| Title | : | Devoted to God |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1848716907 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781848716902 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 282 |
| Publication | : | First published October 5, 2016 |
In a series of Scripture-enriched chapters Sinclair B. Ferguson's Devoted to God works out this principle in detail. It provides what he describes as 'blueprints for sanctification'an orderly exposition of central New Testament passages on holiness. Devoted to God thus builds a strong and reliable structural framework for practical Christian living. It stresses the foundational importance of fundamental issues such as union with Christ, the rhythms of spiritual growth, the reality of spiritual conflict, and the role of God's law.
Devoted to God Reviews
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This book is fantastic. I'd fully recommend it to anyone seeking a well-thought out, exegetical explanation of sanctification.
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When I wrote a review of Sinclair Ferguson’s The Whole Christ I said it was the best theological book from the past 400 years that I had read. That was not hyperbole. I really meant it. Well his latest book is as good if not better – its one of the best and most practical I have ever read. To some extent it is a follow on from The Whole Christ and discusses what the sub-title calls ‘Blueprints for Sanctification’.
I am currently trying to have a declutter of a lot of things in my study – and for the first time in my life I am actually getting rid of books. There are some books that are duplicates, others that have been on the ‘to read’ list for years, others that have been read and will probably never be opened again, some I would not like to get rid of, but there are only a shelf full of books that I would take to my desert island. Books that have fed my soul, moved my heart and stimulated my mind. This is one such book. It is beautiful because it speak so well of the beautiful one. And it is so practical. Sinclair states that his book contains no novel teaching. “but it sets out With a distinctive goal: to provide a manual of biblical teaching on holiness developed on the basis of extended expositions of foundational passages in the New Testament.” and that really is the essence of the whole book. He takes us through several key passages and shows us how we can become more Christ-like. Rather than do a review of each chapter I thought I would share with you some of the insights that I gleaned. I’m afraid that this book is now one of my ‘rainbow’ books – it is so filled with highlighters! I won’t share them all but here are a few to whet your appetite:
“Holiness is often seen as a rather metallic idea, perhaps tinged with hypocrisy or a ‘holier than thou’ atmosphere. By contrast Scripture teaches that holiness puts back into our lives the attractiveness of personal character for which humans were originally created but which has been so badly marred. Thus the Bible speaks about the beauty of holiness. Since there is an infinite beauty in God, when he makes us his personal possession, reflections of the beauty of his holiness begin to appear in us too.”
“God’s truth (given out to us in Scripture) expresses the power of Christ and the grace of Christ that transforms and renews our way of thinking and then our manner of living. This, incidentally, is why it is so important for Christians to place their lives under the preaching of God’s word. For in receiving it we are actively passive. It is expounded to us, not by us; and yet it appeals to our minds, it shapes our thinking, penetrates our consciences, and at this level engages us in an intense activity. Although set’s at a discount today by comparison with participation in either personal Bible study or more particularly group Bible study, neither of these, valuable as they may be, can substitute for the transforming power of the preached wold.”
” Our forefathers used to speak about ‘living below the level of our privileges’. How true that is – and often because the sheer enormity of them has never really dawned on us. And perhaps, sadly, because we have either never known what they are, or never taken time to reflect on their significance for our lives. We have been too busy doing to take time to reflect on being. As a result we suffer from a loss of our Christian identity. We live as spiritual paupers when in fact we are indwelt by the Lord of glory. But grasp the indwelling of Christ and a new dynamic is released, and the new melodies introduced into our devotion.”
“Love provides motivation for obedience, while law provides direction for love”
” This spirit of the age has undoubtedly played into the life of the church. Now to place any emphasis on the law of God is often regarded by professing Christians as legalism. A new narrative has arisen to interpret the old evangelicalism which is now characterised – actually caricatured – as a religion of the dos and don’ts. Now we frequently hear that God loves us the way we are. Any element of divine demand is seen as a return to the bad old ways and days – in a word to legalism. But this viewpoint requires revision. For one thing this narrative of the past is jaundiced. For another, the new Testament is punctuated with exhortation telling us what not to do! Plus, the truth is that since the fall of Adam God has loved only one person the way he is. We have lost sight of the fact that it is the way we are by nature that put Christ on the cross. The biblical perspective is quite different: God loves us despite the way we are.”
