1996 issue 10 - are you holy? part 3 - counsel of chalcedon

8/12/2019 1996 Issue 10 - Are You Holy? Part 3 - Counsel of Chalcedon

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Reader, how shall we everfind a place in heaven, if we dieunholy Death works no change.The grave makes no alteration.Each will rise again with thesame character in which hebreathed his last breath. Wherewill our place be ifwe arestrangers to holiness now

Suppose for a moment thatyou were allowed to enter heavenwithout holiness. ,What wouldyou do What possible enjoymentcould you feel therel To which ofaU the saints would you joinyourself, and by whose sidewould you sit down Theirpleasures are not yourpleasures, their tastes notyour tastes, their characternot your character. Howcould you possiblybe happy,if you had not been holy onearth

Now perhaps you lovethe company of the light arid theci reless, the worldly-minded i ndthe covetous, the reveller and thepleasure-seeker, the ungodly andthe profane. There will be nonesuch in heaven., Now perhaps you think thesaints of Qod too striel, andparticular, and serious. You ratheravoid them. You have no delightin their society. There will be noother company in heaven.

Now perhaps you thinkpraying, and Scripture reading,


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private opinion; it is the word ofCiod, not of man, Withoutholiness noman shall see theLord:

Oh reader, what words arethese What thoughts comeacross my mind, as I write thesedown I look at the world, andsee the greater part of it lying inwickedness. I look at profeSSingChristians, and see the vastmajority having nothing ofChristianity butthe name, I tumto the Bible, and I hear the Spiritsaying, Without holiness noman shall see the Lord.

Surely it is a text that ought tomake you consider your ways and

search your hearts. Surely itshould raise within you somethoughts, and send you to prayer.

You may try and put me off,by saying, you feel much, andthink much, about these things,far more than many suppose. Ianswer , This is not the point. Thepoor lost soulsin hell do as muchas this. The great question is, notwhat you think, and what you

feel, but what you do.You may say, it was never

meant that all Christians shouldbe holy, and that holiness, such asI have described, is only for greatsaints, and people of uncommongifts. I answer, I cannot see thatin Scripture. I read that everyman who has hope in Christ,purifieth himself." IJohn 3:3.Without holiness no man shall

see the Lord:You may say, it is impossible

to be so holy, and to do our dutyin this life at the same time: thething cannot be done. I answer,you are mistaken. It can be done.With Ciod on your side nothingis impossible. It has been done by

many. David, and Obadiah , andDaniel, and the servants ofNero's household, are allexamples that go to prove it.

You may say, if you were soholy, you would be unlike otherpeople. I answer, I know it well.It is just what I want you to be.Christ's true servants alwayswere unlike the world aroundthem, a separate nation, a peculiarpeople, and you must be so too, ifyou would be saved.

You may say, At this rate veryfew will .be saved. I answer , Iknow it. Jesus said so 1800 yearsago. Few will be saved, becausefew will take the trouble to seeksalvation. Men will not denythemselves the pleasures of sinand their own way for a season.For this they tum their backs onan inheritance incorruptible,undefiled, and that fadeth notaway. "Ye will not come untome, says Jesus, "that ye mighthave life." John 5:40 .

You may say, these are hardsayings, they way is very narrow,I answer, I know it. Jesus saidthat men must take up the crossdaily; that they must be ready tocut off hand or foot, if they wouldbe his disciples. It is in religion asit is in other things; there are nogains without pains." That whichcosts nothing is worth nothing.

Reader, whatever you maythink fit to say, you must be holy,if you would see the Lord. Whereis you Christianity , if you are notShow t to me without holiness, ifyou can. You must not merelyhave a Christian name, andChristian knowledge , you musthave a Christian character also.You must be a saint on earth, ifyou ever mean to be a saint inheaven. Ciod has said it, and he

will not go back. Withoutholiness no man shall see theLord." "The Pope's calendar," saysJenkyn, "only makes saints of thedead; but Scripture requiressanctity in the living. "Let notmen deceive themselves/ saysOwen , "sanctification is aqualification indispensablynecessary unto those who will beunder the conduct of the LordChrist unto salvation, He leadsnone to heaven , but whom hesanctifies on the earth. This livinghead will not admit of deadmembers.

Surely you will not wond erthat Scripture says, ye must beborn again. John 3:7. Surely it isdear as noon-day that many ofyou need a complete change,newhearts and new natures, if everyou are to be saved. Old thingsmust pass away; you mustbecome new creatures. Withoutholiness no man, be he who hemay, no man shall see the Lord.

