Category Archives: sanctification

The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges

Posted on April 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Practice of Godliness

Jerry Bridges

NavPress

Jerry Bridges is best known for his book The Pursuit of Holiness, which has sold over one million copies. That book, he says, “dealt largely with putting off the old self—dealing with sin in our lives.” Its sequel, The Practice of Godliness, “focuses on putting on the new self—growing in Christian character.”

The first four chapters of Bridges’ book discuss godliness in general: what is it, why is it important, what is its proper motivation, and how do we develop it? Throughout these chapters and the remainder of the book, Bridges emphasizes the Christian’s responsibility in developing godliness. While the Holy Spirit’s work is essential, believers cannot expect to become godly without effort. We must pursue it:

We Christians may be very disciplined and industrious in our business, our studies, our home, or even our ministry, but we tend to be lazy when it comes to exercise in our spiritual lives. We would much rather pray, ‘Lord, make me godly,’ and expect Him to ‘pour’ some godliness into our souls in some mysterious way. God does in fact work in a mysterious way to make us godly, but He does not do this apart from the fulfillment of our own personal responsibility. We are to train ourselves to be godly.

The remaining fourteen chapters cover specific characteristics of godliness with practical ways to grow in each. These virtues draw primarily from Paul’s list in Galatians 5:22-23, but Bridges draws from other passages as well. They are: humility, contentment, thankfulness, joy, holiness, self-control, faithfulness, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, and love.

This book is grounded in an understanding of salvation by grace alone. It is not legalistic. Bridges is clear that both salvation and sanctification are the work of God. Yet the New Testament teaches that true believers will seek to live godly lives out of gratitude for that grace. This book is Bridges’ effort to help us do just that. I was both challenged and encouraged while reading it.

When I read Bridges, I feel as though I’m sitting with my grandfather while he humbly and patiently teaches me from the Word of God. And I sense that I am with a man who intimately knows his God. His books are clear, biblical, full of wisdom, and easy to read. This one is no exception. Like all of his books, I recommend it.

I received a review copy of this book through the NavPress Blogger Review Program.

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Posted in Book Reviews, Jerry Bridges, NavPress, sanctification

Bridges: Six Principles That Apply to all Aspects of Godly Character

Posted on April 17, 2010 | Leave a comment

According to Jerry Bridges in his book The Practice of Godliness, there are six basic principles “that apply to all aspects of godly character:”

1. “Devotion to God is the only acceptable motive for actions that are pleasing to God.”

2. “The power or enablement for a godly life comes from the risen Christ.”

3. “Though the power for godly character comes from Christ, the responsibility for developing and displaying that character is ours.”

4. “The development of godly character entails both putting off and putting on character traits.”

5. “We are to pursue growth in all of the graces that are considered the fruit of the Spirit.”

6. “Growth in all areas is progressive and never finished.”

Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, Chapter five: “Taking on God’s Character.”

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Posted in Jerry Bridges, sanctification

Review: Growing Up in Grace

Posted on April 25, 2009 | Leave a comment

Growing Up in Grace: The Use of Means for Communion with God
Murray G. Brett

Reformation Heritage Books, 2009

The goal of Murray G. Brett’s Growing up in Grace is to encourage readers to find their happiness in communion with God.

The author believes, as the Puritans did, in the use of means for growing in grace. Humility, confession, repentance, prayer, and meditation on God’s word are emphasized, and for the right reasons. We are to do all of these things in order to “glorify and enjoy God.”

A story or passage–often from a Puritan classic such as the Pilgrim’s Progress–along with a passage of Scripture introduces each chapter. From there the author proves the importance and usefulness of his subject, liberally quoting Scripture and the best Christian authors. Every chapter ends with application and exhortation, questions, a case study, and a list of recommendations for further study.

The chapter dealing with humility and pride was particularly convicting to me. “God is immeasurably superior to us and unless you understand that—unless it affects you to the point that you cry out to Him for His grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ—you do not yet know Him as you ought” (page 35). “Pride is the first, the worst, and the most prevalent of all sins; yet we have the tendency to treat it as if it is nothing at all, at least when it is in us” (page 38).

Also, I had to give up on highlighting in the chapter titled, “A Catalogue of Sins Seldom Confessed or Repented of.” Every point was worthy of reflection, repentance, and prayer. Beginning with, “Acting from, to, and for ourselves, rather than from, to, and for God,” the author lists 95 sins, mostly dealing with our attitudes and affections.

Murray Brett is influenced heavily by the Puritans and Scripture. The book is reminiscent of a Puritan work, yet written in contemporary English with timely applications. Mr. Brett’s style is clear and direct. The tone of the book is warm, loving, and pastoral; at the same time, the author does not dismiss the least sin or laziness. His goal is to encourage communion with God, and so he doesn’t spare anything that hinders that communion.

