Sep 20
2
The longer I live, the more I feel that if there were one thing left undone, if the devil were not conquered, sin not expiated, justice not satisfied, the law not honoured and magnified, death not overcome, and every burden not carried, I should not have a ray of hope. I used to think I saw this as clear as the noon day thirty or forty years ago; but I saw it very differently then to what I see now; for I see and feel now that if one hair-breadth is left for me to do to merit heaven, or bring as a plea before God, I am undone for ever and ever. But on the Mount of Calvary, the Lord Jesus Christ undertook the cause of His people; and there is not a jot nor a tittle that He left undone, but, “By one offering He perfected for ever them that are sanctified” and “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Here is complete perfection: Saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation.
– John Warburton, 1853
The Bible cannot quicken, nor sanctify, nor comfort!
(Octavius Winslow)
“Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!” 1 Thessalonians 1:5
Apart from the Spirit, the Bible cannot quicken, nor sanctify, nor comfort. It may be . . .
read constantly,
and searched deeply,
and known accurately,
and understood partially,
and quoted appropriately.
Yet, left to its own unassisted power, it comes but in word only, producing no hallowing, no abiding, no saving results.
Unaccompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is inactive and inoperative—a mere dead letter!
All that we spiritually know . . .
of ourselves,
of God,
of Jesus,
of His Word—
we owe to the supernatural teaching of the Holy Spirit. All the real light, sanctification, strength and comfort we possess on our way to glory—we must ascribe to Him.
Sanctification
By J. C. Philpot
As from the cross flows all salvation, so from the cross flows all sanctification. What have not men done, to make themselves holy; and by this means render themselves, as they have thought, acceptable to God! What tortures of body, what fastings, scourgings, self-imposed penances to sanctify their sinful nature, and conform their rebellious flesh to the holiness demanded by the law! And with what success? They have landed either in self-righteousness or despair—though at opposite points of the compass.
The flesh cannot be sanctified. It is essentially and incurably corrupt; and therefore, if we are to possess that inward holiness, “without which no man shall see the Lord,” it must be by Christ being “of God, made unto us sanctification,” as well as righteousness—sanctifying us not only “with his own blood,” (Heb. 13:13,) but by his Spirit and grace. If we believe in Him, we shall love him (“unto you which believe, he is precious;”) if we love him, we shall seek to please, and fear to displease him; if we believe in Him, by the gift and work of God, this divine and living faith will purify our heart, overcome the world, produce that spiritual mindedness which is life and peace, give union and communion with the Lord of life and glory; and every believing view of him, every act of faith upon him, and every visit from him, will conform us to his likeness, as the Apostle speaks: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18.)
If, then, we are to feel an inward power sanctifying our hearts, drawing up our minds to heavenly things, subduing our sins, meekening and softening our spirit, separating us from the world, filling us with holy thoughts, gracious desires, and pure affections, and thus making us “meet for the inheritance of the saints in light,” this inward sanctification must flow wholly and solely from the Blessed Spirit, as the gift of a risen Jesus: as he himself said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” (John 16:7, 14).
It is not, then, the hair-shirt, the monk’s cell, the midnight vigil, the protracted fast; no, nor the soothing strains of the swelling organ, the melodious chant of surpliced choristers, the “dim religious light” of the stained Gothic window; no, nor the terrors of the Law, the accusations of conscience, the tears, cries and resolutions of a heart that still loves sin, though professing to repent of it; no, nor gloomy looks, neglected apparel, softly uttered words, slow walk, holiness of face, manner, and gesture, hollow voice, demure countenance, a choice assortment of Scripture words and phrases on every occasion, or no occasion; no, nor all the array of piety and sanctity which Satan, transformed into an angel of light, has devised to deceive thousands, that can purge the conscience from the guilt, filth, love, power and practice of sin, or raise up that new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Like the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, they may, and even that very imperfectly, sanctify to the purifying of the flesh; but it is the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, which can alone purge the conscience from filth, guilt, and dead works, to serve the living God; and it is the work of the blessed Spirit alone which, by revealing Christ, and forming him in the heart, “the hope of glory,” can create and bring forth that new man of grace which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him.
Drive the nail of the cross!
The greatest instrument of sanctification is the love of Jesus.
Oh, that He would drive the nail of the cross right through
your hearts, that it might be forever fastened there!
-Spurgeon
All true sanctification
(Octavius Winslow)
“Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
There is no victory over the indwelling power of sin, and
there is no pardon for the guilt of sin, but as the soul deals
with the blood of Christ. The great end of our dear Lord’s
death was to destroy the works of the devil. Sin is the great
work of Satan. To overcome this, to break its power, subdue
its dominion, repair its ruins, and release from its condemnation,
the blessed Son of God suffered the ignominious death of the
cross. All that bitter agony which He endured, all that mental
suffering, the sorrow of His soul in the garden, the sufferings
of His body on the cross–all was for sin.
See, then, the close and beautiful connection between the death
of Christ–and the death of sin. All true sanctification comes
through the cross! Seek it there. The cross brought into your
soul by the eternal Spirit will be the death of your sins. Go to the
cross! Oh, go to the cross of Jesus! In simplicity of faith, go with
the strong corruption; go with the burden of guilt; go to the cross!
