Transcriber's note

Minor punctuation errors have been corrected without notice. A fewobvious typographical errors have been corrected, and they are listedat the end. 

 SANCTIFICATION

 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Heb. 13:12. 

 By J. W. BYERS Printed in 1902 by GOSPEL TRUMPET COMPANY

 CONTENTS

 What Is Sanctification? 5

 The Apostolic Experience 11

 Consecration and Dedication 19

 The Holy Spirit of Promise 25

 Our Inheritance 32

 Sanctified by Faith 39

 The Subtraction Process 45

 Christian Perfection 51

 Holiness 58

 The Vine and The Branches 64

 Some Helpful Thoughts on Consecration 69

 Questions and Answers 76

 Personal Experience 90

What is Sanctification?

Scripturally, the word =sanctification= has three meanings: First, separation; second, dedication; third, spirit-filling. Webster'sdefinition of it is as follows: "1. Sanctification is the act of God'sgrace by which the affections of man are purified, or alienated from sinand the world, and exalted to a supreme love of God; also, the state ofbeing thus purified or sanctified. 2. The act of consecrating, orsetting apart for a sacred purpose. " "=Sanctifier. = One who sanctifies ormakes holy; specifically, the Holy Ghost. " "=Sanctify. = 1. To set apart toa holy or religious use. 2. To make holy or free from sin; to cleansefrom moral corruption or pollution; to make holy by detaching theaffections from the world and its defilements and exalting them to asupreme love of God. " Scripturally and practically, the termssanctification, holiness, purity, and perfection are synonymous. =Holiness=, Separation: setting apart; sacredness. =Purity. = Cleanness;chastity. =Perfection. = Completeness; wholeness. All this is comprehendedin one word, =sanctification=. 

It is evident that this term signifies much more in the New Testamentsense than it does in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament it meantbut a dedication, a setting apart to a holy use, as in the example ofthe sanctification of the tabernacle and its contents--the altar andlaver, and all the vessels belonging thereto--and Aaron and his sons andtheir garments. Lev. 8:10-30. In this dispensation of grace it meansinfinitely more; for in that dispensation it was but an outward andceremonial work, but now it is an inwrought work, permeating andpurifying the affections through and through by the cleansing blood andheavenly fire, and filling the dedicated temple, our body, with the HolyGhost, as in the example of the early church at Pentecost. 

The justified believer must meet the conditions of complete separationand exclusive dedication of himself to God, in a sense that no guiltysinner can do. This is the believer's part. He must purify himself. "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he ispure. "--1 John 3:3. "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. 7:1. This brings thebeliever into the condition where God can fulfill his part. He can nowtake exclusive possession of the dedicated temple, and sanctify it. "Andthe very God of peace sanctify you wholly. "--1 Thess. 5:23. "And theywere all filled with the Holy Ghost. "--Acts 2:4. This brings thebeliever into a more perfect spiritual relationship with God than whensimply justified. 

Sanctification A Bible Doctrine

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among allthem which are sanctified. " Acts 20:32. 

"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and fromthe power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is inme. "--Acts 26:18. 

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. . . . And for theirsakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through thetruth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shallbelieve on me through their word. "--John 17:17, 19, 20. 

"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel untohonour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared untoevery good work. "--2 Tim. 2:21. 

"That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel insanctification and honour. "--1 Thess. 4:4. 

God Our Sanctifier

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God yourwhole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will doit. "--1 Thess. 5:23, 24. 

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them thatare sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, andcalled. "--Jude 1. 

Sanctified In Christ

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctifiedin Christ Jesus. " "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is madeunto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, andredemption. "--1 Cor. 1:2, 30. 

Sanctified Through the Truth

"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. "--John 17:17. "Thathe might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by theword. "--Eph. 5:26. 

By The Blood of Jesus

"Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his ownblood, suffered without the gate. " "For if the blood of bulls and ofgoats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth tothe purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, whothrough the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purgeyour conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" "By the whichwill we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christonce for all. " "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them thatare sanctified. "

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the bloodof the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hathdone despite unto the Spirit of grace?"--Heb. 13:12; 9:13, 14; 10:10, 14, 29. 

And The Holy Spirit

"That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentilesmight be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. "--Rom. 15:16. "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren belovedof the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvationthrough sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. "--2 Thess. 2:13. 

These and many other texts of scripture teach us that sanctification isa Bible doctrine. There is but one reason why some people can not see itin the Bible--their eyes are blinded. All who are willing to yieldthemselves to God and His word, will soon be taught this blessed truth. Jesus prayed that His disciples might become sanctified. They had notyet come into this experience. Jesus knew that they needed it. It wasHis desire for their highest good. They were not able to go forth andcope with the powers of sin. They had been under the teaching of theMaster and in His presence, and therefore were protected by Him from theenemy; but now he was soon to be taken from them, and He knew that theymust be "endued with power from on high. " Therefore He implored theFather for the sanctification of the eleven; and not "for these alone, "but "for them also which shall believe on me through their word. " Thisreaches down through the entire gospel dispensation. It is His blessedwill that we all shall be sanctified. As justified believers, we eachare as needy of this grace as were the eleven disciples. It isindispensable for our spiritual welfare. 

Some are disposed to look upon this matter as optional with them; butsuch is a mistake. The time comes in the experience of every truebeliever when the Holy Spirit brings before him the conditions of adefinite and absolute consecration. A refusal to meet these conditions, done ignorantly, will bring a cloud over our experience of justificationand, eventually, if persisted in wilfully, will bring us into God'sutter disapproval. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doethit not, to him it is sin. "--Jas. 4:17. 

Sanctification is the normal state of the Christian. The Father, Son andHoly Spirit are jointly interested in us, that we attain unto thisgrace. Our unity with the Godhead is incomplete without it, so also isour unity with each other; "For both he that sanctifieth and they whoare sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to callthem brethren. "--Heb. 2:11. A heart washed and made pure by the blood ofChrist and filled with the Holy Spirit will always be in perfectfellowship with divinity, and also with all other hearts of likeexperience. The unsanctified heart of the believer cannot be fullysatisfied, because of the consciousness of the presence of the carnalnature, more scripturally called "our old man. " Just what it is may notperhaps be perfectly understood by the new convert, but that somethingabnormal exists will soon be discovered, and there will be a longing inthe heart for an inward cleansing--a normal desire for the normalexperience. On the other hand, when this blessed experience is attained, there comes with it the consciousness of inward purity which fullysatisfies the heart, and it can sing with the spirit and with theunderstanding, "Hallelujah for the cleansing; it has reached my inmostsoul. "

For this purpose Christ gave himself for the church--"That he mightsanctify and cleanse it. " God gave him to the world that whosoeverbelieves in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life, for ourjustification; but Christ gave himself for the church, for oursanctification. 

The gospel commission of the apostle Paul specifies clearly the doctrineof sanctification, the "inheritance among them which are sanctified. " Hecould not have been faithful to this commission without leading soulsfrom "forgiveness of sins" into this "inheritance. " His ministry andepistles to the different churches prove his faithfulness. Upon hisfirst acquaintance with the brethren at Ephesus he asked them thequestion, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And afterthree years of faithful ministry in that city, upon the solemn event ofhis departure from them, among his last words he reminds the church ofthe "inheritance among all them which are sanctified. " Then about fouryears later, while a prisoner at Rome, he writes back to them hisepistle to the Ephesians, which in every chapter sparkles with beautifulgems of thought upon the subject of sanctification. In his letter to thechurch of Rome we are forcibly reminded that this doctrine was prominentin his teaching, employing such terms as, "this grace wherein we stand"(Rom. 5:2), "our old man is crucified, " "that the body of sin might bedestroyed, " "dead indeed unto sin, " "free from sin" (Chap. 6), "marriedto . . . Him who is raised from the dead" (Chap. 7), "present your bodiesa living sacrifice" (Chap. 12) "being sanctified by the Holy Ghost"(Chap. 15). These terms and others signify the precious experiences ofsanctification. 

In the first and second epistles to the Corinthians we also notice themention of this experience, and that there were some saints at Corinththat were sanctified (1:2, 30), although some were not, and were toldthat they were yet carnal. There were evidently only the twoclasses--sanctified and justified, in the church there, the same as isusually the case everywhere today. In speaking of the congregation, hesays "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified inthe name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. "--1 Cor. 6:11. Inthe second epistle, Chap. 7:1, he exhorts them: "Let us cleanseourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfectingholiness in the fear of God, " and among the closing words of thisletter, he says, "Be perfect. "

Thus we can see in all the epistles of this apostle, the theme ofsanctification. His personal testimony to the Galatians reads: "I amcrucified with Christ. " His statement to the brethren at Philippi was:"As many as be perfect"; to those at Colosse: "Ye are dead and your lifeis hid with Christ in God, " "Ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man"; his teaching in the epistles to theThessalonians, showing them that sanctification is the will of God tothem, and his desire that the "God of peace sanctify you wholly. " Hisinstructions to Timothy show how we may become a vessel "sanctified andmeet for the Master's use, " and he refers to the fact that there weresome who "call on the Lord out of a pure heart. " His letter to Titus, inwhich he mentions how Jesus gave himself for us, that he might "purifyunto himself a peculiar people. " These all add testimony to thisdoctrine and the apostle's faithfulness in his ministry. Some scholarsthink Apollos is the author of the epistle to the Hebrews; but whetherPaul or Apollos, it abounds with truth upon sanctification. 

All the other writers of the New Testament teach the same truth. Jamessays, "Purify your hearts, ye double-minded. " Peter gives emphasis tothe doctrine of holiness: "Be ye holy, " and that "we, being dead tosins, should live unto righteousness"; and desires that the God of allgrace "make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you;" and that atthe coming of Christ "ye may be found of him in peace, without spot andblameless. " Jude addresses his epistle "to them that are sanctified, "and "preserved. "

Then when we search the writings of John we are almost overwhelmed withglory, as we read his beautiful teachings upon this theme, which he soclearly sets forth. God grant that we all may "walk in the light as heis in the light, " walking "even as he walked, " that his love in us maybe "perfected, " that we may prayerfully hold fast and abide in this"unction from the Holy One, " that the "anointing" may abide in us. Suchan experience can be realized only by every one that "purifieth himselfeven as he is pure. "

CHAPTER II

The Apostolic Experience

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable fordoctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all goodworks. "--2 Tim. 3:16, 17. 

In our study of this theme we find that the word of God is our onlystandard to prove that sanctification is a Bible doctrine. Theexperience and testimony of the Bible writers and the other apostles ofthe early church also prove to us and teach the nature of this doctrineand its relative position to the experience of justification. It will beimportant and profitable for us to review these experiences, not only toestablish the doctrine in our faith, but also to examine our own heartsand see that our experiences are truly apostolic. 

The author of this treatise was sanctified at a time when there was abattle raging against the doctrine as a second work of grace. He hadhimself taken a stand against it for some years, because it did not seemthat the scriptures and apostolic testimonies were sufficiently clear toestablish the second-work doctrine. In this he had been blinded by thetheories on the opposing side, notwithstanding the brillianttestimonies to the contrary of those whose lives were unimpeachable. Ofcourse it was impossible to consecrate for and receive the experienceunder such circumstances, and consequently years of unsatisfactoryexperience passed by, until at last the indisputable symptoms of inborndepravity, and the deplorable weakness of the heart and will to copewith the mighty power of the enemy, brought the struggling soul intodepths of despair at the feet of Jesus, crying, "Forgive me, O Lord, forall my sad failures, and 'create in me a clean heart, O God. '" It wasnot a question at this crisis about it being a second work of grace. Thecrying need of the soul was a clean heart. It was all too evident thatthe heart was not clean, and it was also evident that it was the will ofGod, even my sanctification; and dear loved ones were daily proving bylife and testimony that the experience was attainable. 

It will be sufficient to say at present that the definite consecrationand definite faith in the definite promises of God brought the definiteexperience. The inward struggle was over, and the soul had entered intoits promised land--the heavenly rest; "for we which have believed doenter into rest. "--Heb. 4:3. Experimentally, the question of the secondwork was most thoroughly and satisfactorily answered, and it seemed asclear as the noonday sun in a cloudless sky. The internal evidence wasoverwhelming, and now it only remained necessary to become establishedscripturally, which, by the study of the apostolic experiences andtestimonies, was by the anointing received in due time. Praise God!

Were it not for the perverted teaching, every truly justified child ofGod would soon be led by the Holy Spirit into this grace, because it isthe inheritance of the soul, and its normal state. The apostles beforePentecost needed it, and so does every other child of God. Let usbriefly consider the experience of the apostolic brethren, both beforeand upon their Pentecost. 

=They were born of God before Pentecost. = This is very definitelyestablished by the following scriptures. "Whosoever believeth that Jesusis the Christ is born of God"--1 John 5:1. "He saith unto them, But whomsay ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art theChrist, the Son of the living God. "--Matt. 16:15, 16. "But as many asreceived him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even tothem that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of thewill of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. "--John 1:12, 13. "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son ofGod. "--John 1:49. "Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, andbehold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side;and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said untohim, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hastseen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, andyet have believed. "--John 20:27-29. 

This is sufficient to prove their experience, both before and after thedeath and resurrection of Christ. Some would contend that the disciplescould not have been regenerated in a true New Testament sense beforePentecost, because the plan of salvation was not finished beforeChrist's death on the cross. If this were true, there is sufficient inthe foregoing text (John 20:27-29) to prove that the eleven wereenjoying the regenerating grace; for they all had at least as much faithas Thomas, that Jesus is the Christ; and when Thomas was invited toprove to his own satisfaction that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, he at once acknowledged him "My Lord and my God. " This was after theatonement for sin was made, and the disciples believed in him and beyonddoubt were justified and born of God in the perfect New Testament sense. This not only is true of the eleven, but equally so of all who believedthat he arose from the dead; for he said, "Blessed are they that havenot seen and yet have believed. "

The language of the apostle to the Roman brethren (Chap. 10:9, 10) addsto this testimony--"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LordJesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him fromthe dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth untorighteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "The apostle John says (1 John 2:29), "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. " He alsosays, "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. "--1 John4:7. 

=Their names were written in heaven. = "Notwithstanding in this rejoicenot, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, becauseyour names are written in heaven. "--Luke 10:20. The critic will say thatthis was said of the seventy and not of the twelve. Well, it was said ofthe seventy, but how could it be less true of the twelve whom he hadpreviously chosen and sent out to preach the kingdom of God, to cast outdevils, and to heal the sick? It is likely that a number of thoseseventy, if not all, were among the one hundred twenty at Pentecost. Tosay the least concerning the spiritual standing of the twelve, they wereequal with the seventy. 

=They were not of the world. = "If ye were of the world, the world wouldlove his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen youout of the world, therefore the world hateth you. "--John 15:19. "I havegiven them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are notof the world, even as I am not of the world. . . . They are not of theworld, even as I am not of the world. " John 17:14, 16. 

=They kept the word of God. = "I have manifested thy name unto the menwhich thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavestthem me; and they have kept thy word. For I have given unto them thewords which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have knownsurely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didstsend me. "--John 17:6, 8. 

=They belonged to God. = "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, butfor them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. All mine arethine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. "--John 17:9, 10. 

This was the spiritual condition of the eleven before Pentecosttestified to by Jesus himself. It is certainly a blessed condition--bornof God, their names written in heaven, not of the world. They belongedto God, and they kept His word. Would that every professing follower ofJesus were in this blessed state. It would produce a revolution inChristendom. Does not this signify all that can possibly be comprehendedin justification?

Then after the blood of Jesus had been shed and the ransom for sin paid, he opened their understanding (Luke 24:45) that they might understandthe scriptures, how he should suffer and rise again from the dead. Wesee that they believed in him the Redeemer, and now understood theobject of his suffering and death; but there was still a glorious workof grace awaiting them, to be inwrought by the Holy Ghost, thesanctifier. 

=They were not yet sanctified=, and for this reason Jesus prayed for themas he did. He well knew that they could not be kept from the evil of theworld in a manner that would prove satisfactory to themselves and theFather, unless there should be accomplished in them more than had yetbeen done. Therefore he prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thyword is truth. "--John 17:17. 

=They had not yet received the Holy Ghost. = "And, behold, I send thepromise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. "--Luke 24:49. "For Johntruly baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghostnot many days hence. "

=This promise was fulfilled. = "And when the day of Pentecost was fullycome, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly therecame a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled allthe house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloventongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were allfilled with the Holy Ghost. "--Acts 2:1-4. 

We will presently consider the testimony of the apostle Peter withreference to this experience at Pentecost, but will first notice theexperience of

Cornelius And His Household

This brother was a devout man; he feared God with all his house; heprayed to God always and gave much alms, which were accepted of God andwere had in remembrance in his sight; he had a good report. God heardhis prayers, accepted him, and answered his prayers; and he and hishousehold were all anxious to hear the preaching of Peter, testifying, "Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all thingsthat are commanded thee of God. "--Acts 10:33. 

This was not a company of sinners. Peter did not preach repentance tothem. Although they were Gentiles and did not have the privileges thatmany others had and were not acquainted with the apostles, they wereacquainted with God. Peter expressed his surprise at this, saying, "Of atruth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in everynation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted withhim. " Acts 10:34, 35. Here Peter testifies both to the righteousness andto the acceptance with God of this household. 

From Peter's statement in Acts 11:14, in his testimony to the churchconcerning this event, a doubt might arise as to this company beingsaved in the full New Testament justification. He refers to the words ofthe angel in his message to Cornelius, instructing him to send forPeter, "Who shall teach thee words whereby thou and all thy house shallbe saved. " But this statement in itself cannot be interpreted to meanthat this company were not already justified. We have a parallelstatement of Peter in his testimony to the church upon another occasion, when he again refers to the grace of God to the Gentile world, saying(Acts 15:10, 11), "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke uponthe neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able tobear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ weshall be saved, even as they. " The term "saved" in both these instancessignifies more than justification; for truly Peter and the disciples towhom he was speaking in this last instance were justified. 

