Entire Sanctification

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION

CONTENTS: Q.1 Q.2

What is entire sanctification ? What are the changes effected in a child of God by the work of sanctification ? Q.3 Is sanctification an ‘INSTANTANEOUS’ work of God, received immediately after salvation as a ‘second blessing’? Q.4 God is a God of miracles. Can’t He change us and transform us instantly at His Coming as said by St. Paul in I Corinthians 15:51,52 — ‘we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’? Q.5 After saying, ‘the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God’, St. Paul tells the Corinthian believers, ‘but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God’ (I Cor.6:9,11). Were they not fit then for the Rapture? Did they need further sanctification ? Q.6 Many Bible teachers assert that a wholly sanctified life is impossible. What does the Bible say about it ? Q.7 The penitent thief on the cross was promised a place in Paradise. It is obvious that he was not wholly sanctified; he was saved at the last moment. If all those who are saved at the last moment are sure of a place in heaven or Paradise, why should we insist on entire sanctification ? Q.8 What is the ultimate purpose of being entirely sanctified ? Q.9 What part does Christ play in the plan of entire sanctification ? Q.10 It is said that all the sacrifices of the Old Testament point to the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary. Can you explain it ? Q.11 St. Paul says, ‘... by the which WILL we are sanctified’ (Heb.10:10). What is meant by being sanctified by His WILL ? Q.12 How is the work of sanctification effected in the life of a child of God ? Q.13 How does God sanctify the spirit of a child of God ? Q.14 What are the activities of the soul in man? How does God sanctify it ? Q.15 How does God sanctify the body ? Q.16 Are consecrated ministers really needed to help the Church be sanctified and attain perfection ? Q.17 What rewards do the sanctified saints receive after their rapture ? §§§§§§ Preface It is sad to note that many of today's Christians are satisfied with the experience of salvation, and unaware of the need for entire sanctification. The Lord Jesus Christ will appear to gather, not those who have only the experience of salvation, but His saints who have attained perfection. It is for this that He offered up Himself at Calvary (Eph.5:25-27). “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,” writes Apostle John (I Jn.3:2,3). From this we can understand that the work of sanctification is something that should necessarily go on continuously in everyone who is awaiting the Coming of the Lord. This is possible only if we co-operate with the Lord. The Lord has taken upon Himself the responsibility of completing this work of sanctification in those who completely surrender their spirit, soul and body to Him for it.

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We publish this booklet of Questions and Answers with the prayer that every reader be found ready to meet the Lord when He appears to gather the perfected and victorious Church. “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (I Thess.5:23,24). Amen. §§§§§§ 1. What is entire sanctification ? Entire sanctification is one of the sound doctrines of the Bible, as important as repentance, faith towards God, baptisms etc. It is an experience of being completely purified in our entire being - body, soul and spirit. To indicate it, St. Paul uses phrases such as ‘not having spot or wrinkle’, ‘holy and without blemish’, etc. (Eph.5:27). It is the work of the God of grace in us through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This work of grace makes us ready for His Coming. St. Paul therefore says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess.5:23). John, the apostle confirms it, saying, “...we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him (in character); for we shall see him as he is (perfect and pure). And every man that hath this hope in him PURIFIETH HIMSELF, even as he is pure” (I Jn.3:2,3). This was not just a wishful thinking among the saints in the early centuries, but a daily practice. ‘... as he is SO ARE WE in this world’ says St. John (I Jn.4:17). §§§§§§ 2 What are the changes effected in a child of God by the work of sanctification ? The work of sanctification makes a man naturally and spontaneously meek, gentle, kind, and pure in love. Moreover, he keeps himself safe and pure from all manner of sins. He is dead to sin and self. A calm settles upon his body, soul and spirit. The inner battles and turmoil are over. His whole being (body, soul and spirit) is now fully led by the Holy Spirit. He has learnt to live and walk in the Spirit, without grieving Him. Hence he is calm in the hour of trial, free from the inward struggles of the former days. He now has nothing to do with the old man through whom Satan, the prince of the air, worked deceitfully, to re-establish his kingdom in his heart. All his carnal sins and passions have been mortified by the Spirit of God (Rom.8:13) as he has learnt to ‘crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts’ (Gal. 5:24) and offer his body continually as ‘a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God’ in order to serve God according to His will (Rom.12:1). The world is crucified unto him and he unto the world (Gal.6:14) and hence all the desires and affections of his body, soul and spirit are set on things above and NOT on things on the earth (Col.3:1,2). He is able to live peacefully with everyone because the God of peace has sanctified him wholly (I Thess.5:23). His mind is renewed by the Word of God and his thoughts are pure. The Holy Spirit has filled his heart and mind with the law of the Spirit, delivering him from the law of sin and death which had enslaved him. Hence he is free from all kinds of defilement and from condemnation (Rom.8:1,2). Earthly trials may beat upon him like waves, but he remains steadfast, hid in Christ, the Rock of Ages, because the work of sanctification has made him perfect. Sanctification is a work of grace that is wrought in the inner man. It is not to be recognized by outward ecstasies or miraculous attributes, but it is best known by its possessor, by the indestructible perfect love, purity and inner rest he possesses. Sanctification removes every disturbing element which interrupts the Christian's growth to perfection in love, faith, obedience, etc. In brief, sanctification makes him a fruit-bearing Christian bearing the fruit of the Spirit viz. love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal.5:22,23).

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It builds in his heart a perfect love that over- comes all evil; it creates in him a perfect purity of heart that is constantly realized; it gives a perfect rest and faith in Christ that nothing can disturb. A sanctified man has a unique experience when he is faced with a trial or temptation. The struggle is not within, as formerly, but he has the delightful awareness that the pressure is from without. There is a great difference between having an enemy in the room with you and having him locked outside the door. Sanctification puts the tempter outside and under control. Sanctification brings a man to a state of being entirely cleansed and every sin is fully purged or rooted out, so that he can love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and love his neighbour as himself. Sanctification kills all carnal ambitions and desire for power and praise. It makes him willing to be overlooked and unknown. The craze for place and prominence is removed. The eye is not fixed on honour, status, position, promotion etc. All his thoughts are now turned towards heavenly places, in being found in Christ, in winning Him, in being seated together with Him and in being hid in Him. He can be perfectly aware of the circulation of unkind statements, even slanders, and yet be full of rest and peace all the time. The work of sanctification puts an end to all uneasiness about the future. It enables him to cast all his cares immediately upon Christ in prayer. §§§§§§ 3 Is sanctification an ‘INSTANTANEOUS’ work of God, received immediately after salvation as a ‘second blessing’? This view is not correct. If we instantly become altogether holy as He is holy, Apostle John need not write “... every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I Jn.3:3). This Scripture shows clearly that ‘purifying himself ’ is the practice of a child of God every moment of his life. While he purifies himself daily to become a partaker of His holiness (Heb.l2:10), ‘the God of peace’ continues to sanctify him throughout his life, till he is found ‘wholly sanctified’. ‘‘And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’’ (I Thess.5:23). The doctrine of entire sanctification must be taught to a man as soon as he is saved or born again, because Jesus offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice, as ‘a lamb without blemish’ (I Pet.1:19) so that we may become ‘partakers of His holiness’ (Heb.12:10) and be found as pure as He is when He comes (I Jn.3:3). We are expected to be found, ‘not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, ... but holy and without blemish’ (Eph.5:27). It is worth always remembering the fact that the work of entire sanctification begins the very moment a sinner gives his heart to Jesus Christ and accepts Him as his Saviour and Lord. At new birth he is forgiven and regenerated by the inflow of eternal life from Jesus Christ into his soul, and is cleansed and purified by His blood. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn.1:9). In the man who is thus purified by the blood of Jesus, the work of ‘sanctification by the blood’ takes place day after day. “If the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” reads Hebrews 9:13,14. Nevertheless, he is not entirely sanctified and perfected in holiness instantly. He must be exhorted to purify himself by His blood daily and live in His presence so that God may do the work of perfect sanctification in him moment by moment. St. Paul therefore exhorts all believers not to live a stagnant life, but boldly proceed towards the perfect holy life for which Jesus shed His blood. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter

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into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Heb.10:19,20). Let us not forget that in the sacrifice of Jesus, we find all we need, including ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (I Cor.1:30). The other Scripture portion that clearly states that the blood of His sacrifice can sanctify us and bring us to perfection, is found in Hebrews 10:10,14: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Let us repeat that all that we need for our entire sanctification or holiness is found in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, since it is written, “by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb.10:14). Though we find all our purification, or entire sanctification and perfection in Christ Jesus, we are not entirely sanctified or perfected all at once. When a baby is born, it is washed and cleansed. It is a perfect child. There is no blemish in that child. All the limbs are perfect and complete in themselves. In that sense, we ‘are complete in Him’ in Whom is ‘all the fulness of the Godhead bodily’(Col.2:9,10); but, just as an infant keeps growing day by day, we too are called to grow daily in order to become ‘partakers of his holiness’ (Heb.12:10). We are exhorted to ‘grow up into him (Jesus Christ) in all things’ (in love, faith, knowledge etc. including holiness or sanctification) — “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph.4:13,15). §§§§§§ 4 God is a God of miracles. Can’t He change us and transform us instantly at His Coming as said by St. Paul in I Corinthians 15:51,52 — ‘we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’? We may ask you a similar question. Satan also is miracle-worker in one sense. He is called ‘the god of this world’ (II Cor.4:4). All the sinners are in his hands. Can he not take an ordinary sinner and make him the most corrupt, wicked person like himself, in a moment ? You are sure to answer, ‘‘No, he cannot.’’ You are right. It takes time for a person to grow in sins like lying, stealing, blasphemy, smoking, drinking, murder, adultery etc., because, he has to learn to overcome his CONSCIENCE and wage war against all the moral and spiritual laws. This takes time. So, Satan cannot make him a matured sinner in a day. It is the same with entire sanctification. One has to unlearn what he had learnt when he was a sinner and yield himself to the laws of God. This also takes time. The transformation referred to in I Corinthians 15:51,52, does not point to the entire sanctification of our life, but to the resurrection of the bodies of the dead saints who will be ‘raised incorruptible’, and also the bodies of living saints who will be made incorruptible ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump’ (vs.52). God cannot perform such a miracle of instant sanctification with our spiritual life, because man has a freewill. He has the freedom to choose for himself, Christ or the devil, his own will or God’s will, earthly pleasures or heavenly pleasures, holiness or uncleanness, carnal life or spiritual life etc. When God desired to sanctify the children of Israel who came out of Egypt, He had to take them through the wilderness, in order to humble them, prove them and know what was in their heart, whether they would ‘keep his commandments, or no’ (Deut.8:2). Though He had clearly told them that they were chosen to be ‘a peculiar (special) treasure unto (Him) above all people: ... a kingdom of priests, and an holy (sanctified) nation’ (Exo.19:5,6), they rebelled against Him and lusted for flesh, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic etc. (Num.11:4,6). They kept murmuring over and over again because of the way and because they lacked bread and water (Num.21:4,5). In other words, they desired earthly blessings and not God's ways of sanctification, whereby they might please God in all things, and learn to obey His will and commandments.

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Is it not so with us today? We desire material and spiritual blessings, but are reluctant to surrender our body, soul and spirit for God to do a work of sanctification in us. Without a total surrender of ourselves and our will to God in order to do His perfect will, we cannot easily practise the glorious teaching of entire sanctification. §§§§§§ 5 After saying, ‘the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God’, St. Paul tells the Corinthian believers, ‘but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God’ (I Cor.6:9,11). Were they not fit then for the Rapture? Did they need further sanctification ? The believers in Corinth were sanctified in a measure, but not ‘sanctified wholly’ to be found worthy to meet the Lord in the air at His Coming. Writing to the Hebrews, St. Paul says, ‘... we are SANCTIFIED through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all ’. He continues to say, ‘... he hath perfected for ever them that are SANCTIFIED’ (Heb.10:10,14). In that sense the Corinthians were sanctified. Though Jesus died on the cross for our entire sanctification, we need to grow in Him day by day in order to receive that perfect sanctification. Though the believers in Corinth were in a measure sanctified by the blood of Jesus, by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit, they could not continue in the life of sanctification because they remained as ‘babes in Christ’ without further growth. When we carefully study the epistles of St. Paul to the Corinthians, we can see that many among them were not ready for the Coming of Christ or the Rapture. St. Paul discovered the following sins, faults, blemishes and unsanctified natures in them. 1. There were contentions, ‘envying, and strife and divisions among them’ (I Cor.1:11; 3:3). Hence they could not be ‘perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment’ to be called the ‘body of Christ’ (I Cor.1:10). 2. When they ought to have grown and become ‘perfect in Christ’ they were childish and ‘carnal’, and not ‘spiritual’. They could not appreciate or relish solid spiritual food or sound doctrines, but were satisfied with ‘milk’ or with the basic teachings of salvation, water baptism, baptism in the Holy Spirit and gifts, and neglected deeper truths such as entire sanctification, victorious life and the perfection in Jesus Christ (I Cor.3:1-3). 3. It is evident that some of them were against the ministry and teachings of St. Paul, because they questioned his authority and sought proof of his ministry and revelations (II Cor.10:8-14). 4. They gladly accepted false apostles who preached ‘another Christ’, ‘another spirit’ and ‘another gospel’, thereby giving room for Satan to beguile them (II Cor.11:1-4,13). 5. Though they were said to be endued with all gifts and ‘waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’, some of them continued to be FORNICATORS like the heathen (I Cor.1:7; 5:1; 6:15-18), not realizing that their body was the temple of the Holy Spirit and that they were ‘bought with a price’ in order to ‘glorify God’ in their body and in their spirit (I Cor. 6:19,20). 6. They did not have a clear vision that they were called to reign with Christ, in this world and in the next and to judge the world and angels. Void of this great vision, they sought the help of worldly rulers and judges to settle disputes among them. St. Paul was very grieved about this (I Cor.6:1-7). 7. They misused the liberty which they had found in Christ Jesus. They had forgotten that they were saved by the Lord Jesus Christ from the dominion of Satan and his forces such as demons, evil spirits and their idols, which they had once worshipped and which had held them captive (I Cor.10:20; 12:1,2). They once again entered into the ‘idol’s temple’, and began to eat what was ‘offered to idols’ (I Cor.8:10). Thus they were found guilty of sin ‘against the brethren’ and ‘against Christ’ (I Cor.8:11,12).