“Jesus loved and obeyed Gods law”
” What do you need to do to slow down and go backwards in the Christian life? Hebrews answer is: ‘nothing’. Drifting is the easiest thing in the world. It is swimming against the tide that requires effort. And the Christian life is against the tide all the way. Spiritual weariness, being sluggish, is one of our great enemies – the author is all too familiar with its tell-tale signs.”
” Union with Christ does not protect us from suffering but commits us to suffering. Because of the closeness of our fellowship with our Lord we find ourselves sharing in weakness, suffering, persecution, trials, and shame like that experienced by Jesus himself.”
“Likeness to Christ is the ultimate goal of sanctification. It is holiness. It is therefore also the ultimate fruit of being devoted to God”
I want to encourage every Christian in my congregation to read, study and pray about this book. We are thinking of using it for our home groups.
One last note – the book is dedicated to David and Adele Ellis – David is Church of Scotland minister, a former OMF leader, and a member of St Peters – he and Adelle exemplified the title – they are servants of God, devoted to Christ. Not long after this book was published Adele went to be with the Lord. The Woman of the Book – Adele Ann Ellis
May the Lord grant that all his people would reflect and share the holiness of Christ, as demonstrated in the witnesses who have gone before!
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Excellent book on sanctification; highly recommend!
Sinclair Ferguson takes the reader through a few central passages in the New Testament that are key in understanding what sanctification is and how it's nurtured. He does a great job right from the beginning in grounding the reader in the Divine indicatives (statements about what God has done, is doing, or will do) before expounding the Divine imperatives (statements about what we are to do in response).
In the chapter Conflict Zone he explains the wider context of Paul's teaching on 'flesh' and 'spirit' as being "two dimensions or atmospheres" not simply aspects of our individual lives; "this present age (dominated by the flesh) and the age to come (ruled by the Spirit)." I was listening to an episode of the Core Christianity podcast the other day where Michael Horton echoed that same understanding of Paul's use of flesh and spirit - it was really cool to hear Ferguson's statements affirmed.
My favorite chapter in the book was The Law Goes Deep. He spends the whole chapter making the Law / Gospel distinction - a distinction that is sadly missing from the vast majority of current Christian / Evangelical conversation.
This book for me was a seminary-level course taught by Ferguson, the intelligent and wise professor. The theologically rich, high-level truths he discussed though were explained in a way that was very accessible. The common or "basic" truths I've heard before were explained in a way that shed new light or exposed a different angle that I hadn't yet considered.
These are some of my favorite quotes, more for my reference than anything else. Words in [brackets] are added for understanding/context:
"...holiness means...a corresponding deeply personal, intense, loving devotion to Him..."
"...we are like alien residents, living here as citizens of a new order, as those who are under King Jesus, who are indwelt by the Spirit of the kingdom of God....and like recovering addicts we will need to make daily decisions and commitments to live out the new life. This involves conflict and requires resolute resistance."
"...transformed lives require renewed minds - a clear understanding of what the gospel is and how it works leads in turn to the development of new affections and a new lifestyle."
"...there is no justification without sanctification. Both are given in Christ - our new status is always accompanied by our new condition."
"...Christ does not command what He will not provide." <-- see Augustine's famous quote
"...the activity of our Triune Lord...chosen by the Father, saved by the Son, and sanctified by the Spirit."
"In the New Testament the basic command of old covenant life, 'be holy as I am holy', now means 'become like Jesus.' "
"If we reverse the order of gospel logic it will not be long before we are smuggling our sanctification into the foundations of our justification."
"The weightier the indicatives the more demanding the imperatives they are able to support."
"If we will not worship God, then we worship created things. Indeed we end up worshiping the self."