The household of Cornelius were ready with open hearts to receive allthat God had for them, and while Peter spoke the word of God to them"the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. " This experiencewas identical in character with that of the Jewish saints at Pentecost. 

Peter's Testimony

In rehearsing this wonderful event to the brethren and apostles atJerusalem he testified to the unquestionable leading of the Spirit tothis company of believers. He said (Acts 11:15, 17), "And as I began tospeak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Forasmuchthen as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed onthe Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" Uponanother occasion at Jerusalem Peter again spoke of the same event, saying, "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, givingthem the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no differencebetween us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. "--Acts 15:8, 9. But Peter testified to the fact that the Gentiles are placed upon alevel with the Jews, not only in the reception of the Holy Spirit, butin the experience of cleansing. He testified to these two phases ofsanctification, equally wrought in the hearts of the Jews and Gentiles, making "no difference between us and them"; and in this same testimonyhe plainly states that "purifying their hearts" was an experienceco-incident with the reception of the Holy Ghost--"giving them the HolyGhost, " "purifying their hearts, " "even as he did unto us. " Opposers ofthis truth have argued that Peter's statement, "purifying their hearts, "in the Greek text reads, "having purified their hearts, " the word"having" signifying that their hearts were purified previous to theevent of their reception of the Holy Ghost; but this objection has nofoundation in scripture, history, or experience. If there could be ashadow of meaning in this form of this word in the Greek text, tosignify that the "purifying their hearts" occurred prior to theoutpouring of the Holy Ghost, it simply has reference to the order ofthese two phases of sanctification, which were effected within them uponthis occasion. 

It is evident that in the divine order of sanctification purifying theheart by faith is preparatory to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Hemust have a pure heart in which to make his abode. However, there is nolapse of time perceptible between the =negative= and =positive= phase ofsanctification. How easily this is understood by those who have trulyreceived the Pentecostal experience. How the "anointing" teaches us andwitnesses in our hearts to the testimony of Peter; but to those who havenot yet had their Pentecost, and especially such as are blinded bytheory and the doctrines of men, there is likely to be discussion andargument of words. The apostles and brethren at Jerusalem had noargument to make when Peter rehearsed his experience. They simply"glorified God. "

Paul's Testimony

"Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in somesort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to meof God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentilesmight be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. "--Romans 15:15, 16. 

This testimony agrees with Peter in his account of the outpouring of theHoly Ghost upon the Gentile believers. It is not plainly stated thatPaul has reference to this event in his testimony quoted, yet we can seeclearly that he does have reference to the experience of sanctification, and that it is identical with that of all believers, being a specificwork of the Holy Ghost. 

Experiences of the Brethren at Samaria

"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ untothem. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning thekingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, bothmen and women. "--Acts 8:5, 12. About three years prior to this timethere was a greater One than Philip at Samaria preaching the words oflife, and many more than the woman at the well believed, and they saidto the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we haveheard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, theSaviour of the world. "--John 4:42. This was an effectual introduction ofthe gospel, and when Philip went to that city he found much good soilfor the precious word in the name of Jesus Christ. There is no room fordoubt as to the acceptable condition of these converts. They believedin the name of Jesus and were baptized. Some had doubtless remained firmbelievers since Jesus' visit to that city; others believed through thepreaching of Philip. Certainly they were justified by faith in the nameof Jesus, but like the disciples before Pentecost they were not yetsanctified, and when the apostles at Jerusalem heard of this work ofgrace at Samaria they sent down Peter and John, "who when they were comedown, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For asyet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the nameof the Lord Jesus) then laid they their hands on them, and they receivedthe Holy Ghost. "--Acts 8:15-17. 

How clearly the inspired record here proves the second work of grace, and how beautifully this event harmonizes with the others relative tothe outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And then, how glorious to have anexperience like it in our own hearts. Praise God for this glorious, vivid, and living reality which by its divine power pales every theoryinto utter obscurity. 

CHAPTER III. 

Consecration and Dedication

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that yepresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, whichis your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but beye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what isthat good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. "--Romans 12:1, 2. 

In this chapter we will notice the scriptures upon the theme ofconsecration and dedication--the important step necessary on the part ofthe justified believer, before he can enter into this blessed grace ofentire sanctification. 

We find that in the old dispensation everything that was to be employedin the service of God necessarily had to be consecrated. In thetabernacle and temple service every vessel and article of furniture, even the smallest spoon, the tongs, and snuffers, together with thebuilding itself, and all the priests and their garments, wereconsecrated wholly unto God, to be used for no other purpose thandivine service. This setting apart for holy service was the OldTestament sanctification. The setting apart of these things, togetherwith the ceremonial application of what God had ordained to be used inthis dedication, was acceptable in his sight. 

This consecration in the old dispensation is but a shadow of the new. Itwas God's own way of sanctification--making things holy unto himself. The mere declaration on the part of Moses, in the consecration of thesethings, that they were now holy, would not have been sufficient withoutthe careful observance of the application of the blood of animals andthe holy anointing oil, which were typical of the blood of Jesus and theHoly Spirit. Some of the articles of the tabernacles and temple weresanctified simply by a setting apart and sprinkling with oil (Lev. 8:10), while others required the application of oil and blood. Lev. 8:11, 15. In the consecration of Aaron and his sons the anointing oiland the blood were applied. Without this they would not have beensanctified. Lev. 8:30. The apostle speaks of this in his letter to theHebrews--"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of aheifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of theflesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternalSpirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience fromdead works to serve the living God?"--Heb. 9:13. 

The importance of an exclusive dedication to the service of God shouldimpress our minds with deep solemnity. Anything held back from such adedication would most certainly have been rejected in the olddispensation, and truly it is the same in the new. Many professing tofollow Jesus into a thorough consecration, are at heart disposed to keepback some treasured idol. Many have doubtless made a profession ofsanctification, and yet have never made a definite consecration. Suchare deceived, and never know the joys of this glorious experience. Thecleansing blood and the Holy Spirit will never be applied to the heartthat is not absolutely consecrated. 

It is both scriptural and logical that we present our bodies a livingsacrifice, not only for service but for actual sacrifice in a definiteand absolute consecration. We have no bad things to present to the Lordin this consecration; for we are not sinners. We would not be propercandidates for sanctification if we were clinging to anything sinful. Everything sinful must be forsaken and denounced by the guilty sinnerwhen he comes to God for pardon. Otherwise he would never be forgiven ofhis sins. The world, the flesh, and the devil are forsaken in truerepentance. "Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should livesoberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. " Therefore allsinful things are laid aside forever in repentance. This is the Biblesignification of repentance: To give up all sinful things. But the Biblesignification of consecration is to present to Jesus all the sacredtreasures of our hearts--give up all our good things. 

 * * * * *

No sinner can make a definite Bible consecration; for he has no goodthings to bring to God. He is guilty and condemned in the sight of God. It is the justified believer who has learned by experience that hisinward spiritual condition is not yet satisfactory. It may have been fora time; but he sooner or later becomes aware that there is a deeper workof grace needed. He doubts not that he is justified, but knows thatsomething more must be wrought within. Through the ministry of the wordof God and the blessed guidance of the Holy Spirit, he is soon taughtthat a definite consecration must be made as one of the Bible conditionsfor sanctification. Now comes the searching and far-reaching question:Are you willing to make this consecration? This means everything to thesoul. All the sacred God-given treasures around which the heart'saffections have so closely entwined, and which have become a part of thevery life itself, are now required to be yielded up to Jesus as avoluntary offering. There is no danger that anything will be forgotten;for the heart-searching eye of God will reveal every hidden treasure, and make known the depths of meaning to the soul, which will beastounded to know as never before how much it means to lay all of itselfand sacred treasures at the feet of Jesus. There comes an inwardstruggle, perhaps. The heart's affections tighten around the sacredobjects of its love, until they seem dearer than ever before; but whilethis is being done there comes a sadness stealing over the soul; forwhereas these objects seem so sacred and precious, there is aconsciousness within that Jesus is slighted. The affections are dividedbetween Jesus and these treasures. He asks the question, "Lovest thou memore than these?" You can answer, "Yes, Lord; thou knowest that I lovethee. " But must I give up these treasures, these sacred things of myheart for thee? Can not I have both them and thee? This is where deathmust set in. Thank God, it is the death-route, the only road to thisglorious Canaan of soul-rest. 

It soon becomes a significant fact thoroughly understood that Jesusrequires the undivided heart and every affection. You cannot refuse him. He has done too much for you. He suffered without the gate that he mightsanctify you with his own blood. He gave himself for the church that hemight sanctify and cleanse it; and now how can you withhold anythingfrom him? He has a just right to all your affections. He gave his allfor you, and now it is right that you should give your all for him. Hesacrificed his life for you; now you are brought to the sacrifice ofyour life for him--a living sacrifice. You see that this claim is rightand just. It is a reasonable requirement on his part; a "reasonableservice" on your part. 

But, dear reader, the question must be answered. Are you going to yield?You may answer, Yes; but the Lord requires you to do so at once. Usuallywhen the soul is brought face to face with this consecration and beginsto become willing to yield up its treasures, it lets go the easiest onesfirst, and as one by one they are counted over to the Lord there comes afinal struggle; the dearest one of all is now before you. The emotionsof the heart begin to deepen as the affections cling to this treasure. Everything has now centered upon this one object. It is to be sacrificedfor Jesus or he must be sacrificed for it. Which will it be? It must beJesus only. Much reasoning may arise upon this important matter, but allis vain. There must be the yielding. You must say from the depths ofyour soul, "Thy will be done. " You have often said this before, but itnever meant nearly what it does now. You truly feel the agonies ofdeath. Were you to be laid on your death-bed or in your coffin, therewould be no greater separation from everything of this earth than this. No loved one can now go with you. No treasure can be kept as your own. The lone, dark vale must be crossed. No sympathy of friend can followyou. Everything must be left behind. Dear reader, this is a criticalmoment. The destiny of your soul is hanging upon a single thread. Youare swinging out over the deep precipice--clinging, clinging, clinging. Jesus demands that you let go and drop completely into his will. Youdesire to do this, but your soul shrinks. It seems so dark below. Many aone has here taken counsel with his own soul and decided to swing backupon the side of self, thereby losing incalculable wealth, and missingthis glorious soul-rest which "remaineth therefore . . . For the people ofGod. " O dear soul, do not fail to labor to enter in! Let the deathstruggle continue until it has completed its work--until you have trulyceased from your own works. The floodgates of heaven are ready to openand fill you with such glory that it will cause this old world to fadeout of sight; but not until you can cheerfully and willingly let go andsay to Jesus, "Thy will be done. " Your Pentecost is just in reach. Willyou have it, or will you not?

In the dedication of the tabernacle we have a beautiful type of thededication of ourselves to this "reasonable service" of God. Theerection of the tabernacle, the placing of all the furniture, and thearrangement of the entire structure had to be made in every respect"according to the pattern" shown to Moses on the mount. In thecompletion of all the work, we read in Ex. 40 that it was now all done"as the Lord commanded Moses. " He might have thought it did not mattermuch about some of these things, and that the Lord would not requireevery small thing to be done according to the pattern; but no matterwhat he might have thought, he knew that obedience to every requirementof the Lord was his only safety; so he made everything according to thepattern. In verse 33 the record says, "So Moses finished the work. "

Dear soul, can this be said of you? Have you finished the work? Have youceased from your own works? You must reach this point in yourconsecration, so you can realize just as definitely as Moses did, thatyou have truly finished the work. When this was the condition in thededication of the tabernacle, "a cloud covered the tent of thecongregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moseswas not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because thecloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. "V. 34. When Moses had finished the work and the dedication was complete, the glory of the Lord came into the tabernacle. So it is with theconsecrated heart; the glory of the Lord will fill it. 

In the dedication of the temple we also have a type of this Pentecostalexperience. "Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that wereassembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, whichcould not be told nor numbered for multitude. "--2 Chron. 5:6. See thesacrifice unto the Lord. Nothing was too great; everything was fullyyielded up to him without reserve. "And it came to pass, when thepriests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that werepresent were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: also theLevites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, ofJeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in whitelinen having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end ofthe altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding withtrumpets:) it came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were asone, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord;and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals andinstruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; forhis mercy endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand tominister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filledthe house of God. "--2 Chron. 5:11-14. Thus we see that when thesacrifice was complete and everything was in perfect order, the glory ofGod filled the temple. 

This was but a type of the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem. In the type, the glory of the Lord filled the consecrated temple. In the antitype, the consecrated hearts (the temples of the Holy Ghost) were filled withthe glory of the Lord. Now this is just what Jesus will do with everyconsecrated heart today. "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost andwith fire. "--Matt. 3:11. But the consecration must be complete. It isreasonable that Jesus should require us to yield up everything to him. Our hearts cannot be purified until every affection is yielded. Herequires this for our own highest good. He wants the supreme right ofway so that he can work his own will in our entire being. He wants theabsolute control, so that he can get between us and everything. Praisehis name! this is for our benefit, which we will plainly see when oncewe have paid the full price. When his will is completely wrought in us, then he will with himself freely give us all things for our greatestgood and his highest glory. Even an hundredfold shall be our delightfulportion. But the loss of all things must precede this wonderfulincrease. An absolute death must precede this abundant life. Then andthen only can the Holy Ghost come into and possess the temple. Oh, thatevery professed believer in Jesus might see the importance of thisconsecration! The suffering of death is serious indeed; but theunspeakable glory that follows causes the enraptured soul to beastonished at the marvelous gain for so small a loss. The perfect loveof Jesus now flows from his heart into the one which has yielded its allto him. The undivided affections now feel the blessedness of perfectunity with him--married indeed to him who is raised from the dead. 

CHAPTER IV

The Holy Spirit of Promise

The Holy Spirit was promised through the prophets. "Until the spirit bepoured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, andthe fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell inthe wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And thework of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousnessquietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in apeaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet restingplaces. "--Isa. 32:15-18. 

"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit withinyou; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will givethem a heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mineordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will betheir God. "--Ezek. 11:19, 20. "For I will pour water upon him that isthirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thyseed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up asamong the grass, as willows by the water courses. "--Isa. 44:3, 4. 

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: fromall your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A newheart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: andI will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give youan heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you towalk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And yeshall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be mypeople, and I will be your God. "--Ezek. 36:25-28. 

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spiritupon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, yourold men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions: andalso upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pourout my spirit. "--Joel 2:28, 29. 

=Promised through Christ. = "And, behold, I send the promise of my Fatherupon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued withpower from on high. "--Luke 24:49. "But whosoever drinketh of the waterthat I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shallgive him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlastinglife. "--John 4:14. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake heof the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for theHoly Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yetglorified. )"--John 7:38, 39. 

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and heshall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because itseeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwellethwith you, and shall be in you. At that day ye shall know that I am in myFather, and ye in me, and I in you. But the Comforter, which is the HolyGhost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you allthings, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have saidunto you. "--John 14:15-17, 20, 26. "But when the Comforter is come, whomI will send you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, whichproceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. "--John 15:26. 

 * * * * *

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I goaway: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but ifI depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprovethe world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, becausethey believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, andye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world isjudged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear themnow. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide youinto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever heshall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. Heshall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it untoyou. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that heshall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. "--John 16:7-15. "Johntruly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghostnot many days hence. "--Acts 1:5. 

A Fulfillment of This Promise

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with oneaccord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of arushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they weresitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the HolyGhost. "--Acts 2:1-4. 

A Testimony of Its Fulfillment

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shallcome to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spiritupon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, andyour young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those daysof my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. . . . This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of Godexalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the HolyGhost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. "--Acts2:16-18, 32, 33. 

To Whom Is This Promised?

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you inthe name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receivethe gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to yourchildren, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our Godshall call. "--Acts 2:38, 39. 

"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the HolyGhost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. "--Acts 5:32. "That theblessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. "--Gal. 3:14. 

"That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentilesmight be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. "--Rom. 15:16. "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren belovedof the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvationthrough sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. "--2 Thess. 2:13. 

In a previous chapter we have noticed that the Holy Ghost experience ofthe apostles and all those of the early church was the same; and we seedefinitely by the texts just quoted that it is the design of God thatall believers receive it. Also we have seen that this Holy Ghostexperience is a subsequent one to regeneration, and identical withsanctification. Every young convert who has truly been regenerated, willin due time find that something more needs to be done in his heartbefore he can fully realize an experience that will correspond with thefulfillment of the many exceeding great and precious promises of theHoly Ghost. 

The Scriptures clearly teach us that regeneration is a work of the HolySpirit. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. "--1 Cor. 12:13. This does not have reference to the Pentecostal baptism, but tothe work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, inducting us into the bodyof Christ, the church. This is very different from the baptism with theHoly Ghost. In regeneration the Holy Ghost baptizes the believer intoChrist; in sanctification Christ baptizes the believer with the HolyGhost. "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. "--Matt. 3:11. 

This latter is the sanctification and Pentecostal experience. Both arespiritual experiences. When reading these wonderful promises by theprophets, we can clearly distinguish the two works of grace foretold. 

The birth of the Spirit (John 3:3-8), or that experience which inductsus into Christ, must necessarily precede the experience ofsanctification. The Holy Ghost will never come into the temple to abideuntil he has first gained possession of the same. The heart must firstbe both justified and fully consecrated before the divine Guest can makeit his exclusive and permanent abode. This glorious grace ofsanctification does not detract from the marvelous work ofjustification. Both have their import and place in God's wonderfulredemption plan, and stand out distinctly in many of the scriptures; andyet we occasionally hear of some who say of this beautiful doctrine thatit is not taught in the word of God. Why such remarks are made is simplybecause of a misconception of the glorious redemption plan--in someinstances it is owing to the perverted doctrines of men, while in othersit may be because of a perverted individual experience of justification. To the willing and obedient heart, God will impart knowledge andunderstanding of his sweet and glorious soul-rest. 

