CHRIST OUR SANCTIFICATION, continued

But the exaltation of our Lord, who already was the chief of all creation, was even less remarkable than another feature of the divine plan, foreordained before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:2; Eph 1:4); namely, that he would make to some of his human creatures (of the race sentenced as unworthy of any future life, but redeemed from that sentence by Christ’s sacrifice) an offer of joint-heirship and companionship with his beloved Son, in the order of the new creation (of the divine nature), of which he has made the worthy Lamb the head and chief, next to himself. – 1 Cor 15:27.

This offer is not made to all of the redeemed race, but to many – “Many are called.” The called are only those who in this age are justified by faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Unbelievers and scoffers are called to repentance and faith; but none are called to this high calling of participation in the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4) until they have forsaken sin and laid hold upon Christ as their Redeemer.

If the worthiness of the Lamb was necessary to be shown, the worthiness of those whom he redeemed to be his joint-heirs (called also the bride, the Lamb’s wife) would also need to be shown, proved, manifested before angels as well as before men, that God’s ways may be seen to be just and equitable.

It is for this reason that God calls upon those whom he does call, to consecrate themselves to him – not in dress or word merely, but in everything. It is not a consecration to preach merely, although all the consecrated will delight to use every opportunity in telling to others the good tidings of God’s love. It is not a consecration to temperance reform, social reform, political reform, or any other work of reform, although we may and should feel a deep interest in anything that would benefit the fallen race. But our devotion should be as that of a maid to her mistress, or of soldiers to their officers, or, better yet, as that of a dutiful child toward a beloved parent – swift to hear, quick to obey, not planning or seeking our own wills, but the will of our Father in heaven. Just such an attitude is implied in the words sanctified, or consecrated to God. It takes hold of the will, and therefore rules the entire being, except where uncontrollable weaknesses or insurmountable obstacles hinder. And since our call and acceptance are based upon the New Covenant, which accepts a perfect will on the part of those trusting in the precious blood, and does not demand perfection of deeds, it follows that all of us, no matter how degraded by the fall, may be acceptable to God in the Beloved, and make their calling and election sure.

Nor is this arrangement of the New Covenant (by which those in Christ whose wills and efforts are right toward God are not held responsible for the full letter of God’s law, but for the observance of its spirit or meaning, to the extent that they have knowledge, opportunity and ability) a violation of Justice, as some have assumed. God’s law was designed for perfect creatures, and not for fallen ones; but under the New Covenant in Christ, God has adapted his law to the condition of the fallen ones without interfering with that law itself or even with its spirit. The perfect law, dealing with the perfect man, demanded a full consecration of his will to the wisdom and will of his Creator, and an obedience to that Creator’s Word to the extent of his ability. But since man was created “upright” (and not fallen), in the moral image and likeness of God (and not born in sin and shapened in iniquity), it follows that his perfect will, operating through a perfect body and under favorable conditions, could have rendered perfect obedience; and hence nothing less could be acceptable to God.

How just, how reasonable and how favorable is God’s arrangement for us! Yet he assures us that, while he has made all the arrangements favorable for us, he must insist on our wills being just right, – we must be pure in heart, and in this respect exact copies of his Beloved Son, our Lord. (Rom 8:29 – Diaglott.) Of those who learn of and accept God’s grace in Christ, in the forgiveness of sins under the New Covenant, all of whom are called to this high calling of joint-heirship with Christ in the divine nature and its honors, ONLY A FEW will make their calling and election sure (or complete), because the testings of their wills and faith are so exacting – so crucial.

Nor should either of these God-declared facts surprise us: it is not strange, but reasonable, that God should test severely, yea, with “fiery trials” (1 Pet 4:12), the faith and love of those invited to so high a station. If they be not loyal and trustful to the last degree, they surely are “not fit for the Kingdom,” its responsibilities and its divine honors. Nor should it surprise us to be informed by God’s Word that only a “few,” a “little flock,” will gain the prize to which many are called and for which many consecrate. Few are willing to “endure” a great fight of afflictions; partly while being made a gazing stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly as companions of those who are so abused for Christ’s sake and his Truth’s sake. – Heb 10:32, 33.

In a word, the trial of the justified and consecrated consists in the presenting to them of opportunities to serve God and his cause in this present time, when, because of sin abounding, whosoever will live godly and hold up the light will suffer persecution. Those whose consecration is complete and of the proper kind will rejoice in their privilege of serving God and his cause, and will count it all joy to be accounted worthy to suffer in such a cause, and thus to attest to God the sincerity of their love and of their consecration to him. Such consecrated ones, pure in heart (in will or intention), realizing the object of present trials, glory in tribulations brought upon them by faithfulness to Christ and his Word, realizing that their experiences are similar to those of the Master, and that thus they have evidence that they are walking in the footsteps of him who said,

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. Ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” –1 John 3:13; John 15:18,19; Rev 2:10.

Furthermore, they glory in tribulations because they realize that the Lord will be near them while they endure faithfully, and that he will not permit them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, but will with every temptation provide some way of escape; because they realize the necessity of forming character, and that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope – a hope that makes not ashamed; and because they realize that all these favorable results of tribulation follow, on account of a genuine consecration in which the love of God has been shed abroad in the heart, displacing the spirit of the world, the spirit of selfishness. – 1 Cor 10:13; Rom 5:3,5.

“He that commits sin [willfully] is of the devil.” “Whosoever is begotten of God…cannot sin [willfully].” (1 John 3:3-10; 5:18.) And we have seen that all of those acceptable to God in Christ were obliged to come unto him under the New Covenant, whose first condition is faith in Christ; and whose second condition is an entire consecration of their wills to God’s will and service. Hence, any willful sin would mean that they had repudiated the New Covenant and were no longer recognized as begotten of the Truth, but under the influence of sin, and hence begotten of the devil – his children.

If any justified and consecrated child of God commit sin it will be, at most, only partially willful – largely of weakness or deception. He may feel his shame and weep bitterly, as did Peter; but all such penitence would but prove that his sin was not of the willful kind that would make him as “of the devil.” No: so long as the seed of the Truth, and of his consecration, remains in him, he cannot sin (willfully). But if any trespass under deception or weakness, and not willfully, he has an advocate with the Father, – “Jesus Christ the [absolutely] righteous” one, whose merit is applicable for all unwilful errors of such as abide under the shadow of the New Covenant. If he confesses his sin, God is just to forgive him – because Christ died. (1 John 1:7,9; 2:1.) But if we should say that we have no sin, no imperfection, we deceive ourselves, make God a liar, and disown the Advocate whom God provided; for we are weak through the fall, and liable to deception and error at the hands of the world, the flesh, and the devil. –1 John 1:8,10.

Having seen what Sanctification is, its object or result and its present cost, we note that Christ by God is made unto us Sanctification – in that we could have no such call and could experience no such work of grace, under the divine plan, except for Christ and the work he did for us; – justifying us before the Law of God, sealing for us the New Covenant and making us fit for this call to “glory, honor and immortality.”

Continued with next post.