Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-11-27
SANCTIFICATION

SANCTIFICATION.
/ wrote two articles on the subject
of holiness or sanctification some time
ago. In the first l clearly proved by
the Bible that in order to obtain
heaven we must live, holy lives, sim
less lives. In the second l proved con-
clusively by the Bible that the bap-t
tism of the Holy Ghost is subsequent
to conversion or regeneration. In this
article my purpose is to tell what
sanctifcation is. 1t is the basis of our
eternal welfare. For God says in
His word, without sanctification (R.
VI no man shall see the Lord 1t
is certainly astonishing that preach
.ers and churches say 80 little about
it, and when they do refer to it, it is
in such an indifinite way that it is
difficult to get a clear conception of
its real meaning. The minister who
does not explain it to his people and
tell them how to obtain it and how
to retain it, surely fails to fulfill his
mission as a minister. The result is,
W have a clear case of the blind
leading the blind.
1t is not my intention to introduce
a new theory or promulgate a new
doctrine but get you, brother sancti-
fed wholly, l Thess, 5:22-23. Sancti-
fication is a real experience that af-
fects the nature of man-spirit, soul
and body. It is the crucifxtion of the
old man or the carnal mind, Rom. Sc.
It is being dead to the world, dead to
sin, dead to self and dead to the law.
1t is destruction of inbred depravity
by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It
is a heart free from all sin and filled
with the perfect love. It is q heart
and life that is in strict harmony with
the teaching Of the bible. 1t is the
removal of every opposite tendency,
to love. Wesley said "from every evil
notion the son hath made US free. On
all the powers of hell we tread in
glorious liberty" This is surely a
comprehensive definition of sanctifca-
ton. These are the prerequisite of q
successful Christian life. And when
we are thus equipped we will be more
than a match for the devil and his con-
comitant force. You will never see a
sanctified person until you get sane
LITIGATION yourself.
How obtained? By q full and COM
plete conservation to God of our time,
our talents, what we know, what we
may know, what we possess and whist
we may possess. This is conservation
the human side. But q we have not
q conscious reception of sancti7cation,
the divine side, it is all a farce and a
failure and will always be. Remem-
Der sanctification is the result of a
complete conservation. It can be OBJ
tanned by faith, only by those who
meet the conditions that are given in
the bible. What are the conditions ?
We must be a branch in the vine. We
must bear fruit. We must not be of
the world. We must lead a righteous
life. We must be justified before we
are eligible to sanctification. A per
son living in q justified state will not
oppose holiness. In justification we
are quickened, or made alive. Eph. 2:1
Now | am prepared to present my
body a living sacrifice holy, accept
able unto God. Rom. 12:1.l Justifica-
ton fits in just right to comply with
the above scripture. We don't get ii
by shaking hands with the breaches
or by being baptised or by joining tAe
church but it is obtained by, an IN
staneous work wrought in the SOU
through an operation of the spirit ID
God by an application of Cnnisx's
blood. spilled upon Calvary that
cleanses from all sin and all unright.
eousness. 1t means q cleaning up,
Every man that has this hope in him
purifieth himself even as he is pure.'
l, John 3:3.
How retained? By living the life
Jesus lived during His Incarnation
You say prove this. Turn to 2. Cor
4:10. "That the life also of Ies..s
might be made manifest in our body"
We retain it by living that life not
by trying to live it. You can not find
the word TRY" inside the lids of the
bible applicable to the life of the
Christian. Did Paul say he tSed to
fight a good fight, he tried tossinish
his course, he tried to keep the faith /?
Lord help US to get away from such
wishy washy stuff. We retain it not
simply by bitterly renouncing sin bu;
by practicing holiness as it Is reveal.
ed to US in the bible. Any one VINO
says he believes in holiness and lacks
the experience is surely on dangerous
ground, because he is not walking up
to all the light he has and therefore
will come into condemnation. II hear
many say / IAN not see into it. Could
you see into justification before YOU
were justified? Neither can YOU see
into sanctifcation before you are
sanctified. You get into it and then
look out. You are like the man look
ing into a barrel through the bung-
hole. All is dark. He can see moth
ing. But let him get into the barrel
and look out through the bunghoIe and
he will see something.
In conclusion let me a if our
churches were wholly sanctifed as
God intends they should be, they
would meet with the same experience
Paul did when he met Ananias. And
l am quite sure we would get rid of
grafters. sabbath deserters, ad~ulterers
and adulteress, tobacco soaked lodge
bound professors hat infest our
churches so extensively to day. Now,
brother, if what I have said will not
convince you it will be superfuous
for me to say more. / submit this ar
ticle for your candid consideration and
may you through its instrumentality
be led into the light of entire sanctif-
cation while you are reading it, right
in your chair where you are, is the
intense desire of your humble servant.
R"T