“One astonishing yet unappreciated truth of Christianity is that salvation in Jesus Christ contains not just future heavenly life but also present transformation by the Spirit. God changes the believer to be more like Himself.”

It’s a good thing, too, because day after day we bring misery on ourselves by our sin. Taking a page from our first parents, we shift the blame for the problems of our world. Like Adam blaming God and Eve in Genesis 3:12, we point the finger and try to exonerate ourselves. We blame our circumstances for our unhappiness. While certainly the problems posed by circumstances and others are significant and not to be downplayed, the Bible reminds us that our sin is the greatest contributor to our own misery. Poor politicians or policies, severe poverty, bad health, an unhealthy marriage—these are all true difficulties that should be addressed as appropriate. Yet, as 17th century persecuted Scottish minister Robert Fleming wrote, “In the worst of times, there is still more cause to complain of an evil heart than of an evil world.” Or as Martin Luther said, “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, self.”

The Bible confirms this: we can’t blame others (James 4:1-4), or God himself—he tells his people of his generosity and desire to bless: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me” (Psalm 81:10-11).

This means that sanctification—God putting our sin to death and making us love what he loves—is of tremendous benefit to us! As our gracious Triune God sanctifies us little by little, we treasure him above all, and are less troubled by our circumstances. “A man that has God for his portion is [unequalled]…he is the rarest and the happiest man in the world…Nothing can make that man miserable that has God for his portion…” As we grow in sanctification, we grow in joy and peace. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 90 asks and answers: “What is the rising-to-life of the new self? Wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a love and delight to live according to the will of God by doing every kind of good work.”

Of course, sanctification is not just about us. Yes, we are blessed as we grow in holiness. Yes, we realize our chief end more fully (see Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 1). But our progressive sanctification blesses our neighbors. We serve and encourage them. Job, for example, blessed his “friends” by interceding for them in Job 42:8-10, despite all the headache and heartache they caused him. Forgiving others as we’ve been forgiven in Christ is truly a beautiful result of sanctification.

Our sanctification also brings God glory—for at least two key reasons. The first is that he has linked his own reputation to his saving work (e.g., Ex. 32:12; Isa. 37:35; 43:25; 48:9–11). Job’s (mostly) godly response to his suffering confirmed to Satan that God’s saving promises through the Snake-Crusher (Gen 3:15) were playing out. We pray, “Hallowed by Thy name” praying that God would glorify himself in redemption (Ezek. 36:23-27).

Second, our sanctification brings God glory because He gets the credit. God is “He who sanctifies” (Heb. 2:11). This does not mean we are inactive: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Our sanctification is God’s gift. It comes from the Holy Spirit, who brings forth the fruits of the Spirit in our lives.

Our Pentecostal/Charismatic friends tend to get the “buzz” for being all about the Holy Spirit. In college I once attended such a church with a friend (for research for a comparative religion course) and I was told—abruptly but gently—that I didn’t have much of the Holy Spirit (!) because I didn’t speak in tongues or prophesy. Not wanting to be rude, I agreed in the sense that I said I believed that tongues were the first century, foundational era of the church (Tongues were a fulfillment of Isa. 28’s curse, tied to blessings for the nations, in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham). The more I reflect on that exchange, it seems to me that Reformed theology should truly receive more buzz for being all about the Holy Spirit. Calvin himself was called the “Theologian of the Holy Spirit,” and a thoughtful reading of the Reformation bears out a Reformed emphasis on the work of the Spirit over against the mechanical sacraments and saints of the Roman Catholic church.

Reformed churches and Christians believe that the Spirit is needed to begin, to continue, and to persevere in the Christian life. “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:2-3) We confess and believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life – through whom we have eyes to see, ears to hear! We rely on the Spirit to apply to us all the blessings of Jesus. Jesus accomplishes redemption and the Spirit applies it to us. Christ’s death purchased life, and that life is manifested in us by the power of the Spirit, who is a person, who will do what He wills, not just a power like “the force” from Star Wars. We can do nothing apart from the Holy Spirit, applying to us the blessings won by Christ.