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8. Some of them, like the Sadducees, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. St. Paul questioned them saying, “If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (I Cor.15:12). This might be the reason why they neglected the sanctification of their body, but gave themselves to fornication and gluttony (I Cor.6:13). God’s Word says that our body too must be sanctified if we are to be caught up at the Secret Coming of the Lord (I Thess.5:23; II Cor.7:1). 9. God could not sanctify them because they mixed with ‘unbelievers’, ‘infidels’ and idolaters. So St. Paul had to preach to them the doctrine of separation afresh (II Cor.6:14-18). God can never sanctify those who are conformed to this world (I Jn.2:15-17; Rom.12:1,2). It is clearly written in the Word that Jesus ‘gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this PRESENT EVIL WORLD, according to the will of God and our Father’ (Gal. 1:4). 10. Their spiritual poverty was due to their love for earthly riches. They were satisfied with the abundance of material blessings they had. They had not learnt the art of freely giving and spending for the Lord’s work or for the saints. They altogether lacked ‘the grace of God bestowed on the (other) churches of Macedonia who, in spite of ‘their deep poverty’, took upon themselves ‘the fellowship of the ministering to the saints’ with material gifts and offerings, beyond their power’ (II Cor.8:1-5). St. Paul ‘robbed other churches, taking wages of them’ to minister to this church but their life was not upto his expectation (II Cor.11:7,8; 12:15,20,21). How can we say that such a church was entirely sanctified and ready for His Coming? Are we not also guilty of similar faults and failures? Let us acknowledge our shortcomings as and when the Spirit of the Lord convicts us and purify ourselves moment by moment so that we may be found ready among His sanctified and perfected saints when He appears in the air for them. §§§§§§ 6 Many Bible teachers assert that a wholly sanctified life is impossible. What does the Bible say about it ? The one great desire of God is to bring man to His own ‘PERFECTION’. When God, Who is holy, created man ‘in His own image’, He created him without any sin or blemish. ‘Sin entered into the world’ only after Adam disobeyed God (Rom.5:12,19). If Adam and Eve had remained obedient to God, they would have grown in holiness and become as perfect as their Father in heaven, in holiness. God has always desired that His children be perfect in holiness just as He is holy. Therefore, He gave them the law through Moses so that they might live a holy life. God said, “YE SHALL BE HOLY: FOR I THE LORD YOUR GOD AM HOLY” (Lev.19:1,2). He has again said, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and BE YE HOLY: for I am the Lord your God” (Lev.20:7). The Levitical priesthood could not bring the people of God to perfection since the blood of animals could not remove sins (Heb.10:1-4). Further, the priesthood itself was found defective. Hence, Jesus had to take over the ministry as the High Priest of the New Testament, ‘after the order of Melchisedec’ (Heb.7:12,17). That is why St. Paul says: ‘‘IF THEREFORE PERFECTION WERE by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?’’ (Heb.7:11). When God commanded the children of Israel to offer sacrifices for their sins, He insisted that the animals that were offered should be clean and without blemish. This proves again how much the Lord wants His people to be pure and without any blemish. When God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle for Him, He clearly instructed him to prepare three places, namely, the outer court (Exo. 27:9), the holy place (Exo.28:29,35) and the most holy place (Heb.9:3). Into the holiest or the most holy place ‘went the high priest alone once every year ...’ (Heb.9:7; Exo.30:10). While speaking of heaven as being a shadow of the tabernacle, St. Paul teaches us that God desired that His children purify themselves to enter into

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the Most Holy Place of the heavenly tabernacle. He adds that till Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sins and the perfect High Priest of the New Testament Church, ‘the way into the holiest of all’ (in the heavenly tabernacle) was not revealed (Heb.9:8). In other words, none of the Old Testament saints who died before Christ could gain entrance into the Most Holy Place in heaven, because they could not live an entirely sanctified life. But now, we who have the privilege of getting purified by the blood of Jesus, by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit, have the possibility of enjoying an entirely sanctified life. We are, therefore, exhorted to live this perfect life HERE and NOW while on this earth itself, by having constant communion with Jesus, our High Priest. St. Paul therefore says, ‘‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the HOLIEST (now, not after death ) by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us DRAW NEAR (now, when we are on the earth, sincerely desiring sinless perfection) with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (conse- crating and cleansing our body daily). Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised)’’ (Heb.10:19-23). Further, both Christ and the apostles of the first century taught about perfection and made it clear that it was absolutely necessary for the Church if it is to be raptured at the Coming of the Lord. Let us quote some of these verses: The Lord Jesus : “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matt.5:48). St. Paul : “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col.1:28). “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor.1:8). “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph.1:4). “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph.5:27). “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col.1:21,22). “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you; to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints” (I Thess.3:12,13). “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess.5:23). St. Peter: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (I Pet.1:22). “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Pet.3:14). St. John : “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I Jn.3:2,3). “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world” (I Jn.4:17). The above Scriptures prove beyond any doubt, that perfection is possible and that the Church that is to be caught up at Christ’s Coming should be found ‘glorious … not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing but … holy and without blemish’ (Eph.5:27).

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The believers in the above-mentioned perfected group will inherit NEW JERUSALEM. Concerning this city St. John says, “There shall in no wise enter into it ANYTHING THAT DEFILETH …” (Rev.21:27). He also saw the holy servants of Christ standing on Zion; he says that they were not defiled with women ‘and in their mouth was found NO GUILE: for they are without fault before the throne of God’ (Rev.14:4,5). §§§§§§ 7. The penitent thief on the cross was promised a place in Paradise. It is obvious that he was not wholly sanctified; he was saved at the last moment. If all those who are saved at the last moment are sure of a place in heaven or Paradise, why should we insist on entire sanctification ‘Paradise’ refers to the abode of the departed spirits of the children of God. (This Paradise was in the lower parts of the earth before the resurrection of the Lord Jesus). The spirits of all saints, whether only saved or sanctified, go to Paradise immediately after their physical death. Therefore, the penitent thief also found a place in Paradise (Lk.23:43). This Paradise has three parts, namely, first heaven, second heaven and third heaven. The spirits of the dead saints will rest in these places, depending on the period in which they lived and on the spiritual standard they attained. In eternity, heaven will be seen as three places, namely New Earth, New Heaven and New Jerusalem. It is said that Jesus went ‘far above all heavens’ (Eph.4:10). St. Paul tells us that he was caught up to ‘the third heaven’. If there is a third heaven, it suggests that there are two other heavens _ the first and the second. The third heaven is evidently for the sanctified and perfected Church, because St. Paul heard ‘unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter’ (II Cor.12:4). It is a mysterious and special place to which none but the sanctified saints of the New Testament can go. The sanctified saints rest here after death till they are resurrected at the Secret Coming of Jesus. This third heaven corresponds to New Jerusalem which John the apostle saw in a vision at Patmos. ‘New Jerusalem’ called the Bride of Christ is the inheritance and abode of the perfected saints of the New Testament. St. John was told, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Rev.21:9-11). We are told that the ‘pure river of water of life’ and the ‘tree of life’ are in this city called New Jerusalem (Rev.22:1,2). In Revelation 2:7, we read once again of the same tree of life as being ‘in the midst of the paradise of God’. All this proves that the Paradise which St. Paul saw in the third heaven belongs to the perfected saints of the New Testament or ‘the spirits of just men made perfect’ who inherit New Jerusalem (Heb.12:23). They are over- comers who have free access to the city into which the unsanctified or ‘anything that defileth’ cannot enter (Rev.21:27). Only the overcomers can ‘eat of the tree of life’ (Rev.2:7). The penitent thief on the cross will dwell in the New Earth with the ‘nations of them which are saved (who) shall walk in the light of it (New Jerusalem)’ (Rev.21:24). THE TABERNACLE IN HEAVEN Both St. Paul and St. John refer to three distinct places when speaking of heaven. St. Paul claims to have been transported to the third heaven, having crossed the first and the second. The Mosaic tabernacle was an earthly model of the ‘true tabernacle’, ‘which the Lord pitched, and not man’ in heaven (Heb.8:2). The earthly tabernacle had three places, namely, the outer court (Exo.27:9), the holy place (Exo.28:43) and the most holy place or the ‘holiest of all’ (Exo.26:33,34; Heb.9:3). These three places represent the three ‘heavens’ which St. Paul speaks of. St. John saw three distinct places in heaven – the New Earth, the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem (Rev.21:1,2). After he ‘saw’ these places he ‘heard a great voice out of heaven