"This worldliness may impact us in sudden and violent ways. But characteristically it does so by insistent, prolonged, and constant pressure. This present age, this fallen world (and its citizens) gradually, imperceptibly squeeze us into their mold. In sharp contrast Christians become non-conformists, counter-culturally shaped and transformed by the renewing of the mind."
"When we thus yield our lives to the Lord, and our thinking is renewed by His word, we also begin to find God's will is acceptable - it becomes a delight to us.....In it we experience the pleasures of knowing God and discovering His unfolding purposes for us. We taste and see that He is good."
"His [Christ's] uniting himself to us in our human nature is the basis for our uniting ourselves to Him in faith."
"...baptism symbolizes...what has been done for us...[baptism] teaches me that through faith I am united to Christ, have died to sin and been raised into a new life."
"Baptism 'tells' faith that the old life in Adam has gone; new life in Christ has begun."
"...love provides motivation for obedience, while law provides direction for love. This is why the new covenant promise envisaged the law being written on our hearts. In the new covenant, then, obedience to God's law is driven by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit. This in turn produces love for God that expresses itself in obedience. The 'law' that is in view in the promise given through Jeremiah must mean the principals enshrined in the Ten Commandments in particular. It can hardly refer to the ceremonial or civic dimensions of torah."
"...the law is fulfilled [to show its full significance] by love, it is not replaced by love...[the law] points forward to Him [Christ] and He 'fills out' the shape it takes. There is continuity..."
"God's covenant promise to Abraham involved the blessing of all peoples in all lands. God's vision was not Israel-limited but world-extensive..."
"When the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom God was de-consecrating the temple and its liturgy." <-- helpful in understanding the how the covenants flow together and how the sacrificial system in the OT has been fulfilled in Christ
"Without the power of the Spirit we would lack the love for God that energizes us to keep his law. But without the law of God our love for him would lack direction. Thus we discover the way of Christ leads us more and more into obedience to God's law."
"A rigid master was the law
Demanding brick, denying straw;
But when with gospel tongue it sings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings" - quoted Ralph Erskine
"We may have given our whole lives to Christ; but it will take the rest of our lives to work that out in practice...the future is a series of small decisions to live the new life and not fall back into the old." <-- this is only made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds
"The more we produce the fruit of the Spirit, the less nourishment will be found in the soil of our hearts for the weeds of the flesh."
"In our private life, and in the hidden recesses of the mind, and in the way we use our bodies, the old lifestyle needs to be put off."
"...if we have been accepted by the One who knows our darkest secrets, we should also be increasingly delivered from the fear of others' opinions about us."
"...the real success the gospel effects releases us from our self-obsessions and self-interests, so that at last we are free in Christ to love and serve others."
"...in tending the garden of your soul....you will accept short-term pain, or self-denial, or loss, for the sake of long-term gain."
"The remedy is soaking ourselves frequently in God's word; allowing our minds to be filled to saturation point with its truth..."
"simul justus et peccator: at one and the same time righteous in Christ and yet a sinner in himself."
"The issue is not only 'who am I?' but 'whose am I?' The answer to the latter question will determine the answer to the former."
"I am weak in Christ. I share in His sufferings. I share in His persecution. I share in His trials. But I am also strong in Christ and I overcome sin and I am faithful in trials and I grow in grace through suffering." -
Phenomenal work that I riddled with underlining, asterisks, and exclamation points! Deep, thoughtful, biblical and Christ-centered throughout! This will be a book I return to again and again. Highly recommended!
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I have always desired a “systematic approach to sanctification”. Ferguson pastorally shows that is a foolish and legalistic goal. The nuance in this book is amazing as he walks a fine line faithfully. Every word is gold.
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Best book I’ve read on sanctification. Another great one from Sinclair Ferguson.
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Very good
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One of my favorite books by Sinclair Ferguson! Very easy to read and full of practical wisdom.
