Untitled article by A. S. Hutchins

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 25, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 45.

Sanctification.—No. 3.

By A. S. Hutchins

THE second step in the work of sanctification, as prayed for by the apostle, is the sanctification of the soul. And we think we stand upon scriptural ground in the view that by the soul he means simply the life.

In defense of this position, we note the fact that the terms soul and life are used interchangeably in Matt. 10:28 and Luke 12:4. And furthermore, the original word from which these are translated is forty times rendered life in the New Testament.

It is not the profession, not the praying, not the talk, but the life by which men are judged. "For every tree is known by his own fruit."

"His preaching much, but more his practice, wrought A living sermon of the truths he taught."

The Christian life has its origin in the new birth. John 3:3-8. In its origin, its growth, its development, and maturity, God, and his Son, and the Holy Spirit have a part to act. These must mould the life, giving to it tone and vigor, rounding it out in glorious perfection, while the submissive voice of the Christian will be, "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth;" otherwise the Master is not honored nor the soul saved.

"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17. He is a new creature in that he has a new work to do, as well as coming into possession of new joys and a new hope; "for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

To put off the old man, or to overcome inclinations and tendencies to sin, to put on the new man, or build up character, and to labor for the salvation of the souls of our fellow-men, is the great, the daily, work of the Christian.

Men will be judged according to their works, and will be rewarded according to their works. Rev. 20:12; 22:12. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. 16:27.

The test of moral character, the rule of judgment, scrutinizing and impartial, will be the law of God, that embodiment of divine precepts touching our duty to God and man; proclaimed by God himself from the heights of the burning, quaking Sinai, and written with his finger upon tables of stone.

James introduces this law in his epistle, and exhorts: "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." Jas. 2:12. See also Eccl. 12:13, 14.

The formation and development of character to pass the solemn test of the Judgment, is the Christian's life-work. Working in harmony with the teachings of the Holy Spirit, and the law of God, his pathway brightens, his peace may be as a river, and his righteousness as the waves of the sea.

But as the artist, who, through untiring perseverance, has brought out in his magnificent workmanship, the fine, delicate, living expressions of the original, may, with a careless stroke of his brush, deface and ruin in a moment all the artistic beauty, which otherwise would have been the admiration of thousands, so the man of God may, while off from his watch, in his unguarded moments, by yielding to the solicitations of Satan, sacrifice his integrity, fall from his high, honorable, and holy standing, mantling his name and honor with shame and ignominy. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

The apostle not only saw the danger of others in this direction, but he saw his own, and here is where many fail. Says he, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Cor. 9:26, 27.

The third and concluding step in sanctification is the sanctification of the body. This, with its appetites, its propensities, and powers, must be kept under, brought in subjection, by the grace of God and a sanctified judgment, or there is danger ahead. Paul expresses no fear that his stripes, his being beaten with rods, being stoned, his perils by land or sea, among robbers, his own countrymen, or false brethren; or his hunger or thirst, or chains and imprisonments, would turn him from God, and he become a "castaway," but he knew if left to be controlled by the carnal propensities of the body he would reach the vortex of ruin, taking with him all his accumulated honor and dignity.

The same apostle in writing to his brethren, says: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Rom. 6:12, 13.

And again, "As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." The physical powers given us by our Creator should be consecrated to him and devoted to his service as much as the mental powers. "For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body."

To do this the divine command must be respected: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." A living sacrifice is not alive to-day and dead to-morrow. Such could not be holy and acceptable. The offering must be continued and devoted to Him whose we are.

In the sanctification of the body, physical purity must be recognized and observed. "Be clean, and change your garments," would be a golden text to be considered by such professed Christians as care but little for cleanliness and their personal appearance.

Again, the principles of Christian temperance and health reform are more than hinted at in the following injunction: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31. Here we are met in every-day life, met where multitudes fall and fail to overcome. Vitiated tastes, perverted and over-indulged appetites, overfed stomachs, weaken both the physical and mental powers, and leave the subject an easy prey for the enemy.

Take the person stupefied by tobacco, or thrown from the balance of nervous power by the use of tea and coffee, or strong drink, and how, oh, how does such an one "do all to the glory of God"? Take another who eats to surfeiting, who loads his system with unhealthful food and condiments, does he eat to the glory of God? Many people know but little of the rich, delicate taste there is to food, it is so filled with seasoning and condiments, all of which tend to irritate and unnecessarily tax the system. If men would learn "to eat to live," and not "live to eat," would aim to promote a sound mind in a sound body, God, by his Spirit, would dwell there as his temple, and the work of sanctification would be much more marked, and He who has said, "The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself," would be much more glorified.

May the writer and reader awake and put on strength, and be satisfied with nothing short of sanctification of the "whole spirit and soul and body."

"Let all my works in thee be wrought, And filled with thee be all my thought." A. S. HUTCHINS.