The Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 64, No. 1 – Fall 2021
Editor: David S. Dockery
By Don J. Payne. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020, 192pp., $22.99
In Already Sanctified: A Theology of the Christian Life in Light of God’s Completed Work, Don Payne, associate professor of theology and Christian formation at Denver Seminary, seeks to rescue the doctrine of sanctification. He makes the argument that positional sanctification as it has been termed within theological discussions, bears much more weight on the Christian life than previous discussions have allowed. The impetus for this book arises from years of both pastoral ministry and teaching within a seminary context. Specifically, Payne argues that “the present and future aspects [of sanctification] can be properly understood only in light of what has already been accomplished” (p. 7). This short text teases out this idea in biblical and practical perspective and serves as a helpful corrective, even if there might be some areas left unresolved in the debate.
Chapters one and two provide a brief history of the Reformation conversation on sanctification as it arose in contrast to late Medieval Roman Catholicism. Here Payne specifically looks at the two prominent reformers, Martin Luther and John Calvin, drawing conclusions from their thought on sanctification and justification as they relate to one another. Chapter two traces the line of thought a little further into later traditions such as Wesleyanism and the later Keswick movement, two movements highly influential within Evangelicalism. Payne could have said more on the history of sanctification within the Protestant Reformation. The pietistic tradition within Lutheranism that arose soon after the Reformation is important here, and the other reformed inheritors of Calvin’s thought within Europe and the British Isles are also important to consider. I believe it would have been helpful to give readers additional coordinates to locate this discussion more historically, especially as it relates to Evangelicalism. Relying on authoritative sources such as Richard Lovelace might have been useful to elaborate this more for the sake of providing further context and background to the issue at hand. I question his conclusion that Westminster and its language of further sanctified, really and personally should be considered a “sliding scale.” What the Westminster divines and other Calvinistic teachers would have called this would-be holiness, piety, or experiential theology. What was considered positional sanctification would have been subsumed into a facet of election and regeneration (from the ordo salutis) which was no less important a discussion even if they moved onto the experience of that in holy living. Payne asserts the confusion that results from “a psychologically subtle interface between trusting God and just the right manner and engaging the right type of disciplines” (p. 37). This is a helpful observation and sets up the rest of Payne’s argument and work through the text he presents.
In chapter three, Payne begins to map the sanctification trail from the Old Testament understanding of consecration. According to Payne, the Old Testament rendering of holiness relates to “God’s presence and purposes for the definitive orientation” (p. 55). Absent from this discussion is the idea of holiness and consecration in the book of Psalms. The material from the Psalms provides a wealth of data on how one walks in the way of the Lord and demonstrates a life that is set apart and consecrated to God. Admittedly, dealing with the Psalms is an enormous task for a survey chapter such as this, but in the opinion of this reviewer it is a major oversight. Additionally, the life of David as one who is positionally set apart for God’s task and who demonstrates one after God’s own heart would have been a helpful example to demonstrate and interact with Payne’s thesis.
Chapter four moves to a New Testament overview of sanctification. Here Payne emphasizes the confusion, according to him, on how the imperatives given in the New Testament are often over emphasized to the neglect of the “accomplished aspect of sanctification” (p. 58). The consistent New Testament witness is that believers are sanctified as a primary identity marker. Paul to the Corinthians bases his pastoral injunctions on the reality that his hearers are washed, sanctified, and justified “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11; pp. 62–3). This includes therefore an “active presence and agency in their lives” (p. 63). Accomplished sanctification, however, is not contrary to personal growth and effort. Rather, as Payne argues, it is “framed by God’s covenant promises and faithfulness is brought about by the Holy Spirit” (p. 70).
In a few places Payne makes assertions that go unsubstantiated. For instance, he claims that Romans 12:1–2 “routinely appears to support the notion of progressive sanctification” within both academic and popular treatments of sanctification (p. 91). This may be true, yet no verification is given apart from a couple of references to Richard Longenecker’s commentary on Romans. He also categorizes the Reformed tradition of sanctification in a way that seems misleading. Quoting J. I. Packer, Payne asserts that there is an “existential conundrum” in desiring holiness and one’s awareness of their lack of holiness (p. 97). While this “reach exceeding grasp” may on the surface seem problematic, the intention is to affirm the positive which is one’s union with Christ and holiness based on that union. Additionally, the recognition of the Creator/creature distinction is one that leads to holy fear and holy living based on love. From my understanding, Packer’s intention is to demonstrate how Christians live out of their new identity “and the naturalness of godliness when one is a new creation in Christ.”1 He also claims that John Owen’s view of sanctification, interpreted through his work Mortification of Sin, is too often interpreted negatively. This may be true, but no further reflection or citations are provided to support this claim. Payne has done a lot of work within Packer’s theology, and Owen’s influence upon Packer, so I would give him the benefit of the doubt in knowing more of the nuances contained within Packer’s thought and its influence on Reformed understandings of sanctification. It would have still been useful to expound on this idea in order to further verify his claims and demonstrate their veracity to his readers.
In part three, Payne teases out how accomplished sanctification and transformation go hand in hand. Transformation is inherent within sanctification but, according to Payne, transformation comes through various responses within the Christian life and community. In these final chapters, there is nothing immensely new or challenging in the understanding of spiritual growth. In fact, those who would affirm the notion of progressive sanctification would find much to agree with here. Payne reiterates the primacy of God’s word, highlights the role of suffering, upholds the centrality of worship and community, and focuses on gratitude as vital to growth. Payne concludes that formation and growth should not be codified because we “will inevitably miss something and frustrate the process for those with whom the Spirit interacts in the Spirit’s hidden manner” (p. 152).
Payne concludes with an urgent pastoral tone: “traditions that overly associate sanctification with transformation can either tacitly burden believers more than help them flourish or foster spiritual apathy and presumption” (p. 156). Payne’s point is well taken, specifically that the idea of accomplished sanctification and the Christian’s status as holy is overshadowed by the call to grow in holiness. I think readers should carefully listen to Payne on this point. However, I do not believe a stronger focus on accomplished sanctification erases the temptation for spiritual narcissism and moralism within the Christian life as Payne argues. Reformed views of sanctification still assert the role of accomplished sanctification as the mode of being for a Christian, though perhaps it is not practically stated as strongly as it should be. What Payne does well to remind readers is that while our theology of sanctification boxes may all be checked, the practical and pastoral implications need to be vigorously maintained while caring for those who are seeking to live a faithful Christian life in a fallen world mired by sin. A theology of sanctification is only good in so far as it elucidates the profundity of our union with Christ and his abiding presence by the Spirit in our daily lives. While I believe Payne could have provided much more historical and biblical discussion on this point, and provided verification of his assertions in key areas, this is still a text worth considering for students of theology. For those teaching on the doctrine of sanctification or Christian formation, pastors considering the practical impact of this doctrine, or interested readers seeking more insight on accomplished sanctification, Payne can be a helpful conversation partner.
- J. I. Packer, Seeing God in the Dark: Unraveling the Mysteries of Holy Living (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 237. ↩︎