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By far one of the best books I have ever read. Sinclair Ferguson does a wonderful job of showing you in scripture how we are to be growing in Christ, pursuing Christ, and ultimately becoming like Him. The chapter on the law was most illuminating. His explanation on being free in Christ does not abolish the law but in fact gives us a different relationship with the law was beautifully written. He wrote it in such a way that I now understand how the law, Christ, and the Christian all go together! You can tell he has a true love for Christ and a shepherds heart! What a wonderful teacher and writer!
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This is a very good, exegetically-sound book on sanctification. After reading it, I have even more respect for Sinclair Ferguson. Although he is reformed (and I’m not), he is so balanced that I find very little to disagree with. In fact, I found his discussion of how the law relates to Christians to be one of the most helpful that I have ever read. His balance between human effort and dependence on God when it comes to sanctification was also very good. And the biblical expositions were encouraging. This is a great book.
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This is a must read on sanctification, but definitely not an easy read. It made me ponder, wrestle, consider, and argue. All of which made it fantastic. I don't believe sanctification is a balance of law and grace, but each in their appropriate place. Ferguson makes wonderfully clear how that works and how deep gospel truths become incredibly practical and life-changing.
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First sentence: The very mention of the word 'sanctification' can send a shiver down the spine; its Anglo-Saxon equivalent, 'holiness' even more so. After all, most of us feel we have failed frequently and badly just here. But we need to begin further back than ourselves and our failures by asking two questions. The first: What does 'holiness' mean? And the second: What hope is there for me to grow in holiness and to make progress in sanctification?
Sinclair Ferguson tackles the subject of sanctification in his book Devoted to God. There are ten chapters, each covers a scripture passage on the subject.
The Ground Plan (1 Peter 1:1-25)
All of Me (Romans 12:1-2)
Prepositions of Grace (Galatians 2:20)
A Different Kind of Death (Romans 6:1-14)
Conflict Zone (Galatians 5:16-17)
The New Rhythm (Colossians 3:1-17)
In for the Kill (Romans 8:13)
The Law Goes Deep (Matthew 5:17-20)
Keep Going (Hebrews 12:1-14)
The Ultimate Goal (Romans 8:29)
Ferguson first defines holiness both in terms of God's holiness and our holiness. He writes, "In a sense, 'holiness' is a way of describing love. To say that 'God is love' and that 'God is holy' is to point to the same reality. Holiness is the intensity of love that flows within the very being of God, among and between each of the three persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." In other words God's holiness is the "perfectly pure devotion of each of these three persons to the other two." As for what holiness means for us, "If this is what holiness means in God, then in us it must also be a corresponding deeply personal, intense, loving devotion to him--a belonging to him that is irreversible, unconditional, without any reserve on our part. Simply put, it it means being entirely his, so that all we do and possess are his. We come to think all of our thoughts and build our lives on this foundation."
The rest of the book builds on this foundation (What does holiness mean?) examining the question "What hope is there for me to make progress in sanctification?" in light of Scripture.
Ferguson doesn't rush through Scripture, like most of us are prone to doing. He thoughtfully, carefully, precisely unpacks Scripture in an engaging, practical way. The subject is a complex one, it takes an engagement of the mind--and the heart. But just because a subject is difficult to grasp doesn't mean that we should be content with a fuzzy, vague notion of it. We should keep chewing on the Word of God--tasting and seeing that it is good--until we've got the kernel of it and can apply it to our every day lives.
The book is a substantive read. I thought Ferguson did a great job writing this one: it is well organized.
Quotes:If God has committed himself to changing our lives, to sanctifying us, then wisdom--not to mention amazed gratitude--dictates that we should be committed to that too.
To understand rightly how baptism functions in our Christian lives we must first recognize that it points to Jesus Christ and to union with him by faith. It does not point at faith so much as summon us to faith. Christ himself, and, yes, all that faith finds in him, is the point--not primarily what we ourselves have done in coming to faith. Baptism says: "Look at what is yours in Christ," not "Look at the faith that brought you to Christ." This--the dynamic and direction of baptism's symbolism--is of fundamental importance if it is to nourish us in the lifelong way Paul believes it should.