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saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men ...’ (Rev.21:3). New Earth The New Earth is assigned to the saved people of all dispensations. Among them, those who belong to the Period of Grace have the born-again experience and may have even received water baptism. But they have no further spiritual experiences or growth in the knowledge of God. Those among them who remain faithful to the light they have received will be known as ‘kings’. The New Earth will be lit by the glory of New Jerusalem - “And the city (New Jerusalem) had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are SAVED shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it” (Rev.21:23,24). Those who belong to the New Earth will be resurrected only after the Millennial reign of Christ and the saints, whereas the sanctified and perfected Church will be caught up before the Period of Tribulation (Lk.21:35-36; I Thess.5:1-9). New Heaven Those in New Heaven are in a higher place than those in New Earth. Saints such as Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Joshua and other faithful judges, kings and prophets who lived till the days of John the Baptist, all the general martyrs beginning with Abel, and the martyrs of the Tribulation Period, will inherit New Heaven. These saints should not be reckoned with the New Testament saints who will inherit New Jerusalem. Jesus, the righteous Judge, says that the least of the New Testament saints will be greater (in sanctity, honour and glory) than the greatest in the Old Testament. “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist : notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt.11:11). These saints of the Old Testament will be raised only after the seven-year tribulation which follows the rapture of the sanctified Church (Rev.11:15-19). New Jerusalem When Jesus promised His disciples that He would ‘go to prepare a place for them’ (Jn.14:2), He had this ‘holy city’ in mind. He went ‘far above all heavens’ where God the Father is enthroned in all His majesty and power, in order to start constructing this great and glorious city which was shown to St. John ‘as a bride adorned for her husband’ (Rev.21:2), ‘having the glory of God; and her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal,’ (vs.11), and made of ‘pure gold, like unto clear glass’ (vs.18). What does all this mean? This city is being constructed by the very character–substance of the perfected saints. By absolute obedience and submission to do the whole will of God, which includes humiliation, suffering and death, they allowed the Spirit of God to form the very nature of Christ in them. After having gone through all manner of trials they became victors; and their faith proved to be ‘more precious than gold that perisheth’ and they are found worthy of all ‘praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ’ (I Pet.1:7). They will be enthroned with Christ as His own Bride and as ‘joint-heirs with Him’ and will reign forever over those in New Heaven and New Earth and over the angels. They are the overcomers who will inherit all things. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Rev.21:7). They will be caught up at the Coming of the Lord, before others are resurrected. Enough is said to show you that Christ is not coming to gather some ‘penitent thieves’ who are waiting to be saved at the last chance, or even for the so-called sincere, but lukewarm Christians, but for the overcomers and the ‘wholly sanctified’ and perfected saints of the New Testament. §§§§§§ 8 What is the ultimate purpose of being entirely sanctified ?

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To put it in brief, the purpose of entire sanctification is to find our rest in God. Man lacks real rest until he finds it in God, and in Him alone. When a man is entirely sanctified, peace like a river floods his soul continually. He remains undisturbed under all trying situations. The peace of God reigns in his heart. To crown it all, God Himself comes to rest in him. Thus one rests in the other, and both dwell together in peace for evermore. This work of sanctification takes place gradually, steadily, progressively and perfectly in the life of a consecrated saint, till he is wholly sanctified. Perfect peace is the outstanding feature of such a saint. Alarming news, unpleasant circumstances, humiliating situations and fiery trials, do not disturb his peace. He manifests an undisturbed peace when the enemy comes as a flood against him. Let us study how God brings about this rest in him. At Salvation When a man is saved, he receives joy. He testifies that the Lord has delivered him from his bondage to sin and to Satan. The knowledge that he has passed from death to life, and that all his sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, gives him new joy. But, after some time he finds in himself an inner warfare with the nature of sin. At Water Baptism At baptism by immersion a miracle takes place, as surprising as the total destruction of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, when the children of Israel crossed over safely to the other side. The one who is baptized receives the grace to be delivered from the nature of sin which troubled him even after salvation. Referring to this experience, St. Paul says, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom.6:2,3). Yet the victory is not complete because he is still a stranger to the perfect nature of God and is unaware of the will of God for his future. At the Baptism in the Holy Spirit At the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the triune God steps into his life to have fellowship with him (Jn.14:20), to impart His rest, to manifest His love, to reveal His will and to bestow upon him His attributes called ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ viz., love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal.5:22,23). Jesus promised His disciples, “At that day (when the Holy Spirit came down to dwell in them) ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (Jn.14:20). In short, by being baptized in the Holy Spirit a man begins to dwell in the triune God and He in him. This experience cannot last long unless he is prepared to make a solemn covenant with Him to do His perfect will, to love Him and desire to imbibe His glorious, divine nature in his own life. Speaking of this love-covenant, Jesus told His disciples, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”. Again He says, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn.14:21,23). At this juncture, a new warfare begins between the will of man and the will of God. He knows for certain that Jesus Christ came down with a sinless body to redeem his sinful body, and that He was chastised for his sin of disobedience and rebellion. But after a while, he begins to lose his first love for Jesus, his Lover and King, and is tempted to ‘walk after the flesh’ and be carnally-minded (Rom.8:1,5). He thereby grieves the Holy Spirit Who delights to lead him into all truth and guide him safely day after day into an ever closer walk with God. He falls from the grace of God and becomes a victim of fear, despair and discouragement. When he is convicted of this backslidden state, he turns to God and seeks His pardon with a broken and contrite heart. God readily forgives him and restores joy and peace to his soul. Now he learns to be spirituallyminded and longs to be led by the Holy Spirit all the days of his life. The love-covenant is renewed with God; and as a result, he rediscovers God’s peace and rest in his soul; and as he continues to obey Him and do His will, God begins to rest in him. By his consecration and surrender, his body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit. God is glorified in his body and in his

