Sanctification: or Living Holiness.
By Eld. D. T. Bourdeau
SANCTIFICATION is a Bible subject, and as such it demands our serious attention. The importance of this subject appears from the fact that it is God's will that we should be sanctified. Says inspiration: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." 1 Thess. iv, 3. The object of God in giving a revelation to man, was to sanctify a people unto himself; and as many as have spoken and written by inspiration, have dwelt on the necessity of sanctification. Anciently God commanded his people to be holy. Lev. xi, 44. Jesus prayed the Father to sanctify his followers and those who should believe on him through their word, and died that a people might be sanctified unto God. Jno. xvii, 17, 19; Heb. xii, 2; and under this dispensation the Lord says, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." 1 Pet. i, 15; Heb. xii, 14. In the face of these plain truths, it cannot be expected that those who love the Bible will be disposed to let this subject pass unnoticed. In the holy Scriptures, sanctification sometimes consists in setting apart or consecrating to a sacred or religious use. In this sense the seventh day, the first-born, mount Sinai, the priests, the sanctuary and its utensils, the temple at Jerusalem, and the prophets, were sanctified. Gen. ii, 3; Ex. xiii, 2; xix, 2, 3; xxviii—xxx; 2 Chron. xxix, 7; Jer. i, 5. In this sense even Christ was sanctified, when he was set apart to the work of man's redemption. Jno. x, 36; xvii, 19. Sanctification consists, moreover, in cleansing from sin, in making pure and holy that which is impure and unholy. In this sense Christians are sanctified, and in the progress of their sanctification, there is a setting apart to holy purposes—a self-consecration to the glory of God. The depravity of our race is the doctrinal fact upon which rests the necessity of our being sanctified. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii, 23. All are naturally inclined to love the ways of sin and to do evil. The power of sin has so affected the human family, that they may, in their natural state, be called the servants of sin. But sanctification purifies and alienates us from the dominion of sin; destroys the corrupt propensities of our fallen natures; rectifies our affections and inclinations, and brings our entire beings into subjection to the will of God, so that we may properly be called the servants of righteousness. This is indeed a great work, and the Scriptures plainly teach that God sanctifies his people. Ex. xxxi, 13; Eze. xx, 12; Jno. xvii, 17; Heb. ii, 11. God graciously provides and urges the means of sanctification, and helps his people to use them. It is impossible for man to devise means whereby he can sanctify himself, or to attain to holiness by his own strength. Man must accept the means which God has devised, and the gracious assistance which he affords. The plan of God is such that we must co-operate with him in this work. This is seen in the following texts: "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you." Lev. xx, 7, 8. "Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double-minded." "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure." "Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly." James iv, 8; 2 Cor. vii, 1; 1 Jno. iii, 3. 1 Thess. v, 23. From this view of the subject, it is evident that we cannot be sanctified or become holy without making special efforts to overcome sin. If men could be sanctified irrespective of the course they pursue, we might conclude that sanctification depends wholly on the will of God; and as God is no respecter of persons, we might also conclude that if he sanctifies one he will sanctify all, and that all mankind will be saved. It is also evident that those greatly err who think that sanctification rests solely in the power of man, and that they can of themselves turn from sin to holiness. To say the least, they do not realize the depth of their degradation and misery, and have not felt the force of this humbling truth, that they are carnal, sold under sin. Sanctification is effected through the truth. Says Christ, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth . . . . And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." "Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you." Jno. xvii, 17, 19; xv, 5. And Peter says, "Seeing ye have purified your hearts in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." 1 Pet. i, 22. Genuine sanctification follows the channel of Bible truth. It is not grounded on flights of feeling, but on the immutable truths of God's word. It is the truth received through the mind, and practically carried out in the life. When the truth is thus received and carried out, there is a radical work, a change indeed; and those who receive and obey the truth are not destitute of good feeling. They have an inward satisfaction for well-doing, and enjoy the approbation and blessing of the Lord to encourage and strengthen them in their great and glorious work. Some would try to evade the truth with the idea that they have the Spirit, and consequently the sanctification of the Spirit. But what is the leading office of the Spirit that sanctifies? It is to guide into the truth. Said Christ, "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." Jno. xvi, 13. The Spirit and the truth agree. The Spirit is the great agent that God employs in sanctifying men. Hence Bible sanctification is called the sanctification of the Spirit. 1 Pet. i, 2. The Spirit helps our infirmities. It helps us to understand, receive and practice the truth. Therefore that spirit which is not in harmony with the truths of God's word is not the sanctifying Spirit of truth, and the sanctification which is based on the leadings and teachings of such a spirit is a false one. Sanctification is a progressive work. Says Paul, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Cor. vii, 1. Those whom Paul is here addressing were Christians, yet they needed to cleanse themselves and perfect holiness or sanctification. The same sentiment is expressed in the following texts: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God." Heb. vi, 1. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended; but 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." Phil. iii, 12-14. 2 Pet. i, 5-9: "And besides this, 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. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things, is blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged66from his old sins." In this passage the apostle addresses those who have obtained like precious faith, (verse 1,) and urges a progressive advancement in holiness toward completeness in the Christian character. In conversion a blow is struck at the corrupt propensities of fallen human nature, and a great change takes place. But the work of sanctification is not then complete. The young convert stands on the platform of faith. He has seen sin in its true light, has repented of his sins, and has been cleansed from the same by faith in the merits and efficacy of the blood of Christ, and now rejoices in his Saviour. But he must advance in holiness by adding to his faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge and the rest of the Christian graces. Thus it appears that sanctification is not the work of a moment. It is to be regretted that some, believing sanctification to be an instantaneous work, will fall back on some past blessing or excitement, and will even affirm that they have been months and years in a state of perfect love without committing a single sin, and scoff at the idea that they can be in a better condition, in a holier state. The spirit of such, is different from that of many pious and devoted men and women in the past, who often wept over the remains of inbred sin, and in whose lives we trace progress in sanctification. The position that sanctification is an instantaneous work, has a tendency to discourage the conscientious and desponding, and to induce many to believe that they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and is a great hindrance in the way of true sanctification. Says the apostle, "He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off." He that has had an opportunity to improve and has not advanced in Christian virtues, is in a backslidden state, and being deprived of the enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit, is in a great measure blind in regard to his own condition and in regard to the truth, and cannot see afar off, or cannot see far in the way of holiness. Sanctification may be well represented by the growth of plants. It commences with the seed, the grain, and grows up into the lofty tree. It is receiving with meekness the ingrafted word, and growing thereby, or growing in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, or growing up into Christ our living head, or being changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. As the child of God contemplates the truth, he gradually beholds in it the glory of the Lord, and falls in love with his lovely character. Under the influences of divine truth, he sees some beautiful trait in the Christian character and conforms to it, and thus far grows up into Christ and becomes assimilated into his likeness. Light shines on another excellence, and then on another, and he overcomes and overcomes, growing stronger and stronger, becoming more and more holy in imitating the perfect Pattern, and thus he is changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. This view is further strengthened by those texts in which God's people are exhorted and encouraged to be perfect, to overcome, to mortify the deeds of the flesh, etc., also by those passages where prayers and desires are offered for the sanctification and perfection of the saints. The fact that Christians in the Scriptures are designated as holy, sanctified, perfect, and saints, does not militate against our position. Christians are sanctified or perfect as far as they understand and practice the truth; and even those who are called holy, sanctified, perfect and saints, are exhorted to cleanse themselves, to perfect holiness, to be perfect, to go on to perfection, etc. Compare 1 Cor. i, 2; 2 Cor. i, 1; vii, 1; xiii, 11; Phil. iii, 12-16; Heb. iii, 1; vi, 1. It is manifest that light increases on the truth as the work of sanctification progresses, and that sanctification involves the necessity of advancing in the knowledge of the truth. For this reason we should cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for understanding; seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures. Prov. ii, 3, 4. And "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. iii, 16, 17. Says the wise man, "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Prov. iv, 18. And what is it that thus causes the path of the just to shine, unless it is the word of God? David says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Ps. cxix, 105. Again Peter says, "We have a more sure word of prophecy (or the word of the prophets which is very firm, French Trans.); whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day-star arise in your hearts." 2 Pet. i, 19. The word of God was given to be a light unto the just, to show them their duty and whereabouts in this dark world. The idea that this word is a revelation of God to man which should be studied, is proof that God designed it should be understood. Strong and numerous have been the efforts of the powers of darkness to extinguish this light of heavenly birth; but it shines to-day. And is it not reasonable to expect that light will increase on the word of God, and that the prophecies will be better understood as those prophecies relating to the last days are fast fulfilling, and as the end toward which they point approaches? Said an angel while speaking to the prophet Daniel concerning the last days, or the time of the end, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. xii, 4. And in the same connection we read, "Many shall be purified, and made white and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Verse 10.