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Wherever the
word of God has been faithfully preached, results have followed that
attested its divine origin. The Spirit of God accompanied the
message of His servants, and the word was with power. Sinners felt
their consciences quickened. The "light which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world" illumined the secret chambers of their
souls, and the hidden things of darkness were made manifest. Deep
conviction took hold upon their minds and hearts. They were
convinced of sin and of righteousness and of judgment to come. They
had a sense of the righteousness of Jehovah and felt the terror of
appearing, in their guilt and uncleanness, before the Searcher of
hearts. In anguish they cried out: "Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death?" As the cross of Calvary, with its infinite
sacrifice for the sins of men, was revealed, they saw that nothing
but the merits of Christ could suffice to atone for their
transgressions; this alone could reconcile man to God. With faith
and humility they accepted the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin
of the world. Through the blood of Jesus they had "remission of sins
that are past."
These souls brought forth fruit meet
for repentance. They believed and were baptized, and rose to walk in
newness of life--new creatures in Christ Jesus; not to fashion
themselves according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of
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God to follow in His steps, to reflect
His character, and to purify themselves even as He is pure. The things
they once hated they now loved, and the things they once loved they
hated. The proud and self-assertive became meek and lowly of heart. The
vain and supercilious became serious and unobtrusive. The profane became
reverent, the drunken sober, and the profligate pure. The vain fashions
of the world were laid aside. Christians sought not the "outward
adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on
of apparel; but . . . the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in
the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:3, 4.
Revivals brought deep heart-searching
and humility. They were characterized by solemn, earnest appeals to the
sinner, by yearning compassion for the purchase of the blood of Christ.
Men and women prayed and wrestled with God for the salvation of souls.
The fruits of such revivals were seen in souls who shrank not at
self-denial and sacrifice, but rejoiced that they were counted worthy to
suffer reproach and trial for the sake of Christ. Men beheld a
transformation in the lives of those who had professed the name of
Jesus. The community was benefited by their influence. They gathered
with Christ, and sowed to the Spirit, to reap life everlasting.
It could be said of them: "Ye sorrowed
to repentance." "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to
be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold
this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what
carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea,
what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what
zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be
clear in this matter." 2 Corinthians 7:9-11.
This is the result of the work of the
Spirit of God. There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it
works reformation.
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If he restore the pledge, give again that
he had robbed, confess his sins, and love God and his fellow men, the
sinner may be sure that he has found peace with God. Such were the
effects that in former years followed seasons of religious awakening.
Judged by their fruits, they were known to be blessed of God in the
salvation of men and the uplifting of humanity.
But many of the revivals of modern
times have presented a marked contrast to those manifestations of divine
grace which in earlier days followed the labors of God's servants. It is
true that a widespread interest is kindled, many profess conversion, and
there are large accessions to the churches; nevertheless the results are
not such as to warrant the belief that there has been a corresponding
increase of real spiritual life. The light which flames up for a time
soon dies out, leaving the darkness more dense than before.
Popular revivals are too often carried
by appeals to the imagination, by exciting the emotions, by gratifying
the love for what is new and startling. Converts thus gained have little
desire to listen to Bible truth, little interest in the testimony of
prophets and apostles. Unless a religious service has something of a
sensational character, it has no attractions for them. A message which
appeals to unimpassioned reason awakens no response. The plain warnings
of God's word, relating directly to their eternal interests, are
unheeded.
With every truly converted soul the
relation to God and to eternal things will be the great topic of life.
But where, in the popular churches of today, is the spirit of
consecration to God? The converts do not renounce their pride and love
of the world. They are no more willing to deny self, to take up the
cross, and follow the meek and lowly Jesus, than before their
conversion. Religion has become the sport of infidels and skeptics
because so many who bear its name are ignorant of its principles. The
power of godliness has well-nigh departed from many of the churches.
