the acts of the apostles-第94节

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result　of　communion　with　Christ。　There　may　be　marked　defects　in　the
character　of　an　individual；　yet　when　he　becomes　a　true　disciple　of　Christ；
the　power　of　divine　grace　transforms　and　sanctifies　him。　Beholding　as　in　a
glass　the　glory　of　the　Lord；　he　is　changed　from　glory　to　glory；　until　he　is
like　Him　whom　he　adores。

John　was　a　teacher　of　holiness；　and　in　his　letters　to　the　church　he　laid
down　unerring　rules　for　the　conduct　of　Christians。　〃Every　man　that　hath　this
hope　in　him；〃　he　wrote；　〃purifieth　himself；　even　as　He　is　pure。〃　〃He　that
saith　he　abideth　in　Him　ought　himself　also　so　to　walk；　even　as　He　walked。〃　1
John　3：3；　2：6。　He　taught　that　the　Christian　must　be　pure　in　heart　and　life。
Never　should　he　be　satisfied　with　an　empty　profession。　As　God　is　holy　in　His
sphere；　so　fallen　man；　through　faith　in　Christ；　is　to　be　holy　in　his　sphere。

〃This　is　the　will　of　God；〃　the　apostle　Paul　wrote；　〃even　your
sanctification。〃　1　Thessalonians　4：3。　The　sanctification　of　the　church　is
God's　object　in　all　His　dealings　with　His　people。　He　has　chosen　them　from
eternity；　that　they　might　be　holy。　He　gave　His　Son　to　die　for　them；　that
they　might　be　sanctified　through　obedience　to　the　truth；　divested　of　all　the
littleness　of　self。　From　them　Her　requires　a　personal　work；　a　personal
surrender。　God　can　be　honored　by　those　who　profess　to　believe　in　Him；　only
as　they　are　conformed　to　His　image　and　controlled　by　His　Spirit。　Then；　as
witnesses　for　the　Saviour；　they　may　make　known　what　divine　grace　has　done
for　them。

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True　sanctification　comes　through　the　working　out　of　the　principle　of　love。
〃God　is　love；　and　he　that　dwelleth　in　love　dwelleth　in　God；　and　God　in　him。〃
1　John　4：16。　The　life　of　him　in　whose　heart　Christ　abides；　will　reveal
practical　godliness。　The　character　will　be　purified；　elevated；　ennobled；　and
glorified。　Pure　doctrine　will　blend　with　works　of　righteousness；　heavenly
precepts　will　mingle　with　holy　practices。

Those　who　would　gain　the　blessing　of　sanctification　must　first　learn　the
meaning　of　self…sacrifice。　The　cross　of　Christ　is　the　central　pillar　on
which　hangs　the　〃far　more　exceeding　and　eternal　weight　of　glory。〃　〃If　any
man　will　come　after　Me；〃　Christ　says；　〃let　him　deny　himself；　and　take　up　his
cross；　and　follow　Me。〃　2　Corinthians　4：17；　Matthew　16：24。　It　is　the
fragrance　of　our　love　for　our　fellow　men　that　reveals　our　love　for　God。　It
is　patience　in　service　that　brings　rest　to　the　soul。　It　is　through　humble；
diligent；　faithful　toil　that　the　welfare　of　Israel　is　promoted。　God　upholds
and　strengthens　the　one　who　is　willing　to　follow　in　Christ's　way。

Sanctification　is　not　the　work　of　a　moment；　an　hour；　a　day；　but　of　a
lifetime。　It　is　not　gained　by　a　happy　flight　of　feeling；　but　is　the　result
of　constantly　dying　to　sin；　and　constantly　living　for　Christ。　Wrongs　cannot
be　righted　nor　reformations　wrought　in　the　character　by　feeble；　intermittent
efforts。　It　is　only　by　long；　persevering　effort；　sore　discipline；　and　stern
conflict；　that　we　shall　overcome。　We　know　not　one　day　how　strong　will　be　our
conflict　the　next。　So　long　as　Satan　reigns；　we　shall　have　self　to　subdue；
besetting　sins　to　overcome；　so　long　as　life　shall　last；　there　will　be　no

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stopping　place；　no　point　which　we　can　reach　and　say；　I　have　fully　attained。
Sanctification　is　the　result　of　lifelong　obedience。

None　of　the　apostles　and　prophets　ever　claimed　to　be　without　sin。　Men　who
have　lived　the　nearest　to　God；　men　who　would　sacrifice　life　itself　rather
than　knowingly　commit　a　wrong　act；　men　whom　God　has　honored　with　divine
light　and　power；　have　confessed　the　sinfulness　of　their　nature。　They　have
put　no　confidence　in　the　flesh；　have　claimed　no　righteousness　of　their　own；
but　have　trusted　wholly　in　the　righteousness　of　Christ。

So　will　it　be　with　all　who　behold　Christ。　The　nearer　we　come　to　Jesus；　and
the　more　clearly　we　discern　the　purity　of　His　character；　the　more　clearly
shall　we　see　the　exceeding　sinfulness　of　sin；　and　the　less　shall　we　feel
like　exalting　ourselves。　There　will　be　a　continual　reaching　out　of　the　soul
after　God；　a　continual；　earnest；　heartbreaking　confession　of　sin　and
humbling　of　the　heart　before　Him。　At　every　advance　step　in　our　Christian
experience　our　repentance　will　deepen。　We　shall　know　that　our　sufficiency　is
in　Christ　alone　and　shall　make　the　apostle's　confession　our　own：　〃I　know
that　in　me　（that　is；　in　my　flesh；）　dwelleth　no　good　thing。〃　〃God　forbid　that
I　should　glory；　save　in　the　cross　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　by　whom　the
world　is　crucified　unto　me；　and　I　unto　the　world。〃　Romans　7：18；　Galatians
6：14。