Oh, let us praise and magnify the Lord for his wonderful grace that hehas so abundantly supplied through repentance toward God and faithtoward our Lord Jesus Christ, that he is so willing and ready to removefrom our hearts the guilt of all our sins and transgressions, andremember them against us no more forever, and then bestow upon us thisblessed inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is inChrist Jesus! Would that every justified believer might be kept from allthe perverted doctrines of men, so that the heart could receive theknowledge of the pure word of God and become instructed in the doctrineof the Holy Ghost life. The promise of the Father which the resurrectedChrist said he would send upon his justified disciples was no more apromise for them than for every justified believer throughout the gospeldispensation. Why then should any of us come short of entering into thisblessed covenant of an entire consecration and receiving the fulfillmentof the promise? Thank God it is for us and our children and to all thatare afar off. 

Until the believer reaches this grace, he is not in his normal spiritualcondition, and cannot live the Christ-life in a manner that is perfectlysatisfactory to his own heart. The great need is a clean heart and theindwelling Holy Spirit, without which there is not the power within atall times to withstand every evil attack of the enemy with perfectvictory. Jesus knew this need in his disciples. Their usefulness in theworld could not be satisfactory until they received the fulfillment ofthe promise. They had been useful in his hands and under his personalguidance in the ministry of the gospel of the kingdom. They had alreadyby his help been able to bear fruit, but it was the will of the Fatherthat they should bear more fruit, through the power of the Spirit-filledlife; hence they were not to depart from Jerusalem until they wereendued with power from on high. "Ye shall receive power after that theHoly Ghost is come upon you. " How many of the dear people of God todayhave never had their Pentecost! Some are out in the world preaching thegospel with no deeper spiritual experience than that of the disciplesbefore they tarried at Jerusalem. Many have mistaken some naturalability for the power of the Holy Ghost. Others have accepted thedoctrine of sanctification theoretically--made a formal consecrationand claimed the experience, but have never received the Holy Ghost. Dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let us entreat you to tarry and donot depart from your positive death bed consecration, until you areendued with power from on high. It is the will of the Father that youreceive the Holy Spirit to possess your being--the consecratedtemple--and make your life from this moment a reproduction of the lifeof Jesus. He is not here now as he was during his earthly ministry, butthe Father has designed that the Holy Spirit should dwell in the heartsof consecrated men and women who shall go forth into the world and bewitnesses unto Jesus--representatives that will live the Christ-life inthis world, so that men may plainly see his character and fruits in us. When Jesus ascended to the throne, he by no means intended that hispeople should be left comfortless, or deprived of his presence; butrather, he said, "It is expedient for you that I go away. "

The "Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, " is the divine executive ofJesus. He was the power and life in Jesus when here in his redemptionwork, and when he ascended to his throne in heaven the Holy Ghostdescended to earth to carry on this glorious redemption work to the endof the world. But he must have human instrumentality through which towork. Where he can find a truly consecrated temple, there he makes hisabode, and taking full control of the entire being, performs the perfectwill of God through this instrumentality. This is why the apostles wereso much more useful after Pentecost than before. They were now fullypossessed by the Holy Ghost, and in, through faith in, the name of Jesuswere enabled to shake the world. Jesus has left his name here on earth. Through it the Holy Spirit now effects this great redemption. He cannotdo this by himself. He cannot "reprove the world of sin, ofrighteousness, and of judgment, " only as he can find consecrated heartson earth in which to abide. The Spirit-filled lives of the people arethe only factors that can be used in the hand of God to produceapostolic results in these perilous days in which we live. This finalreformation was unquestionably begun by the power of the Holy Spirit, and will never be completed by any other power. It is a spiritual work, and only as the glorious doctrine of sanctification is taught and theexperience obtained and retained, will the church reach the apostolicplane. 

CHAPTER V. 

Our Inheritance

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among allthem which are sanctified. "--Acts 20:32. "And inheritance among themwhich are sanctified by faith that is in me. "--Acts 26:18. "For this isthe will of God, even your sanctification. "--1 Thess. 4:3. 

"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith andpatience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For menverily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them anend of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto theheirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by anoath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for Godto lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge tolay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor ofthe soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that withinthe veil. "--Heb. 6:12-19. 

"But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, notwithout blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of thepeople: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest ofall was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yetstanding: which was a figure for the time then present, in which wereoffered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did theservice perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only inmeats and drinks, and divers washings and carnal ordinances, imposed onthem until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an highpriest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither bythe blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in onceinto the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For ifthe blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinklingthe unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much moreshall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offeredhimself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works toserve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the newtestament, that by means of death, for the redemption of transgressionsthat were under the first testament, they which are called might receivethe promise of eternal inheritance. "--Heb. 9:7-15. 

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice andoffering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: . . . Abovewhen he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offeringfor sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein which areoffered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Hetaketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the whichwill we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christonce for all . . . For by one offering he hath perfected for ever themthat are sanctified. "--Heb. 10:5, 8-10, 14. 

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, andgave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with thewashing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself aglorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: butthat it should be holy and without blemish. "--Eph. 5:25-27. 

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinatedaccording to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counselof his own will: . . . In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard theword of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that yebelieved ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is theearnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchasedpossession, unto the praise of his glory. "

"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, andpurify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. "--Tit. 2:14. "To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember hisholy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that hewould grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of ourenemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousnessbefore him, all the days of our life. "--Luke 1:72-75. 

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, Andto seeds as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ . . . For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise but Godgave it to Abraham by promise. " "That the blessing of Abraham might comeon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promiseof the Spirit through faith. " "And if ye be Christ's, then are yeAbraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. "--Gal. 3:16, 18, 14, 29. 

The Abrahamic covenant embraced a twofold nature: the promised seed, andthe promised land. Isaac was the literal fulfillment of the promisedseed; Canaan, the literal fulfillment of the promised land. These werebut the foreshadowing of their great and glorious antitype, Christ andthe gospel, which are the spiritual fulfillment of the promises made toAbraham. 

"And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed, " whichblessing begins in the regenerate heart, is perfected in the inheritanceof entire sanctification, and consummated in that inheritance "reservedin heaven for us. " That part which is yet reserved in heaven for us willbe realized in due time, when this mortal shall put on immortality andthe redemption of Christ shall be completed for spirit, soul, and body. We can all rejoice in this "blessed hope" which shall be fully realizedwhen Jesus the resurrected Redeemer shall come again and fashion ourdying bodies like unto his glorious body. But the object of this chapteris to point out the scriptures which teach us the blessed truth of thepresent-tense gospel inheritance, which in the redemption plan is to berealized by the people of God in this gospel dispensation, on this sideof the second coming of Christ. 

The blessed grace of entire sanctification is scripturally the bequestof God to his people. It is not simply the will of God in the sense thathe desires us to have this experience, but it is truly a blood-boughtinheritance, provided and willed by our Father through Jesus Christ toevery child of God. This blessed experience of regeneration, or thedivine birth, inducts us into the family of God, making us a scripturalheir to all the good things of Father's possessions. Father hasperfected every necessary provision for every one of his children tocome into immediate possession of this inheritance. A will or testamentmust specify the nature of the inheritance, mention distinctly the namesof the heirs, must have the signature of the testator affixed in thepresence of witnesses, should appoint an executor, and in every respectit must be perfect or it will not stand legally. Scripturally, this isequally as true. The New Testament is the will, which distinctlyspecifies the nature of the inheritance of the people of God "among themwhich are sanctified. " The sanctified have entered into theirpossessions of this Holy Ghost Canaan, and now every regenerated childof God who knows his name is written in Father's family record--the Bookof life--soon finds by reading the will that this inheritance is forhim. He knows it as he reads and believes, and more and more the HolySpirit leads him to meet all the spiritual conditions requisite to thecoming into possession of this inheritance. He sees also in the will, the signature of the testator. He sees that the Father has authorizedJesus Christ to make this will of force. Legally, a will is not of forceuntil after the death of the testator. Scripturally, this is equally afact. The child of God sees that it requires the death of the testatorto make it possible that he could be sanctified. He reads in the willthat Jesus, the testator, suffered without the gate that he mightsanctify his people with his own blood and that this is the will of God, even your sanctification. 

We see in the will that Father has given every necessary instruction toenable us to meet every condition of entrance into this blessedpossession. His word teaches us that as Abraham with faith and patienceobtained the promise, so we should profit by his example. God has shownus through his covenant with Abraham that what he promises he is readyand able to fulfill. He has shown his people, who are the heirs of thisinheritance, the immutability of his counsel by his word and by hisoath, that it is impossible for him to break his word and that we shouldcome to him with perfect confidence that he will do just what he haspromised. 

There is a remarkable certainty in the fulfillment of this wonderfulwill. It is as far above any earthly will or testament as the heavensare higher than the earth. In an earthly will made by man, the veryincident that makes the will of force also makes it liable to becomeannulled; for after the death of the testator there frequently is founda defect in the will, also there are instances where the heirs, dissatisfied with their portion of the inheritance, proceed by legalprocess to annul the entire will and have a new one made according totheir own desires. But no such objections can possibly be broughtagainst this divine will. 

There are three reasons why it is absolutely beyond the power of man orprincipality to overthrow this will. 

1. It is positively without fault. God had made a will, the oldtestament, which was defective. The apostle says, "For if that firstcovenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought forthe second. "--Heb. 8:7. In the preceding verse he says, "But now hath heobtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediatorof a better covenant [testament or will], which was established uponbetter promises. " The blood of those animals in the old covenant wasacceptable under that dispensation, but it could not produce the desiredeffect in sanctification. It could only sanctify to the purifying of theflesh; could not reach the spiritual and moral nature of man; for therewas no spiritual nor moral nature in the sacrifice. It was only asacrifice of animal life; therefore it could only purify the flesh, oranimal life, of man (Heb. 9:13) in a ceremonial sense. Therefore, thefirst will or testament was necessarily defective, and God himself hasannulled it. Heb. 8:13. But Father's last will is vastly different. Itis complete, perfect, and utterly without fault. 

2. It is so divinely and infinitely perfect in its power to sanctify andreach every inmost need of the heart that none of the heirs can possiblybecome dissatisfied with their individual portion; for this portion isthe entire inheritance for each individual heir. It is not divided intocertain bounded portions for different heirs, but each is entitled tothe entire inheritance, and can come into the full enjoyment of thewhole possession without diminishing, in the least degree, the privilegeof every heir to enjoy the same. This makes it unspeakably satisfactory. But what yet adds to it in its power to satisfy, is that, the sacrificewhich was required to bring this will and testament into force was theprecious blood of Christ. The great purpose of God in this judicialsacrifice was that the sins of the world might be forgiven, that wemight thus become the sons of God and heirs of this inheritance. But, mydear brother and sister, our Saviour had also another purpose in view inthis stupendous sacrifice. He gave himself for the church, that he mightsanctify and cleanse it. Eph. 5:25, 26 and Heb. 13:12. 

Ah, dear reader, do you not see your inheritance in this? His blood cansanctify wholly our spiritual, moral and physical nature. The blood ofthe old will had no spiritual nor moral power in it at all; therefore, no wonder it could sanctify only to the purifying of the flesh. But, oh, the matchless, marvelous grace of God to prepare a sacrifice (abody--Heb. 10:5) pure and spotless spiritually, morally, and physically, which blood can cleanse our corresponding nature spiritually, morally, and physically, and reaching every spot of our entire being, make usclean from the least and last remains of sin. In comparing thesesacrifices no wonder the apostle asks, "How much more shall the blood ofChrist, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot toGod, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"Truly, when we have obtained this inheritance we can sing with theinspired poet

 "I have found it, Lord, in thee, An everlasting store, Of comfort, joy, and bliss to me, How can I wish for more?"

Praise God for the cleansing which reaches our inmost soul and saves tothe uttermost! It, therefore, readers, is impossible for the heir tobecome dissatisfied with the inheritance. 

3. To make the inheritance doubly certain, we have already seen that Godhas confirmed it by two immutable things; his word, and his oath; but toadd still more to this matter and make it absolutely certain andimpossible for any principality or power to overthrow this will, God hasappointed Jesus Christ to be executor of his own will. From a humanstandpoint this would be impossible; for the will could not be of forceat all while the testator was alive, and his death would render himincapable of any part in it as an executor. But with God these thingsare possible; for when the testator died that he might bring this willinto force, he could not be holden by the power of death; but aroseagain from the dead, that he might lead captivity captive and give giftsunto men. Thus he has become the executor of his own will, and nowstands ready to bestow upon every heir the full possession of hisinheritance. 

Dear reader, this is the glorious land of promise of which the land ofCanaan was but a type. The children of Israel were the heirs of thatland because they were the children of Abraham. We are heirs to thisHoly Ghost Canaan because we are the children of God through Christ. This Holy Spirit life can only be obtained through this God-appointedplan. It is the "inheritance among them which are sanctified. " God gaveit to Abraham by promise, and as his faith grasped hold on the promiseshe saw beyond the literal seed into the blessings of the gospel ofChrist and this glorious Holy Spirit life. Christ has fulfilled thesepromises which Abraham saw and believed; and now the apostle can trulysay in looking over this wonderful plan, that "they which be of faithare blessed with faithful Abraham. That the blessing of Abraham mightcome on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive thepromise of the Spirit through faith. "--Gal. 3:9, 14. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Sanctified by Faith

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh toGod must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them thatdiligently seek him. "--Heb. 11:6. 

"That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among themwhich are sanctified by faith that is in me. "--Acts 26:18. 

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through ourLord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this gracewherein we stand. "--Rom. 5:1, 2. 

Faith in the blood of Christ. "Wherefore Jesus also, that he mightsanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without thegate. "--Heb. 13:12. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ hisSon cleanseth us from all sin. "--1 John 1:7. 

Dead to sin by faith. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified withhim, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we shouldnot serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin . . . Likewise reckonye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord. "--Rom. 6:6, 7, 11. 

Free from sin by faith. "Being then made free from sin, ye became theservants of righteousness . . . For as ye have yielded your membersservants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yieldyour members servants to righteousness unto holiness . . . But now beingmade free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit untoholiness, and the end everlasting life. "--Rom. 6:18-22. "Jesus answeredthem, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is theservant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: butthe Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shallbe free indeed. "--John 8:34-36. 

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him isno sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hathnot seen him, neither known him. . . . He that committeth sin is of thedevil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose theSon of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth inhim: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the childrenof God are manifest, and the children of the devil. "--1 John 3:5-10. 

A pure heart by faith. "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare themwitness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put nodifference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. "--Acts15:8, 9. 

We receive the Holy Spirit by faith. "That the blessing of Abraham mightcome on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ: that we might receive thepromise of the Spirit through faith. "--Gal. 3:14. "That I should be theminister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, beingsanctified by the Holy Ghost. "--Rom. 15:16. "If ye then, being evil[earthly], know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much moreshall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that askhim?"--Luke 11:13. 

Sanctification is a redemption blessing offered to us upon specifiedconditions. The natural and general blessings of God toward men, such asthe sunshine, rain, and all other temporal or earthly blessings, may bereceived alike by both saint and sinner, who come into conformity withthe natural laws by which these natural blessings are governed. Everyredemption or spiritual blessing is also governed by divinely fixedlaws, which if complied with will invariably bring to us all that iscontained in the promise. God is able to bestow upon us these blessingsunconditionally if this should be his sovereign will in some individualinstances; but according to his redemption plan there is no assurancegiven to anyone for any of these specified blessings without a strictconformity to divine law. The word of God plainly sets forth the lawsupon which these different redemption blessings are based. Repentanceand faith are the laws of justification. It is a divinely establishedfact that God cannot lie. He has forever settled his word in heaven andalso upon earth; therefore, it is impossible that any sinner shouldcomply with the laws of repentance and faith and not be justified. Consecration and faith are the laws of sanctification, which if compliedwith, must necessarily bring us into this glorious soul-rest. 

We have considered the law of consecration as a condition ofsanctification in a previous chapter; and from the quoted texts in thischapter we will now briefly consider the law of faith. These laws aredefinitely fixed, and must as definitely be complied with. A definiteconsecration and a definite faith will produce a definite experience. One great lack in the church today is a lack of definiteness. Thedoctrine of sanctification must be more definitely taught by God'sanointed ministry, who have themselves definitely met the conditions, both to obtain and retain this definite experience. When it isdefinitely taught it will consequently be definitely sought andobtained. 

In the apostle's commission we distinctly see that we are sanctified byfaith. Acts 26:18. We also see that Jesus suffered on the cross that hemight sanctify us with his own blood. This points us to the fact that wemust have faith in his blood. This grace is purchased for us, and now itis for us to receive it. We also see that he has made provision in thissame purchase that we may be kept sanctified. This is upon the simplecondition of walking in the light as he is in the light. The result ofwhich is: his blood cleanseth us from all sin. These precious truthswill do us no good if we do not believe them. No heart can ever receivethe benefits of this inestimable purchase without faith. Faith is thehand that reaches out and takes it. Jesus can do no more than he hasdone to bring it to us. He holds it out to us, all perfect and complete, and as we meet the conditions of consecration and faith it becomes ours. 

The apostle teaches us in Rom. 6:11 to reckon ourselves "dead indeedunto sin. " This can be done only by faith. The reckoning of faith is avery simple process; it is just believing God. Abraham believed God, simply reckoned that what God said was true, and then God countedsomething to Abraham. He counted it to him for righteousness. 

