Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
The late Dr. John Murray once said that the most important book on sanctification that he ever read was Walter Marshall’s, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. I can see why John Murray said that. I’m just 4 chapters into Bruce McRae’s newly released, updated version of Marshall’s masterpiece on gospel-driven sanctification (which was first published in 1692) and this is already the best book I’ve read on the topic.
315 years after its original publication, I believe that Marshall’s thesis is as important and urgent as ever–that Christians grow in obedience to Christ by the power of the gospel, not by their own strength. I’ve found that most all Christians agree on justification by faith, but that very few Christians realize that our sanctification is also by faith. Marshall’s book is a clear, winsome, and persuasive articulation of the gospel-centered nature of sanctification.
Perhaps the best way that I could persuade you to get your hands on this book is by listing the chapter descriptions found in this book. One great feature of the book is that the table of contents lists, not chapter titles, but a brief description of the subject of each chapter. Reading these descriptions should hopefully grip your interest and show you why this is an important book for the church today. Here’s a list of the chapter descriptions:
CHAPTER 1: God in his law calls you to live a holy and righteous
life. In order to do this, you first have to learn the only possible
way you can live a holy life.
CHAPTER 2: You have to receive certain qualifications to keep the
law of God. There are four qualifications for living a godly life which
you must receive from God: 1) Your heart has to be freely willing to
live a godly life, 2) You have to be assured that you are forgiven and
reconciled to God, 3) You have to be sure of a happy, eternal future
with the Lord, and 4) You have to have sufficient strength both to will
and to do what God calls you to do.
CHAPTER 3: You receive the qualifications to enable you to keep the
law of God out of the fullness of Christ, through fellowship with him.
In order to have this fellowship, you must be in union with him. You
must be in Christ, and Christ himself must be in you.
CHAPTER 4: The Gospel is the way the Holy Spirit brings you into
union with Christ, and into fellowship with him and his holiness.
Through the gospel, Christ enters your heart and gives you faith. Faith
is the way you actually receive Christ himself, and all his fullness,
into your heart. Even this faith is a grace of the Holy Spirit. When
you have faith, you believe the gospel with all your heart. When you
have faith, you believe in Christ, as he is revealed and freely
promised to you in the gospel, for all his salvation.
CHAPTER 5: You cannot live a holy life, no matter how hard you try,
if you still have your old nature. In order to live a holy life, you
have to receive, by faith, a new heart and a new nature, through your
union and fellowship with Christ.
CHAPTER 6: If you try to obey the commands of Christ in order to
earn your salvation, and to gain assurance of your salvation, you are
seeking salvation by the works of the law. You are not seeking your
salvation through faith in Christ, as he is revealed in the gospel. If
you try to earn your salvation by your true obedience, you will never
succeed.
CHAPTER 7: Do not think that your heart and life have to be changed
from sin to holiness in any measure before you are allowed to trust in
Christ for salvation.
CHAPTER 8: Make sure that you seek holiness of heart and life in its
proper time. You can only live a holy life after you have come into
union with Christ, have been justified, and have received the Holy
Spirit. Once you have received these blessings, seek holiness by faith
with all your might. It is a crucial part of your salvation.
CHAPTER 9: In order to sincerely keep the law of God, you must first receive the comfort of the Gospel.
CHAPTER 10: If you are going to obey the law out of the comfort of
the Gospel, you must have complete assurance of your salvation. You
obtain this assurance by believing and receiving Christ into your
heart. Therefore, confidently believe in Christ without delay. Be
assured that when you believe in Christ, God will freely give you a
personal relationship with Christ, just as he has promised.
CHAPTER 11: Believe in Christ without delay! Then, continue to build
up your faith. When you do this, you will build up your relationship
with Christ more and more. You will also be empowered to live a holy
life.
CHAPTER 12: In order to obey the law of God, earnestly live by your
most holy faith. Do not walk according to your old nature, and do not
put into practice anything that belongs to your old nature. Walk only
according to the new nature you received by faith, and live the
lifestyle of your new nature. This is the only way to live a holy and
righteous life–as much as is possible in this present life.
CHAPTER 13: Now that the Holy Spirit has renewed you, God calls you
to live a holy life. To live this obedient life, you must continue to
believe in Christ and walk in him by faith. To live this life of faith,
God calls you to diligently use all of the means of grace he has given
you in his Word.
CHAPTER 14: I have been telling you up to this point that you must
seek to live a holy life by believing in Christ, and by walking in him
by faith. If you are going to do this, you must understand why living
by faith in Christ is so important and beneficial to your soul.
Hey Justin,
Thanks for making us aware of this book. It sounds like something that I am keen to get my hands on. I am currently waiting to hear back from my local christian bookshop whether they have it or can get it in for me as I type this.
Cheers bro
Hey Buzz,
Recently came across your blog here…very nice!
Was wondering if you’ve had opportunity yet to read David Peterson’s _Possessed by God_? His argument is compelling, that, sanctification is not primarily a process but rather a status of consecration, which in turn relates to our growing up in Christ.
Haven’t yet read Marshall’s work…others have thought it a great book as well.
Off hand, does Peterson seem to square with Marshall?
I definitely want to pick up this book at some point. Thanks for the highlight and chapter headings.
I think that some perhaps fall into a works-driven sanctification because of the fact that Scripture does give us imperatives. I think that the balanced Gospel-driven action of the Christian must held between the Keswick “let go and let God” and the very common Galatians 3 type works of the law.
I think there is an element of tension, because pursuing sanctification by faith does not equal being passive in our own sanctification. This has been been something I’ve struggled with in my own life.
Philippians 2:12-13 probably provide the best biblical help for me on this area. (Which, you’ll probably be preaching on soon, I would guess :)
I was thumbing through this volume this afternoon as I looked through the various books I received from the Desiring God Pastors’ Conference this February. How ironic…or should I say providential? Another incentive to take up and read!
Matthew,
Thanks for the encouragement. I haven’t read Peterson’s book so I’m not quite sure how Marshall lines up with Peterson.
Danny,
I agree man, Phil 2:12&13 is the clearest explanation in Scripture of what sanctification in Christ is all about. Actually, I do get to preach the text soon. I’m preaching it this Sunday. I’ve got a lot more work to do to get ready, but already I’m really looking forward to getting to preach these 2 verses.
My all time favorite verse of the bible is on this very topic:
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14
I have read much of Walter marshals book and it was a great help to me. Of Late 2yrs. now, I have struggled greatly , to the point of almost giving up. I have been paralyzed 11 yrs now do to an accident where i was a passenger of a truck in which a woma was driving drunk. I was also drunk. I was a fairly new believer ad was still struggling with addictions and influences. I am now recieving ss disability ftrom the federal gov. I have a hard time reconciling this as it pertains to not being part of the world. It is espescailly biting to me the more i see a know of all of the new world order and Barak Obama and His policies. It wet so far as going down to the soc, sec. office and telling them i didnt want it anymore. Afterward i became unsure of my actions and had it reistated, yet it still bothers me greatly at times. I have no other source of income and also knowing another disabled person who has chosen to live totally by faith without ssi it is even more disturbig to me. I’M JUST NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. I could say more, I’m not even sure if this is at all the proper forum for what i have said already. Any prayerful advice i would greatly appreciate. God bless all who love our Lord Jesus.