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Don’t be fooled by the amount of time it took me to finally complete this book (6 long months), it was a page turner! (or at least should of been) This is a book I plan to revisit time and time again, as it is packed with rich application for Christian living, with lots of practical theology to support the author’s main points. In particular, I enjoyed the author’s use of the relationship between Stephen and Saul of Tarsus, and how the former’s testimony and eventual martyrdom effected the conversion of the latter. And how their relationship is a beautiful picture of ‘death worked in one man’ resulting in ‘life being worked out’ in another—a wonderful picture of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being worked out in and through the witness of Stephen.
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Certainly one of the best books I have encountered about the process of sanctification. Rather than providing a practical guide in the vein of Willard/Foster/Smith/Ortberg (all of whom I have appreciated immensely), Ferguson focuses on the Biblical basis and theological underpinnings of sanctification. I will be reading this one again.
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A really good book on sanctification. Every christian should read and I will be using portions of it to help disciple younger believers.
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This was Bible exposition at its best on the doctrine of sanctification. Definitely one of the best books I've read on the subject.
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This book is so convicting. It shows how much I need to be sanctified and die to myself to be more like Christ.
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A book that every Christian ought to read. You’ll be challenged; you’ll be encouraged; you’ll find yourself digging more in Scripture; you’ll come away loving Christ more.
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This book is not only a must read for Christians serious with their walk with God & battle with sin, it is a must "re-read" after you have read it once. Now, I've just finished the book for the first time. However, the depth in this book requires one to put the book on one's "re-read" list (or 2nd time list) in order to meditate and chew on the truths presented.
Ferguson presents what he believes to be the seminal passages in the Bible on sanctification and masterfully breaks them down and applies them to the Christian's life. Over and over again, I found myself underlining, notating, and stopping to muse upon the nuggets that the author.
The ten chapters/texts that Ferguson presents for study are as follows:
1. The Ground Plan, 1 Peter 1:1-25
2. All of Me, Romans 12:1-2
3. Prepositions of Grace, Galatians 2:20
4. A Different Kind of Death, Romans 6:1-14
5. Conflict Zone, Galatians 5:16-17
6. The New Rhythm, Colossians 3:1-17
7. In for the Kill, Romans 8:13
8. The Law Goes Deep, Matthew 5:17-20
9. Keep Going, Hebrews 12:1-14
10. The Ultimate Goal, Romans 8:29
In addition to being a solid study on the passages of sanctification, the book encouraged me, as a Christian, regarding the pursuit of holiness. For instance, in the first chapter entitled "The Ground-Plan," which studies 1 Peter 1, Ferguson states, "If anyone in the New Testament can teach us that even we can be devoted to God and make progress in holiness despite our past failings, it is Simon Peter." He follows that up stating this principle from 1 Peter 1: "Knowing (i) whose you are, (ii) who you are, and (iii) what you are for, settles basic issues about how you live." In the same chapter, the author gives a good illustration of sanctification.
Sanctification: God has put his 'reserved' sign on something - temple vessels for example - or on someone who thereby becomes a 'saint,' a person reserved for the Lord. He marks us out for his personal possession and use. We belong to him - and to nobody else, not even to ourselves. We become devoted to God.
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I have shared some key thoughts from each chapter which jumped out at me. I trust they will whet your appetite to get & study the contents of this book!
The Ground-Plan, 1 Peter 1:1-25
"...patience develops only in contexts that can stimulate impatience and irritation. Certainly it is only in such an environment that it undergoes testing and proving. A fundamental way in which Christian character is strengthened is by stress. The friction God builds into the Christian life is, therefore, not accidental. It is deliberate, strategic, and intended to produce growth in holiness." p. 27.