This is the divine law of faith. When we believe it is so because Godsays it, then God makes it so because we believe it. This law applies toall the graces of the gospel alike. It is a sad fact that someprofessing Christians do not believe we can be sanctified in this life. Now, it is utterly impossible for such people to get it. They do notbelieve. The blood of Christ cannot sanctify them in this condition. Itis not for them at all. It is only for them that believe, and of courseno one can believe for it in the scriptural sense without having met thecondition of scriptural consecration. Then the scriptural reckoning willbring the scriptural and satisfactory result. 

Let us illustrate with a simple mathematical reckoning. In a case ofaddition we take two numbers and reckon them together before we get thesum. It can never be obtained any other way. The two numbers areentirely distinct and separate from each other until they are reckonedtogether. It is the reckoning that produces the sum. This is exactlytrue in the process of faith. The justified believer comes to God forhis inheritance of sanctification. He makes the absolute and definiteconsecration. He sees that the blood of Jesus has been shed that he maybe sanctified. This is Jesus' part. The consecration is the believer'spart. There are the two separate parts which, if they are not reckonedtogether, will never produce the result. We might say that we have nowmade the consecration, and can do no more. This would be a mistake, wecan do more: we have not yet done the reckoning. We can take the twoparts, the blood of Jesus and our consecration, and by faith add themtogether, and according to the immutable law of God, which is the law offaith, the sum of the reckoning is, our sanctification. This is thescriptural method of obtaining this experience; and as we fromhenceforth reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin upon the condition ofan absolute, unbroken consecration, we may rest assured that the bloodof Jesus keeps us cleansed from all sin. The fact that some one may sayhe does not believe we can be kept free from sin, by no means affectsthis divine law. It is as true as heaven, despite all the unbelief ofmen. Oh, the power of the sin-cleansing blood! Can we not say with deep, heartfelt reality, "Hallelujah for the cleansing; It has reached my inmost soul"?

Truly it is the sweet soul-rest, the heavenly Canaan of the soul, whichis the inheritance of the people of God. 

The apostle Peter, in his testimony of the inwrought grace of God atPentecost, speaks of this law of faith, which effected in him and hisbrethren at Jerusalem, as well as the household of Cornelius upon theevent of their induction into this glorious grace, the experience ofheart purity, "and put no difference between us and them, purifyingtheir hearts by faith. " This is one phase of sanctification, andaccording to the testimony of Peter, was a part of the pentecostalexperience. The other phase of it is, in the previous verse of thistestimony, "giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. " This isexplained by the apostle Paul. "That we might receive the promise of theSpirit through faith. "--Gal. 3:14. Now if we turn to Rom. 15:16, againwe see that we are "sanctified by the Holy Ghost. " Certainly it couldnot be made more plain than these scriptures set it forth. We receivethe pure heart and the Holy Spirit by faith, which experience isscripturally termed sanctification; therefore, we can understand thelanguage of Jesus in that part of the commission of the apostle alreadyquoted: "and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith thatis in me. "

Dear brother and sister, let us magnify God and the name of Jesus forour inheritance, and if there should be one reader who has not yetentered into this promised land, let us go over at once and possess it. 

We see a beautiful example of faith in the experience of the children ofAbraham crossing the Jordan to enter into their literal inheritance. Thepriests that bore the ark, which went before the people, were to be thefirst to go down into the stream, which, God had said, should bedivided, and the people should go over into their inheritance. As theycame down to the river, their feet were dipped into the stream beforethe waters parted. God had promised it. They believed it and obeyedaccordingly, and God fulfilled his promise; the waters were parted, andthey all passed over. How different this was from those who, fortyyears previous to this event had been brought by the hand of God toKadesh Barnea, who had all the promises of God in their favor, that hewould cause them to go in and possess the land. But because of unbeliefthey were sent back into the wilderness, to wander and die. This literalCanaan was their promised land, their land of rest, their very own; Godhad promised Abraham that it should be possessed by his seed. But theseforfeited it because of unbelief. This was the type of this spiritualinheritance of sanctification, our land of rest, our very own, which we, the spiritual seed of Abraham through faith in Christ, are to go intoand possess. 

The apostle gives us some wholesome admonition upon the importance ofseeking to enter in. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of youan evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. "--Heb. 3:4. An evil heart of unbelief will most certainly cause us to lose ourinheritance. We are made partakers of it only by faith. As certainly asthe unbelief of literal children of Abraham caused them to be rejectedand disinherited, so will unbelief cause the same sad result in losingthe spiritual inheritance. They provoked God with their unbelief, and hewho had sworn to Abraham that his seed should possess Canaan, now swarethat these unbelieving ones should not enter in. They could not enter inbecause of unbelief. God's word was not broken, however; for he broughtinto this land those of the children who, their unbelieving fatherssaid, would become a prey to the inhabitants of the land. And, whatstill keeps God's word from being broken is, that he has opened to usthis glorious spiritual land, and tells us to go over and possess it. Dear brother, are you at Kadesh Barnea today, and afraid of the giants?God has given the land to us. The message of reproof comes to you withthis solemn and important question, "How long are ye slack to go topossess the land which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?"

This gospel of sanctification is preached to us today as the gospel ofliteral Canaan was preached to those descendants of Abraham in that day. It did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heardit. The apostle says, "We which have believed do enter into rest, " butmore must enter in. God's promise to Abraham must yet be more completelyfulfilled. The question is simply left with us, Will we enter in or willwe not? If we will not, then the inheritance will be given to others, and we will lose the blessed soul-rest that is provided in thisredemption for the people of God. In his exhortation to us, the apostlesays "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fallafter the same example of unbelief. "

 "Oh, this blessed holy rest, On my Jesus' loving breast. Oh, the sweetness and completeness Of perfected holiness. "

CHAPTER VII

The Subtraction Process

The baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire, the entering into the heavenlyinheritance of Canaan, and the possession of the land, and all theblessings that follow are unmistakably a process of addition to thealready blessed experience of the justified soul. This addition isscripturally termed "sanctification. " No mortal language can everexpress how much of an addition it is; but there must necessarilyprecede this marvelous grace, a definite and absolute subtraction, aloss of all things for the excellency of Christ, a completeself-abnegation, which has been mentioned in a previous chapter uponconsecration. Until this absolute loss of all things has been trulyexperienced, there cannot be obtained the gain of this additionalexperience. We cannot lay hold of the promised inheritance until wecompletely let go of everything else that has been called our own. 

There is, within our spiritual, moral, and physical nature, a depravity, "our old man, " which must be extracted before we can possess the purityof heart so plainly taught in the word of God. This depravity is sodeeply embedded in, and interwoven into, our affections and nature, that, like a closely fitting garment, it seems a part of us; and wereit not for the plain teachings of the word of God, and the power of theall-cleansing blood of Christ which can reach the inmost center of ournature, purging out all unnatural tendencies and unholy tempers, thejustified believer might conclude that this inborn depravity must bepermitted to exist and remain with us all through life. But thank God!there is a remedy in this great redemption plan. The heart can bepurified and become a holy temple for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. This depends upon the plainly specified conditions taught in the word ofGod. He will prepare the temple for his abode if we but furnish him anabsolute consecration of the temple. This is our part in thispreparatory stage of the work of sanctification. In order that he maypurify our nature, we must yield up to him everything that is to bepurified. This process involves the loss of all things; for when theheart is thus yielded, everything that it clings to is also yielded, andthen, and only then, can the blood of Christ be applied for a perfectcleansing. This is where the subtraction work is effected, where everyvestige of depravity is removed from the heart; because it has for thispurpose yielded to Jesus. The following scripture sets forth thisexperience. 

 * * * * *

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body ofsin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. "--Rom. 6:6. It cannot be improved upon nor cultivated. It is sinful in nature, and must be dealt with according to the redemption law of crucifixion. It is condemned and must die. It is utterly worthless to God, andharmful to man; therefore, it must die. It clings to life withremarkable tenacity, and it is not within the power of man alone to putit to death. It has so entwined itself into our affections that they andeach of their objects must be absolutely yielded up to death, even themost sacred treasures of the heart; so that the true work of purity maybe perfectly wrought within us. To simply yield up our old man for hisdestruction would be but a pleasant sacrifice; for every justifiedbeliever who has obtained the knowledge of this enemy within becomesanxious for his destruction. It is not the yielding up of our old man, therefore, that seems such a loss to us; but when we see that our wholebeing, spirit, soul, and body, with every affection and its object, mustbe yielded up and truly laid upon the altar, we realize the subtractionprocess of sanctification--the loss of all things. Our old man cannot becrucified until everything is thus first yielded up. As long as any oneobject of our affection is withheld, the consecration is incomplete andthe affections can not be purified from this depravity; hence thenecessity of an absolute yielding up of everything, to obtain theexcellency of this heavenly grace. In this condition we can assuredlyexperience the meaning of the words: "Knowing this, that our old man iscrucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. " Thank God!this is a present-tense experience for everyone who is willing to beconformed to the perfect will of God. In this condition, Jesus can havethe perfect right of way within, and work in us that which iswell-pleasing in his sight. 

Some one might wonder if we are never permitted in this trulyconsecrated condition, to set our affections upon anything in thisworld, or, if we can possess anything as our own, if all must be yieldedup and laid upon the altar. If our affections and every object of thesame are yielded to Jesus, then we certainly cannot have them placedupon anything else. This is one of the grand provisions of his grace. Jesus now gets between us and every object of our affections. He notonly has our affections, but he has the objects of our affections. Inthe consciousness of this loss to us we also become conscious of theloss of our old, depraved nature, and the gain of a glorious, heavenlypurity which we before did not possess. But above all things, we becomeconscious of the fact that Jesus has become enthroned within our hearts, and now has full control of our entire being. In him we possess allthings. He gives us back, with himself, everything that is good for us:father, mother, brother, sister, and every God-given blessing that wehad yielded up to him. But they do not seem to us now like they didbefore. There is something between us and them. What is it? It is Jesus!This makes every blessing so much more precious to us now. A sacrednessexists between us and our loved ones which we never realized before. They now get our love only as they get it through Jesus, for he isbetween us and them. Praise God for this precious experience! We gaveeverything, our all, for him. He purified our hearts and now giveseverything, his all, to us. Without the subtraction of our all, first, we cannot obtain the addition, his all. Thus, after all, we lose nothingbut the depravity of our nature, which loss, of course, involves theloss of all things for the time being, but means the gain of all thingsin the fullness of Christ. 

The apostle Paul expresses this crucifixion in his testimony in Gal. 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, butChrist liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I liveby the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. "There was something of the apostle that was crucified. It was the sameas he speaks of in Rom. 6:6, "our old man. " That depraved, carnal self, the proud, haughty Pharisee, the great Saul of Tarsus who consideredhimself of such importance among men. This was the =I= that wascrucified; but there was an =I= who still lived. This was the humble, sanctified Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, who now considered himselfless than the least of all saints, and not worthy to be called anapostle. What a contrast between the two =I='s. The one, the big =I=;the other, the little =I=. They are exactly of opposite natures. The onewas Paul's "old man, " the other his humble individual self. Jesus andthe big I cannot rule together in the same heart. 

How many there are today who have not reached the death experience. Theyhave had their sins forgiven and realize that they are the children ofGod; but they cannot say that they are crucified with Christ, in thesense of the actual death of their old man. How many there are who areconscious of this inward foe, and yet are taught that it can neverbecome dislodged from their nature and crucified. Praise God! he hasprovided a remedy in the blood of Christ. By faith in this blood theconsecrated believer can receive the cleansing. The depraved nature iscrucified, and Christ now takes supreme control of the holy temple. 

The language of the apostle in Gal. 6:14 also expresses the sameexperience: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross ofour Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and Iunto the world. " The blood of the cross has destroyed that inward naturewhich was the point of contact with the world. As long as this existswithin, the world has a strong claim upon us, which, so long as itexists within us, will assert its nature, and, if permitted, willcommunicate with the world, and cause defeat in our Christian life, sothat we cannot conscientiously say we are dead to the world: for thereis something within us yet that is actually alive in this respect. Thisis the point of inward contact with the world, which, when brought intocrucifixion, changes our inward condition and enables us to truly saywith the apostle, that the world is crucified unto us and we unto theworld, by the blood of the cross of Christ, and the life we now live inthis mortal body, which is the temple of the Holy Ghost, we live by thefaith of the Son of God, who has all power to keep us in the divine lawof the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which makes and keeps us freefrom the law of sin and death. 

In Matt. 15:13 we have this same doctrine of cleansing expressed in thewords of Jesus: "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. " While it is true that Jesus was speaking of thedoctrines of the Pharisees in this instance, we can see beyond thesimple doctrines and traditions of men, which are but the outgrowth ofthis root of depravity which our heavenly Father never planted in thenature of man. The depraved heart is the fertile soil whichspontaneously grows all these evil things which Jesus mentions in thisparable. The root is there, and so long as it remains, there cannot be asatisfactory Christian life. But the heavenly decree has been uttered bythe Redeemer himself, that this plant shall be rooted up, which rootingup can be testified to by thousands of blood-washed saints today. Manyplain scriptures teach us that this experience of heart purity was arecognized fact in the apostolic days. Jesus taught that it wasattainable and told of its blessings when in Matt. 5:8 he speaks of thepure in heart. John writes: "And every man that hath this hope in himpurifieth himself, even as he is pure. " Paul says that "the end of thecommandment is charity out of a pure heart" (1 Tim. 1:5), and in thesame letter he writes: "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pureconscience. "--Chap. 3:9. Also in Chap. 4:12, he writes: "Let no mandespise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, inconversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. " In Chap. 5:22, he says, "Keep thyself pure. " In 2 Tim. 2:22 we are taught thatmany of the saints had this experience of cleansing: "Flee also youthfullusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them thatcall on the Lord out of a pure heart. "

The prophet Malachi saw the glorious fullness of this gospel salvationas he beheld and spake by the Spirit: "And he shall sit as a refiner andpurifier of silver and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge themas gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering inrighteousness. "--Mal. 3:3. 

All these plain texts set forth the doctrines of cleansing beyondquestion. Then when Peter takes the witness-stand (Acts 15:9) andtestifies that he and all the one hundred twenty at Pentecost, andafterward the household of Cornelius, received the cleansing at the timeof the outpouring upon them of the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge thatGod certainly is no respecter of persons, and has the same measure ofgrace for his people in this evening time of the gospel day. Praise hisholy name! Let us magnify and exalt the power of the all-cleansingblood, for it can reach beyond the inmost depths of our fallen natureand wash us whiter than snow. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to thepurifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, whothrough the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purgeyour conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"--

 "Oh, now I see the cleansing wave, That fountain deep and wide; Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save, Points to his wounded side. 

 "The cleansing stream, I see, I see, I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me Oh, praise the Lord, it cleanseth me! It cleanseth me, yes, cleanseth me. "

CHAPTER VIII

Christian Perfection

Definition of =perfection=: Unblemished, blameless, pure. 

We are commanded to be perfect. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as yourFather which is in heaven is perfect. "--Matt. 5:48. "For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even yourperfection. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall bewith you. "--2 Cor. 13:9, 11. "Therefore leaving the principles of thedoctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection. "--Heb. 6:1. 

We must be perfect in love. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with allthy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and withall thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. "--Luke 10:27. "And above allthese things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. "--Col. 3:14. "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Godperfected: hereby know we that we are in him. "--1 John 2:5. "If we loveone another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. . . . Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day ofjudgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. "--1 John 4:12, 17. 

Perfect in unity. "For both he that sanctifieth and they who aresanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to callthem brethren. "--Heb. 2:11. "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, thatthey also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I forthese alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through theirword: that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I inthee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe thatthou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know thatthou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. "--John17:19-23. 

Perfect in Christ. "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teachingevery man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in ChristJesus. " "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of allprincipality and power. " "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant ofChrist, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, thatye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. "--Col. 1:28;2:10; 4:12. 

Perfect in purity. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth notyet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, weshall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man thathath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. "--1 John3:2, 3. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanseourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfectingholiness in the fear of God. "--2 Cor. 7:1. "And the Lord make you toincrease and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, evenas we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameablein holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord JesusChrist with all his saints. "--1 Thess. 3:12, 13. 

This perfection is attainable. "Till we all come in the unity of thefaith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, untothe measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. "--Eph. 4:13. "Letus therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anythingye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. "--Phil. 3:15. "For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that aresanctified. "--Heb. 10:14. "For the law made nothing perfect, but thebringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh untoGod. "--Heb. 7:19. "Which was a figure for the time then present, inwhich were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make himthat did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience. "--Heb. 9:9. 

A perfection not attainable in this life. "Not as though I had alreadyattained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I mayapprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. "

Christian perfection is not maturity in wisdom, grace, or knowledge. "Yetherefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest yealso, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your ownsteadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord andSaviour Jesus Christ. "--2 Pet. 3:17, 18. 

Christian perfection is looked upon by some as an impossibility in thislife; but when we turn to the word of God and see the many plain textsupon the subject, it must become evident to every candid mind that it isin the plan of redemption that every child of God should attain to it. It would not be according to the nature of divine grace to require of usanything we could not do. No reasonable earthly parent would demand animpossibility of a child, and it is certain our heavenly Father wouldnot command us to be "perfect even as he is perfect" unless he hasprovided abundant grace to bring us up to this blessed experience. According to our own power or ability we could never reach such anexalted plane, for it is not within the power of man to change hisdepraved nature, and every self-effort to reach a state of perfection isbut vain. But God is able to make all grace abound and as an All-wiseFather he has made it possible that we should be perfect. 

From the scriptures quoted we can plainly see that the perfectionrequired of us is reasonable and just. Had he commanded us to be perfectin knowledge, wisdom, judgment, or in anything else in an absolutesense, we would be forced to the conclusion that God has either requiredan impossibility of us or it is not for us to attain in this life andtherefore belongs only to the resurrected state. But we can clearly seethe nature of his requirements and that they are all within the limitsof his grace toward us in this life. 

