"Exhortations" in the Bible (Santamaria)

Modern evangelical talk about “exhortations” often smuggles in a whole theory of the Christian life: God saves you by grace, and then (so the story goes) He progressively sanctifies you by piling up commands, spiritual disciplines, and “steps of obedience,” until you slowly become holier in the same way a rock becomes a statue—chip, chip, chip—assuming you keep cooperating.

TRY HARD CHRISTIANITY (Santamaria)

THE TRY-HARD CHRISTIANITY

By Guillermo Santamaria

“Trying hard to be holy” – the strain of effort-based Christianity.

Contents

• Foreword
• Absoluter Position among Old School Baptists
• New School Missionary Baptist Position
• “Growth in Grace” in the Mind of Beebe and Trott
• Key Terms Often Used to Defend Progressive Sanctification
• Striving, Pursuing, Chasing After, and Other Exhortations
• How This Relates to Those Who Think an Effort Must Be Made Toward Holiness

FOREWORD

CONDITIONAL TIME SALVATION (Santamaria)

Elder Lemuel Potter

Q. Does the Bible teach that there is a conditional time salvation? A. The Bible does not use this phrase, and, as its truth is controverted by some of our brethren, it would probably be best to avoid it. But it is certain that the Bible does teach that there is a salvation or deliverance here in time, which we ourselves are to work out (Philip 2:12; Acts 2:40; I Tim. 4:16); yet we can only do this as God works in us by His grace (Philip 2:12,13; 4:13; John 15:4,5; I Cor. 15:10). The cause of the most controversies is the affirmative of one part and the denial of another part of the truth.

REGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION (CROWLEY)

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians “… our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance …” He warned the Galatians “ … though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION AND CONDITIONAL TIME SALVATION

To most Old School Baptists, this article may seem a waste to write or to read. After all, some might ask why we need to read about views we do not believe.  This would be true for those who believe in absolute predestination, but it is not true for most of the outside world.

HEBREWS 10.8-10 (Elder Mikal Smith)

Compare these words to the modern notion of Progressive Sanctification - ed

THE PERNICIOUS DOCTRINE OF PROGRESSIVE SANTFICIATION: I THESSALONIANS 4.3 (Santamaria)

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication" ( I Thessalonians 4.17)

This passage has been used to support two ideas: that the term sanctification has some moral implications, and that there is a "progressive" idea to the concept of sanctification.

FLESH AND SPIRIT (GILBERT BEEBE)

https://www.oldlazydog.com/blog/2019/3/19/flesh-vs-spirit

If it were as easy to give correct and satisfactory answers in all cases as to ask naughty and perplexing questions we could better afford to devote our time and paper to the elucidation of every query that our readers were pleased to propound but as it is not our numerous queries have the advantage ground children may ask questions which men may find it difficult to answer.

WHAT ARE THE RELIABLE EVIDENCES THAT WE HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE?

Perhaps there is no subject in which the feeble, fearful, trembling, tempted, and doubting children of God feel a greater interest than to know what other scriptural evidences of being in a quickened and regenerated state.