All of Me, Romans 12:1-2
"Of course we can draw all kinds of implications for and applications to our lives from these eleven chapters (first eleven chapters of Romans). But in terms of actual imperatives? In essence Paul devotes 308 out of 315 verses to a sustained exposition of what God has done, and only then does he open the sluice-gates and let loose a flood of imperatives." p. 39
"There is no such thing as sanctification that does not involve us physically. That is why it is so important for us to 'present' our bodies to the Lord." p.41
"Sin in the heart thus manifests itself in our bodies. Therefore the radical change the gospel brings into our lives will also manifest Christ's saving power precisely there - in the body." p. 41
Prepositions of Grace, Galatians 2:20
"The gospel never emphasizes the body at the expense of the spirit; but by the same token it never minimizes the importance of the body. Rather it changes the kind of life we live in the body." p.56
A Different Kind of Death, Romans 6:1-14
"We have already noted a surprising statistic in Paul's letters. He never describes believers as 'Christians.' For him the 'big idea' of the gospel is that the believer is 'in Christ' - as he makes clear on virtually every page of his letters." p. 71
"The 'old man' in view here is therefore not simply 'my former self' (say fifteen or thirty years a non-Christian) but the person I was in Adam and not simply in myself. When I was united to Jesus Christ I was transferred from Adam-Land to Christ-Land, from the Adam Family to the Christ Family. By God's grace my past was forgiven. But there is more to it than that: I died out of an entire world order - the Adamic order - and was thus delivered from a fallen and condemned race under sin's reign, through union with the Christ who died to sin and was raised to new life." p. 82
"Know your new identity and it will determine how you live - just as hearing the name your parents gave you causes you to respond in a deep seated and instinctive - and perhaps distinctive - way." p. 88
"John Owen once wrote that in a sense there are only two basic issues with which a minister of the gospel has to deal. The first presents an evangelistic challenge: persuading those who are under the dominion of sin that this is the truth about them. The other? It is the pastoral challenge: persuading those who are no longer under sin's dominion that this is who they really are." p. 91
Conflict Zone, Galatians 5:16-17
"Exhortations to be holy are always derived from an exposition of what God has done and provided for us in Christ and through the gift of the Spirit. Indicatives are always the foundation for imperatives even if they appear in the reverse order." p. 93
"Living the Christian life is not a sport. But if we are going to do it well there needs to be both negativity and positivity at a very profound level. After all, our entire Christian experience is built upon the ultimate negativity - the crucifixion, and the ultimate positivity - the resurrection." p. 95
"Paul's agricultural metaphor reminds us of the importance of thinking long term. This means we will always be asking the question 'What will be the final harvest, the ultimate fruit of this thought, act, or pattern of behaviour?' Trace the pattern of sin in the lives of the characters described in the Scriptures. You cannot avoid noticing that they did not see far enough, or think clearly enough, about their decisions and actions. From Eve in the Garden of Eden, through David on the rooftop of his Jerusalem palace, to Demas the erstwhile companion of the apostle Paul, they thought 'What now?' rather than 'What then?' They tended to see with their eyes in terms of their own perceptions rather than - as God's children must learn to do - with their ears in terms of the teaching of God's word." p. 108
The New Rhythm, Colossians 3:1-17
"The key test of any formula for sanctification is: Does this enable me to overcome the influence of sin, not simply in my outward actions but in my inner motivations? And, in particular: Does it increase my trust in and love for the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it a Christ centered sanctification I am being offered?" p. 119
"Those who know who they are in Christ no longer need to pretend and to hide themselves behind a mask." p. 124
"If we have been accepted by the One who knows our darkest secrets, we should also be increasingly delivered from the fear of others' opinions about us." p. 125
"Paul's teaching on sanctification illustrates one of his key principles: We must never stress the negative (put to death) on its own. That would lead to spiritual disaster. It must be accompanied by the positive ('put on')...Expulsion and infilling must accompany each other. Paul regularly illustrates this principle in his teaching. Thus even when he was dealing with the old life that we are to put off, he was already beginning to speak about aspects and elements of the new lifestyle that we are to put on." p. 129
"How and what we think determines how we feel, will, and live. There is more to it than that, of course, but never less." p. 141
