Progressive Disagreement In Ferguson's The Christian Life

Ferguson’s The Christian Life is a invigorating instruction, of elemental precepts of the Christian faith. His nuts and bolts theme reflects an exacting focus upon the fundamentals of the Christian life coupled with encouraging instructions. Ferguson gives us a distillation of Christianity to be faithful, faithful to His Word, in our doctrine, our praxis, in our obedience. Just like our Lord’s testimony Ferguson is able to share an overflowing of Godly wisdom to live a Christian life not only didactic instruction. Ferguson demonstrates the highest levels of confidence in Scripture leading to sharp (Dever, 2016) discernment.

“There have been periods in history when the preservation of the very life of the Church depended upon the capacity

There is one knotty area, the question of progressive sanctification. So then I remain unclear why Ferguson states that the idea of progressive sanctification is not expressed in the New Testament. Do I miss a fine nuance of meaning his interpretation? Progressive sanctification is a widely held position of several scholars as I will demonstrate. Archibald posits that our sanctification (Archibald, n.d.) is demonstrated by an increased growth in grace.

“That growth in grace is gradual and progressive is very evident from Scripture; as in all those passages where believers are exhorted to mortify sin and crucify the flesh, and to increase and abound in all the exercises of piety and good works. One text on this subject will be sufficient: ‘Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ And this passage furnishes us with information as to the origin and nature of this growth. It is knowledge, even the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Hodge also describes sanctification as a process, one that the believer participates in (Besette, 2016) actively, albeit where the overwhelming chief power is

“More sanctified he certainly may be, because every grace in his new character may be strengthened, enlarged and deepened. This is the evident meaning of our Lord’s last prayer for His disciples when He used the words, "Sanctify them," and of St. Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: "The very God of peace sanctify you" (John 17:17; 1 Thess. 5:23). ” Conclusively, sanctification appears to be completed in Christ yet a process experienced in man.

Conclusion Ferguson’s management of the Christian life has been scholarly, exemplary in its (DeWaay, 2007) orthodoxy, reinforcing the truths that we have learned from the faithful teachers. “Christian orthodoxy simply means holding to the true beliefs revealed in Scripture. These beliefs are often systematized as topical teachings such as the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of justification, and so on. Genuine faith in the truth of the gospel is saving