Let　the　recording　angels　write　the　history　of　the　holy　struggles　and
conflicts　of　the　people　of　God；　let　them　record　their　prayers　and　tears；　but
let　not　God　be　dishonored　by　the　declaration　from　human　lips；　〃I　am　sinless；
I　am

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holy。〃　Sanctified　lips　will　never　give　utterance　to　such　presumptuous　words。

The　apostle　Paul　had　been　caught　up　to　the　third　heaven　and　had　seen　and
heard　things　that　could　not　be　uttered；　and　yet　his　unassuming　statement　is：
〃Not　as　though　I　had　already　attained；　either　were　already　perfect：　but　I
follow　after。〃　Philippians　3：12。　Let　the　angels　of　heaven　write　of　Paul's
victories　in　fighting　the　good　fight　of　faith。　Let　heaven　rejoice　in　his
steadfast　tread　heavenward；　and　that；　keeping　the　prize　in　view；　he　counts
every　other　consideration　dross。　Angels　rejoice　to　tell　his　triumphs；　but
Paul　makes　no　boast　of　his　attainments。　The　attitude　of　Paul　is　the　attitude
that　every　follower　of　Christ　should　take　as　he　urges　his　way　onward　in　the
strife　for　the　immortal　crown。

Let　those　who　feel　inclined　to　make　a　high　profession　of　holiness　look　into
the　mirror　of　God's　law。　As　they　see　its　far…reaching　claims；　and　understand
its　work　as　a　discerner　of　the　thoughts　and　intents　of　the　heart；　they　will
not　boast　of　sinlessness。　〃If　we；〃　says　John；　not　separating　himself　from
his　brethren；　〃say　that　we　have　no　sin；　we　deceive　ourselves；　and　the　truth
is　not　in　us。〃　〃If　we　say　that　we　have　not　sinned；　we　make　Him　a　liar；　and
His　word　is　not　in　us。〃　〃If　we　confess　our　sins；　He　is　faithful　and　just　to
forgive　us　our　sins；　and　to　cleanse　us　from　all　unrighteousness。〃　1　John
1：8；　10；　9。

There　are　those　who　profess　holiness；　who　declare　that　they　are　wholly　the
Lord's；　who　claim　a　right　to　the　promises　of　God；　while　refusing　to　render
obedience　to　His

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commandments。　These　transgressors　of　the　law　claim　everything　that　is
promised　to　the　children　of　God；　but　this　is　presumption　on　their　part；　for
John　tells　us　that　true　love　for　God　will　be　revealed　in　obedience　to　all
His　commandments。　It　is　not　enough　to　believe　the　theory　of　truth；　to　make　a
profession　of　faith　in　Christ；　to　believe　that　Jesus　is　no　impostor；　and
that　the　religion　of　the　Bible　is　no　cunningly　devised　fable。　〃He　that
saith；　I　know　Him；　and　keepeth　not　His　commandments；〃　John　wrote；　〃is　a
liar；　and　the　truth　is　not　in　him。　But　whoso　keepeth　His　word；　in　him　verily
is　the　love　of　God　perfected：　hereby　know　we　that　we　are　in　Him。〃　〃He　that
keepeth　His　commandments　dwelleth　in　Him；　and　He　in　him。〃　1　John　2：4；　5；
3：24。

John　did　not　teach　that　salvation　was　to　be　earned　by　obedience；　but　that
obedience　was　the　fruit　of　faith　and　love。　〃Ye　know　that　He　was　manifested
to　take　away　our　sins；〃　he　said；　〃and　in　Him　is　no　sin。　Whosoever　abideth　in
Him　sinneth　not：　whosoever　sinneth　hath　not　seen　Him；　neither　known　Him。〃　1
John　3：5；　6。　If　we　abide　in　Christ；　if　the　love　of　God　dwells　in　the　heart；
our　feelings；　our　thoughts；　our　actions；　will　be　in　harmony　with　the　will　of
God。　The　sanctified　heart　is　in　harmony　with　the　precepts　of　God's　law。

There　are　many　who；　though　striving　to　obey　God's　commandments；　have　little
peace　or　joy。　This　lack　in　their　experience　is　the　result　of　a　failure　to
exercise　faith。　They　walk　as　it　were　in　a　salt　land；　a　parched　wilderness。
They　claim　little；　when　they　might　claim　much；　for　there　is　no

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limit　to　the　promises　of　God。　Such　ones　do　not　correctly　represent　the
sanctification　that　comes　through　obedience　to　the　truth。　The　Lord　would
have　all　His　sons　and　daughters　happy；　peaceful；　and　obedient。　Through　the
exercise　of　faith　the　believer　comes　into　possession　of　these　blessings。
Through　faith；　every　deficiency　of　character　may　be　supplied；　every
defilement　cleansed；　every　fault　corrected；　every　excellence　developed。

Prayer　is　heaven's　ordained　means　of　success　in　the　conflict　with　sin　and
the　development　of　Christian　character。　The　divine　influences　that　come　in
answer　to　the　prayer　of　faith　will　accomplish　in　the　soul　of　the　suppliant
all　for　which　he　pleads。　For　the　pardon　of　sin；　for　the　Holy　Spirit；　for　a
Christlike　temper；　for　wisdom　and　strength　to　do　His　work；　for　any　gift　He
has　promised；　we　may　ask；　and　the　promise　is；　〃Ye　shall　receive。〃

It　was　in　the　mount　with　God　that　Moses　beheld　the　pattern　of　that　wonderful
building　that　was　to　be　the　abiding　place　of　His　glory。　It　is　in　the　mount
with　Godin　the　secret　place　of　communionth