"[Sin] remains like a squatter in our lives - and squatters are notoriously difficult to evict. In the case of sin the only remedy for the situation is that we put it to death." p. 143
"There are no spiritual gains without pains. So we must be willing to act with spiritual violence against our sin. It is enmity against God and it distorts his purposes for our lives. It offends him and it destroys us. Only when we grasp this will we begin to develop the mindset which the Holy Spirit seeks to produce in us. Spirit-led believers are willing to break the neck of sin, or to stab it in the heart, or to pull out the weeds it sows, in the knowledge that what we are doing may feel like a death." p. 146
"Only the death of sin leads to a life of freedom. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it may feel like getting dirt out of a wound, using a needle to get a splinter out of your finger, trying to remove an eyelash from your eye. It feels as though it is yourself dying. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live!" p. 148
"There is no immediate pathway to getting to know God's word intimately. There is no quick fix. We can only do this the old-fashioned way, by reading it often and learning it well." p. 159
"This spirit of the age has undoubtedly bled into the life of the church. Now to place any emphasis on the law of God is often regarded by professing Christians as 'legalism'. A new 'narrative' has arisen to interpret the 'old evangelicalism' which is now characterised - actually caricatured - as a religion of the 'dos and don'ts'. Now we frequently hear that God loves us the way we are. Any element of divine demand is seen as a return to the bad old ways and days - in a word to legalism. But this viewpoint requires revision. For one thing this 'narrative of the past is jaundiced. For another, the New Testament is punctuated with exhortations telling us what not to do! Plus, the truth is that since the fall of Adam God has loved only one person the way he is. We have lost sight of the fact that it is the way we are by nature that put Christ on the cross. The biblical perspective is quite different: God loves us despite the way we are." p. 173
Keep Going, Hebrews 12:1-14
"Hebrews is all about persevering in sanctification...What do you need to do to slow down and go backwards in the Christian life? Hebrews' answer is: 'Nothing.' Drifting is the easiest thing in the world. It is swimming against the tide that requires effort. And the Christian life is against the tide all the way. Spiritual weariness, being 'sluggish', is one of our great enemies. The author is all-too-familiar with its tell-tale signs." p. 191
"Sin is not superficial to us, a mere flesh wound. It is a deep distortion, a twisted hostility towards God and his reign over us." p. 199
"Everything that takes place in the life of the Christian is an element in the heavenly Father's program of child-training. Every moment of pain has a purpose. Every hurt is employed by him to draw me closer to Christ and to make me more like him. Every hardship is therefore an evidence of my spiritual legitimacy." p. 209
"Spiritual health as involves a willingness to obey and submit to those who lead us. Independent-mindedness and isolationist tendencies are inappropriate for the Christian who is conscious of the continuing influence of indwelling sin. Growth in holiness, we have seen, is set within the community life of the church family. We are not to neglect fellowship in worship, ministry, and discipline. We are to encourage one another." p. 212
The Ultimate Goal, Romans 8:29
"Union with Christ does not protect us from suffering but commits us to suffering. Because of the closeness of our fellowship with our Lord we find ourselves sharing in weakness, suffering, persecution, trials, and shame like that experienced by Jesus himself." p. 230
"Christ's death and resurrection were inseparable realities. In Christ these two dimensions always go together: death and resurrection; weakness and strength; shame and glory. They were symbiotic in him; they will be symbiotic in us. We must not deny the weakness in affirming the strength, or deny the death in affirming the resurrection; or deny the shame in affirming the glory - either in him or in ourselves.
The whole of the Christian life is born out of this womb of our union with Christ in his death and resurrection, sufferings and glory. This is the DNA of the child of God who is being transformed into the likeness of the Elder Brother. I am weak in Christ. I share in his sufferings. I share in his persecution. I share in his trials. But I am also strong in Christ and I overcome sin and I am faithful in trials and I grow in grace through suffering." pp. 230-231
"Likeness to Christ is the ultimate goal of sanctification. It is holiness. It is therefore also the ultimate fruit of being devoted to God." p. 235
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The appendices offer some good helps. Specifically, the appendix on the Fourth Commandment gives good insight into the debate on the Sabbath vs. Sunday. -
This book is gold. Ferguson delivers a thoughtful, exegetical and practical treatise on sanctification. I was boldly challenged and warmly encouraged by this wonderful book.