Picnics, church theatricals,
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church fairs, fine houses, personal
display, have banished thoughts of God. Lands and goods and worldly
occupations engross the mind, and things of eternal interest receive
hardly a passing notice.
Notwithstanding the widespread
declension of faith and piety, there are true followers of Christ in
these churches. Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the
earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of
primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The
Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that
time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love
of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of
ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God
has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the
Lord's second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work;
and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to
prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can
bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God's
special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought
to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is
working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit.
Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over
the Christian world.
In many of the revivals which have
occurred during the last half century, the same influences have been at
work, to a greater or less degree, that will be manifest in the more
extensive movements of the future. There is an emotional excitement, a
mingling of the true with the false, that is well adapted to mislead.
Yet none need be deceived. In the light of God's word it is not
difficult to determine the nature of these movements. Wherever men
neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain,
soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the
world, there we may be sure that God's blessing is not bestowed.
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And by the rule which Christ Himself has
given, "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16), it is
evident that these movements are not the work of the Spirit of God.
In the truths of His word, God has
given to men a revelation of Himself; and to all who accept them they
are a shield against the deceptions of Satan. It is a neglect of these
truths that has opened the door to the evils which are now becoming so
widespread in the religious world. The nature and the importance of the
law of God have been, to a great extent, lost sight of. A wrong
conception of the character, the perpetuity, and the obligation of the
divine law has led to errors in relation to conversion and
sanctification, and has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in
the church. Here is to be found the secret of the lack of the Spirit and
power of God in the revivals of our time.
There are, in the various
denominations, men eminent for their piety, by whom this fact is
acknowledged and deplored. Professor Edwards A. Park, in setting forth
the current religious perils, ably says: "One source of danger is the
neglect of the pulpit to enforce the divine law. In former days the
pulpit was an echo of the voice of conscience. . . . Our most
illustrious preachers gave a wonderful majesty to their discourses by
following the example of the Master, and giving prominence to the law,
its precepts, and its threatenings. They repeated the two great maxims,
that the law is a transcript of the divine perfections, and that a man
who does not love the law does not love the gospel; for the law, as well
as the gospel, is a mirror reflecting the true character of God. This
peril leads to another, that of underrating the evil of sin, the extent
of it, the demerit of it. In proportion to the rightfulness of the
commandment is the wrongfulness of disobeying it. . . .
"Affiliated to the dangers already
named is the danger of underestimating the justice of God. The tendency
of the modern pulpit is to strain out the divine justice from the divine
benevolence, to sink benevolence into a sentiment rather
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than exalt it into a principle. The new
theological prism puts asunder what God has joined together. Is the
divine law a good or an evil? It is a good. Then justice is good; for it
is a disposition to execute the law. From the habit of underrating the
divine law and justice, the extent and demerit of human disobedience,
men easily slide into the habit of underestimating the grace which has
provided an atonement for sin." Thus the gospel loses its value and
importance in the minds of men, and soon they are ready practically to
cast aside the Bible itself.
Many religious teachers assert that
Christ by His death abolished the law, and men are henceforth free from
its requirements. There are some who represent it as a grievous yoke,
and in contrast to the bondage of the law they present the liberty to be
enjoyed under the gospel.
But not so did prophets and apostles
regard the holy law of God. Said David: "I will walk at liberty: for I
seek Thy precepts." Psalm 119:45. The apostle James, who wrote after the
death of Christ, refers to the Decalogue as "the royal law" and "the
perfect law of liberty." James 2:8; 1:25. And the revelator, half a
century after the crucifixion, pronounces a blessing upon them "that do
His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14.
The claim that Christ by His death
abolished His Father's law is without foundation. Had it been possible
for the law to be changed or set aside, then Christ need not have died
to save man from the penalty of sin. The death of Christ, so far from
abolishing the law, proves that it is immutable. The Son of God came to
"magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isaiah 42:21. He said: "Think
not that I am come to destroy the law;" "till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law." Matthew 5;17, 18.
