The longer I live, the more I feel that if there were one thing\nleft undone, if the devil were not conquered, sin not expiated, justice not\nsatisfied, the law not honoured and magnified, death not overcome, and every\nburden not carried, I should not have a ray of hope. I used to think I saw this\nas clear as the noon day thirty or forty years ago; but I saw it very\ndifferently then to what I see now; for I see and feel now that if one\nhair-breadth is left for me to do to merit heaven, or bring as a plea before\nGod, I am undone for ever and ever. But on the Mount of Calvary, the Lord Jesus\nChrist undertook the cause of His people; and there is not a jot nor a tittle\nthat He left undone, but, \u201cBy one offering He perfected for ever them that are\nsanctified\u201d and \u201cThere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in\nChrist Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.\u201d Here is\ncomplete perfection: Saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– John Warburton, 1853<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bible cannot quicken, nor sanctify, nor comfort!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Octavius Winslow)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also\nwith power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!” 1\nThessalonians 1:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from the Spirit, the Bible cannot quicken, nor sanctify,\nnor comfort. It may be . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n read constantly,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and searched deeply,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and known accurately,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and understood partially,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and quoted appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, left to its own unassisted power, it comes but in word\nonly, producing no hallowing, no abiding, no saving results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unaccompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is\ninactive and inoperative\u2014a mere dead letter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n All that we spiritually know . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n of ourselves,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of God,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of Jesus,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of His Word\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n we owe to the supernatural teaching of the Holy Spirit. All the\nreal light, sanctification, strength and comfort we possess on our way to\nglory\u2014we must ascribe to Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sanctification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By J. C. Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n As from the cross flows all salvation, so from the cross flows\nall sanctification. What have not men done, to make themselves holy; and by\nthis means render themselves, as they have thought, acceptable to God! What\ntortures of body, what fastings, scourgings, self-imposed penances to sanctify\ntheir sinful nature, and conform their rebellious flesh to the holiness\ndemanded by the law! And with what success? They have landed either in\nself-righteousness or despair\u2014though at opposite points of the compass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flesh cannot be sanctified. It is essentially and incurably\ncorrupt; and therefore, if we are to possess that inward holiness,\n“without which no man shall see the Lord,” it must be by Christ being\n“of God, made unto us sanctification,” as well as righteousness\u2014sanctifying\nus not only “with his own blood,” (Heb. 13:13,) but by his Spirit and\ngrace. If we believe in Him, we shall love him (“unto you which believe,\nhe is precious;”) if we love him, we shall seek to please, and fear to displease\nhim; if we believe in Him, by the gift and work of God, this divine and living\nfaith will purify our heart, overcome the world, produce that spiritual\nmindedness which is life and peace, give union and communion with the Lord of\nlife and glory; and every believing view of him, every act of faith upon him,\nand every visit from him, will conform us to his likeness, as the Apostle\nspeaks: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of\nthe Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the\nSpirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n If, then, we are to feel an inward power sanctifying our hearts,\ndrawing up our minds to heavenly things, subduing our sins, meekening and\nsoftening our spirit, separating us from the world, filling us with holy\nthoughts, gracious desires, and pure affections, and thus making us “meet\nfor the inheritance of the saints in light,” this inward sanctification\nmust flow wholly and solely from the Blessed Spirit, as the gift of a risen\nJesus: as he himself said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is\nexpedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not\ncome unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” “He shall\nglorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” (John\n16:7, 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is not, then, the hair-shirt, the monk’s cell, the midnight\nvigil, the protracted fast; no, nor the soothing strains of the swelling organ,\nthe melodious chant of surpliced choristers, the “dim religious\nlight” of the stained Gothic window; no, nor the terrors of the Law, the\naccusations of conscience, the tears, cries and resolutions of a heart that\nstill loves sin, though professing to repent of it; no, nor gloomy looks,\nneglected apparel, softly uttered words, slow walk, holiness of face, manner,\nand gesture, hollow voice, demure countenance, a choice assortment of Scripture\nwords and phrases on every occasion, or no occasion; no, nor all the array of\npiety and sanctity which Satan, transformed into an angel of light, has devised\nto deceive thousands, that can purge the conscience from the guilt, filth,\nlove, power and practice of sin, or raise up that new man, which after God is\ncreated in righteousness and true holiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling\nthe unclean, they may, and even that very imperfectly, sanctify to the\npurifying of the flesh; but it is the blood of Christ, who through the eternal\nSpirit, offered himself without spot to God, which can alone purge the\nconscience from filth, guilt, and dead works, to serve the living God; and it\nis the work of the blessed Spirit alone which, by revealing Christ, and forming\nhim in the heart, “the hope of glory,” can create and bring forth\nthat new man of grace which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who\ncreated him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drive the nail of the cross!