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spirit (I Cor.6:19,20). Where God dwells and reigns, there is perfect rest. It is this rest that is the ultimate purpose of entire sanctification. The blessedness of the eternal rest that comes as a result of entire sanctification can be best illustrated by the Scripture passage that says, “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made” (Gen.2:2). In Genesis 1:2 we read that ‘the earth was without form, and void’. Nevertheless, the Spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters to accomplish the work of creation. After having created all things in six days, God ‘rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made’. In the same manner, ‘the God of peace’ will not rest until He has sanctified us wholly, and made us altogether new and perfect, having conformed us to the very image of His Son. Then He will rest in us for ever. The beauty of the sanctified life of the saints radiates as the glory of Zion and New Jerusalem in eternity. Therefore, the Lord says, “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth” (Isa.62:1). §§§§§§ 9 What part does Christ play in the plan of entire sanctification ? The complete plan of entire sanctification was predetermined to be accomplished in Christ Jesus. St. Paul says, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb.10: 10,14). Christ was foreordained, before the foundation of the world, as a ‘lamb without blemish and without spot’, for the redemption of man (I Pet. 1:19,20). Since man fell into sin, Christ has appeared at the end of the world, ‘to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself’ (Heb.9:26). Wherefore, John the Baptist bears witness of Him saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn.1:29). Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice of love as written in the Epistle to the Ephesians, Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it (the Church): that he might sanctify and cleanse it … that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph.5:25-27). Christ had to be offered as a perfect sacrifice for the redemption of man. We read that Christ was sinless or blameless from birth to death. St. Luke says that His conception was without sin (Lk.1:35). During His lifetime no one could convict Him of sin (Jn.8:46). It is written that He ‘did no sin’ (I Pet. 2:22), ‘in Him is no sin’ (I Jn.3:5) and that He ‘knew no sin’ (II Cor.5:21). His sinlessness is proved beyond all doubt by His resurrection, whereby He was declared to be the Son of God with power (Rom.1:4). Jesus not only became a perfect sacrifice, but He also continues the ministry of sanctification in us as a perfect High Priest. In order to be found as a faithful High Priest, Who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, He had to be tempted in all points like we are. Having overcome all temptations and sin, He is appointed as our eternal High Priest to make reconciliation for us and to save us to the uttermost (Heb.2:17,18; 4:15,16; 7:25,26). Having lived an altogether perfect life, Jesus is now seen as our Standard. At the same time, He Himself is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb.12:2). We are expected to grow in Him to His measure (of divine nature) (Eph.4:13). When we abide in Him and He in us, as members of His Body, then He is able to not only sanctify us, cleansing us from all unrighteousness, but also help us become partakers of His holiness and divine nature (Heb.12:10; II Pet. 1:4). Moreover, He supplies us with an abundance of grace and righteousness that they may reign where sin and offences once reigned (Rom.5:17,21). He uses His blood (Heb.13:12), the Word of God (Jn.17:17) and the Holy Spirit (II Thess.2:13) to sanctify us wholly and thus make us as perfect as He is. We have our part to play in this work of sanctification.

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(1) We have to seek His presence with a sincere heart, coming boldly before the throne of grace, in the full assurance of faith, trusting in His blood and in the finished work of His sacrifice (Heb.10:19-22; 4:15,16). (2) We have to purify our conscience by confessing our sins and forsaking them (Heb.10:22). By confessing our sins, we put off the old man with his deeds (Col.3:8,9). (3) It is written that we must come unto Him having ‘our bodies washed with pure water’ (Heb. 10:22). This speaks of being once baptized in water and then daily abiding in the truth of baptism — that is, reckoning ourselves dead to sin and dedicating the members of our body as instruments of righteousness (Rom.6:11,13). (4) We have to confess our faith without wavering, believing that He is able to sanctify us wholly and save us to the uttermost (Heb.10:23). When we do our part of emptying ourselves, reckoning ourselves dead to sin and hold fast to the profession of our faith, then Christ is able to live out His life in us (Gal.2:20). Thus we will be found sanctified and pure like Him. §§§§§§ 10 It is said that all the sacrifices of the Old Testament point to the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary. Can you explain it ? PASSOVER

When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, the Lord commanded them to sacrifice a passover lamb for their redemption. Passover (Heb. - Pasah) means ‘to pass over’. It points to the day when God passed over the houses of the Israelites, preserving them from judgment and from the hands of the destroyer (Exo.12:13). Christ is called the Passover Who was slain for us (I Cor.5:7) because He was crucified in our stead at Calvary, just as the lamb without blemish of the first year was slain in the place of the first-born of Israel to preserve them from death, and for the deliverance of all the children of Israel from Egypt. Egypt signifies the kingdom of Satan. St. Paul says that we are delivered from the power of dark- ness: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13,14). 1. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE LAMB IS TO BE CHOSEN: (i) It should be taken on the tenth day of the first month of the year (Exo.12:2,3): The first month : In that month two things took place: one is deliverance from Egypt, and the other, setting out towards Canaan. This points to the beginning of our spiritual experiences. Our spiritual life begins with salvation, when we accept Jesus as our personal Saviour. Our spiritual growth is counted from the day we are saved. Tenth Day : Ten shows the Law. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” (Rom.10:4). Through the law one gets the knowledge of sin (Rom.7:7-9). In this manner, when we are convicted through the Word of God that we are sinners, there is a groaning to be delivered from sins. It is then that we choose the Lord Jesus Christ. (ii) A lamb for a house (Exo.12:3): House shows our body or an individual (II Cor.5:1). Salvation is an experience which each one must receive individually (Jn.1:12,13). Christ tasted death for every man, for every man's personal salvation (Heb.2:9). (iii) The lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year (Exo.12:5): Without blemish : Jesus was a lamb ‘without blemish and without spot’ (I Pet.1:19). His birth was holy (Lk. 1:35). He did no sin (I Pet.2:22). He knew no sin(II Cor.5:21). In Him there was no sin (I Jn.3:5). Male: This shows a victorious life. The Lord Jesus Christ overcame the world, Satan, the flesh, self and sin. He overcame death and hell (Isa.25:8). Of the first year : This points to Christ being innocent, meek and mild like a little child