And concerning Himself He declares: "I delight to do Thy will, O my God:
yea, Thy law is within My heart." Psalm 40:8.
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The law of God, from its very nature,
is unchangeable. It is a revelation of the will and the character of its
Author. God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles are
love to God and love to man. "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans
13:10. The character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the
nature of His law. Says the psalmist: "Thy law is the truth:" "all Thy
commandments are righteousness." Psalm 119:142, 172. And the apostle
Paul declares: "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and
good." Romans 7:12. Such a law, being an expression of the mind and will
of God, must be as enduring as its Author.
It is the work of conversion and
sanctification to reconcile men to God by bringing them into accord with
the principles of His law. In the beginning, man was created in the
image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of
God; the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart. But
sin alienated him from his Maker. He no longer reflected the divine
image. His heart was at war with the principles of God's law. "The
carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be." Romans 8:7. But "God so loved the world,
that He gave His only-begotten Son," that man might be reconciled to
God. Through the merits of Christ he can be restored to harmony with his
Maker. His heart must be renewed by divine grace; he must have a new
life from above. This change is the new birth, without which, says
Jesus, "he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The first step in reconciliation to
God is the conviction of sin. "Sin is the transgression of the law." By
the law is the knowledge of sin." 1 John 3:4; Romans 3:20. In order to
see his guilt, the sinner must test his character by God's great
standard of righteousness. It is a mirror which shows the perfection of
a righteous character and enables him to discern the defects in his own.
The law reveals to man his sins, but
it provides no remedy.
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While it promises life to the obedient,
it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. The gospel of
Christ alone can free him from the condemnation or the defilement of
sin. He must exercise repentance toward God, whose law has been
transgressed; and faith in Christ, his atoning sacrifice. Thus he
obtains "remission of sins that are past" and becomes a partaker of the
divine nature. He is a child of God, having received the spirit of
adoption, whereby he cries: "Abba, Father!"
Is he now free to transgress God's
law? Says Paul: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid:
yea, we establish the law." "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live
any longer therein?" And John declares: "This is the love of God, that
we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." Romans
3:31; 6:2; 1 John 5:3. In the new birth the heart is brought into
harmony with God, as it is brought into accord with His law. When this
mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death
unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to
obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from God has ended;
the new life of reconciliation, of faith and love, has begun. Then "the
righteousness of the law" will "be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:4. And the language of the
soul will be: "O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day."
Psalm 119:97.
"The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul." Psalm 19:7. Without the law, men have no just
conception of the purity and holiness of God or of their own guilt and
uncleanness. They have no true conviction of sin and feel no need of
repentance. Not seeing their lost condition as violators of God's law,
they do not realize their need of the atoning blood of Christ. The hope
of salvation is accepted without a radical change of heart or
reformation of life. Thus superficial conversions abound, and multitudes
are joined to the church who have never been united to Christ.
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Erroneous theories of sanctification,
also, springing from neglect or rejection of the divine law, have a
prominent place in the religious movements of the day. These theories
are both false in doctrine and dangerous in practical results; and the
fact that they are so generally finding favor, renders it doubly
essential that all have a clear understanding of what the Scriptures
teach upon this point.
True sanctification is a Bible
doctrine. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonian church,
declares: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." And he
prays: "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly." 1 Thessalonians 4:3;
5:23. The Bible clearly teaches what sanctification is and how it is to
be attained. The Saviour prayed for His disciples: "Sanctify them
through Thy truth: Thy word is truth." John 17:17. And Paul teaches that
believers are to be "sanctified by the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:16. What
is the work of the Holy Spirit? Jesus told His disciples: "When He, the
Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13.
And the psalmist says: "Thy law is the truth." By the word and the
Spirit of God are opened to men the great principles of righteousness
embodied in His law. And since the law of God is "holy, and just, and
good," a transcript of the divine perfection, it follows that a
character formed by obedience to that law will be holy. Christ is a
perfect example of such a character. He says: "I have kept My Father's
commandments." "I do always those things that please Him." John 15:10;
8:29. The followers of Christ are to become like Him--by the grace of
God to form characters in harmony with the principles of His holy law.
