Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-11-04
teacher Of spiritual things THE Lord
knoweth them that are his" I'll limo
/ thv ii 1Ql
How to Become sanctified.


thy ii, 1917.
How to Become Sanctified.
Seeing that the sanctiied are COM
paratively few. and that evidently few
can properly direct the way toward d
condition which they have not them
selves attained. it beht owes us to look
carefully to the Instructions given us
by our Lord Jesus directly and through
his apostles. st. Paul. who wrote, This
is the will of God. even your sanctitica-
tion.' also wrote. I'VE are bound to
give thanks alway to God for you,
brethren. beloved of the Lord. because
God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctihcation
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 Gil Thessalo nians
ii. Is. al. Note from these words that
the call Of the Church is the special
feature of this present Gospel Age and
it's message Note also that our call
is not to sectarianism, but to heart
relationship with the Lord through
belief of the Truth and proportion
ate getting rid Of error And this en-
lightenment through the Truth pro-
crosses in proportion to our saLctifica-
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 sanctifed in
Christ Jesus (who were) called to be
saints and he explains that while they
had been sinners, "chidren 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. ye are sanctifed. We
are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus. and by the Spirit Of our God" Il
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
sanctified" (Acts Xxx, 32,. Note here
that it is only the sanctifed 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 sanctifcation. He elects that all
those who shall accept his favor to the
extent of sanctification in the trying
conditions of the present time shall be
joint-heirs with our Lord and Redeem
er in his Millennial Kingdom. The
Apostles words are, ELECT according
to the foreknOwledge of God the Fa-
Their. through sanctitication of the Spir-
it, unto obedience and sprinkling of
the blood Of Jesus Christ" q Peter i,
p. Here we have the matter succinct-
ly stated-faith in the blood Of Jesus
is essential as the first step in the way
to God. NO man cometh unto the Fa-
ther but by me-" said our Lord Then
our way must be through sanctifcation
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 sanctifcation is not merely for
the beginning Of our Christian expert
ence, but to be the very essence of cur
lives thereafter The trials and test
inys Of life from the world. the flesh
and the devil will serve to demonstrate
the thOrOughness of our sanctifcati0n.
God. however, is not seeking to prove
whether or not we are perfect in the
flesh. for he knows and informs us that
desire to prove that our conservation.
our sanctihcation. our setting apart Of
ourselves to be faithful to the Lord at
any and every cost is not merely a
passing whim 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 his state
ments already quoted. wrote to the
Christians at Rome respecting Gods
foreknowledge and predestination Of
the Elect Church, saying. Whom he
did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the frstborn
among many brethren" (Romans viii,
29l. Our Heavenly Father decreed
that no one might be a member of this
elect Church except sanctified ones.
And these must be tested before final
apDrOyaI Their Lord their Redeemer