You will find nothing but love there, nothing but welcome there,
nothing but purity there. The precious blood of Jesus “cleanses us
from all sin.” And while you are kept low beneath the cross, your
enemy dares not approach you, sin shall not have dominion over
you, nor shall Satan, your accuser, condemn you!
Afflictions
cannot sanctify us except as they are
used by Christ as His mallet and His chisel.
Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise;
we reckon them to be the ‘bass’ part of our life’s song.
This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country.
This world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss.
-Spurgeon
That is what some of you were!
(J. C. Philpot)
The Holy Spirit undertakes to sanctify the objects
of the Father’s eternal choice, and of the Son’s
redeeming death.
Sanctification is as needful, as indispensable
for the Church’s salvation, as redemption!
For O! how low was the Church sunk in the Adam fall! The
image of God, in which she was created–how defaced and
as if blotted out! Death spreading itself with fatal effect
over her every mental and bodily faculty! Sin, like a hideous
leprosy, infecting her to the very heart’s core! A thousand
base lusts plunging her deeper and deeper into a sea of
guilt and crime! Enmity against God boiling up in waves
of ceaseless rebellion! Satan tyrannizing over her with
cruel sway, sometimes drawing and sometimes driving,
but by one or the other dragging her without hope or
help towards the brink of the bottomless pit!
Hear that bold blasphemer!
See that drunken, raving prostitute!
Look at that murderer with his blood-red hand
stealing off from his mangled victim!
Or, if you shrink from such sounds and such sights, picture
to your imagination the vilest wretch who ever disgraced
human nature–and you see in that portrait the features of
the Church as implicated in the Adam fall–and sunk into
original and actual transgression!
What a work, then, was undertaken by that most gracious
and condescending Spirit, who solemnly pledged Himself,
in the eternal covenant, to sanctify such wretches, and
to fit and frame them to be partakers of holiness, and
live forever in God’s spotless presence!
It were easier for the wolf to dwell with the lamb, and
the leopard to lie down with the sheep–than for ungodly
sinners, unwashed, unregenerated, unsanctified, to dwell
forever before the throne of God and of the Lamb!
But O, the wonders of wisdom, grace, and love!
Sinners, the vilest sinners, the worst of wretches, the
basest of mortals–can and will enter through the gates
into the holy city!
Paul, having enumerated some of the vilest crimes which
stain human nature and sink it below the beasts that perish,
says, “And that is what some of you were! But you were
washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:11
To be washed and sanctified is as needful, as indispensable
as to be justified.
What is it to preach the gospel?
by Don Fortner
“Salvation is, in its entirety, the work of
God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ.
Election, redemption, justification, sanctification,
and preservation are all works of grace alone, in no way
conditioned upon the will, works, or worth of the sinner.”
What Is it to Preach the Gospel?
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about MAN.
What is the truth about man? “All flesh is grass,” -withering,
worthless, insignificant grass (Isa. 40:6-8). All men are fallen,
depraved, helpless, guilty sinners, without the least inclination
or ability to do good, seek God, or know God (Rom. 3:9-18),
dead in trespasses and in sins (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about GOD.
God is is the eternal, holy, sovereign Monarch of the universe.
It is he who made all things, rules all things, and disposes of all
things (including you and I) as he will. “All things are of God.”
Nothing in this universe writhes or wiggles apart from God’s
purpose, predestination, providence, and power (Rom. 11:36).
It is this great and glorious Lord God who lifts his hand and says,
“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Lord Jesus Christ is God in human flesh, God come to save.
He was called “Jesus” because he is Jehovah our Savior.
He came here on an errand of mercy, with a commission from
God the Father as our covenant Surety to save his people from
their sins (Matt. 1:21; John 10:16-18); and when he left here,
all that he came to do was done! Righteousness was established.
Justice was satisfied. The sins of God’s elect, which were
imputed to him, were put away. His people were fully and
forever redeemed, justified, and sanctified by his blood
(Heb. 10:10-14).
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about SALVATION.
What does it take to save a sinner? It takes a work of God’s
sovereign, eternal, electing love and predestination (Eph. 1:3-6).
It takes a work of effectual, blood redemption, the satisfaction of
divine justice by an infinitely meritorious Substitute– the Lord
Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24-26). It takes all the work of God’s
universal providence (Rom. 8:28-30). It takes the infallible,
irresistible grace and power of God the Holy Spirit in
regeneration and effectual calling, by which chosen, redeemed
sinners are raised from the dead and given faith in Christ (Eph.
1:17-20; Psa. 65:4). It takes a work of immutable grace, preserving
the called ones in life and grace, causing them to persevere
in faith, keeping them unto the end (Phil. 1:6). It takes a work of
resurrection glory, by which these bodies sown in corruption
shall put on incorruption, mortality shall put on immortality, and
God’s elect shall enter into that eternal state of bliss called
“the glorious liberty of the sons of God” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
This salvation, in its entirety, is found in the Lord Jesus Christ
alone (1 Cor. 1:30-31).