This is Bible sanctification.
This work can be accomplished only
through faith in Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.
Paul admonishes believers: "Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of
His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12, 13. The Christian will feel the
promptings of sin, but he will
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maintain a constant warfare against it.
Here is where Christ's help is needed. Human weakness becomes united to
divine strength, and faith exclaims: "Thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57.
The Scriptures plainly show that the
work of sanctification is progressive. When in conversion the sinner
finds peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the Christian
life has but just begun. Now he is to "go on unto perfection;" to grow
up "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Says the
apostle Paul: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus." Philippians 3:13, 14. And Peter sets before us the steps by
which Bible sanctification is to be attained: "Giving all diligence, add
to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge
temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and
to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. . .
. If ye do these things, ye shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:5-10.
Those who experience the
sanctification of the Bible will manifest a spirit of humility. Like
Moses, they have had a view of the awful majesty of holiness, and they
see their own unworthiness in contrast with the purity and exalted
perfection of the Infinite One.
The prophet Daniel was an example of
true sanctification. His long life was filled up with noble service for
his Master. He was a man "greatly beloved" (Daniel 10:11) of Heaven. Yet
instead of claiming to be pure and holy, this honored prophet identified
himself with the really sinful of Israel as he pleaded before God in
behalf of his people: "We do not present our supplications before Thee
for our righteousness, but for Thy great mercies." "We have sinned, we
have done wickedly." He declares: "I was speaking, and praying, and
confessing my sin and the sin of my people." And when at a later time
the Son of God appeared, to give
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him instruction, Daniel says: "My
comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no
strength." Daniel 9:18, 15,20; 10:8.
When Job heard the voice of the Lord
out of the whirlwind, he exclaimed: "I abhor myself, and repent in dust
and ashes." Job 42:6. It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, and
heard the cherubim crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts,"
that he cried out, "Woe is me! for I am undone." Isaiah 6:3, 5. Paul,
after he was caught up into the third heaven and heard things which it
was not possible for a man to utter, speaks of himself as "less than the
least of all saints." 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, margin; Ephesians 3:8. It
was the beloved John, who leaned on Jesus' breast and beheld His glory,
that fell as one dead before the feet of the angel. Revelation 1:17.
There can be no self-exaltation, no
boastful claim to freedom from sin, on the part of those who walk in the
shadow of Calvary's cross. They feel that it was their sin which caused
the agony that broke the heart of the Son of God, and this thought will
lead them to self-abasement. Those who live nearest to Jesus discern
most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope
is in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour.
The sanctification now gaining
prominence in the religious world carries with it a spirit of
self-exaltation and a disregard for the law of God that mark it as
foreign to the religion of the Bible. Its advocates teach that
sanctification is an instantaneous work, by which, through faith alone,
they attain to perfect holiness. "Only believe," say they, "and the
blessing is yours." No further effort on the part of the receiver is
supposed to be required. At the same time they deny the authority of the
law of God, urging that they are released from obligation to keep the
commandments. But is it possible for men to be holy, in accord with the
will and character of God, without coming into harmony with the
principles which are an expression of His nature and will, and which
show what is well pleasing to Him?
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The desire for an easy religion that
requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the
world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular
doctrine; but what saith the word of God? Says the apostle James: "What
doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have
not works? can faith save him? . . . Wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by
works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how
faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? . . .
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith
only." James 2:14-24.
The testimony of the word of God is
against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works. It is not faith
that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions
upon which mercy is to be granted, it is presumption; for genuine faith
has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures.
Let none deceive themselves with the
belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God's
requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing
voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God. "Sin is the
transgression of the law." And "whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the
law] hath not seen Him, neither known Him." 1 John 3:6. Though John in
his epistles dwells so fully upon love, yet he does not hesitate to
reveal the true character of that class who claim to be sanctified while
living in transgression of the law of God. "He that saith, I know Him,
and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected." 1 John 2:4, 5. Here is the test of every man's profession.