When Jesus commanded us to be perfect (Matt. 5:48) we can quite easilycomprehend his meaning when we notice in the few preceding verses thatwe should be perfect in love, even to the extent that we shall love ourenemies, that we may indeed be the children of our Father which is inheaven. The children of this world love those that love them. It is aneasy matter and quite natural to do this. But to love our enemies isvery contrary to the depraved nature; unless there has been thecleansing wrought within, there will be some inward consciousness ofhatred toward those who despitefully use and persecute us. The highstandard of righteousness which Jesus teaches here and throughout thischapter is the standard of sanctification. The love of God must beperfected in us, which destroys every element of the old nature, ofwhich hatred is a prominent characteristic. 

The first and great commandment, both of the old and new dispensation, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, " etc. , is also astandard too high to be attained perfectly without the experience ofentire sanctification. This commandment was given during the olddispensation; but it was not possible then that it could be keptperfectly, for there was no provision then made to destroy the power of, and cleanse the heart from, inbred depravity. The blood of thosesacrifices could do no more than sanctify "to the purifying of theflesh. " The inward condition of the heart could not be changed. Thus wesee clearly that this commandment could not be kept in the New Testamentsense of perfect love. Now, the blood of Jesus, which he shed on thecross that he might sanctify and cleanse our hearts, can make us holy. When the heart has realized the power of this cleansing and the love ofGod "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, " we can in deed and intruth love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, andstrength. Praise God for his wonderful love to us! He furnishes the lovewith which to love him. If we but give him our hearts he will furnishall the rest. He wants an empty, clean vessel into which to pour out hislove, that it may be manifested in this dark and sinful world. 

Oh, that every child of God could see the imperative need of an absoluteconsecration and then cheerfully and voluntarily meet the conditions ofthe same, so that God could fill each heart with love, and cause eachone to know what it means to love God with all our heart. As long as ouraffections are divided between God and anything else, our love is notperfect and until the regenerate heart has made the scripturalconsecration, there will be a divided condition of the affections. Theobedient regenerate heart dwells in God, and thus is taught of God thenecessity of the perfect consecration, which, when fully complied with, enables the perfect cleansing to become effected. The apostle Johnsays, "Herein is our love made perfect, " and "his love is perfected inus. "

No one can ever be fully satisfied in this redemption life until thissecond work of grace is accomplished in the heart. Justification bringsus into the blessed kingdom of God's love. Sanctification perfects hislove in us. This second grace enables us to realize not only the meaningof perfect love, but we also comprehend the glorious fact that God haswrought in us perfect purity and holiness. This implies our beingperfect in God's will, and because we have yielded our will completelyto him. Every disposition of our will which sought its own way is now inperfect conformity with his and as Jesus could say in Gethsemane, "Thywill be done, " which meant death on Calvary to him, so we have said thesame to God with a vivid consciousness that once for all it meant deathto us. It has required the perfect will of Jesus to obtain this grace ofsanctification for us, and it now requires our perfect will to receiveit from him. Here is where we can stand perfect and complete in all thewill of God. Another beautiful characteristic of sanctification isperfect unity. One of the most striking features of the religious worldtoday is division among those who profess to believe in and followChrist. There is no greater evil existing than this. Men have madecreeds and sects and have persuaded the people to join them, until thedisgusting spectacle of division is seen everywhere, and thenon-professing world is amazed at the sickening sight. Hirelingpreachers are pleading for their respective denominations, and whilemany honest children of God are dissatisfied with this sad state ofaffairs, they are taught from the pulpit that God has made thesedivisions and it is the duty of every Christian to join and supportthem. But such is not the will of God; he has designed that his peopleshould all be one, and in his prayer Jesus expresses the extent of thisunity. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I inthee, that they also may be one in us. " This certainly implies awonderful and perfect unity. Many sect advocates cry, "Impossible, impossible; God's people cannot be one. " But the whole theme of Jesus'prayer is unity. As we carefully read this prayer we can readilyperceive the divine method to effect this unity. It is plain andsimple: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. . . . Neitherpray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on methrough their word; that they all may be one. " Then in Heb. 2:11 we seeagain that this is God's plan--"For both he that sanctifieth and theywho are sanctified are all of one. "

This grace not only brings us into a perfect inward unity with Jesushimself, but it just as truly brings us all into a perfect inward unitywith each other. Divisions, sects, and factions are productions of theflesh (Gal. 5:19-21) and not of the Spirit. Sanctification destroys allthe works of the flesh and extracts the very root itself and rendersdivisions impossible. Every sect yoke is destroyed because of theanointing. Isa. 10:27. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to effect thisunity in us with God and with each other. Every human effort toaccomplish this must necessarily end in failure. There are many effortstoday to effect a union among Christians, but union is not scripturalunity. Union of sects is far from the scriptural unity of believers. Aunion consists upon a human basis and may consist of a union of sects, or a union of individuals, without any conditions of spiritualitywhatever. Each individual or body retaining its distinctive and separatedivision. Scriptural unity is based upon the inner-wrought grace ofsanctification, where everything non-spiritual is entirely destroyed andthe Holy Spirit has the right of way in every respect according to theperfect will of God. 

It is only as we are thus perfected in this grace that the prayer ofJesus will be fully answered and his people lose every vestige ofdivision. No sanctified heart can remain loyal to anything thatseparates the people of God. All sect holiness is below the Biblestandard, for it upholds that which sanctification destroys. This is afar-reaching assertion, but in the light of God's word it is true. Manyhave lost this experience by listening to the perverted teachings offalse shepherds and remaining in sectism. God says the "anointing"breaks and destroys the yoke, and no sect yoke will ever again fit onthe neck of a sanctified person, if such remains loyal to the HolySpirit. Praise God! He alone can effect perfect unity in us, by hisdivine process--sanctification. Then by the careful adherence to theteachings of God's word this beautiful apostolic unity can be maintainedand demonstrated among men, and the prayer of Jesus further answered, "That the world may believe that thou hast sent me. "

=The difference between present and future perfection. = In his letter tothe church at Philippi, the apostle speaks of a perfection in thefuture, which unless understood may confuse some minds upon thissubject. In Phil. 3:12 he writes, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehendthat for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. " Here it sounds asthough perfection is not attainable in this life, but if we notice thelanguage of the context we can clearly see that he is speaking of theresurrection of the dead. Ver. 11. It is the resurrection perfectionthat he here has reference to, which cannot be attained in this life. Wemust wait with the apostle until this "mortality shall be swallowed upof life, " before we reach a state of absolute perfection, and with him, "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God inChrist Jesus. " But in verse 15 he says, "Let us therefore as many as beperfect be thus minded, " showing that there is a present perfectionwhich he, with others, has already attained. This is the experiencewhich it is the will of God for us all to enjoy. For by one offering hehath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Dear reader, have youattained it, or are you yet living beneath your blood-bought privilege?"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlastingcovenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working inyou that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; towhom be glory forever and ever. Amen. "--Heb. 13:20, 21. 

CHAPTER IX

Holiness

=Holiness an attribute of God. = "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among thegods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doingwonders?"--Ex. 15:11. "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. "--Isa. 6:3. "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and theywere full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. "--Rev. 4:8. 

=God must be worshiped in holiness. = "Give unto the Lord the glory dueunto his name: bring an offering and come before him: worship the Lordin the beauty of holiness. "--1 Chron. 16:29. "Sing unto the Lord, O yesaints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of hisholiness. "--Psa. 30:4. 

=God's throne and dwelling-place. = "God reigneth over the heathen: Godsitteth upon the throne of his holiness. "--Psa. 47:8. "For thus saiththe high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; Idwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contriteand humble spirit. "--Isa. 57:15. "Be silent, O all flesh, before theLord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. "--Zech. 2:13. "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holinessand thy glory. "--Isa. 63:15. 

=Holiness becomes God's house. = "Thy testimonies are very sure: holinessbecometh thine house, O Lord, forever. "--Psa. 93:5. "The aged womenlikewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness. "--Titus 2:3. 

=The church of God is called a mountain of holiness. = "The Lord blessthee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. "--Jer. 31:23. "Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in themidst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; andthe mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. "--Zech. 8:3. "Thewolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw likethe bullock: and the dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall nothurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord. "--Isa. 65:25. 

=God speaks in holiness. = "God hath spoken in his holiness; I willrejoice. "--Psa. 60:6. "Mine heart within me is broken because of theprophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a manwhom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the wordsof his holiness. "--Jer. 23:9. 

=The way of holiness. = "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and itshall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it;but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall noterr therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go upthereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk thereand the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songsand everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy andgladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. "--Isa. 35:8-10. 

=The courts of holiness. = "But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; and they that have brought it together shall drinkit in the courts of my holiness. "--Isa. 62:9. 

=The people of God are holy. = "The people of thy holiness have possessedbut a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thysanctuary. "--Isa. 63:18. "And they shall call them, The holy people, Theredeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city notforsaken. "--Isa. 62:12. "And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to behis peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldestkeep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations whichhe hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayestbe an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken. "--Deut. 26:18, 19. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holynation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of himwho hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. "--1 Pet. 2:9. 

=We are called unto holiness. = "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. "--Heb. 12:14. "But as he whichhath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. "--1 Pet. 1:15, 16. "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. "--1Thess. 4:7. "That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out ofthe hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness andrighteousness before him, all the days of our life. "--Luke 1:74, 75. "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure;but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of hisholiness. "--Heb. 12:10. 

=A perfect holiness attainable. = "Having therefore these promises, dearlybeloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh andspirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. "--2 Cor. 7:1. 

=Fruit unto holiness. = "But now being made free from sin, and becomeservants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the endeverlasting life. "--Rom. 6:22. 

The foregoing scriptures are but a few out of the many plain texts fromthe word of God teaching us the glorious doctrine of holiness. Someprofessing Christians look upon this doctrine as unscriptural andimpracticable, but in the light of the gospel of Christ there is noother doctrine taught than holiness. The very fact that God, and JesusChrist, and the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and heaven, and all thecelestial hosts are holy, at once suggests to every reasonable mind theutter necessity of holiness in the heart and life of man. The apostlesays (Eph. 2:10) that "we are his workmanship, created in Jesus Christunto good works. "

Were we to look upon depraved humanity in the image of Adam, we wouldsee nothing but sin and unholiness; but God has brought into existence anew order of creation in Christ Jesus. The first Adam is a sad andirreparable failure, and in him we see nothing good. All who are livingaccording to the flesh are dead in trespasses and sins, and of courseare unholy; but the second Adam, which is Christ has brought redemptionand life, in whom there is purity and holiness. The old man is corruptaccording to the deceitful lusts, which =must be put off=. The new man iscreated in righteousness and true holiness, which =must be put on=. Thereason some do not comprehend the doctrine of holiness is, they are yetliving in the old creation, hence their nature and mind are corrupt. Itis utterly impossible for such to be holy in this condition. Thecommand, "Be ye holy, " does not apply to them. They are not God'speople. The first step for such to take is to repent, which if they obeythey will be brought into the kingdom of God's holiness; into the newcreation, the workmanship of God in Christ Jesus. Bless the Lord, O mysoul, for this new creation of purity and holiness. All the livingcreatures of heaven bow before him that sitteth upon the throne, saying, Holy, holy, holy! and every sanctified heart on earth can join theblessed anthem of praise and adoration with the consciousness that theall-cleansing blood of Christ has reached its inmost depth and purifiedit for the habitation of the heavenly guest, the Holy Spirit. The pureheart is God's dwelling-place on earth. Jesus says (John 14:23) "If aman love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him, and wewill come unto him, and make our abode with him. "

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Thus we see that God not only dwells in the high and holy heaven, butalso upon earth in the hearts of his obedient people. Who couldconsistently believe that God would dwell in a corrupt heart? "He shallbe in you, " is the promise of Jesus. "At that day [the day when the HolySpirit comes into the heart], ye shall know that I am in my Father, andye in me, and I in you. " Oh, the depths of the riches of this wonderfulredemption, that God would forgive the guilty sinner, then purify hisheart and make it his earthly abode. This is his will toward every sonand daughter of Adam's race. He will create us in the image of Christ, so that we may truly serve him without fear, in holiness andrighteousness before him all the days of our life. This can be callednone other than the way of holiness. It is God's own way, and is truly ahighway too high for anything unclean to pass over. It is on a perfectlevel with heaven itself, and yet it is a highway here upon earth forall the ransomed of the Lord to travel upon. It is so plain and simplethat no one need be led astray. The wayfaring men though fools, shallnot err therein. A wayfaring man means one who is on the way, one wholives on the way. A seafaring man is one who lives on the sea. This wayis so safe that though a man may be simple in the estimation of theworld, and may be called a fool, yet if he keeps obedient to God heshall not be led astray. "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beastshall go up thereon. " This indicates a very safe way, where we need notfear any evil. Everything of the flesh or the old man is ruled out, andnone but the redeemed shall walk there. We see therefore from thedescription of the prophet that this is a highway, a clean way, a simpleway, a safe way, a way of songs and everlasting joy, which necessarilyconstitutes a way of holiness. 

This is the way upon which the people of God are truly returning toZion. This Zion is the scriptural name of the church of God. The peopleof God have been led into captivity of ecclesiastical bondage (Babylon), and the pure light of the gospel of holiness has been darkened by thecreeds and doctrines of men, but God is revealing to his own thatsanctification is a Bible doctrine; they seek for, and obtain it, andthereby every sectarian yoke is broken, his people find themselves uponthis highway of holiness and at home in Zion, the church, free from thebondage of sectism. This is the work of God himself, and will not ceaseuntil every one of his people are brought home to Zion, upon the way ofholiness. This is the highway that is left for the remnant of hispeople. Isa. 11:16. This remnant shall be gathered out of all the creedsof men into the one fold, into the true unity of Christ. "For both hethat sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one. "

The prophet foresaw this blessed return of the people of God and tellsus "they shall call them, The holy people. " There are some who callthemselves holiness people, but the prophet says we shall be called, "The holy people. " Holiness factions and sects have actually sprung intoexistence, which declare that sectism and division is necessary. Thisclass of holiness is not that described in the foregoing scriptures. Bible holiness will in every individual instance destroy everything outof men's hearts that separates or divides. Divisions are the outgrowthof carnality and not of the Spirit of God. Every profession of holiness, therefore, which sanctions division and sectism cannot possibly be theholiness of the Bible. This may seem to some a strong assertion, but itwill stand the test of the word of God. 

No scriptural unity will ever be effected among the people of Godoutside the experience of sanctification. Men have repeatedly laid otherfoundations, but all to no avail. It is a source of great satisfactionto know that wherever the Holy Spirit has the right of way in the heartsof men, there is found true apostolic unity, both in spirit and indoctrine. This is a well authenticated fact which is demonstrated inthousands of hearts today. The holy people are one people, and all arewilling to be measured by all of the word of God, which proves to the"profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instructionin righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughlyfurnished unto all good works. " The apostle teaches us, in Heb. 12:10, that God imparts unto us his holiness: we are partakers of it. It is notan experience which we by our efforts can attain to, but upon theclearly defined conditions of his word we come into possession of hisholiness. It is all wrought within us by himself. "Not by works ofrighteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he savedus, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. "Bible holiness is truly an imported article directly from God out ofheaven. Some imported goods in this country are much more expensive andof better quality than those of home manufacture. Many of our peopleprefer to pay the extra expense in order to obtain the better quality, and usually are abundantly satisfied with their purchase. This may serveto illustrate this blessed holiness of the Bible. Men's professions aresometimes like an inferior homemade piece of goods. It soon wearsthreadbare and betrays its quality, but the genuine imported article ofBible holiness proves satisfactory in every respect, and the more it isworn the better it becomes. It has cost us everything, but it proves tobe worth more than everything to us. The reason why some people havefailed to get it is, they are unwilling to pay the price. They aredeceived by the false doctrine that they do not need to consecrate theirall, and hence have accepted a holiness manufactured by man, a homemadearticle which will never stand the test. A definite, absoluteconsecration to the loss of all things will never fail to procure thegenuine article of true Bible holiness, which will stand the wear ofevery trial of life and the test of the judgment. 

CHAPTER X

The Vine and the Branches

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in methat beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that bearethfruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye areclean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and Iin you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide inthe vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye arethe branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringethforth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide notin me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gatherthem, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide inme, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shallbe done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear muchfruit; so shall ye be my disciples. "--John 15:1-8. 

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This beautiful analogy teaches us an important lesson. The standard ofsanctification is clearly exemplified in the relation between the vineand the branches. Christ is the vine, and every individual Christian isan individual branch; every branch is an individual member of the vine, and every Christian is an individual member of Christ. 

 * * * * *

What a clear view of the church, and how plainly we can see that thereis but one. Every regenerate soul is by one Spirit baptized into thisone body. This vine is cared for and kept by God himself, who is thehusbandman. Every branch must be a living, fruit-bearing one. It isplaced into the vine by the hand which will care for it, and give itevery necessary treatment to cause it to bring forth much fruit. If itbears fruit it will be kept in the vine; if it does not bear fruit itwill be taken away. The same life which flows through the vine alsoflows into the branches. It is the branches that bear the fruit. It isthe part of the vine to sustain the branches, and the part of thebranches to bear fruit. The fruit is the production of the vine-life inthe branches. The word of God teaches us that Christ is pure and holy, and in Rom. 11:16 we are taught that if the root be holy, so are thebranches. The manner of the induction of the branches into the vine isillustrated by the process of grafting. We are not grown into Christ, but grafted into him. The natural branches of a vine grow out of thevine, and accordingly bear the vine-fruit, but by grace we are graftedinto Christ, the vine, and bear the vine-fruit. 