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(Matt.11:29). 2. IT SHOULD BE KEPT TILL THE FOURTEENTH DAY (Exo.12:6): The lamb which was taken on the tenth day should be kept for four days. This was done in order to test and prove that the lamb was without blemish. Even so, our Lord's life was under hostile scrutiny for four years. This was a test which proved His holiness (Lk.11:53,54; Jn.8:46; 18:38). 3. IT WAS KILLED IN THE EVENING (Exo.12:6): Evening shows the end of a day and the lamb slain in the evening shows that ‘in these last days’, Jesus was manifest in the flesh and was slain (I Pet.1:20; Rev.5:9). Evening also speaks of the time when we rest after a day's labour. Even so, we who laboured and were heavy laden (under the yoke of sin) enter into a rest by believing in the death of Christ. 4. SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD (Exo.12:7): Sprinkling the blood speaks of our hearts being purged by the blood of Jesus (Heb.9:14; 10:19-22). The blood was sprinkled ‘on the two side posts’ and ‘upon the upper door post’ of the house (Exo.12:7). This speaks of the confession of our faith ‘with the mouth’ (proclaiming the redemption power which is in the blood of the Lord Jesus) and believing ‘in our heart’ that God has raised Him from the dead for our justification. Such a confession brings salvation (Rom.10:9). The destroyer not entering the houses on which the blood was sprinkled shows that there is no more punishments for sin for those who have received the forgiveness of sins. 5. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PASSOVER SHOULD BE EATEN : (i) Roasted in the fire (Exo.12:9): This speaks of the sufferings that Jesus had to endure for us when He became a sacrifice for us (Isa.53:5). Eating the flesh which was roasted in the fire signifies the blessings that we receive at salvation through the sufferings that He endured on the cross. (ii) With unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exo.12:8): Leaven points to malice and wickedness. We should put off these and live in sincerity and truth (I Cor.5:8). The bitter herbs show a broken and a contrite heart ie., repenting for one's sins (II Cor.7:10; Psa.51:17). (iii) Not raw or sodden with water (Exo.12:9): The experience of salvation should be through comprehending the spiritual significance of the cross (sufferings and death of Christ) and not of the letter, and also without diluting the spiritual import of the truth in any way. (iv) The head, legs and the purtenance to be eaten (Exo.12:9): This speaks of Christ pouring out His soul unto death and becoming the wisdom of God and the power of God in our lives (I Cor.1:24) (head — wisdom; legs — power). (v) With the loins girded, and shoes on the feet, and staff in the hand, and in haste (Exo.12:11). Loins girded: This speaks of the loins of our mind being girt about with truth and beginning our journey towards heavenly Canaan with a firm determination (I Pet.1:13; Prov.16:32; Eph.6:14). Shoes on the feet: This shows a readiness to obey the Word of God as we begin our spiritual journey (Eph.6:15). Staff in hand: This speaks of firmly holding on to the promises of God in escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust in order to partake of the divine nature (II Pet.1:4). Eating in haste: We should not delay to receive the experience of salvation (II Cor.6:2). We should not be negligent (Rom.12:11). After the children of Israel came into the wilderness, the Lord commanded them to offer other sacrifices and offerings, some of which are: 1. Burnt Offering (Lev.ch.1) 2. Meat Offering (Lev.ch.2) 3. Peace Offering (Lev.ch.3) 4. Sin Offering (Lev.ch.4) 5. Trespass Offering (Lev.ch.5) Although Jesus became the Passover Lamb for us, for our redemption from sin, He had to become a burnt offering, meat offering, peace offering, sin offering and trespass offering in order

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to sanctify us wholly and make us ready for His Coming. The sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament Period could not take away sins. The sacrifices could not perfect the conscience of even the priest who offered it (Heb.10:4; 9:9). But Jesus became a perfect sacrifice, full and complete, in order to make us pure and perfect like Him (Heb.10:10,14). BURNT OFFERING Jesus bore our sins and became a burnt offering for us, an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour (Eph.5:2; Heb.10:5-7). MEAT OFFERING Jesus became a meat offering by offering Himself to do the whole will of the Father (Heb.10:7). “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work,” He said (Jn.4:34). PEACE OFFERING When man sinned the peace between God and man, between man and man, and between man and animals, was lost. Jesus became a peace offering in order to reconcile man to God and man with man. He has broken down the middle wall of partition and abolished the enmity in His flesh and so made peace (Eph.2:13-16). SIN OFFERING Jesus Who knew no sin was made a sin offering for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (II Cor.5:21). This righteousness of God is the state of ‘not knowing sin’. TRESPASS OFFERING The trespass offering was offered for one who transgressed the law. The sacrifice of Jesus became an effective trespass offering when all our transgressions and iniquities were laid on Him (Isa.53:5,6). Thus Jesus is become not only our Passover Lamb but also a perfect sacrifice in order to sanctify us wholly and bring us to perfection. §§§§§§ 11 St. Paul says, ‘... by the which WILL we are sanctified’ (Heb.10:10). What is meant by being sanctified by His WILL ? When God created Adam in His own image, he (Adam) was seen as a part of God Himself possessing in a measure, His holiness, glory, love, power, wisdom, immortality etc. Abiding in this life depended on his remaining in fellowship with God, in full submission and obedience to His will. God was his Father, and he was the first earthly son of God (Lk.3:38). But through his disobedience, “sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned ...” (Rom.5:12); further, by his disobedience he not only forfeited all the heavenly blessings and his relationship with God, but also became the enemy of God by his wicked works: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Col.1:21). In order to restore man to God, Jesus had to take human form to accomplish all things which Adam failed to do through disobedience. For this e had to abandon His own will and submit Himself to the will of the Father. That is why He said, “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 God” (Heb.10:6,7). St. Paul’s argument is that, if one man’s disobedience could affect the entire human race so as to make them disobedient to the will of God, how much more could the obedience of Jesus Christ Who fulfilled the whole will of God on behalf of the fallen man, enable the true believers in Christ to perform the will of God whole-heartedly and gladly? It is through the spirit of obedience that we are sanctified. Whatever we need for entire sanctification and perfection is available in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them

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that are sanctified” (Heb.10:14). “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him” (Col.2:9,10). These Scriptures show clearly that we are not only sanctified by His sacrifice, but also receive all His divine nature or the fulness of God by the sacrifice of Christ. But such blessings can be received only by those who abandon their own will and dedicate themselves to do the whole will of God, as Jesus did. Some stop with the blessings of the atonement, such as new birth, water baptism, healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit, gifts etc., and remain ignorant of the fact that dedication of their WILL is absolutely necessary for God to do the work of sanctification in them. When sin entered man it brought about a separation between him and God, and also disorder and confusion within himself. Body, soul and spirit ceased to be united to do the will of God. They became divided among themselves. Sometimes, the body refuses to co-operate with the spirit as remarked by Jesus: “... the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt.26:41). When a man is not saved, he delights in fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind (Eph.2:3). His mind becomes a battlefield or the ‘stronghold’ of Satan who fills it with pride and rebellion against the knowledge of God (II Cor.10:5). Even after new birth and other spiritual experiences there can be inner warfares and conflicts, if our body, soul and spirit are not completely surrendered to God to do His will. Among the Galatian Christians there were those who quarrelled, biting and devouring one another (Gal.5:15). Though they had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, they were carnal. They resisted the Holy Spirit. So St. Paul exhorts them saying, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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 cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Gal.5:15-18). All inner disorders, rebellion, and warfares can be brought under the control of the Holy Spirit only by consecrating our body as ‘a living sacrifice unto God’, with a view to doing His perfect will (Rom.12:1). In such a dedicated life, neither the world, nor sin, nor Satan can have a claim over us. God’s power and presence will rest upon us. His Spirit will lead and guide us and transform us into His very image. As we grow spiritually, led by His Spirit, the Spirit itself will bear witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Rom.8:14-16). Neither sin, nor death will have dominion over us. St. Paul says “For the law (authority or power) of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law (authority or power) of sin and death” (Rom.8:2). Further, we will be able to have perfect control over all the ‘deeds’ or the ‘motions of sins’ of our body by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:13). Above all, as St. Paul says, we will be ‘transformed by the renewing of (our) mind; that (we) may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God’ (Rom.12:2). Let us, therefore, abandon our self-will and consecrate our body together with our soul and spirit, that we may obtain the grace to be sanctified by the sacrifice of Jesus and to do the whole will of God. §§§§§§ 12 How is the work of sanctification effected in the life of a child of God ? The work of sanctification is effected in the life of a child of God in three ways namely, (i) by the blood of Jesus (Heb.13:12) (ii) by the Word of God (Jn.17:17) (iii) by the Holy Spirit (Rom.15:16). Sanctification by the Blood: The blood of Jesus is without spot, and it is able to purge our conscience (Heb.9:14). St. Paul speaks of how we are justified by the blood of Jesus (Rom. 5:9), and purchased by His blood (Acts 20:28; I Cor. 6:19,20). It is through His blood that we have redemption (Eph.1:7; Col.1:14); it is through the blood shed on the cross that we have been reconciled to God, and we now have peace with Him (Col.1:20); it is by His blood that we are sanctified (Heb.13:12); it is through the blood of the Lamb that we overcome Satan (Rev.12:11). These are not mere empty statements, but promises which have eternal power, which we can discover, as we apply them to

