Part 32 (2/2)
The sanctification set forth in the Scriptures embraces the entire being,-spirit, soul, and body. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, that their ”whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”(812) Again he writes to believers, ”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of G.o.d, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto G.o.d.”(813) In the time of ancient Israel, every offering brought as a sacrifice to G.o.d was carefully examined. If any defect was discovered in the animal presented, it was refused; for G.o.d had commanded that the offering be ”without blemish.” So Christians are bidden to present their bodies, ”a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto G.o.d.” In order to do this, all their powers must be preserved in the best possible condition. Every practice that weakens physical or mental strength unfits man for the service of his Creator. And will G.o.d be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer? Said Christ, ”Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy heart.”
Those who do love G.o.d with all the heart will desire to give Him the best service of their life, and they will be constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote their ability to do His will. They will not, by the indulgence of appet.i.te or pa.s.sion, enfeeble or defile the offering which they present to their heavenly Father.
Peter says, ”Abstain from fleshly l.u.s.ts, which war against the soul.”(814) Every sinful gratification tends to benumb the faculties and deaden the mental and spiritual perceptions, and the word or the Spirit of G.o.d can make but a feeble impression upon the heart. Paul writes to the Corinthians, ”Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of G.o.d.”(815) And with the fruits of the Spirit,-”love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,”-he cla.s.ses ”temperance.”(816)
Notwithstanding these inspired declarations, how many professed Christians are enfeebling their powers in the pursuit of gain or the wors.h.i.+p of fas.h.i.+on; how many are debasing their G.o.dlike manhood by gluttony, by wine-drinking, by forbidden pleasure. And the church, instead of rebuking, too often encourages the evil by appealing to appet.i.te, to desire for gain or love of pleasure, to replenish her treasury, which love for Christ is too feeble to supply. Were Jesus to enter the churches of to-day, and behold the feasting and unholy traffic there conducted in the name of religion, would He not drive out those desecrators, as He banished the money-changers from the temple?
The apostle James declares that the wisdom from above is ”first pure.” Had he encountered those who take the precious name of Jesus upon lips defiled by tobacco, those whose breath and person are contaminated by its foul odor, and who pollute the air of heaven, and force all about them to inhale the poison,-had the apostle come in contact with a practice so opposed to the purity of the gospel, would he not have denounced it as ”earthly, sensual, devilish”? Slaves of tobacco, claiming the blessing of entire sanctification, talk of their hope of heaven; but G.o.d's word plainly declares that ”there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.”(817)
”Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of G.o.d, and ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify G.o.d in your body, and in your spirit, which are G.o.d's.”(818) He whose body is the temple of the Holy Spirit will not be enslaved by a pernicious habit. His powers belong to Christ, who has bought him with the price of blood. His property is the Lord's. How could he be guiltless in squandering this intrusted capital? Professed Christians yearly expend an immense sum upon useless and pernicious indulgences, while souls are peris.h.i.+ng for the word of life. G.o.d is robbed in t.i.thes and offerings, while they consume upon the altar of destroying l.u.s.t more than they give to relieve the poor or for the support of the gospel. If all who profess to be followers of Christ were truly sanctified, their means, instead of being spent for needless and even hurtful indulgences, would be turned into the Lord's treasury, and Christians would set an example of temperance, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Then they would be the light of the world.
The world is given up to self-indulgence. ”The l.u.s.t of the flesh, the l.u.s.t of the eye, and the pride of life,” control the ma.s.ses of the people. But Christ's followers have a holier calling. ”Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean.” In the light of G.o.d's word we are justified in declaring that sanctification cannot be genuine which does not work this utter renunciation of the sinful pursuits and gratifications of the world.
To those who comply with the conditions, ”Come out from among them, and be ye separate, ... and touch not the unclean,” G.o.d's promise is, ”I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”(819) It is the privilege and the duty of every Christian to have a rich and abundant experience in the things of G.o.d. ”I am the light of the world,” said Jesus. ”He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”(820) ”The path of the just is as the s.h.i.+ning light, that s.h.i.+neth more and more unto the perfect day.”(821) Every step of faith and obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the Light of the world, in whom ”there is no darkness at all.” The bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness s.h.i.+ne upon the servants of G.o.d, and they are to reflect His rays. As the stars tell us that there is a great light in heaven with whose glory they are made bright, so Christians are to make it manifest that there is a G.o.d on the throne of the universe whose character is worthy of praise and imitation.
The graces of His Spirit, the purity and holiness of His character, will be manifest in His witnesses.
Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, sets forth the rich blessings granted to the children of G.o.d. He says: We ”do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of G.o.d; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.”(822)
Again he writes of his desire that the brethren at Ephesus might come to understand the height of the Christian's privilege. He opens before them, in the most comprehensive language, the marvelous power and knowledge that they might possess as sons and daughters of the Most High. It was theirs ”to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man,” to be ”rooted and grounded in love,” to ”comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which pa.s.seth knowledge.” But the prayer of the apostle reaches the climax of privilege when he prays that ”ye might be filled with all the fulness of G.o.d.”(823)
Here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly Father, when we fulfil His requirements. Through the merits of Christ, we have access to the throne of Infinite Power. ”He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”(824) The Father gave His Spirit without measure to His Son, and we also may partake of its fulness. Jesus says: ”If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”(825) ”If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” ”Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”(826)
While the Christian's life will be characterized by humility, it should not be marked with sadness and self-depreciation. It is the privilege of every one so to live that G.o.d will approve and bless him. It is not the will of our heavenly Father that we should be ever under condemnation and darkness. There is no evidence of true humility in going with the head bowed down and the heart filled with thoughts of self. We may go to Jesus and be cleansed, and stand before the law without shame and remorse.
”There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”(827)
Through Jesus the fallen sons of Adam become ”sons of G.o.d.” ”Both He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”(828) The Christian's life should be one of faith, of victory, and joy in G.o.d. ”Whatsoever is born of G.o.d overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”(829) Truly spake G.o.d's servant Nehemiah, ”The _joy_ of the Lord is your strength.”(830) And Paul says: ”Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” ”Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of G.o.d in Christ Jesus concerning you.”(831)
Such are the fruits of Bible conversion and sanctification; and it is because the great principles of righteousness set forth in the law of G.o.d are so indifferently regarded by the Christian world, that these fruits are so rarely witnessed. This is why there is manifest so little of that deep, abiding work of the Spirit of G.o.d which marked revivals in former years.
It is by beholding that we become changed. And as those sacred precepts in which G.o.d has opened to men the perfection and holiness of His character are neglected, and the minds of the people are attracted to human teachings and theories, what marvel that there has followed a decline of living piety in the church. Saith the Lord, ”They have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”(832)
”Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the unG.o.dly.... But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”(833) It is only as the law of G.o.d is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and G.o.dliness among His professed people. ”Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”(834)
28. THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chapter header.]
”I beheld,” says the prophet Daniel, ”till thrones were placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit: His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”(835)
Thus was presented to the prophet's vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pa.s.s in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered ”according to his works.” The Ancient of days is G.o.d the Father. Says the psalmist, ”Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art G.o.d.”(836) It is He, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses, in number ”ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,”
attend this great tribunal.
”And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pa.s.s away.”(837) The coming of Christ here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844.
Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies, and there appears in the presence of G.o.d, to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man,-to perform the work of investigative judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be ent.i.tled to its benefits.
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