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4.5 to be more accurate. Very good.
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I've been looking forward to reading this book since I put it on my 2017 reading list at the end of last year. And now I'm happy to report that Devoted to God was worth every minute spent reading it. I don't think I'm exaggerating by mentioning the term 'life-changing' in this review. Just in the few days it took me to read Devoted to God, my thinking (and by extension, my behavior) has been challenged and changed. And the reason for that is because Dr. Ferguson takes us straight to Scripture for some solid, meaty exposition of the key New Testament passages on holiness. This is not one man's clever new take on sanctification. This is the powerful result of someone's faithful, diligent study of Scripture for many years. And what Scripture has to communicate about sanctification is truly invigorating.
I'm tempted to just do a chapter-by-chapter review, but I will refrain. Please just read the book for yourself, prayerfully and receptively! The message of Devoted to God is clear: God wants nothing less for us than complete holiness. He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Everything He allows and ordains in our lives is for this grand purpose, this final destiny. So let us embrace it and the race we must run to reach the end. God has given us all the resources we need in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit for every step of the journey. All praise to Him!
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book about Christian living) -
I read Ferguson’s “The Whole Christ” two years ago and argued it to be the best book on sanctification I have read. Well, Ferguson outdid himself here. I truly believe he has given his 40+ years of Christian Ministry experience to making this his magnum opus. Not only does he exegete some of the most important and difficult passages on sanctification, but he does so in a way that causes you to grasp and want to apply these realities. The footnotes alone are worth the price of the book, and the appendices are a great addition. This book will be a continual resource to me. Thank you, Sinclair!
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Outstanding book by Ferguson. This is a must read by any Christian of this age wishing to know more about Biblical sanctification. It is so vital and important to get this right, as there are so many wrong and dangerous teachings that place so much emphasis on our own personal piety rather than the work of the gospel through the spirit. Sanctification is the gospel. We never outgrow it, we never move on to anything better.
The beginning of the book is even worth the read, as Ferguson unpacks a “new” Biblical definition of Holiness, starting with the devotion of the members of the Trinity. How can God be called “Holy” as “set apart” when he existed before time? Doesn’t the attribute of “holiness” then carry a deeper meaning that we see in the Trinity before He created the world and everything in it?
The only portion I disagree with is the unpacking of the Sabaath and the continuity between Old and New covenants. But I would expect no less from a Presbyterian coming from the structure of Covenant Theology. -
I thought I would love this because I loved the Whole Christ. This was not as good as I was anticipating primarily because it did not help me untangle some concepts in sanctification. Is there as strong distinction to be made between law and gospel/grace? Is sanctification monergistic or synergistic? By what means does a believer obey? For the first two they were addressed but without significant engagement of other views (which I lean towards). And for the last one I don't think his answer was satisfactory - in short when you are joined to Christ you are joined to his death to the power of sin so you are now able to overcome. I agree but there is a lot more to say which was not dealt with.
Despite its weaknesses, there is still a lot of great exposition and teaching in this book and if you are already fully in line with what is taught you will likely enjoy it - however if you are wrestling with other positions it does not satisfactorily answer those questions. -
In recent months I have read a couple books on the topic of Sanctification (Wragg, MacArthur, etc.). Each of them have been very insightful. Sinclair Ferguson's book, "Devoted to God," is the same. When asked how I would classify the book, my initial thought is that this book serves as an excellent theological study of the Christian life, the role of grace in Christian living and transformation, the purpose of the law and how the law of God is not something to be spurned but rather, to be used for the purpose for which God, Himself designed it. Ferguson masterfully discusses the believer's union with Christ and the precious reality of how we as believers are freed from sin. Devoted to God was an excellent treatise and one that I believe would be very helpful for one who has been lead to confusion about grace, sin, law, salvation, sanctification. and the hope of the gospel in the life of the believer.