A certain writer who advocates the repression theory of sanctificationsays: "But if I want a tree wholly made good I take it when young and, cutting the stem off on the ground, I graft just where it emerges fromthe soil; I watch over every bud which the old nature could possibly putforth until the flow of sap from the old roots into the new stem is socomplete that the old life has, as it were, been entirely conquered andcovered of the new. Now I have a tree entirely renewed--emblem of aChristian who has learned in entire consecration to surrender everythingfor Christ, and in a whole-hearted faith wholly to abide in him. If inthis case the old tree were a reasonable being that could co-operatewith the gardener, what would the gardener's language be to it? Would itnot be this: 'Yield now thyself entirely to this new nature with which Ihave invested thee; repress every tendency of the old nature to givebuds or sprouts; let all thy sap and all thy life-powers rise up intothis graft from yonder beautiful tree which I have put on thee, so shaltthou bring forth sweet and much fruit. ' And the language of the tree tothe gardener would be: 'When thou graftest me, oh, spare not a singlebranch, let everything of the old self, even the smallest bud, bedestroyed, that I may no longer live in my own, but in that other lifethat was cut off and brought and put upon me that I might be wholly newand good. ' And once again, could you afterwards ask the renewed tree, asit was bearing abundant fruit, what it could say of itself, its answerwould be this: 'In me (that is, my roots) there dwelleth no good thing;I am ever inclined to evil; the sap I collect from the soil is in itsnature corrupt, and ready to show itself in bearing evil fruit. But justwhere the sap rises into the sunshine to ripen into fruit, the wisegardener hath clothed me with a new life through which my sap ispurified and all my powers are renewed to the bringing forth of goodfruit. '"

This author has entirely reversed the scriptural order of grafting inhis application of the graft and root, and has illustrated the relationof Christ and the believer by the natural grafting process which can inno sense scripturally apply to this holy relation. Christ is the vine orroot, and not the graft. The natural process of grafting is to graft thegood graft into a poor root. The graft will grow into a tree and bearthe same kind of fruit as the tree from which it was taken, and thus thegardener increases the production of good fruit. But the divine processof grafting is just the reverse. In Rom. 11:24 the apostle says we aregrafted into the olive tree (Christ) "contrary to nature. " Thehusbandman takes the penitent sinner out of the kingdom of darkness andtranslates him into the kingdom of his dear Son. In this regenerationprocess the sinner (the graft) that was sinful and bore fruit is byGod's own process grafted into Christ, the holy vine, and from thence tobear holy fruit. This is certainly a great mystery, like all the worksof God's grace, and is indeed contrary to nature, but in perfectconformity with the plan of redemption. 

Now, in this condition, there is a certain requirement of the graftnecessary that it may bear the vine-fruit; it must =abide= in the vine. This abiding requires a careful watchfulness lest there might be somesprout of the old inward nature, which yet exists within the newlygrafted branch, which would spring up and hinder the perfectfruit-bearing of the vine-life. And in this early life, in this newrelation of the branch with the vine, it is an attested fact that inquantity this fruit production is more or less hindered by the presenceof the old inward nature, in the branch, which if permitted to sproutand grow would certainly prevent the growth of the vine-fruit entirely, and thereby cause the branch to be cut off. That the branch is in thevine there can be no question, for its environments are completelychanged and it finds itself a stranger to all of its formerassociations, customs, and habits. That the vine-life is in the branchthere can equally be no question, for the branch has the inwardconsciousness bearing witness that it belongs to the vine, and it enjoysthe sweet fellowship of the vine and all its branches. Also it bears thevine-fruit which brings upon itself the approval of the husbandman. 

But this early and new relationship is only the justified life of thebranch. The standard of sanctification of the author from whom we havejust quoted is in no respect any higher than this, and were it not thatthere is a higher standard taught in this lesson and in many otherscriptures, we would have to be satisfied with justification only. 

"Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forthmore fruit. " This purging is another process quite contrary to nature, for the term signifies an inward cleansing. A vine-dresser can prune ortrim a branch and thereby practically make it clean outwardly from allunnecessary or harmful sprouts which would hinder it from bearing fruit, but there is no known natural process by which the grafted branch couldhave its inward conditions changed which would affect its nature. 

We can see clearly that the entire process of grafting the inferiorbranch into the good root, and the subsequent purging is wholly contraryto nature, for no man with an object of profit would do any suchgrafting, neither could anyone reasonably expect the inward conditionsof such a graft to become changed. 

This purging is wrought within for the purpose of an increase of holyfruit. How beautifully it pictures the experience of sanctification, andsubsequent work wrought in the soul of the justified fruit-bearing childof God. It is not a pruning of any unholy sprouts, for they are to bewholly kept from sprouting in the process of the life of bearing holyfruit in this justified relation. The branch is now bearing the veryfruit of the holy root, but there is something to be done in it that itmay bring forth more fruit; it must be purged from its inward depraveddispositions which it possessed from its parent stock--its "old man . . . That the body of sin might be destroyed. " Before the purging there wasmuch time and energy occupied in keeping its depraved nature fromsprouting. The holy nature of the root was indeed being manifested inthe production of holy fruit which was a source of satisfaction, butthere was that inward consciousness of an unfavorable condition whichhindered the root-life from producing in the branch the quantitynecessary to the perfect satisfaction of the husbandman, the vine or thebranch. 

But now what a glorious change: the old nature is entirely gone, and thesweet soul-rest which the purged branch now enjoys is beyond the powerof mortal to express; it can now repose itself so sweetly in the holyvine in its perfectly consecrated life, without any inward hindrance toa perfect flow of the vine-life through its entire being. It can nowbring forth more fruit, for every energy from the root is sent directinto the fruit-buds of the branch, and the result is glorious. Thispurging is just what perfects the inward harmony of the branch with thevine. It could not continue very long in the abiding condition without aconsciousness of the need of the purging process. This process becomes anecessity to every branch which abides. "He that abideth in me, and I inhim, the same bringeth forth much fruit, " which is equivalent to thetext, "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bringforth more fruit. " It is purged that it may bring forth "more fruit, "and now the object of purging is realized, it brings forth "much fruit. "Thank God for the purging, the subsequent work in the heart!

The apostles had not yet received this experience. They were cleanthrough the word which Jesus had spoken unto them, to the extent oftheir knowledge and experience. Unquestionably they were clean fromguilt and condemnation, for they were taken out from the world--were nomore of it, and the world hated them. They were living in perfectobedience to all the known word of God and were clean through that word, but they had not had the pentecostal purging, "purifying their hearts byfaith, " as Peter himself testifies of the sanctification of himself andall who were at Pentecost, as well as the experience of Cornelius andhis household. 

Truly we have much reason to praise God for his wonderful grace in whichhe brings man, his fallen creature, into such a position that he maybecome a son of God, then made pure from all the depraved dispositionsof his fallen nature. "If a man therefore purge himself from these, heshall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work. "--2 Timothy 2:21. 

CHAPTER XI

Some Helpful Thoughts on Consecration

The experience of sanctification is obtained upon the conditions ofdefinite consecration and faith. In every consecration the soul reachesa point where it must either go through to the death, or else go backand lose the grace of God entirely. The Holy Spirit will make it plainwhat this death implies, and at last the dying soul goes through itslast struggle and yields up its last treasure. When this point isreached and passed, the Holy Spirit will bear witness that the demandsof God are now fully met. When Moses had completed the work of buildingthe tabernacle and had placed everything in its proper order, as Godcommanded him, it is said that "Moses finished the work. " So it can besaid of us and so each of us can personally testify by the witness ofthe Spirit bearing witness with our spirit in this absolute and definiteconsecration, that we have "finished the work. " Every doubt as to thecompletion of this consecration is banished, and has no room to exist inour hearts, for we know that it is complete. We can so sweetly andwillingly say, "Thy will be done, " with a most delightful consciousnessthat all the past, present, and future, of all that pertains to ourlife, is yielded up to his blessed will. Nothing on earth is held halfso sweet and precious as his will. 

We can realize down deep in our souls what Jesus meant when he gavehimself to sanctify us and said, "I come to do thy will. " We can enterinto the fellowship of his sufferings and death, for all that we haveand are, and all that we expect to be in the future, and all that weknow and ever expect to know, are now forever and eternally yielded upto that precious will of God. It required the will of Jesus to beyielded up to death to do the will of the Father that we might besanctified, and it equally requires our will to be yielded up to deathand the loss of all things, that we might be sanctified. It required hiswill even to the death to obtain it for us, and it requires our willeven to death to receive it from him. Yes, dear reader, a real death; soreal that it includes everything, and it can only be said of us as itwas said of the Colossian saints, "Ye are dead, and your life is hidwith Christ in God. "

This death consecration is beautifully typified in the consecration andsanctification of the priests of the Old Testament dispensation. In Lev. 8 we read that Moses was commanded of the Lord to take Aaron and hissons and three animals with him. The blood of one of these animals wasto be shed for the sin-offering; one for the "burnt offering, " and onefor the "consecration" offering. The blood of each was shed and appliedseparately for a special purpose. Each finds its antitype in theprecious blood of Jesus, who offered himself without spot to God that hemight sanctify the church. The blood of the sin-offering provides forthat part of our nature which would naturally reach out and cling tothose things which are sinful. In every justified heart which is not yetwholly sanctified there exists such a principle which in itself isdepraved and sinful, and were it permitted to respond to the sinfulthings without, it would bring the believers into transgression. This isthe "body of sin, " or "our old man, " which according to the law of theSpirit of life in Christ Jesus, must be destroyed and cleansed out. Thisexisting in the heart, if unrestrained, is the fruitful soil out ofwhich grows every evil work. We can see its productions in manydifferent aspects in the religious world today. Every sect on earth is aproduction of this body of sin. Every manifestation of carnal divisionis some of its evil fruits. Everything that is in the least degreecontrary to the pure word of God, whether it be word or deed, is but theoutgrowth of this evil thing, which was created and planted into thehearts of Adam and Eve by the devil, and has become the dominatingcharacteristic of depraved humanity. Justification does not cleanse thisout of the heart. It only takes away the guilt and trespasses of thesinner, and brings him into the favor of God, who gave his Son a"trespass-offering" for the world. But Jesus gave himself a"sin-offering" for the church, and when the heart has yielded up to thedeath for the destruction of this depravity it can truly be said of suchan one that we are dead to sin, for the blood of Jesus in thissin-offering will most certainly effect this cleansing. 

But a true Bible consecration includes something more than a yielding upof the heart for the cleansing out of this sin principle. In the type, we see there was another animal sacrificed in this consecration service. It was the one for the "burnt offering. " The blood of this sacrificecorresponds with the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus which also providesfor the cleansing of that part of our nature that clings to the thingsof life which in themselves are not sinful but are God-given blessings. Our unsanctified affections must also become purified from every taintof depravity. That this may be accomplished, it becomes necessary thatthe heart yield up to the death every cherished object, even though itbe a God-given blessing; it must be yielded up and laid upon the altaras a "burnt offering. " The affections cannot be purified until theobject of the affections is yielded. We cannot perfectly obey the firstand great commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thyheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thystrength, " until every affection is fully taken off from every object ofearth and placed upon God exclusively. This means that we willingly layupon the altar our loved ones, no matter how sacred or precious they maybe--father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, children, home, property, reputation, and everything within the scope of our earthlyexistence. All henceforth and forever yielded up to God, no more to beours, as really and as perfectly as though we were breathing our lastupon our death-bed, and then in due time we were laid into our coffin, the lid fastened down, and lowered into the grave, the grave filled upand nothing left but a mound to mark where our earthly remains lie. Or, to view the subject from another standpoint, this yielding up must beas real as though our loved ones and every cherished treasure of earthwere laid upon the altar, to be offered up a burnt sacrifice. In duetime the fire will be kindled, and our cherished objects will one by onebe consumed into smoke and finally all will disappear, a consumedsacrifice unto the Lord. 

A quarter of a century ago my own precious mother was brought to thisconsecration. She was shown by the Holy Spirit that she did not have herchildren perfectly yielded up to the Lord. She was praying for theirconversion. At last she became willing to lay them upon the altar andshe did it thoroughly. She gave them to the Lord a living sacrifice. Ina short time her four oldest were converted, and in due time the twoothers as they grew up were also brought into the fold of Christ. Sherejoiced and praised God for this and often expressed herself that herchildren were not her own, they were the Lord's, for his service orsacrifice, just as he should see proper. At last this consecration wasbrought to the test. The Lord began to kindle the fire to consume the"burnt offering. " He laid his hand upon one and took her home to heaven. Then another, and sent him thousands of miles away to preach the gospelin regions beyond. Then another, and sent him far distant in anotherdirection to labor in the gospel vineyard. Then another, and sent herstill another direction to publish the word of God; and as thesecherished objects thus vanished out of her sight she could say, "Theyare the Lord's, not mine. " In one of her letters she wrote me thesewords: "Well, my dear boy, I truly realized what it meant years ago tolay my dear children upon the altar of the Lord: but now I realize whatit means to see them consumed into smoke. "

Dear brother and sister, this is what a burnt offering means, and howgood our heavenly Father is to require this sacrifice of us! Oh, howmany sad heartaches it saves us! How many bitter tears of anguish andsorrow! I have stood at the open grave where a poor grief-strickenmother wrung her hands and cried out, "Oh, I cannot, I cannot give up myprecious darling. Let me be buried with it--I cannot be parted from it!"I have also stood at another grave, where the form of a consecratedloved one was sinking out of human sight. The mother stood gazing atthe object of earth as it was laid back to dust, then with her eyesturned toward heaven she said, "Dear Lord, thou hast only taken thineown to thyself; my heart feels the parting pangs, but I say willingly, 'Thy will be done. '"

Ah, what a contrast! The one mother knew nothing of this blessedconsecration, the other did. The one had but little grace to sustain herin her bereavement, the other had the abounding grace, for she hadalready yielded up her sacred treasures to the Lord. The one buried allher comfort and hope in the grave, the other simply buried a lifelessform of clay; though sacred and precious to her heart, yet she hadconsecrated it to the Lord, and now in seeing it vanish out of hersight, she could feel that it was not her own. The one returned to herempty home with her heart full of sorrow, the other returned in thecomfort of Him who comforteth us in all our tribulations. She had paidthe price of =her all=, and now she enjoys the blessing of =Jesus'all=--the abiding of his glorious presence, which comforts her heartand home, and fills the emptiness with himself and his bountiful grace. 

Oh, how beautiful and reasonable to consecrate everything that ouraffections have held sacred and dear, to him. We all know very well thatall these treasures of earth are of no enduring substance. No matter howmuch they may be to us, they in due time will either vanish out of oursight, or else we will have to leave them. How much better, and how muchmore satisfactory it is to yield them all up to Jesus, to whom theyrightly belong, and who has only loaned them to us in the first place. He is justly entitled to all of our affections, for what has he notyielded up that was due to himself, that he might purchase this gloriousgrace for us? Now he wants the supremacy in our hearts' affections, sothat he can fashion us according to himself through and through, andimpart his own nature into our affections, that we may henceforth lovewith his love, those sacred treasures around which our affections haveso entwined, and claimed as ours. Before our consecration we loved him, but these other objects of our love were between us and him. Theyhindered our love towards him, and equally hindered his love fromperfectly flowing into our hearts. We loved him, and realized that heloved us, but it was not perfect; there were objects in our way, andthere were objects in his way. These objects were our sacred treasures. Depravity had affected our affections so that we could not hold thesetreasures as we should. But now what a satisfactory change! We yieldedall these objects to him, and took him in their stead. Now he occupiesthe place. He owns our treasures, and we own him. But what of ourtreasures? We have them all back again, through him. Before ourconsecration, they were between us and him. Now he is between us andthem, and with him he freely gives us all things. He can use all ofthese things according to his own good pleasure, making any dispositionof them which might seem good in his sight, for they are his, not ours. If he should place us over them as his stewards, then we hold them intrust for him and do with them just as he orders, and when, one by one, they consume away on the altar of his service, or, if according to hissovereign will, he shall remove them out of our sight, we can say, "Amen, Lord, thy will be done. "

Now, in the act of Bible consecration, the believer may not realize allof this, and the utmost depth of the cleansing that has been wrought inthe heart and affections, or the difference between the sin-offering andthe burnt offering, but it will not be long afterward, until theknowledge of this cleansing shall begin to dawn upon us and our soulbecomes more and more enraptured in this glorious experience ofsanctification. But we see in the type still another animal to beslain--the consecration offering. The blood of this animal was appliedto the body of Aaron and his sons. First it was put upon the tips oftheir right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the great toes oftheir right feet. Then afterwards it was sprinkled with the anointingoil upon Aaron and his garments too, and upon his sons and theirgarments. This ceremonial process was the completion of theirsanctification. The blood of this consecration offering corresponds withthe blood of Jesus which provides for the sanctification of our body. Inthis consecration we not only offer up our hearts and affections toJesus, but we also present our bodies a living sacrifice. This includesour all, spirit, soul and body. Our ears, hands, and feet, our entirephysical being, is dedicated henceforth to his service, to labor andsuffer hardships, to be used in sacrifice, or service, either at themartyrs' stake or on the gospel altar, any way, and every way, in whichhe may order it for his own honor and glory. These eyes shall see, thistongue shall speak, this mind shall think, these ears shall hear, thesehands shall labor, these feet shall run, this strength and theseenergies, this heart shall beat, every faculty, organ, and appetiteshall be used only for him, who has so freely given himself for us; andthus this body becomes the temple, and the earthly dwelling-place of theHoly Ghost, his own exclusive dedicated property. While it is notpossible that we could itemize these things in the consecration of ourbodies, there is a yielding up of our all which sweeps the scope andbrings the witness of the Spirit that our consecration is complete andwe have "finished the work. " We are now upon believing grounds, andfaith can appropriate the power of the all-cleansing blood. 

 "By faith I venture on his word, My doubts are o'er, the vict'ry won, He said the altar sanctifies, I just believe him and 'tis done. "

CHAPTER XII

Questions and Answers

Question. How may we know definitely that we are sanctified?