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The greatest instrument of sanctification is the love of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, that He would drive the nail of the cross right through<\/p>\n\n\n\n your hearts, that it might be forever fastened there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n -Spurgeon<\/p>\n\n\n\n All true sanctification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Octavius Winslow)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us<\/p>\n\n\n\n from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar<\/p>\n\n\n\n people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no victory over the indwelling power of sin, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n there is no pardon for the guilt of sin, but as the soul deals<\/p>\n\n\n\n with the blood of Christ. The great end of our dear Lord’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n death was to destroy the works of the devil. Sin is the great<\/p>\n\n\n\n work of Satan. To overcome this, to break its power, subdue<\/p>\n\n\n\n its dominion, repair its ruins, and release from its\ncondemnation,<\/p>\n\n\n\n the blessed Son of God suffered the ignominious death of the<\/p>\n\n\n\n cross. All that bitter agony which He endured, all that mental<\/p>\n\n\n\n suffering, the sorrow of His soul in the garden, the sufferings<\/p>\n\n\n\n of His body on the cross–all was for sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See, then, the close and beautiful connection between the death<\/p>\n\n\n\n of Christ–and the death of sin. All true sanctification comes<\/p>\n\n\n\n through the cross! Seek it there. The cross brought into your<\/p>\n\n\n\n soul by the eternal Spirit will be the death of your sins. Go to\nthe<\/p>\n\n\n\n cross! Oh, go to the cross of Jesus! In simplicity of faith, go\nwith<\/p>\n\n\n\n the strong corruption; go with the burden of guilt; go to the\ncross!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will find nothing but love there, nothing but welcome there,<\/p>\n\n\n\n nothing but purity there. The precious blood of Jesus\n“cleanses us<\/p>\n\n\n\n from all sin.” And while you are kept low beneath the\ncross, your<\/p>\n\n\n\n enemy dares not approach you, sin shall not have dominion over<\/p>\n\n\n\n you, nor shall Satan, your accuser, condemn you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Afflictions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n cannot sanctify us except as they are<\/p>\n\n\n\n used by Christ as His mallet and His chisel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise;<\/p>\n\n\n\n we reckon them to be the ‘bass’ part of our life’s song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n -Spurgeon<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is what some of you were!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J. C. Philpot)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Holy Spirit undertakes to sanctify the objects<\/p>\n\n\n\n of the Father’s eternal choice, and of the Son’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n redeeming death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sanctification is as needful, as indispensable<\/p>\n\n\n\n for the Church’s salvation, as redemption!<\/p>\n\n\n\n For O! how low was the Church sunk in the Adam fall! The<\/p>\n\n\n\n image of God, in which she was created–how defaced and<\/p>\n\n\n\n as if blotted out! Death spreading itself with fatal effect<\/p>\n\n\n\n over her every mental and bodily faculty! Sin, like a hideous<\/p>\n\n\n\n leprosy, infecting her to the very heart’s core! A thousand<\/p>\n\n\n\n base lusts plunging her deeper and deeper into a sea of<\/p>\n\n\n\n guilt and crime! Enmity against God boiling up in waves<\/p>\n\n\n\n of ceaseless rebellion! Satan tyrannizing over her with<\/p>\n\n\n\n cruel sway, sometimes drawing and sometimes driving,<\/p>\n\n\n\n but by one or the other dragging her without hope or<\/p>\n\n\n\n help towards the brink of the bottomless pit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hear that bold blasphemer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n See that drunken, raving prostitute!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look at that murderer with his blood-red hand<\/p>\n\n\n\n stealing off from his mangled victim!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, if you shrink from such sounds and such sights, picture<\/p>\n\n\n\n to your imagination the vilest wretch who ever disgraced<\/p>\n\n\n\n human nature–and you see in that portrait the features of<\/p>\n\n\n\n the Church as implicated in the Adam fall–and sunk into<\/p>\n\n\n\n original and actual transgression!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What a work, then, was undertaken by that most gracious<\/p>\n\n\n\n and condescending Spirit, who solemnly pledged Himself,<\/p>\n\n\n\n in the eternal covenant, to sanctify such wretches, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n to fit and frame them to be partakers of holiness, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n live forever in God’s spotless presence!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It were easier for the wolf to dwell with the lamb, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n the leopard to lie down with the sheep–than for ungodly<\/p>\n\n\n\n sinners, unwashed, unregenerated, unsanctified, to dwell<\/p>\n\n\n\n forever before the throne of God and of the Lamb!