—the ones you see every week. Love them in word and deed.

It’s a higher calling, but one filled with joy. Because Christ has loved us, we love them—even to the point of laying down our lives for them.

Questions and Clarifications

Q: What is faith? What does it mean to do something by faith?
A: Faith is resting and receiving Christ. It’s believing the gospel and looking to Him for righteousness. It’s knowing He’s promised to work in us, and trusting Him to do so. We act because we know He’s called us to obedience and love. The Heidelberg Catechism defines faith as knowledge, assent, and trust. Even the demons have knowledge and assent—but not trust.

So when we act in faith, we’re trusting Christ to do His work, and we’re doing what He has called us to.

Q: Does it need to be a conscious thought every time?
A: Sometimes, yes. But not always in a moment-to-moment, explicit way. If you’ve been walking with Christ a long time, acting in faith can become habitual. It’s how you live. Still, our goal should be prayerful dependence—asking Christ to work in us, even when the action itself feels “automatic.”

Q: Does our faith grow as we’re sanctified?
A: It’s not that faith itself increases in quantity or strength like a muscle. Rather, Christ is working in us, conforming us to Himself. Our experience of faith may vary—we may feel stronger or weaker at times. But ultimately, it is Christ who is at work. We put off the old man, put on the new, and walk in the newness of life.

Final Encouragement

Hopefully, the one thing we take away today is this:
Sanctification is Christ conforming you to Himself.
It is His work. Our experience of it may feel like choices and effort—and it is—but ultimately, it’s Christ’s work. That’s why, in the final judgment, the sheep are surprised: “When did we do those things?” They weren’t keeping receipts. They were simply living by faith and love, and Christ was at work in them.

Let’s keep that in mind in the weeks ahead as we move into the more practical areas of Christian living. We do what we do because we love Christ—and we love one another.