Answer. We may know it by knowing that we have met all the conditions. This grace is obtained upon the conditions of consecration and faith. When we are sure that we have measured up to a true Bible consecration, we will have no difficulty in knowing that we are sanctified. The depthof meaning of this consecration does not necessarily need to be fullycomprehended by the seeker, as we enter into this covenant, but there isa yielding up of ourself and entire all, to the known and unknown willof God, to an extent that covers everything. God knows when we havereached and passed this point, and it will not be long before the HolySpirit will definitely witness to us that the consecration is complete, and the covenant ratified by this glorious indwelling consciousness. 

This consecration may be illustrated by the contract and union of holymatrimony. When the bride and groom enter into the covenant according toGod's word, they have little knowledge of the obligations they aretaking upon themselves. They know nothing of the detailed realities oflife; its joys and sorrows, hardships and trials that are before them;but they know that they dearly love each other, and have not theslightest fear in yielding themselves to each other completely andexclusively, so long as they both shall live. They enter into thiscovenant with all good confidence that the object of their love will notrequire anything hard or impossible, and as the future realities of lifeunfold and one by one they meet the many responsibilities that thecovenant implies, they find that their love is equal to theresponsibility, and as long as they continue to love each other theywill never have the slightest disposition to break that marriagecovenant. 

So the heart which makes the consecration for sanctification will notcomprehend the great scope of its meaning at the time of entering intothis covenant, but if we love Jesus as we should we will not fear whathe may require of us in the details of his will in the future. We arealready enraptured with his love. He has proved himself to be a lovingand faithful Redeemer in dying for us, and now as we see he requires usto yield ourselves even to death for him, we can confidently enter intothe conditions of this covenant with the assurance that he will demandnothing of us beyond the power of the love to fulfill. 

Yes, we will know definitely when our consecration is complete, and thenwe will have no trouble to believe in the promises for the cleansing. AsBible repentance is the believing ground for justification, so Bibleconsecration is the believing ground for sanctification. 

Ques. How may we keep sanctified?

Ans. By abiding in the conditions by which we obtained the experience. As long as our consecration remains intact, and our faith remains firmin the promises, we are sanctified, no matter what the assertions of ourfeelings may be. To cease believing will forfeit our experience. Tocease obeying in any respect will produce the same effect; but "if wewalk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one withanother; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from allsin. "

Ques. If Jesus was not sanctified until his death, how can we be?

Ans. Jesus was sanctified before his death. He testifies to it in John10:36. There is a sense in which he was sanctified by his death; thatis, he became a perfect redeemer by his death. He set himself apart forthis specific purpose. This is the meaning of the saying of Jesus inJohn 17:19--"And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also mightbe sanctified through the truth. " Another scripture, Heb. 5:9 has thesame meaning. "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternalsalvation unto all them that obey him. " In the use of the terms"sanctify" and "perfect" we could by no means infer that Jesus was notpure and holy before his suffering on the cross. He became a perfectSaviour by his death and through suffering. It is absurd and casts areflection upon the redemption plan, to say that Jesus was not holyuntil resurrection. In this sense only was he made "perfect" by hisdeath. As to his people being holy and sanctified in this life, we havethe whole word of God in favor of such a life. Thank God, it is his willthat we should live "in holiness and righteousness before him all thedays of our life. " It does require a death on our part to obtain thisglorious grace. In this respect we must die to get it. Jesus died topurchase it for us. We must die to receive it--not a literal death, buta death to sin and the world. The river of Jordan truly signifies adeath, but we can cross over it and remain in this mortal life. The landof Canaan is the land of holiness, which all of God's people can enterinto and possess in this life. 

Ques. Does not the Bible say, "If we say that we have no sin we deceiveourselves and the truth is not in us"?

Ans. Yes, but this does not teach us that we cannot be free from sin. Ifwe were to take this verse by itself without its context we might have ascripture contradictory to the word of God, but if we read the seventhand ninth verses with the eighth verse of 1 John 1, we see plainly bythese three verses connected that we can be cleansed from all sin andunrighteousness. This verse implies that if any one who has not beencleansed from sin should say he has no sin to be cleansed from, hedeceives himself. 

Ques. Do we not grow into sanctification and therefore reach itgradually?

Ans. No; this would be contrary to the plan of redemption. We do notgrow =into= any of the graces. We are commanded to grow IN grace. Thegrace of pardon and justification is imparted by the Holy Spirit. We cangrow in this grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour which, if we do, will soon bring us to the knowledge of our need of purity andsanctification, and we will see that this is a grace which is intendedfor us. We gladly comply with the conditions for the same, and enterinto it by faith. God now performs the work in our hearts by the powerof his Holy Spirit. We cannot do it ourselves, only in the sense that wemeet the required conditions. It is impossible for us to grow intopurity. This is beyond our individual power; it requires the power ofGod. We purify ourselves by making the separation of everythingoutwardly; God then purifies our hearts by an instantaneous work ofgrace. This grace by no means implies a maturity in growth. It onlybrings us into a position where we can the more rapidly grow up inspiritual things. 

Ques. Why do we not get it all when we are justified?

Ans. Because the conditions for the two graces are not the same. Thepenitent sinner cannot, in his sinful condition, meet the requirementsfor sanctification, and God does not mean that he should. All that thesinner can possibly do is to repent. When he has fully repented, then hecan believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive his pardon. This isjustification. He is justified from all his sins through true repentanceand faith. Those are the Scriptural conditions for justification, butthe conditions for sanctification are consecration and faith. Repentanceand consecration are vastly different. The first means to give up allsinful things, with a godly sorrow for all sins committed, and a solemndetermination that by the grace of God all sinning shall forever cease. The second means to yield up to God all our good things, every sacredtreasure of our heart and affections, with our body and every ransomedpower, as a living sacrifice. The first is God's requirement of everysinner. The second is his requirement of every justified believer. Thefirst is all that the guilty sinner can possibly comprehend. The secondis that which only the justified believer can comprehend. Therefore itis utterly impossible for us to get sanctified at the time of ourjustification. The two are distinct and separate works of grace, obtained upon distinct and separate conditions. 

Some people have vainly believed, and some vainly teach, that there isbut one work of grace; but such a doctrine is contrary to the word ofGod, the conditions of the plan of redemption, and the glorioustestimonies of thousands of saints who have lived in the past and thosewho are living witnesses today. It is perfectly natural and logical toevery honest and willing child of God who is not yet sanctified to soonbelieve that there is a second work of grace. Perhaps it will take a fewmonths for some to find out their need, but it is only a question oftime till every one will find an inward longing for something more, tosatisfy the inward condition of the heart. To prove this statement letus listen to the testimonies of those who are simply justified and havehad no teaching on sanctification, whether their Christian life be oneof years or but a few months. Everyone who stands in this justifiedrelation with God gives expression in some respects according to thefollowing: "I thank God for salvation and am not sorry that I ever gavemy heart to God, but I do feel the need of a deeper work of grace. "Another will say, "Pray for me that I may have a clean heart. " Anotherwill request prayer for perfect love; another will confess to havingbeen overcome by sin, and having made some crooked paths, and feelssorry and wants to get nearer to God and get a better experience. 

Now we cannot doubt the sincerity of these hearts, neither theirexperience. Their experiences are those of honest, willing children ofGod who are anxious to do the whole will of God. Such expressions wouldnot be given by professors who are void of salvation. The fact is, theexperiences of these hearts teach them the need of the second grace, andunless they should be deceived by some false doctrines, they would keepon with such testimonies until they should obtain that perfect love, ora clean heart, or a deeper work of grace. 

Do they not testify that the first work of grace is not deep enough?They are glad for the first work, but they want something deeper. Theyare glad that grace has found their heart, but they want a cleanheart--one that is free from those conscious uprisings of evil which, ifunrestrained, would bring them into condemnation and guilt, and perhapshave already overcome them and produced such an effect in their lives. They are glad for the sweet love of God that has found its way intotheir hearts, but they long for perfect love. They are conscious of someobstacles which hinder that love from being perfect, and yet they do notunderstand just how those obstacles can be removed. Someone may tellthem that they have all they can get from God and to ask for more wouldbe presumption, and yet their souls cry out for that which is natural inthe grace of God, and how ready they are, when they hear sanctificationtaught, to meet the conditions and enter into the rest for theirsouls--this perfect love, this deeper work of grace, and this experienceof a clean heart, and this baptism with the Holy Ghost. 

Now let us listen to their testimonies. What do we hear? Ah, we hearthem praising God for this they were so longing for. One will praise Godfor a clean heart; another will say he has found the perfect love;another will testify to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Others will thankGod for sanctification, and others will call it this sweet soul-rest, etc. , which all mean the same blessed experience of sanctification. Nowif we ask them if they believe in a second work of grace, what will theyanswer us? Ah, there is no question about it. They have it in theirhearts, and they are spoiled for any argument upon the subject. 

So it is with all God's people who have met the definite conditions forsanctification and have come into this precious grace. We know it is asecond work. 

Ques. How can one keep free from evil thoughts?

Ans. The pure heart and mind do not entertain an evil thought. As soonas such thoughts are presented they are banished. In 2 Cor. 10:5 we readhow such things are dealt with. "Casting down imaginations, and everyhigh thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, andbringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. " Anevil thought thus captivated does not enter into the heart and thereforedoes not become a sin to us. The apostle James says, "When lust hathconceived, it bringeth forth sin. " The evil thought must first enterinto the heart and be conceived into a desire before it becomes sin. 

This world is full of sin and iniquity on every hand. We may hearprofanity as we pass along the street, or we may see iniquity before oureyes daily as we come in contact with the world, we may pick up asecular paper and read of murder and theft, and thus these evil thoughtsmay enter into our minds, but they do not conceive or take root in ourhearts. They are brought into captivity and banished from us. If whenreading or hearing of a murder or theft, someone should see anopportunity to commit a similar deed and resolve in his heart that hewould do so at his first opportunity, that person would have conceivedthe thought in his heart, and in the sight of God he would be a murdereror a thief, even though he never had the opportunity to carry out thedesign. The heart that is purified by the cleansing blood of Christ andmomently kept in the efficacy of that blood, is the sacreddwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, who has the full and exclusivecontrol of the heart. 

As long as our will is kept in line with the will of God the Holy Spiritwill abide. The word of God says, "Greater is he that is in you than hethat is in the world, " and, "No man can enter into a strong man's houseand spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man. " Thestrong man--the Holy Spirit--is in his own house, and it is impossiblefor sin to enter in unless we by our own will consent to it. The word ofGod speaks of the Holy Spirit as the seal. This thought is practicallyillustrated by the common use of a seal in canning fruit. We may be everso careful with fruit in getting it properly prepared for the can, butif we set it away without the seal, it will not be long until the fruitis spoiled. It requires the seal to keep the fruit from spoiling. Thereis something in the air which, if not excluded, will spoil the fruit. The use of the seal is to exclude the air. 

So it is with our heart. Justification inducts us into Christ;sanctification purifies our hearts and seals us in him; now when sinwould come in contact with our hearts and defile it, there is somethingthere, the Holy Spirit, the seal, which keeps sin from entering in. "Ifwe walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one withanother and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from allsin. "--1 John 1:7. Notice the word "cleanseth. " It is in the presenttense. By our walking in the light, which signifies our perfectobedience continually to all the known will of God, our heart is kept inline with God's will and hence under the provisions of his grace--thesin-cleansing blood of Jesus. Thus the perpetual cleansing keeps ourheart pure. By the inwrought work of sanctification we =obtain= thispurity, and by our obedience to God, walking in the light, we =retain=it. 

In this blessed grace, no evil thought can enter our heart unless by ourconsent. We have willed it so that we forsake all sin and turn to God;thus his grace of justification has found its way into our heart. Thenby a definite consecration we willed it so that the cleansing blood ofJesus should purify our heart from inborn depravity, and his grace ofsanctification has found its way within, and has brought the gloriousheavenly guest, the Holy Spirit, there to abide. Now as we continue towalk in this light we are kept from sin. By our will we either open orclose our heart toward God. The will is the entrance and door. The graceof God is free, and more abundant than the sunshine that lights andwarms this earth. All of this sunshine may be kept out of the room if wewill to have it so. We can darken the windows and doors, and keep everyray of light out, or we can have abundant sunshine if we will, by simplyremoving the obstacles. So it is with the illimitable grace of God. Ifwe open up wide the door of our heart--our will--and keep it opencontinually, the grace will flow in and keep out everything that is notlike heaven. "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of theglory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure inearthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and notof us. "--2 Cor. 4:6, 7. 

If we close the door of our heart toward God, it will be opening ittoward sin, and the result will be darkness. Depravity will at once haveentered in, and then as every evil thought comes into the mind it willfind no obstruction to its way into the heart, where it will find afruitful soil in which to germinate and bring forth evil work. 

Ques. Does not the word of God say that "from within, out of the heartof men, proceed evil thoughts, " etc. ?

Ans. Yes, this is true; but we must consider what kind of heart Jesus isspeaking about. Let us turn to Mark 7. The Pharisees and certain scribesfound fault because they saw some of Jesus' disciples eat bread withoutwashing their hands; not that their hands were not clean enough to eatwith, but because they did not serve the traditional ceremony, thinkingthat thus the hearts of the disciples were defiled, but Jesus explainedthat nothing can defile the heart except that which enters into it. Ver. 19. "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth theman. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: allthese evil things come from within, and defile the man. "--Verses 20-23. 

We see that this is a true picture of the unregenerated heart, which hasno good thing in it. We also see that it is not an evil thoughtpresented to the mind from without which defileth the man, but it is theevil thought that comes from within a corrupted heart. There are twosources of evil thoughts. 1. The devil himself directly. 2. A corrupt, unregenerate heart, which is a hotbed and nursery of the devil. Fromeither of these outward sources evil thoughts may be presented to themind of a child of God, but from neither can our hearts be defiled ifthey are brought into captivity and banished, as will be the case withevery obedient soul. 

Ques. Is not every mistake a sin?

Ans. No; there are many mistakes which are not sinful. There is no doubtthat every sin is a serious mistake, but God's people do not make suchmistakes. The word of God teaches what sin is, and if we abide in Christwe will not commit sin. The scriptural definition of sin will help us tounderstand this. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth itnot, to him it is sin. "--Jas. 4:17. "All unrighteousness is sin. "--1John 5:17. "When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin. "--Jas. 1:15. "Sin is the transgression of the law. "--1 John 3:4. "Whosoever abidethin him sinneth not. "--1 John 3:6. Any mistake that would be a violationof God's law would be a sin, but aside from this, a simple error injudgment is not a sin. Salvation does not warrant an experience beyondthe probability of error in our human nature, and Christian perfectionis not infallibility. 

Ques. Did not Paul say there was sin dwelling in him?

Ans. Yes. This expression we find in Rom. 7:17. The apostle when writingthis chapter was not describing his sanctified condition. It is adescription of his condition when he was in the flesh, or carnal state. "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by thelaw, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. "--Ver. 5. And in Rom. 8:8, 9 he says, "So then they that are in the flesh cannotplease God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so bethat the Spirit of God dwell in you. " "For the law of the Spirit of lifein Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. "--Ver. 2. Paul's condition when under the law is described in the 7th chapterof Romans. In chapters 6 and 8 he describes the condition of the childof God under grace. 

Ques. But does he not say in Rom. 3:10 that "there is none righteous, no, not one"?

Ans. Yes. But he was not describing the condition of the child of Godunder grace. He refers to the world under the law. No Bible Christiancan conscientiously apply Rom. 3:10-18 to himself. 

Ques. How about Solomon, who said, "There is not a just man upon theearth, that doeth good, and sinneth not"?

Ans. This also was spoken of the condition of the people under the law. "The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope didby the which we draw nigh unto God. "--Heb. 7:19. 

In order to properly apply scripture it is very helpful to alwaysconsider: 1. Who wrote it? 2. When was it written? 3. Of whom or to whomwas it written? In this manner it is easy to determine the meaning ofsuch scriptures as here have been mentioned and many others, which wouldotherwise render it impossible to harmonize the whole word of God. Thetwo dispensations, the law and grace, are vastly different in manyrespects. The first was but the shadow of the second. In the first therewas no power to take away sin, or to change the inward moral conditionof man but in the second there is the power and provision in theredemption of Christ to save us to the uttermost. 

Ques. But did not Paul say of himself when under grace that he kept hisbody under and brought it into subjection? Does not this indicate thathis body was yet sinful?

Ans. Let us turn to 1 Cor. 9:25-27. We see here that he makes noreference to his body being sinful, but tells how he practicestemperance in all things. Like one who prepares himself for a race, intraining himself physically, bringing his body into subjection ineverything, that he may be able to win the prize. In sanctification thesinful and depraved nature is destroyed, and everything unholy cleansedout; therefore there are no sinful propensities to be kept down andunder, but all sin is kept out. The sanctified body is not sinful butholy (1 Cor. 3:17) and is designed for God for the dwelling-place of hisHoly Spirit. 

Every propensity and appetite is now restored to its condition ofpurity, in which it was created before sin entered into the world, butyet we are human. Sanctification does not destroy our human nature, butsimply brings it into easy control, with every propensity in harmonywith the design of its Creator. But we are yet in this world and thecreature--our physical nature--is yet subject to vanity. 

Satan with all his malicious and crafty devices is lying in wait todeceive and lead astray. He comes to us and appeals to our physicalnature in many respects, and it is necessary that we keep in a watchfuland prayerful attitude "lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Evethrough his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from thesimplicity that is in Christ. "--2 Cor. 11:3. Even through our appetiteswould Satan gain the advantage over us, and finally bring us intobondage, if he were permitted to do so. In this respect the apostle Paulkept his body under and brought every appetite and propensity intosubjection to serve him, rather than he should serve them, and all hisransomed powers were bent upon his faithful obedience to the one objectof his existence--the ministry of the gospel. 