<\/p>\n\n\n\n But O, the wonders of wisdom, grace, and love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sinners, the vilest sinners, the worst of wretches, the<\/p>\n\n\n\n basest of mortals–can and will enter through the gates<\/p>\n\n\n\n into the holy city!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul, having enumerated some of the vilest crimes which<\/p>\n\n\n\n stain human nature and sink it below the beasts that perish,<\/p>\n\n\n\n says, “And that is what some of you were! But you were<\/p>\n\n\n\n washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the<\/p>\n\n\n\n name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our\nGod.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 6:11<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be washed and sanctified is as needful, as indispensable<\/p>\n\n\n\n as to be justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it to preach the gospel?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n by Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Salvation is, in its entirety, the work of<\/p>\n\n\n\n God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Election, redemption, justification, sanctification,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and preservation are all works of grace alone, in no way<\/p>\n\n\n\n conditioned upon the will, works, or worth of the sinner.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Is it to Preach the Gospel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about MAN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the truth about man? “All flesh is grass,”\n-withering,<\/p>\n\n\n\n worthless, insignificant grass (Isa. 40:6-8). All men are\nfallen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n depraved, helpless, guilty sinners, without the least\ninclination<\/p>\n\n\n\n or ability to do good, seek God, or know God (Rom. 3:9-18),<\/p>\n\n\n\n dead in trespasses and in sins (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about GOD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God is is the eternal, holy, sovereign Monarch of the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is he who made all things, rules all things, and disposes of\nall<\/p>\n\n\n\n things (including you and I) as he will. “All things are of\nGod.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing in this universe writhes or wiggles apart from God’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n purpose, predestination, providence, and power (Rom. 11:36).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is this great and glorious Lord God who lifts his hand and\nsays,<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will\nhave<\/p>\n\n\n\n compassion on whom I will have compassion.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about the LORD JESUS\nCHRIST.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lord Jesus Christ is God in human flesh, God come to save.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was called “Jesus” because he is Jehovah our\nSavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He came here on an errand of mercy, with a commission from<\/p>\n\n\n\n God the Father as our covenant Surety to save his people from<\/p>\n\n\n\n their sins (Matt. 1:21; John 10:16-18); and when he left here,<\/p>\n\n\n\n all that he came to do was done! Righteousness was established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Justice was satisfied. The sins of God’s elect, which were<\/p>\n\n\n\n imputed to him, were put away. His people were fully and<\/p>\n\n\n\n forever redeemed, justified, and sanctified by his blood<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Heb. 10:10-14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about SALVATION.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does it take to save a sinner? It takes a work of God’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n sovereign, eternal, electing love and predestination (Eph.\n1:3-6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes a work of effectual, blood redemption, the satisfaction\nof<\/p>\n\n\n\n divine justice by an infinitely meritorious Substitute– the\nLord<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24-26). It takes all the work of God’s<\/p>\n\n\n\n universal providence (Rom. 8:28-30). It takes the infallible,<\/p>\n\n\n\n irresistible grace and power of God the Holy Spirit in<\/p>\n\n\n\n regeneration and effectual calling, by which chosen, redeemed<\/p>\n\n\n\n sinners are raised from the dead and given faith in Christ (Eph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1:17-20; Psa. 65:4). It takes a work of immutable grace,\npreserving<\/p>\n\n\n\n the called ones in life and grace, causing them to persevere<\/p>\n\n\n\n in faith, keeping them unto the end (Phil. 1:6). It takes a work\nof<\/p>\n\n\n\n resurrection glory, by which these bodies sown in corruption<\/p>\n\n\n\n shall put on incorruption, mortality shall put on immortality,\nand<\/p>\n\n\n\n God’s elect shall enter into that eternal state of bliss called<\/p>\n\n\n\n “the glorious liberty of the sons of God” (1 Thess.\n4:13-18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n This salvation, in its entirety, is found in the Lord Jesus\nChrist<\/p>\n\n\n\n alone (1 Cor. 1:30-31).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The longer I live, the more I feel that if there were one thing left undone, if the devil were not conquered, sin not expiated, justice not satisfied, the law not honoured and magnified, death not overcome, and every burden not carried, I should not have a ray of hope. I used to think I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5817"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5817\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5818,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5817\/revisions\/5818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}