The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-05-04
Sancti1catiOn.

SanctincatiOn.
BIZ. REV. II. W. Bolton, d. d.
TExr-"And the very God Of peace sanctif!
you wholly; and pray God your who'll
| spirit and soul and body be preserved
| blameless unto the coming Of our LORI
| Jesus Christ. Faithful IS he that calletl
| you, Who will also do It,"
Il Thess. 5:33, "A
This prayer for such it is by nature,
was offered in the interest of that people
whose faith had become historic, and
whose deeds we're known In all the Chris
tian world; offered in view of their meet.
ing the expectation of those who had
heard of their faith that they might be
able to rejoice always, and in all things
give thanks.
1t contains three great truths often
urged upon the churches from this pas
sage. First il recognizes the doctrine OF
mans threefold nature. Second, The
faithfulness and ability of God to fulfill
all He had undertaken in and for man.
Third, The highest state in grace attain
able in this life-the sanctification of the
spirit, soul and body.
1. What, then, are we to understand
by the doctrine of specification?
l. There are those who claim perfec-
ton in conduct. This is fanaticism gone
mad. Christian perfection is not the
perfection of angels, nor Of God, but of
humanity, or the perfection of human
beings. Infallibility is not fruit of grace
The hottest man is liable to mistakes.
2. Others boast of having reached that
state in grace where they are not tempted
to Gin, and are thereby freed from the
possibility of SHINING, or even falling.
1t would seem that none ought 10 ques-
ton me when say this is fanaticism, for
Christ's temptation is matter Of record,
and SO long as the example Of angels and
Of our first parents are before us, we
need not hope to escape temptation.
Another prevalent error among us
is the profession of some that they have
ceased to work, and that Jesus does it all.
There is no more struggle or conflict.
This is all wrong. Sanctification does
not release a man from watchfulness and
struggle, but 1t intensifies both. tits not
true that the entirely sanctified soul has
reached the end Of development or of
There is always room for
adding to the quantity of our grace. One
drop of water is not the ocean, though it
is like the ocean; one ray of light is not
the sun, though like the sun. In quality
they are the same;in quantity they widely
differ. While we never reach the end of
we may reach the end Of
Because of these errors
with the profession of this
truth, men looking on the dross are
making excuses and fighting
against the most sacred truth of all re-
vealed truths.
What then is the sanctification requir-
ed of Christians? Here use the word
as synonymous with Christian perfection.
1t is not the perfection of knowledge; we
shall ever be learning. We can never be
perfect in judgement. We cannot be
perfect as angels, for they have not fallen.
We cannot be perfect as Adam. for we
shall not be reinstated in pure man
hood till the glory of the resurrection
morn. But We can be perfect in love;
we can walk before God in perfect
we can be perfect In our
sphere, as God is perfect in His sphere.
1t Is freedom from sin, and it's guilt and
pollutfon-one bringing punishment, the
other shame.
1t Is perfection of heart rather than Of
intellect perfection in love. It is be-
ing filed with the fruits of the Spirit
love, gentleness. meekness, patience,
lonRsuferinG. These arc 20 b manifest
ed In the life Of the believer. Heels to be
like q sunbeam held by the Infinite Son,
and rejecting the Fathers glory.
II. Having noted the efrors entertain.
ed by some who profess sanctification,
let us look at some Of the objections
urged by our critics, for those who deny
the possibility Of the work rob the church
Of its power and its glory, and themselves
Of great joy.
l. Among the most popular objections
is the utter denial Of the possibility of
reaching perfection in this life, and so
men excuse themselyes from its claims.
To such we would say, God never de-
mands impossibilities; and God says,
''Be ye perfect, even - your Father in
heaven is perfect" Peter, speaking by
the inspiration Of the Holy Ghost, says,
"Be ye holy, for am holy" The apostle
to the Hebrews writes, s.Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which
no man shall zee the Lord" Jesus
taught His disciples to prsy, "Thy will
be done In earth Is 1t h In heaven"
Thus God demands Of 10 perfection in