Ques. Can a person lose the experience of sanctification?

Ans. Yes, it is possible to lose it. 

This experience does not place us beyond temptation. It only fortifiesus more strongly against the world, the flesh, and the devil, andgreatly diminishes the probability of falling. 

Ques. Does not the word of God teach that "Whosoever abideth in himsinneth not"; and "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin"?

Ans. Yes; this is certainly true. There is no possibility of sinning inChrist. It is only when a person gets out of Christ that it is possibleto commit sin. The term "born of God" includes both justified andsanctified. No justified person can commit sin and retain the justifiedexperience; therefore, no one who is born of God and retains this divinerelationship in him will sin. Everyone who commits sin must do sooutside of this life in God. The apostle John says, "Whosoever sinnethhath not seen him, neither known him, " which signifies that in the actof committing sin a person gets entirely outside of Christ. In such anact he has not seen, nor known him. The apostle also says concerningthose who are born of God, that they "cannot sin, " because they are"born of God. " This statement agrees with the one just quoted, andproves that it is not possible to commit sin in Christ; but it does notinfer that it is not possible to get out of Christ and commit sin. Theexpression "cannot sin" simply signifies that there is no disposition inthe heart to commit sin. We are constrained by love to him who gave hislife for us, to do nothing to displease him. We have the privilege andpower to displease him if we will, but we have no will to do so. We"cannot" do it and abide loyal to him. A mother may be requested to takea weapon and slay her child, but she at once answers, I cannot! Yea, shecan if she will; but the answer would in every case be repeated "Icannot!" It is not difficult to see why she cannot do such a deed. Shehas no disposition to do so, even though she has the power to do it. Herlove for her child renders it impossible so long as that love continues. 

Ques. Can a person be restored to this experience of sanctification ifit should be lost?

Ans. Yes, by complying with the conditions; but the same act of sinwhich would cause us to lose our experience of sanctification would alsoforfeit our justification, and bring us into condemnation. Therefore theconditions necessary to get back into Christ would be first, repentanceand faith; then by a definite consecration, or a renewal of ourconsecration which has been broken, and a definite faith in theall-cleansing blood of Christ we will be restored to sanctification. 

Ques. In case a person shall unfortunately sustain such a loss, how longwould it take to become restored?

Ans. Just as long as it would take to meet the conditions. No one insuch a case should wait an hour, but knowing just what conditions arerequired, they should be complied with at once. 

Ques. How can we understand the seventh chapter of Romans to harmonizewith the doctrine of holiness?

Ans. From the seventh verse of this chapter the apostle describes hisexperience when under the law, before he had been brought into the graceof God. From the seventh to the fourteenth verse he speaks of hisexperience, making use of the past tense. From the fourteenth versethrough the rest of the chapter he makes use of the present tense, butstill continues the description of his past experience. 

It is held by holiness opposers that this chapter is a description ofthe apostle's experience under grace, and that this is the highestpossible experience attainable in this gospel dispensation. But such anexperience is not consistent with grace at all. If this were all thatgrace can do, there would be no encouragement in it for any one toaccept. No sinner could do worse than the experience described here, except that he might deliberately choose to sin and do everything wrong. This chapter describes the sinner as having a desire in his mind to doright but no power within him to carry out his desires, in any respect. He is awakened to the requirements of the law of God, but finds he isheld fast by another law which holds him with such power as to renderhim helpless, utterly helpless, to do anything good. This does not applyto the justified experience under grace. It applies perfectly to thatunder the law, because the Mosaic law had no other power, nor design, than to awaken the conscience; and this is just what the apostle heredescribes concerning himself "For I was alive without the law once: butwhen the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. "--Rom. 7:9. He diedin trespasses and sin. This was the condition of all men under the law, and this is where grace found the world. "Now we know that what thingssoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that everymouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty beforeGod. "--Rom. 3:19. 

Ques. Is every child at birth sinful by nature?

Ans. The race of mankind has descended from Adam through Seth, who wasborn not in the image of God as Adam and Eve were created, but in theimage and after the likeness of Adam as he was after the fall. It isevident that our first parents lost the image of God through theirdisobedience, and it is also evident that this image of God has neverbeen regained through the first Adam. The word of God plainly teachesthat Christ, the second Adam, is the image of God, and by the power ofhis redemption grace, he will restore this image to every son anddaughter of Adam's race who will meet the conditions for the same. Thefirst Adam is depraved and a sad failure. He has no power within himselfto change his moral condition. The second Adam (Christ) is a glorioussuccess. He possesses all the moral characteristics of purity andholiness that the first Adam did before the fall, and also has the powerto impart this image of God to all who come to him. 

The image of Adam is entailed upon the race through the fall, andevidently, though mysteriously, affects mankind through the natural lawof generation. The image of God is provided for the race throughredemption in Christ, and is imparted to each individual through thedivine law of regeneration and its accompanying grace. It is compatiblewith the word of God, with reason, and with observation, that everychild born into this world through the natural law of generation, veryearly in life in a greater or lesser degree manifests some of thecharacteristics of this image of Adam. Just how, when, and where thechild partakes of this nature would be a subject of conjecture andspeculation. The psalmist says he was conceived in sin and shapen ininiquity (See Psa. 51:5. ) and according to the condition of theunregenerate world this is as true today as it was in the days of David. The innocent child, of course, is not accountable for this inwardcondition of its nature, but as it grows to the age of accountability itbecomes an easy prey to the powers of sin because of this condition. While innocent, it is unquestionably acceptable in the sight of God andcomes under the provisions of the redemption of Christ unconditionally:for "sin is not imputed where there is no law. "--Rom. 5:13. The apostlesays "I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. "--Rom. 7:9. He no doubt had reference to theinnocent period of his life. The principle of sin was in his nature, but"without the law sin was dead"; it had no power to bring him intocondemnation. As soon, however, as he became able to know what the lawrequired of him, sin revived and made him a transgressor by causing himto disobey the commands of God. There is no room to question the factthat sin was in his nature; for he plainly states it so, and theexpression, "sin revived" indicates that it had been in him during theperiod of his innocent state. 

CHAPTER XIII

Personal Experience

In conclusion I desire to add my humble testimony of a personalexperience of the glorious work of entire sanctification. 

At the age of seventeen years I was converted. All who were acquaintedwith me had no reason to doubt the genuine, inwrought grace of pardonand the new life which at once began to bring forth fruit unto God. Butthe one to whom this mighty change seemed the most marvelous was myself. My poor soul, which for several years had been held under the terriblebondage and darkness of sin, was now turned from darkness unto light andfrom the power of Satan unto God, and there was no room eitherinternally or externally to question that I had received forgiveness ofsins. The glory and blessedness of that sacred hour and that hallowedspot "when love divine first found me" can never be erased from mymemory. I will not say, as I have often heard others testify of theirown, that my experience was more wonderful than that of anyone else, butI do not see how it could have been any more wonderful to me than itwas, and it is but useless to make an effort to tell it. All who havecome into this precious life, and have the Spirit bearing witness withour spirit that we are the children of God, understand what it means tobe justified by faith and have this sweet peace with God through ourLord Jesus Christ. 

But this peace with God meant war with the enemy of my soul, and I soonlearned that the battle was a serious one. The artful schemes of theenemy were deeply planned for my overthrow, and while attending schoolthe spirit of the world succeeded in leading me into defeat, and Idecided to yield myself again unto the world, and gave up the struggleagainst sin. But oh, what darkness! God only knows what horrors Isuffered. I had been saved but a few months and had had the taste oftrue happiness which so spoiled me for the empty pleasures of sin that Iwas often so wretched and miserable that life was a burden. But thankGod, this condition of life was only of about two month's duration. Through the burning tears of my precious mother, which fairly bathed myface and neck one day as she suddenly came into my room and clasped herarms around me, I was enabled again to decide for God and heaven. Thisdecision was so thoroughly burned in upon my soul by those scaldingtears that, by the grace of God, I believe it will last from that day tomy latest breath. The sweet joy and peace of heaven was restored and Ibelieve I enjoyed salvation as much as anyone could in my circumstances. I knew I was a child of God, but it was not long until I became fullyconscious that there was a deeper work of grace needed within me. Myparents both professed entire sanctification at the time of theconversion of the four oldest children, which included myself, but mylife was much occupied in securing an education, and having but limitedopportunities I was absorbed mostly with my studies, then afterwardbecame engaged in educational work for a number of years. It needed noarguments to prove that my parents possessed a deeper spiritual lifethan I did, and although the doctrine of sanctification was not soclearly taught and understood then as now, yet I was fully aware thiswas what I needed. Sometimes I thought I had obtained the experience, but soon it was proved by unmistakable evidence that I was notsanctified. I had not come to the point of a definite and absoluteconsecration, and really did not understand how to make thisconsecration. My great ambition in life was to make a mark in the world. This was so deeply implanted within me that I caused every energy tobend in that direction. I dearly loved God and fully realized my utterdependence upon him, but my love was not perfected. Then unfortunately Ihad a quick temper, which I found justification had not destroyed. Itwas materially repressed and generally held under control, but it wasthere and needed only the provocation to assert its presence; andsometimes, I am sorry to say, it brought me under condemnation and I hadcause to repent and regain the sweet peace of God. 

But the manner of my life, I believe, as a whole, was such that none ofmy most intimate acquaintances had any reason to question the sincerityof my heart or my profession as a Christian. The one who was mostdissatisfied with my inward condition was myself, and for more thaneight years I knew that a deeper work must be wrought before I could besatisfied. Oh, how truly I could understand the prayer of David when heso longed for a clean heart; and had I been brought to the knowledge ofthe complete consecration, I might have been living in this blessedCanaan rest of soul soon after my conversion. But God was good and fullof tender mercy. He carried me along and forgave my defeats and solovingly bore with me, even though my heart was divided between him andsome things of this world. I had forsaken all that I had to followJesus, but unconsciously these objects would come between Jesus, theobject of my love, and myself, and thus hinder the perfect communion ofthe Holy Spirit. About one year prior to my entering into this perfectrest, the doctrine of sanctification was quite thoroughly agitated. Someadvocates of the Zinzendorf doctrine produced some strong efforts tooverthrow the doctrine of the second work of grace. I had studied thescriptures carefully and honestly, and while I did not have theexperience of the second grace myself, I was certain that the one-workteaching was not correct; for I knew I had received all that my heartcould receive in the grace of pardon, and knew also that I soon foundthat I needed just exactly what the term sanctification implies, andwhat the dear ones who believed in and were advocating the second workof grace were testifying to by word and deed. 

In the winter of 1883-4, while dear companion and myself were engagedwith some sanctified ones in a protracted meeting, to rescue theperishing, we were brought as never before face to face with the sternnecessity of more spiritual power and life. We were shown by the HolySpirit that there is but one route to the promised land and that is bycrossing the Jordan. Death was inevitable if we would come into thisabundant life. We paused and reflected, looked backward and forward, butthere was no alternative--death was our doom. One day while I was absentfrom home, and dear companion was left alone, the Lord spoke to her soplainly that she had one cherished idol that must necessarily besacrificed. It was a God-given blessing, but must be yielded freely tohim. She obeyed and entered into the glory of sanctification. When Ireturned home I soon found that the work in her was done. Somethingmarvelous had been accomplished. It was wonderful what a change. Shetold me of the death she had to pass through and I fully realized it. The divine glory which had come into her heart was unspeakable. Shetried to show me how to die the same death. I was desirous to yield andcross over with her, but I found a resistance in my will which held meback. I came to my cherished treasures, some of which were God-givenblessings, but unquestionably the Holy Spirit said they must be yieldedup a burnt offering unto the Lord. My will must become swallowed up intothe will of God completely, even to this death. I said, "Yes, Lord, Iwill"; but the yes found a hesitancy. It did not reach the depths of myheart. I kept saying it over and over--"Yes, Lord"--and tried to get itdeeper every time I said it; but the Lord knew it did not reach theinmost depths. That was a wonderful day to me, but it was not the day ofmy death, as it was of my companion. She told in meeting that eveningwhat the Lord had wrought. I told what I was trying to say to theLord--"Thy will be done. "

Time passed by and I still hesitated. I wanted the Lord's perfect will, but also wanted just a little of my will. I wanted both, but the Lordshowed that I could have but one; and I plainly knew which one, if I wasever to obtain the grace of sanctification. The life of my companion wasa daily testimony which only added to my trouble. I knew she had whatshe never had before. Her life before was all that I ever expected tofind in a true, devoted, Christian woman, but now in some marvelousmanner there was vastly more heaven in her life than before, and themarked absence of everything unlike heaven. I knew she was sanctified, and I knew I was not. She had just what I must have, and what my soulwas longing for these years. Oh, why could I not just now say "Yes!"with my whole heart and die the death and gain the abundant life?Sometimes I was under such conviction that I felt miserable. I asked Godto forgive me for not yielding up my whole heart as I knew he would haveme do. 

 * * * * *

Weeks and months passed and my attention became absorbed in business andthe cares of life, but these months were more unsatisfactory than all myprevious Christian life, and some of this time I certainly lived on avery low plane of spirituality, and it is evident that I at last came tothe point where my justification would have been forfeited had I notgone over and possessed the land. I struggled and suffered sometimesunutterably. After the struggle was over and I was sanctified I couldlook back and see where I had come up to a deep chasm so deep and darkthat I could not see the bottom. It was too wide for me to step across. On the other side was everything my soul longed for. I could see thebeautiful plane and way of sanctification. My loved ones were walking onit and rejoicing in its glory. Above the chasm there seemed suspended arope securely fastened and strong enough to hold my weight, and itseemed that I could easily take hold of this rope and by a desperateeffort swing myself across the chasm. I had taken hold of the rope andwas for a long time hesitating about making the leap. The chasm was thedepth I must drop into in order to reach sanctification, but it seemedawful--so deep and dark, and no assurance that I would ever see lifeagain. The rope was my will. I had presumed to swing across withoutgoing into the death, but God knew that would not be his way, and thereI stood, gazing with fear and trembling into the immensity of this darkchasm into which to leap meant certain death. Later I had taken hold ofthe rope and swung myself away from where I had been standing, with thehope of reaching the other side. I could not reach it and now was worseoff than before, for I was now suspended above the chasm and couldneither go back nor go forward. There I was hanging and swinging, holding on for life, and yet the Holy Spirit kept saying, "Let go. "

My sufferings increased until I began to feel that death would be arelief. At that time God sent a brother to us who preached a sermon fromthe text, 1 Peter 4:1, 2, with emphasis upon the clause, "For he thathath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. " The Holy Spiritapplied this to me and revealed to my soul the utter necessity of deathto gain sanctification. The end came, I let go my death grip of the ropeand said as I never said before, "Yes, Lord, thy will be done!" I knewthat it reached the uttermost depth of my soul. God knew it, and I amcertain that Satan knew it. At the close of that meeting I said, "I amnow offered up. " There was no conscious change only I knew my will wasyielded, and I am certain that not an atom of earth existed between Godand me. We went home late in the evening, and as I was retiring I kneltonce more before God and simply told him that now after these months ofstruggle it was all ended and I was so thankful to him that I could sayso sweetly, "Thy will be done. " My hold upon the rope had become soweary. How sweet and blessed now to rest so securely in that infinitewill. The great chasm was deep and dark, but I was so glad that I hadlet go and dropped into it; for I was so conscious now that even in thedarkness and depths I was in his will. As I dropped, loving arms ofJesus had caught me and I was glad to be in death with him. I feltwithin me that something wonderful was about to take place. I arose frommy knees and scarcely had time to lie down when truly I experienced ataste of death. Wholly unconscious of my earthly surroundings, butknowing I was in the presence of Jesus, I believe a death was wroughtwithin me, after which the baptism of pentecostal fire and the HolyGhost came upon me. The refining fire went through my very body and theeffect seemed terrible. The sublime consciousness of the presence ofheaven and the majesty of God was such as mortal tongue can neverdescribe. Then following the distinct baptism of fire the floodgates ofheaven's glory were opened upon me, and, oh, the heavenly deluge thatfollowed can be realized only by those who have experienced the same. 

More than sixteen years have passed since this wonderful event, andwhile the emotions of feeling have been varied through the labors andtoils of a busy life (both in business life, and twelve years in thegospel ministry), I can testify to the glory of God that the power andvictory in this blessed second grace has been all-sufficient. The wordof God, now I found, was full of sanctification, and my new experiencespoiled me for any arguments against the doctrine as a second work ofgrace, and in due time I could plainly see that according to the word ofGod and the plan of redemption it must be an experience subsequent tojustification. The conscious presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit andthe knowledge of a pure heart in this precious grace is what we needcontinually in this battle against the powers of the enemy. 

Brother and sister, have you had your Pentecost? If not, tarry atJerusalem. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I prayGod your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto thecoming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, whoalso will do it. "--1 Thess. 5:23, 24. 

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Transcriber's Note

Minor punctuation errors have been corrected without notice. A fewobvious typographical errors have been corrected and are listed below. 

Page 3: "The Holy Spirit of Promise" page number changed from "23" to"25". 

Page 8: "It is indispensible" changed to "It is indispensable". 

Page 17: "the words "having" signifying" changed to "the word "having"signifying". 

Page 36: "than should no place" changed to "then should no place". 

Page 45: "so deeply inbedded" changed to "so deeply embedded". 

Page 62: "of ecclestiastical bondage" changed to "of ecclesiasticalbondage". 

Page 62: "will in every individaul" changed to "will in everyindividual". 

Page 63: "throughly furnished unto all" changed to "thoroughly furnishedunto all". 

Pages 77-78: "made "perfect his death" changed to "made "perfect" by hisdeath". 

Page 85: "sanctificed condition" changed to "sanctified condition". 

Page 90: "Chapter XIV" changed to "Chapter XIII". 

Page 95: "no consicous change only" changed to "no conscious change only".