Helm's Deep: Divine Realities

I found this interesting post by Paul Helm the other day and was struck by the way his skill with language made the work of sanctification so clear. I was particularly impressed with this part of the post:

"Think for a moment of the regenerating and illuminating wok of the Spirit. How does this go? The indwelling of the Spirit is not that of a new visitor who comes to the house and proceeds to do all the work. What result from his work is a new man, a new creation, but this is not creation ex nihilo but the making of all things, the old things, new. The faculties which produce the old things are not replaced by a ‘new sense’ a sixth sense (despite what Jonathan Edwards appeared occasionally to teach) but they are old faculties which (through Spirit-given penitence and mortification) lose certain propensities, or have them weakened, and (through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit) gain new propensities, or a strengthening of those that exist. The old nature is not expelled, like an evil spirit, but marvellously and mysteriously renewed. We are on the road to becoming truly human, not transformed into angels. So that while the regenerating work of the Spirit is supernatural, it cooperates with the natural, itself taking the initiative and fitting the natural for such cooperation. ‘Enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving them an heart of flesh, renewing their wills……’"

Now it is true that the context speaks of the "regenerating and illuminating work of the Holy Spirit" which may mean he is talking about how we become a Christian but I think (even if this is so) the work begun at conversion is only the first step in the process of salvation. Conversion leads seamlessly into sanctification and, in spite of our separating the issues for theological discussion, the Holy Spirit doesn't make it a distinction in the work of reclaiming lost souls from the path to Hell.

Perhaps Paul Helm's description goes some way to describe how it is that many see their conversion and subsequent growth in the Spirit as "seeing the light." The room is the same. The position of the furniture hasn't changed. You are standing in the same place and facing in the same direction. But, suddenly, in the light of the Holy Spirit, the darkness which obscured some things and seemed to make others more menacing is gone. The light brings everything into focus and we see things we never saw before. No wonder Paul says "old things have passed away, all things have become new." It's just like being in a new room.

Anyway - read the whole article. I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Paul is always thought-provoking. You'll find his original post at Helm's Deep: Divine Realities