We cannot accord holiness to any man without bringing him to the
measurement of God's only standard of holiness in heaven and in earth.
If men feel no weight of the moral law, if they belittle and make light
of God's precepts, if they break one of the least of
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these commandments, and teach men so,
they shall be of no esteem in the sight of Heaven, and we may know that
their claims are without foundation.
And the claim to be without sin is, in
itself, evidence that he who makes this claim is far from holy. It is
because he has no true conception of the infinite purity and holiness of
God or of what they must become who shall be in harmony with His
character; because he has no true conception of the purity and exalted
loveliness of Jesus, and the malignity and evil of sin, that man can
regard himself as holy. The greater the distance between himself and
Christ, and the more inadequate his conceptions of the divine character
and requirements, the more righteous he appears in his own eyes.
The sanctification set forth in the
Scriptures embraces the entire being--spirit, soul, and body. Paul
prayed for the Thessalonians that their "whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1
Thessalonians 5:23. Again he writes to believers: "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." Romans 12:1. In the time
of ancient Israel every offering brought as a sacrifice to God was
carefully examined. If any defect was discovered in the animal
presented, it was refused; for God had commanded that the offering be
"without blemish." So Christians are bidden to present their bodies, "a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." In order to do this, all
their powers must be preserved in the best possible condition. Every
practice that weakens physical or mental strength unfits man for the
service of his Creator. And will God be pleased with anything less than
the best we can offer? Said Christ: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart." Those who do love God with all the heart will
desire to give Him the best service of their life, and they will be
constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with
the laws that will promote their ability to do His will. They will not,
by the indulgence of
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appetite or passion, enfeeble or defile
the offering which they present to their heavenly Father.
Peter says: "Abstain from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11. Every sinful
gratification tends to benumb the faculties and deaden the mental and
spiritual perceptions, and the word or the Spirit of God can make but a
feeble impression upon the heart. Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1. And with the
fruits of the Spirit--"love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness"--he classes "temperance." Galatians 5:22, 23.
Notwithstanding these inspired
declarations, how many professed Christians are enfeebling their powers
in the pursuit of gain or the worship of fashion; how many are debasing
their godlike manhood by gluttony, by wine drinking, by forbidden
pleasure. And the church, instead of rebuking, too often encourages the
evil by appealing to appetite, to desire for gain or love of pleasure,
to replenish her treasury, which love for Christ is too feeble to
supply. Were Jesus to enter the churches of today and behold the
feasting and unholy traffic there conducted in the name of religion,
would He not drive out those desecrators, as He banished the
money-changers from the temple?
The apostle James declares that the
wisdom from above is "first pure." Had he encountered those who take the
precious name of Jesus upon lips defiled by tobacco, those whose breath
and person are contaminated by its foul odor, and who pollute the air of
heaven and force all about them to inhale the poison--had the apostle
come in contact with a practice so opposed to the purity of the gospel,
would he not have denounced it as "earthly, sensual, devilish"? Slaves
of tobacco, claiming the blessing of entire sanctification, talk of
their hope of heaven; but God's word plainly declares that "there shall
in no wise enter into it anything that defileth." Revelation 21:27.
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"Know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye
are not your own? for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God
in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19,
20. He whose body is the temple of the Holy Spirit will not be enslaved
by a pernicious habit. His powers belong to Christ, who has bought him
with the price of blood. His property is the Lord's. How could he be
guiltless in squandering this entrusted capital? Professed Christians
yearly expend an immense sum upon useless and pernicious indulgences,
while souls are perishing for the word of life. God is robbed in tithes
and offerings, while they consume upon the altar of destroying lust more
than they give to relieve the poor or for the support of the gospel. If
all who profess to be followers of Christ were truly sanctified, their
means, instead of being spent for needless and even hurtful indulgences,
would be turned into the Lord's treasury, and Christians would set an
example of temperance, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Then they would
be the light of the world.