This book is meant to be worked and prayed through, not merely read. I hope to go back and do just that. It will be worth the effort. I recommend it to the reader who desires a stronger relationship with God through Christ. To those that believe that their relationship with God is strong enough, I recommend it even more.

Murray G. Brett has been the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Commerce, Georgia for twelve years. He earned his Master of Divinity from The Master’s Seminary, which is headed by Dr. John MacArthur. Growing Up in Grace is his first book. I hope we see many more.

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Posted in Book Reviews, books, sanctification

The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards

Posted on February 13, 2009 | Leave a comment

Jonathan Edwards was a remarkable Christian. He possessed a rare combination of brilliance and holiness which led to his being remembered as the greatest theologian—possibly Christian—that has ever lived on American soil.In The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards, Dr. Steven Lawson examines the 70 resolutions that were written by Edwards as an 18 and 19 year old while serving in his first pastorate. Throughout his life, Edwards examined himself and his spiritual progress by reviewing these resolutions weekly.

Dr. Lawson gives us a brief biography followed by a thorough review of the resolutions and their major themes. The goal of the book, in the words of the author, is to “challenge a new generation of believers to pursue holiness in their daily lives.” It is certainly convicting and inspiring, and if there is ever a book other than the Bible that will challenge one to pursue holiness, this is it.

This is the second book in Dr. Lawson’s series: A Long Line of Godly Men. It would be a great addition to any library, and it is highly recommended to anyone interested in Puritan theology or in their own personal sanctification.

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You can listen to Dr. Lawson’s sermon on Edwards here.

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Posted in Book Reviews, Jonathan Edwards, Reformation Trust, sanctification

The Blameless

Posted on December 9, 2008 | Leave a comment

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! (Psalm 119:1).

David knew what it was to be blessed both temporally and spiritually. But there is little doubt as to what he thought most valuable. He had experienced the joy of walking with his Lord, and he had suffered the pains of falling out of fellowship with Him. What misfortune caused David more grief than knowing that he had sinned against God? What loss ever compared to that loss of fellowship? And what joy ever compared to the knowledge of forgiveness and peace with God?

David begins his Psalm in the same way that Lord began His Sermon on the Mount—by giving us a description of true blessedness.

A child of God longs for holiness: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matt. 5:6, KJV). This is one of the clearest evidences of conversion. What, to a Christian, is more sweet than the thought of having the filthy stains of sin washed completely away, or to be able to walk before angels and men blamelessly?

But does this blessedness consist only in a desire for holiness? No, a child of God is holy and blameless; not in themselves, but in Christ and what He has done for them. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Those who have been born again have been forgiven and cleansed. But that was not the end of the work. Christ continues to sanctify His sheep. He gives the grace necessary for the believer to continue in the way of blamelessness. Not that they will ever be sinless, but obedience to the Lord will characterize their walk. This cleansing and grace will one day result in the greatest blessedness of all, which is for the believer to be with Jesus for eternity.

“What greater joy can come to a man, than to hear the Judge of all saying unto him, ‘Come to me, ye blessed?’” –William Cowper.

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Posted in holiness, sanctification

A Picture of Salvation

Posted on September 22, 2008 | Leave a comment

“Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling clothes. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born. 6 And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’” (Ezekiel 16:2-6).

“Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. [1] 11 And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck.” (Ezekiel 16:9-11).

This is one of my favorite Old Testament passages. The Lord here is certainly talking to Israel as a nation; any interpretation without that in mind will be faulty. Still, there are some definite applications for us.

Like Israel, we come from sinful parents (Psalm 51:5) who cannot pass the grace necessary for life down to us; instead, they pass down sin and death (Romans 5:12). Our parents cannot wash the filth of sin from us. They can’t wash us with sanctification. They can’t clothe us with righteousness. We are as children “cast out on the open field” and “wallowing in (our) blood.”

But God says, “When I passed by you and saw you…” Just as He said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people” when they were in Egypt, so He saw us, and it was by no accident that He passed by.

Notice that He says “live” while we are polluted in our blood (sin). There is no cleansing prior to this; the first step is for Him to say “live!” And it is said with power that cannot be resisted.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:3-5 that we were “children of wrath” who were dead in sins. It is while we are dead that He makes us alive. What comes next? In Ezekiel 16:9-11 God tells Israel that He had washed her and clothed her, just as He does to His children today (Titus 3:5).

So consider the picture of the newborn baby cast into the open field without any care. The Father comes along, takes her up, cleans her, clothes her, and cares for her in every way. What can she boast about? And how much does she owe to Him?

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Posted in regeneration, salvation, sanctification, sin