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our lives. The blood of Jesus is called the ‘blood of the everlasting covenant’ (Heb.13:20). It is through the blood of Jesus that God has made an eternal covenant with us, and it is as we apply the blood of Jesus to various aspects of our lives that we establish this everlasting covenant. Thus, having our confidence firm in the power of the blood of Jesus, we are exhorted to enter boldly into the Holiest, into the presence of God, by the blood of Jesus (Heb.10:19,20). When we truly repent of our sins with a deep conviction, and confess them, not just to ease our conscience, but to forsake them altogether and live a sanctified life (Prov.28:13), we are forgiven and at the same time we are cleansed and purged by the blood of Jesus (I Jn.1:7-9; Heb.9:14). With this the work of sanctification by the blood begins in us (Heb.13:12). The Old Testament saints could not enjoy this experience, since the blood of animals could not take away sins. Though they enjoyed forgiveness of sin, their sins were not taken away. Hence there was a ‘remembrance of sins’ in their lives. The blood of the sacrifices could not purge their conscience (Heb.10:1-4). So Jesus had to become the true sacrifice ‘for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament’ (Heb.9:15). At new birth we are reconciled to the Father Who has called us through His Son (Col.1:20) that we might be ‘holy and without blame before him in love’ (Eph.1:4). Hence, St. Paul says that we are justified by His blood that we might be reconciled with God (Rom.5:1,9). From here sanctification becomes a continuous and progressive special feature in the life of a child of God. We need a daily cleansing by the blood of the Lord Jesus in order to keep ourselves pure from the impurities in our thoughts and conscience and from other faults and failures. Thus we are kept from Satan, the acccuser of the brethren (Rev.12:10,11). This is made possible because Christ is, not only our sacrifice, but also our High Priest Who entered into the Most Holy Place with His own blood (Heb.9:12; 10:19-22); He ever lives to make intercession for us before the Father (Heb.7:25). Constant cleansing by the blood of the Lord Jesus which leads to progressive sanctification, is needed, if we are to be found without spot or wrinkle and blameless at the Coming of the Lord. Sanctification by the Word: The Word of God also does a work of sanctification in us. Jesus said to His disciples, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (Jn.15:3). He also prayed the Father, “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth” (Jn.17:17). Again, St. Peter says, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth ...” (I Pet.1:22). Sanctification is achieved in our heart as we study, meditate and obey the Word of God. This is why St. Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you (in your hearts) richly in all wisdom” (Col.3:16). The psalmist says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psa.119:11). Whatever God does, He does through His word. He created everything by His word (Gen.1:1,11,12). He revealed Himself to the children of Israel by His word. “The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel” (Isa.9:8). Moses reminded the children of Israel saying, “Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?” (Deut.4:33). God commanded them to ‘not add unto the word … neither… diminish ought from it’ (Deut.4:2). In other words, He commanded them not to alter His word. In the wilderness they were taught to live only by the word of God that proceeds out of His mouth, that they might learn that man ‘doth not live by bread only’, but by His living, faithful word (Deut.8:3). Joshua who succeeded Moses, testified that God was faithful to accomplish whatever He promised. “Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Josh. 23:14). In short, whatever God did in the Old Testament, was according to His word. In Isaiah 55:11 God says, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”. In the New Testament also God does all things by His word. We are given to understand clearly that Christ was the creative Word of God and that that Word was with God and that that Word was God (Jn.1:1). Since the first man failed to obey the Word of God, Jesus came down

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from heaven to fulfil the Word of God. Jesus manifested the power of God’s Word during His lifetime. Many demon-possessed people were brought to Him and He cast out the spirits with His word and healed the sick (Matt.8:16). He raised the dead by His word. For example, He raised Lazarus who was dead for four days, by His word. He cried aloud and said, ‘Lazarus come forth’; immediately the dead young man rose alive and came out of the grave (Jn.11:43,44). His word not only cast out devils, healed the sick and raised the dead; it also had the power to purify the lives of His disciples and followers. He said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jn.6:63). He told His disciples, “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (Jn.15:3). He exhorted His disciples to continue in His word (Jn.8:31). St. Paul says that the Word of God effectively works in those who believe (I Thess.2:13). Therefore, the Word of God has an important work of sanctification to do in our spiritual life. Though in a general sense, the Word of God has a claim over us at new birth, sanctification by the Word begins at water baptism (Eph.5:26). Though St. Paul was convinced in his mind that the law was good and that he had a deep desire to obey it, he discovered a disobedient and rebellious nature that was inherent in him _ ‘a warring law’ in his members, bringing him into captivity to the ‘law of sin’ (Rom.7:15-24). Being over-powered by these laws, he could not by his own strength obey the Word of God. When he was in that desperate state, torn between the ‘warring law’ in his members and the ‘law of his mind’, it was revealed to him that he could be delivered from that warring law which brought him in to bondage to the law of sin. God showed St. Paul that he could enjoy a miraculous deliverance in baptism to rejoice in His Word and obey it, and walk in newness of life by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom.6:4-6; Col.2:12). Let us analyse how we receive the ability to obey His Word which sanctifies us, and willingly and fully do the will of God. Being buried into the death of Jesus Christ Who accomplished the whole will of God, and being raised ‘as those that are alive from the dead’ by faith in His power (Rom.6:4,11), we are not only freed from sin and its disobedient nature (Rom.6:7), but we also receive a new life to ‘live with him’ (Rom.6:8), sharing the will of the Lord Jesus Who did the will of God in His body (Heb.10:5 -10). Just as ‘disobedience’ became, as it were, the evil gift of the devil to Adam, the obedience of Jesus is given as a gift to us who obey God’s Word in baptism. St. Paul’s argument is that ‘by one man’s disobedience, many were made disobedient and sinners’ . If that is logically true, then by the obedience of one (i.e. Jesus Christ) shall many be made righteous or obedient (Rom.5:19). So St. Paul concludes that we can receive Christ’s own obedience in us, if we are buried with Him and raised up together with Him. Thus we are alive thereafter, to do the will of God. But we must decide to do the will of God always, on the principle, “he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (II Cor. 5:15). Therefore, after taking the correct baptism by immersion we are exhorted to offer or dedicate the members of our body as ‘instruments of righteousness unto God’, so that ‘sin shall not have dominion’ over us, or reign over us (Rom.6:11-13). This act of surrender should be done daily and continuously. Sanctification by the Holy Spirit: After we receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit (II Thess.2:13; I Pet.1:2; Rom.15:16). The Holy Spirit does many things in our life. He bestows on us the ‘gifts of the Spirit’ (I Cor.12:4), quickens our mortal bodies when we are weak and sickly (Rom.8:11), comforts us (Acts 9:31; Jn.14:16; 16:7), helps our infirmities (Rom.8:26), leads us to deeper truths (Jn.16:13), etc. But the greatest ministry of the Holy Spirit in us, is to sanctify us, transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Rom.8:29). The continuous work of purification by the blood keeps our heart and conscience pure and free from the guilt of sin and dead works (Heb.9:14). At baptism, we die to the nature of sin, and our heart is made soft and tender, not only to receive the Word of God, but also to do the will of God revealed in His Word. After we receive the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit convicts us either by the Word or by His