The world is given up to
self-indulgence. "The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life" control the masses of the people. But Christ's
followers have a holier calling. "Come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean." In the light of
God's word we are justified in declaring that sanctification cannot be
genuine which does not work this utter renunciation of the sinful
pursuits and gratifications of the world.
To those who comply with the
conditions, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, . . . and
touch not the unclean," God's promise is, "I will receive you, and will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18. It is the privilege and the duty
of every Christian to have a rich and abundant experience in the things
of God. "I am the light of
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the world," said Jesus. "He that
followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life." John 8:12. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18. Every step
of faith and obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the
Light of the world, in whom there "is no darkness at all." The bright
beams of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon the servants of God, and
they are to reflect His rays. As the stars tell us that there is a great
light in heaven with whose glory they are made bright, so Christians are
to make it manifest that there is a God on the throne of the universe
whose character is worthy of praise and imitation. The graces of His
Spirit, the purity and holiness of His character, will be manifest in
His witnesses.
Paul in his letter to the Colossians
sets forth the rich blessings granted to the children of God. He says:
We "do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto
all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness." Colossians 1:9-11.
Again he writes of his desire that the
brethren at Ephesus might come to understand the height of the
Christian's privilege. He opens before them, in the most comprehensive
language, the marvelous power and knowledge that they might possess as
sons and daughters of the Most High. It was theirs "to be strengthened
with might by His Spirit in the inner man," to be "rooted and grounded
in love," to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which
passeth knowledge." But the prayer of the apostle reaches the climax of
privilege when he prays that "ye might be filled with all the fullness
of God." Ephesians 3:16-19.
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Here are revealed the heights of
attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our
heavenly Father, when we fulfill His requirements. Through the merits of
Christ we have access to the throne of Infinite Power. "He that spared
not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with
Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32. The Father gave His
Spirit without measure to His Son, and we also may partake of its
fullness. Jesus says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good
gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" Luke 11:13. "If ye shall ask
anything in My name, I will do it." "Ask, and ye shall receive, that
your joy may be full." John 14:14, 16:24.
While the Christian's life will be
characterized by humility, it should not be marked with sadness and
self-depreciation. It is the privilege of everyone so to live that God
will approve and bless him. It is not the will of our heavenly Father
that we should be ever under condemnation and darkness. There is no
evidence of true humility in going with the head bowed down and the
heart filled with thoughts of self. We may go to Jesus and be cleansed,
and stand before the law without shame and remorse. "There is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1.
Through Jesus the fallen sons of Adam
become "sons of God." "Both He that sanctifieth and they who are
sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call
them brethren." Hebrews 2:11. The Christian's life should be one of
faith, of victory, and joy in God. "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith." I John 5:4. Truly spoke God's servant Nehemiah: "The
joy
of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah
8:10. And Paul says: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say,
Rejoice." "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give
thanks: for this
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is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you." Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Such are the fruits of Bible
conversion and sanctification; and it is because the great principles of
righteousness set forth in the law of God are so indifferently regarded
by the Christian world that these fruits are so rarely witnessed. This
is why there is manifest so little of that deep, abiding work of the
Spirit of God which marked revivals in former years.
It is by beholding that we become
changed. And as those sacred precepts in which God has opened to men the
perfection and holiness of His character are neglected, and the minds of
the people are attracted to human teachings and theories, what marvel
that there has followed a decline of living piety in the church. Saith
the Lord: "They have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and
hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."
Jeremiah 2:13.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not
in the counsel of the ungodly. . . . But his delight is in the law of
the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be
like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his
fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper." Psalm 1:1-3. It is only as the law of God is
restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of
primitive faith and godliness among His professed people. "Thus saith
the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your
souls." Jeremiah 6:16.
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