02.11. THE HOLY SPIRIT - 05 - The Spirit's Work in Sanctification.

THE HOLY SPIRIT – 05 – The Spirit’s Work in Sanctification.

Things or persons which are set apart for God’s service are said to be sanctified. Aaron and his garments were sanctified (Leviticus 8:30). The altar and laver the tabernacle and its furniture, were sanctified (Exodus 40:9-10). Christ sanctified himself (John 17:10). Christians, as set apart for God’s service, as his peculiar possession, are sanctified. See 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11, etc. The words, "Ye were sanctified," imply that the sanctification was an accomplished thing. Christians as Christians are set apart, consecrated to God. But the New Testament looks also upon sanctification as a process still going on in the Christian. From the appropriately good and pure life which should be manifested by a man set apart, or sanctified, "sanctification" or "holiness" is used of this godly character. Sanctification is consequently urged upon Christians. Jesus asked that the disciples might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:17). Paul prayed, "The God of peace himself sanctify you wholly" (1 Thessalonians 5:23), Our sanctification is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 4:3). This sanctification is attributed to various things. The Father sanctifies (John 10:36; Jude 1:1); so does Jesus (Hebrews 13:12). We have "sanctification of the Spirit" (1 Peter 1:2) and "by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16). As instruments we have--"the truth" (John 17:19), "faith" (Acts 26:18); "the Word of God" (1 Timothy 4:5); the will of God (Hebrews 10:10), the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 13:12). Finally, there is a command to be holy (1 Peter 1:18-19 - the adjective "holy" being a kindred word to the verb "sanctify"), so Christians have a part to do themselves. These passages do not contradict. We may not know so much as we would like to know concerning the process, but perhaps "the work is ascribed to God because he is the first cause of our salvation, to Christ, because he is the Savior, to his blood because it was the procuring cause of our separation unto God and the remission of sins’ to the Word of God because it teaches us the will of God, to the Holy Spirit because he revealed the truth, to ourselves because we must apply the Spirit’s teaching." It would be quite inadequate to stop here. The Holy Spirit comes into a direct relationship with the Christian and influences him. We have a large number of passages which in the plainest fashion declare that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian. "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.- But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). The Christian’s body is "a temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16). See also Romans 8:11; Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Galatians 3:2; Galatians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; 2 Timothy 1:14; James 4:5; 1 John 4:13. What does the Holy Spirit do in and for us? The answer is found in part in the name "Comforter" or "Helper" applied to Him (John 14:16; cf. Acts 9:31); He comforts or strengthens us. Paul says the Spirit helps our infirmities, making intercession for us according to the win of God (Romans 8:26). What we owe to this help and intercession, we cannot fully know in this life. He strengthens us with power in the inward man (Ephesians 3:16). He sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). With Him we have fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). In him we have joy (Romans 14:17). His presence produces as fruits the Christian graces--"love, joy, peace long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). How may we know that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us? There are two ways. Firstly, we notice the divine promise and the terms on which that promise is made. The world cannot receive the Spirit (John 14:17); sons of God have Him in their heart (Galatians 4:6). The "gift of the Holy Spirit is promised by Peter to the obedient penitent believer (Acts 2:38). The "gift, of the Holy Spirit" here is not simply some gift from the Spirit, but the Spirit as a gift, as Paul has it in 1 Thessalonians 4:8, God "giveth His Holy Spirit unto you." Those who have complied with the conditions of Acts 2:38 --conditions stated by the Spirit Himself--may be sure of the promise. In the second place the presence of the Spirit is attested by the fruits mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. If these fruits are absent, the Spirit is not present. Have all Christians an equal share of the Spirit? Evidently not. Some are specially mentioned as being full of the Spirit (Acts 6:3). Christians are exhorted, "Be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) . It becomes a pressing question in the light of the foregoing. How may we be more and more possessed of the Spirit? We reply that since the Holy Spirit was originally giver, to us upon obedience to God’s truth, continued obedience to the Divine will is necessary. Again, we must give up sin, and strive to live a pure life. We must, as it were, give Him a larger habitation in our heart. He is not given to the world, and so those who cling to the things of the world cannot expect .& large measure of the Holy Spirit. Lastly, we are encouraged to pray for the Holy Spirit: "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?" (Luke 11:13). Perhaps in this, as in other cases, we have not because we ask not. At the close of our studies on the Holy Spirit, His miraculous and His ordinary manifestations, the practical question comes, “What is the highest manifestation of the Spirit?” Most of us have been tempted at times to long for radiant visions, audible expressions of Divine favor, faith, and power to work miracles, for some of the "spiritual gifts" possessed by the early Christians. Do not let us forget that we have something better than these. The godly life led by the help of the Spirit in His noblest product. We can get nothing better than "the fruits of the Spirit." Balaam prophesied by the Spirit of God, but he did not live a holy life, and "a little holiness is worth much illumination." Paul distinctly put love above the spiritual gifts; it is one of the Spirit’s fruits, and is "a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:2-31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 Corinthians 14:1). God has given us the best, not the second best.

QUESTIONS.

1. What is meant by conversion? 2. What did Jesus say Holy Spirit would do when He came? 3. Who cannot receive the Holy Spirit? 4. Give New Testament example of the way in which the Holy Spirit works for the salvation of men. 5. Explain John 6:44. How does the Father draw men? 6. Do you think the Scriptures reveal the fact that the Spirit must come directly into the sinner’s heart in order to his conversion? 7. What is meant by sanctification? 8. Name different things which are said in the Scriptures to be sanctified. 9. Who and what sanctify us? 10. What is the Spirit said to do for the Christian? 11. Prove by Scriptural references that the Spirit in the Christian. 12. What outward evidences should the Christian give of the indwelling of the Spirit?