By Puritan
This is a Divine command, my Christian friend, and none could be plainer and more pronounced. You cannot read your Bible and fail to see that God demands holiness in His people.
What is holiness? In a word, it is freedom from sin. You have not been a Christian for very long without finding out that you have something in your heart that troubles you. You do not want it in your heart – you loathe it. The expression of this thing is varied — ill temper, pride, self-will, fear of man, unholy ambitions, are some of its manifestations; and all these things you deplore.
The presence of this something in your heart is so pronounced and perplexing that you may have at times doubted the genuineness of your conversion. All Christians find this condition sooner or later to be their experience, and generally sooner than later. You then, Reader, are not unlike others in having it. You must not “cast away your confidence” (Heb. 10:35). At the same time you must not think that this condition must remain. No! It may be cleansed away by the precious blood of Jesus. You can be made holy.
You will find that most of the people around you do not understand about this deliverance, though they will frankly confess their need of it. Indeed, you may find not a few who will oppose and ridicule the idea, but it is Divine truth just the same. Your ears must be closed to all opposition from men, from the devil, and from your own heart. Your attention must be turned to your need, to God’s ability to cleanse you, and to His promise to do it.
How to Get the Blessing of Holiness
You are interested in the question of being sanctified. No other question is more important to you. It was of great significance that Jesus died to secure holiness for His people. How can you get this grace? Let me tell you, for the matter is simple as to finding it.
1. Confess that you do not have it. There must be no ifs, ands or buts about this. “I do not have this experience” must be your frank confession to yourself.
2. You must believe that it is for you. You might think it is for others and be betrayed into thinking that it is not for you. But God says that He is no respecter of persons and you must believe this (Acts 10:34-35).
3. You must openly confess at any proper place, and in the proper manner, your need of this experience and your purpose to find it, thus making yourself a definite and determined seeker.
4. You must consecrate yourself entirely to God in order to be sanctified. You are to do this as definitely as you did when you repented of your sins in order to be converted.
5. You must recognize the definiteness and suddenness of the work of sanctification — that it is not a growth in grace, or a struggle, or anything requiring the time element. It is a Divine work of God done in your soul by the Holy Spirit.
6. You must renounce all merit in your own efforts, or those of others, such as all tears, feelings, prayers, or even the merit of faith. You must trust in the blood of Jesus as the only meritorious ground of your sanctification, and then trust God to sanctify you wholly (1 Thess. 5:23-24).
The devil may say, “But you do not feel sanctified.” Your position must be, “I trust God to sanctify me now.” The devil continues, “But you do not want the blessing enough to get it.” “I trust God to sanctify me now,” you still say. “But you do not appear like others when they get the experience.” Your attitude still is, “I am trusting God to do this work.” “But you have no witness.” You still say, “I am trusting God.” “But if you do get this, you will not hold out.” You persistently declare, “I am in God’s hands to be sanctified.” The devil continues, “But, but, but” — and your conquering answer to all this is, “Well, bless God, the blood cleanses!”
“The thing surpasses all my thought,
But faithful is my Lord.
Through unbelief I stagger not,
For God has spoken the word!”
AND YOU WILL HAVE THE BLESSING!
“Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24.
“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” – Hebrews 13:12
“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7
Be Holy was revised, and may be reproduced and distributed.
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