.2. Let me, for another thing,speak a little to believers: I askyou this question, Do you thinkyou feel the importance ofholiness as much as you should "

I own I fear the temper of thetimes about this subject. I doubtexceedingly whether it holds thatplace which it deserves in thethoughts and attention of some ofthe Lord's people. I wouldhumbly suggest that we are apt tooverlook the doctrine of growthin grace, and that we do notsufficiently considerhow very fara person may go in a profeSSion ofreligion, and yet have no grace,and be dead in Ciod's sight afterall. I believe that Judas Iscariotseemed very like the otherapostles. When the Lord warnedthem one should betray him , no

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one said, "Is itJudasl We hadbetter think more about Sardisand Laodicea then we do.

, have no desire to make nidol of holiness. , do not wish todethrone Christ .indput holinessin his place. But' must candidly

say, I wish sanctificationwasmore thought of in this day thant seems to be, and therefore take

occasion to press the subject on allbelievers into whose hands thispaper may fall.

I fear it is sometimes forgotten,that Ood has married togetherjUstification and 'sanctification. They are

when we have exalted Christ asthe way, the truth, and the life,we cannot err in speakingstrongly about what should be thecharacter of his people. Well saysRutherford, "The way that criethdown duties and sanctification, isnot the way of grace. Believingand doing are blood-friends:

Reader, , would say t withreverence, but say t , must, ,sometimes fear if Christ were onearth now, there are not a fewwho would think his preachinglegal; and if Paul were writing his .Epistles, there are those who

complaints. , do not object tothem when they come from menwho walk in the steps of.theapostle Paul, and fight a goodfight as he did, against sin, thedevil, and the world. But' never like such complaints'when 'seegrounds for suspecting, as I oftendo, that they are only a cloak tocover spirill allaziness,and anexcusefor spiritual sloth. 'f esay with F'aui, ' 0 wretched manthat' am, let us also be able tosay with him, ' press toward themark:Let us not quote his -example in one thing, while we

do not follow him inanother.

distinct and different things

beyond question, butone isnever found without theother. All justifiedpeopleare sanctified, and all .sanctified are justified.

(Rutherford) The way th t criethdown duties nd sanctification,is not the way o f grace . Believing

Reader, I do not set upmyself to be better than 'other people, and if anyoneasks, Whalare you, that

What Ood has joined .together let no man dare toput asunder . Tell me not of yourjustification, unless you have alsosome marks of sanctification.Boast not of Christ's work foryow unless you can show us theSpirit's work in you. Think notthat Christ and the Spirit can everbe divided.

Reader, , doubt not you knowthese things, but think it good toput you in remembrance of them,Prove that you know them byyour life. Try to keep in view thistext more continually, "Followholiness, without which no manshall see the Lord: -

I most frankly say, I wish therewas not such an exces.sivesensitiveness on ,the subject ofholiness as , sometimes perceivein the minds of believers. A manmight really think it was adangerous subjectto handle ; socautiously is t touched. Yet svrely

nd doing are blood-friends.

would think he had better notwrite the latter part of most ofthem as he did. But let usremember that the Lordlesus didspeak the sermon on the Molint

and that the Epistle to theEphesians contains six chapters 'and not four. , grieve to feelobliged to speak in this way, but Iam Ure there is a cause.

That great divine, Owen , saidsome 200 years ago, that therewere people whose wholereligion seemed to consist ingoing about complaining of theirown corruptions and telling

everyone they could do nothingof themselves.Reader. , put it to yourself.

might not the same thing be saidwith truth of some of Christ'sprofessing peoplein this day

I know there are texts inScripture which warn such

22 1111 : COUNSEL ofChalcedon I December, 1996

you write in this wayl" ,answer, "' am a very poorcreature indeed: But' tell

you that cannot read the-Biblewithout desiring to see manybelievers more spiritual, moreholy, more Single-eyed, moreheavily-minded, more wholehearted than they are. I want tosee among us more of a pilgrimspirit, amore d ~ i d e dseparationfrom theworld, a conversationmore evidently in heaven, acloser walk with Ood, andtherefore' have written as , have.

sit not true that we need a .higher standard of personalholiness in this day Where is ourpatiencel Where is ounzeallWhere is our lovel Where are ourworksl Wh .ere is the power ofreligion to be seem, as t was intimes gone byl Where is thatunmistakable tone which used todistinguish the saints of old, ~ dshake the world Verily our silverhas become ,dross, our wine


