For It Is God Which Worketh in You
Sanctification is a divine gift that comes through faith, not human effort, and is the work of God in us.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes that sanctification is a divine gift from the Holy Spirit, representing the grace of Jesus Christ and the inheritance for believers. He contrasts this divine holiness with human efforts, highlighting that true sanctification is about receiving God's life and purity rather than striving for self-improvement. Simpson describes this process as a joyful and effortless journey, likening it to a heavenly highway that elevates believers above their struggles. He encourages believers to fully embrace God's power, allowing Him to guide them in His ways, as stated in Ezekiel 36:27.
Text
Sanctification is the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the prepared inheritance of all who enter in. It is the obtainment of faith, not the attainment of works. It is divine holiness, not human self-improvement or perfection. It is the inflow into man's being of the life and purity of the infinite, eternal and Holy One. It is the bringing in of God's own perfection and the working out of His own will. How easy, how spontaneous, how delightful this heavenly way of holiness!
Surely it is a "highway" and not the low way of man's vain and fruitless mortification.
It is God's great elevated railway, sweeping over the heads of the struggling throngs who toil along the lower road when they might be borne along on His ascension pathway by His own almighty impulse. It is God's great elevator carrying us up to the higher chambers of His palace, without arduous efforts, while others struggle up the winding stairs and faint by the way. Let us today so fully take Him that He can cause [us] to walk in [his] statutes (Ezekiel 36:27).
Sermon Outline
- Sanctification is a Gift
- Gift of the Holy Spirit
- Fruit of the Spirit
- Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
Key Quotes
“It is God's great elevated railway, sweeping over the heads of the struggling throngs who toil along the lower road when they might be borne along on His ascension pathway by His own almighty impulse.” — A.B. Simpson
“It is God's great elevator carrying us up to the higher chambers of His palace, without arduous efforts, while others struggle up the winding stairs and faint by the way.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We can obtain sanctification through faith, not by trying to achieve it through our own efforts.
- God's work in us is to bring in His own perfection and work out His own will.
- Sanctification is a gift that can be received through faith, making it a 'highway' to holiness.