09 - Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX. THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE NATURE.
If there is a valid foundation for teaching the duality of man, and so of the believer especially, there is room for a double sanctification. The sanctification of the person is to be extended over nature. The body and all its members are to become subject to the obedience of the law. Hence, we proceed to the discussion of THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE NATURE.
1. Justification, washing of regeneration, sanctification of the personality, conversion having taken place in the believer, they leave him as to his nature just where he was before. The flesh is not, and cannot be, justified, converted, pass through the regenerating laver. There is no constitutional change effected in man in all the above experiences. But the believer is now spiritual as to his person, and no longer carnally minded (Romans 8:5-9). But as to his nature he is still what he was before, only as it has been brought under subjection to the new and spiritual man.
2. There is therefore naturally an antagonism between the person and the nature, the mind and the flesh, the spirit and the body. This is the uniform testimony of Scripture concerning believers. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye may not do the things that ye would" (Galatians 5:17). Although there is a sense in which "they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24), yet it is not dead. It still needs further crucifixion, mortification and limitation. "Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11), is said to believers, to justified persons. And Christians are admonished to "mortify these members which are upon the earth" (Colossians 3:5). And they are assured that if they "through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body they shall live" (Romans 8:13). And this subduing, limiting, restraining, putting to death of the nature is the "perfecting of sanctification" to which we are admonished (2 Corinthians 7:1).
3. In accordance with these facts the Scriptures recognize not only that the new man is sanctified; but that this sanctification is to be extended over the nature. The first part of this proposition is thus stated to the Ephesians: "The new man . . . is created in righteousness and true sanctification" (Ephesians 4:24). And the proof of it in extenso has been submitted in the foregoing chapters. The second part rests upon all that collection of Scriptures which falls under the common admonition to "perfect sanctification" (2 Corinthians 7:1). This post-regeneration sanctification is referred to in a number of texts, a few of which we shall quote. "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the Master’s use" (2 Timothy 2:21). "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification; that every one may know how to possess his vessel in sanctification; for God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:7). "As ye have yielded your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity into iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness into sanctification" (Romans 6:19). "Follow peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). "And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). "Sanctify them through thy truth" (John 17:17).
4. Thus are set forth both the fact and the duty of sanctification after the Christian has entered upon the new life. And yet it is a fact, that this post-regeneration sanctification, this cleansing of the nature, this removal of the "sin that dwelleth in" us, is much less frequently spoken of than the sanctification of the person, of the "I," the new man, which is always past to the believer. "The blood of Christ ’cleanseth’ all who walk in the light" (1 John 1:7). It is a present and perpetual process, and as well a necessary one. "He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself" (1 John 3:3). It must follow, if we understand the nature of the sanctification which accompanies justification, and are brought more and more to the knowledge of the truth--if we "walk in the light" [1 John 1:7].
5. It is a doctrine which follows from the very nature of obedience to moral law. It implies a universal and supreme choice of the will of God as our rule of life. It does not tolerate for a moment that disregard of God’s will and law which, alas! is only too fatally common among so-called Christians. There is no manner of license to sin in this fact. The choice to do God’s will must be absolute. And such a choice and consequent obedience are only realized where a man persists in cleansing himself from every form of evil. This is his duty; this will be the natural prompting and dictate of his spiritual nature.
6. But this exposition of the two-fold character, and of the essential nature, of sanctification as consecration followed as a consequence by cleansing, explains what are known as Christian sins, or sinfulness. The person, the "I," the new man, is free from sin, "cannot sin," "sinneth not," so long as it maintains the justified state; so long as the seed of God remains in him. But sin dwells in his "flesh," and through various means it is manifested in the life. "There is no man that sinneth not" (2 Chronicles 6:36). "Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The Corinthians were sanctified, as Paul declares, "Ye are sanctified" (1 Corinthians 6:11); yet he tells them "And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ" (1 Corinthians 8:12). Like Tydides who wounded Venus, "And drenched his arrows in the blood of gods," but found her immortal; so Satan often wounds the believer, but he cannot kill him. 7. John’s doctrine of inability to sin is remarkable. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. He that committeth sin is the devil. Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God" (1 John 3:6-9). Yet it does not prevent him from saying most sweetly to his sanctified brethren, "My little children, . . . if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." Christ is an advocate only to believers, and believers are sanctified, yet they sin. Paul declares them "dead to sin." The reconciliation of these conflicting truths, these facts which will not harmonize, is to be found in the duality of the Christian. The person sins not, and cannot sin. The nature sins. That is, as to his mind, his self, his spiritual and supreme moral determination, the man who is begotten of God is not morally able to do sin. As to the passions, sentiments, desires, etc., not directly under his control, through these he sins. But no sooner does he become conscious of sin thus done than he repents, if a true believer, in bitterness of soul, and seeks in that line at once to perfect his sanctification. This is his imperative duty. In this line lies his salvation. For if he "sin wilfully, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" [Hebrews 10:26]. He must then go back, repent and do his first works, and be justified and sanctified in his personality.