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mixed with water. We are allmore than half asleep. The nightis far spent and the day is at hand.Let us awake and sleep no more.Let us open our eyes more widelythen we have done hitherto. Letus lay aside eveJY weight, and thesin that doth so easily beset us.Let us cleanse ourselves from allfilthiness of flesh and spirit, andperfect holiness in the fear ofCiod. Did Christ die, saysOwen, "and shall sin live1 Washe crucified in the world, andshall our affections to the worldbe quick and lively1 Oh

them, not they on the leak. Otherfoundation of holiness can noman lay than that which is laid,even Christ Jesus. Without Christwe can do nothing. It is a strongbut true saying of Trail's,Wisdom out of Christ is

damning folly, righteousness outof Christ is guilt andcondemnation, sanctification outof Christ is filth and sin;redemption out of Christ isbondage and slaveJY."

Would you be holy1 Wouldyou be partakers of the divine

Where is the spirit of him,who by the cross of Christwas crucified to the world

and the world to him13. Let me, in the last

place, offer a word of adviceto aU who desire to be holy.

Holiness comes fromChr is t t is the result of

; ,}vltalunion with him. It isI :. the fruit.of being a living branch of

Would you be holy1Would you become newcreatures1 Then begin withChrist. You wi do just nothingti you feel your sin andweakness, and flee to him. He isthe beginning of all holiness. Heis not wisdom and righteousnessonly to his people, butsanctificationalso. Mensometimes II) to make themselvesholy first of all, and sad workthey make of it. They toil andlabor, and turn over many newleaves, and make many changes,and yet, like the woman with theissue of blood before she came toChrist, they feel nothing better,but rather worse. They run invain, and labor in vain, and littlewonder, for they are beginning atthe wrong end. They are buildingup a wall of sand; their work runsdown as fast as they throw it up.They are bailing water out of aleaky vessel, the leak gains on

nature1 Then go to Christ. Waitfor nothing. Wait for nobody.Linger not. Think not to makeyourself ready. Cio and say tohim, in the words of thatbeautiful hymn, - Nothing in myhand I bring, Simply to thy cross Icling; Naked, flee to thee fordress; Helpless, look 10 thee forgrace:

There is not a brick nor a stonelaid in the work of oursanctification, till we go to Christ.Holiness is special gift to hisbelieVing people. Holiness is thework he carries on in their heartsby the Spirit whom he putswithin them. He is appOinted aprince and a aviour, to giverepentance as well as remission ofsins. To as many as receive himhe gives power to become sons ofCiod. Holiness comes not ofblood, parents cannot give it totheir children: nor yet of the will

of the flesh, man cannot produceit in himself: nor yet of the will ofman, ministers cannot give it youby baptism. Holiness comes fromChrist. t is the result of vitalunion with him. It is the fruit ofbeing a living branch of the truevine. Cio then to Christ and say,"Lord, not only save me from theguilt of sin, but send the Spirit,whom thou didst promise, andsave me from its power. Makeme holy. Teach me to do thywill.

Would you continue holy1Then abide in Christ. Hesays himself, Abide in meand I in you; he that abidethin me and I in him , the samebeareth much fruit." John15:4,5. It pleased the Fatherthat in him you should allfullness dwell; a full supplyfor all believer 's wants. He is

the physician to whom you mustdaily go, if you would keep well.He is the manna which you mustdaily eat, and the rock of whichyou must daily drink. His ann isthe arm on which you must dailylean as you come up out of thewildemess of this world. Youmust not only be rooted, youmust also be built up in him . Paulwas a man of Ciod indeed - aholy man - a growing, thrivingChristian - and what was thesecret of it alll He was one towhom Christ was "all in aU" hewas ever "lookingunto Jesus." Ican do all things, he says,

through Christ whichstrengtheneth me." I live, yet notI, but Christ liveth in me. The lifethat I now live, I live by the faithof the Son of Ciod." Cio thou anddo likewise.

Reader, may you and I knowthese things by experience, and

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not by hearsay only. May we .all feel the importan,e ofholiness. Far more than we haveever done yet. May our years beholy years with our souls, andthen I know they will be happyones. Whether we live, may Welive unto the Lord; or whetherwe die, may we die.unto theLord: or if he come for us, maywe be found in peace, withoutspot, and blameless .

And now, i f I have erred inanything that I have written,may the good Lord pardon me,and show me what is the mindof the Spirit. But if as I believe,I have told you the truth, maythe Lord open your hearts , andmake it a word in season to allwho read it. n

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1996 issue 10 - are you holy? part 3 - counsel of chalcedon

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