Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-11-02

Seeing that the sanctified are CON-
paratively few. and that evidently few
can properly direct the way toward p
condition which they have not them
| selves attained. ii behooyes us to look
carefully to the Instructions given us
/ by our Lord Jesus directly and through
his apostles. ST. S4uI. who wrote, This
is The will of God. even your sanctihca-
tion." also wrote. I'VE are bound to
| give thanks Away to God for you,
brethren. beloved of the Lord. because
God hath from the beginning chosen
| you to salvation through sanctification
| of the spirit and belief of the Truth
| whereunto he called you by our Cos
pei. to the obtaining of the glory OF our
Lord Jesus Christ I'll Thessalonians
| ii. Is. 14l. Note from these words that
the call Of the Church is the special
feature of this present Gospel Age and
| its message. Note also that our call
is not to sectarianism. but to a heart
relationship with the Lord through a
belief of the Truth and proportion
ate getting rid of error. And this en-
lightenment through the Truth pro-
| crosses in proportion to cur saLctitica-
ton Of spirit-of thought, of word, OF
| deed.
Note again the same Apostles expla-
nation of the matter. He says that he
addresses them that are sanctified in
Christ Jesus (who werel called to be
saints. and he explains that while they
had been sinners, children of wrath.
even as Others" they had been cleans
| ed by faith through acceptance of the
finished work of Christ on our behalf.
''Ye are washed. We are sanctifed. We
are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus. and by the Spirit of our God" q
| Corinthians vi, III. The same st. Paul,
addressing the Ephesian brethren. says.
81 commend you to God. and to the
Word of his grace. which is able to
build you up. and to give you an in
heritance among all them that are
sanctifed" (Acts Xxx. 32D. Note here
that it is only the sanctified of the
| present age that are to get the Inherit
ance that is now offered-the heavenly
Inheritance with our Lord Jesus, a
share with him in his heavenly King
dom. Note also how the Apostle here
again lays emphasis upon the Scrip
lures as containing the power which
! not only leads US to conservation and
setting apart to the Lords service. but
which will strengthen us in. thought
and word and deed to do his good
pleasure, to maintain our sanctified
relationship with him through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Elected Through Sanctification.
st. Peter Il Peter i, p explains to us
that Gods election of the members of
| the Church from amongst the world
| during the present age is along the line
Of sanctitication. He elects that all
those who shall accept his favor to the
extent of sanctitcation i'll the trying
| conditions of the present time shall be
| joint-heirs with our Lord aud Redeem
| er in his Millennial Kingdom. The
| Apostles words are. Elect according
to the foreknowledge Of God the Fa-
| Their. through sanctihcation of the Spir-
| it. unto obedience and sprinkling OF
| the blood of Jesus Christ" q Peter |.
p. Here we have the matter succinct-
| " stated-faith in the blood of Jesus
is essential as the first step In the way
| to God. no man cometh unto the Fa-
| Their but by me" said our Lord. Then
our way must be through sanctification
| of the Spirit. of the will. the setting
| apart of our hearts from earthly am
billions and pleasures to heavenly ones
| -deadness TO the world and liveness
toward God. This work of grace must
| progress day by day.
Our Sanctitication Is not merely for
the beginning Of our Christian expert
ence, but TO be the very essence of our
| lives thereafter. The trials and test
ings of life from the world, the flesh
| and the devil will serve to demonstrate
/ the thoroughness of our sanctiication.
| God. however, is not seeking to prove
| whether or not we are perfect In the
| flesh, for he knows and informs us that
we are imperfect He does. however.
| desire to prove that our conservation,
| our sanctification. our setting apart Of
ourselves to be faithful to the Lord at
/ any and every cost Is not merely a
| passing within or fancy. but by con-
| tinual instructions Of his Word by the
| inspirations of his Promises. By the
| testings of his disciplines be would
fix indelibly. unalterably. this decision
Of ours to be entirely his in thought,
In word. in deed-even unto death.
"copies of His Son."
ST. Paul, consistently with bis state
ments already quoted. wrote to the
| Christians at Rome respecting Gods
| foreknowledge and predestination Of
| the Elect Church. saying. Whom be
did foreknow, he also did predestinate
| to be conformed to the image of his
Son. that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren" (Romans viii,
29). Our Heavenly Father decreed
| that no one might be member Of this
elect Church except sanctihed ones.
And these must be tested before final
approval Their Lord, their Redeemer.
| having been saint fully consecrated
to the Fathers will. these called, cho-
sen and faithful followers will likewise
be saints and, In this respect, the Apos-
tie declares. they will be copies OF
their Redeemer. and he will be an
Elder Brother amongst them. when
they shall share his glory in his King
| dom.
Notice the harmony of all this with
our text. both he that sanctifieth tour
Lord jesus and they that are sancti-
fed this elect Church, are all Of one
lof one spirit OF loyalty to the Father
and his righteousness-and baptized by
the one spirit into the one Body. or
which Christ Is the Head. For this
cause he dhe glorifed Redeemerl Is
not ashamed 10 call these sanctined
ones. finally tested. his brethren on
J the highest plane of nature-his own,
tho nfvina nature i'm glory honor and