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own voice, of any sin lurking in our life. If we repent and yield ourselves, the Spirit of God begins to ‘mortify the deeds of the body’ (Rom.8:13) and ‘strengthen the inner man’ with power and might (Eph.3:16) ‘according to his glorious power’ (Col.1:11) so that we might overcome sin and Satan. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as ‘fire’. John the Baptist taught his followers that Jesus would baptize His faithful believers with ‘the Holy Ghost, and with fire’ (Matt.3:ll). What does this fire represent? God commanded Moses to build an altar of burnt offering to offer sacrifices (Exo.27:1; 38:1). When Aaron offered the burnt offering on that altar, “...there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat, which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces” (Lev.9:24). The offering of the burnt sacrifice is a type of the removal of all our carnal, selfish and earthly desires by the sanctifying fire of the Holy Spirit. With this view in mind, St. Paul says that we, the Gentiles, should be offered as a sacrifice, ‘accept- able, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost’ (Rom.15:16). Unless we place upon the altar our carnal and earthly desires, and consecrate our bodies daily and continually to God, the Holy Spirit cannot purify and burn these basic desires. Signifying this fact, God told Moses to command Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it” (Lev.6:9). When we consecrate our will to God and dedicate our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, accept- able unto God (Rom.12:1) continually, the Holy Spirit takes over the work of sanctification step by step, as mentioned below. 1. The Holy Spirit preserves us from the law of sin and death which ruled over us, and brings us under a higher law called ‘the law of the Spirit’ (Rom.8:2) which helps us share the righteousness of God (Rom.8:4), cultivate a spiritual mind, overcoming the carnal mind, and receive ‘life and peace’ (Rom. 8:5,6), and mortify ‘the deeds of the body’ (Rom.8:13; Col.3:5). 2. He does not stop with mortifying ‘the deeds of the body’, but helps us bring forth ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (which) is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal.5:22,23). 3. Now that our heart is already washed and our conscience purified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb.9:14;10:22), it ceases to be ‘tables of stone’. Instead, it is miraculously changed into ‘fleshy tables’, to be used by the Holy Spirit to inscribe the law of God; not the Old Testament law which brought condemnation, but ‘the law of the Spirit’ which gives life (II Cor.3:3,6; Heb.10:16,17). 4. Sanctification by the Holy Spirit includes the removal of all earthly desires from our hearts so that we may set our affection ‘on things above, not on things on the earth’, (Col.3:1,2), and tune our lives with Christ in order to reign with Him. To achieve this end He enlightens our eyes of understanding to see (1) the hope of His calling, (2) the riches of the glory of His (heavenly) inheritance in the saints,(3) the exceeding greatness of His power ‘which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places’ (Eph.1:18-20). This helps us to count all earthly pleasures and gain as ‘loss for Christ’, even as ‘dung’ (Phil.3:8). §§§§§§ 13 How does God sanctify the spirit of a child of God ? Man is a tripartite being, with a body, soul and spirit. When God breathed into man, He passed a part of His own spirit into him, and that became the spirit of man. This was so, that through the spirit man might contact God. Man is world-conscious by the five senses of his body, God-conscious through his spirit and self-conscious through his soul. Now, the spirit and the mind which comprise the thought realm, are inter-connected. That is why we read of the phrase, ‘the spirit of your mind’ (Eph. 4:23). The mind of the unregenerated man is corrupt. It is ruled by Satan, called the prince of the power of the air

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(Eph.2:1-3). Satan first gains entrance into the mind through the eye gate and the ear gate. It is said that 80% of the knowledge comes through the eye gate and the other 20% through the ear gate. Thus while we were sinners, Satan, the ‘prince of the power of the air’ worked in our spirit and made us children of disobedience, thereby severing our spirit from the Spirit of God. Satan has built a stronghold in the mind, filling it with vain imaginations and thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God (II Cor. 10:5). In the days of Noah, man became so wicked that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen.6:5). In the epistle to the Corinthians, we read that Satan affects the mind by bringing a veil between God and man, and thereby blinding the eyes of understanding (II Cor.4:4; 3:14). But when Jesus redeemed us, He redeemed both our body and spirit (I Cor.6:19.20) and therefore we see that both the body and the spirit should be consecrated, for the sanctification of the spirit. Writing to the Corinthians, St. Paul says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit” (II Cor.7:1). The ‘filthiness of the spirit’ refers to impurity of thought and the rebellion and disobedience of our spirit. That is why St. Paul says, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor.10:4,5). These weapons refer to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, His promises etc. We read of various qualities of an unsanctified spirit which we need to overcome. The spirit of the unsanctified man is ‘hasty’ (Prov.14:29), is easily provoked (I Cor.13:5) and is haughty (Prov.16:18). Such a mind is not steadfast with God (Psa.78:8). A carnal mind is not subject to the law of God (Rom. 8:7). But God is able and is willing to sanctify our spirit. Nevertheless, we have our part to do by consecrating and renewing our mind by the Word of God and purifying our conscience continually. This is made possible by a life of separation. In II Corin- thians 6:14-16, we read that we are to be separate from unbelievers, the unrighteous, those who live in darkness, infidels, idolaters etc. Then we have God’s promise that He will be our God and we shall be His people and He will be a Father to us and we shall be His sons and daughters. We need to consecrate our eyes and ears since they are also related to the spirit and mind. We read, “Who is blind but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not”. This is called righteousness (Isa.42:19,20). Next, our mind must be renewed through the Word of God (Eph.4:23). In Colossians 3:16, we read, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”. Again, we read that we are purified by His Word. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you,” said Jesus (Jn.15:3). He prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (Jn.I7:17). At the same time we should keep confessing our faults and ‘put off ... the old man’ (Eph.4:22). Another important factor in the sanctification of the spirit is the purifying of the conscience. The Old Testament saints could not purge the conscience by ‘the blood of bulls and of goats’, says St. Paul because it could not take away their sins from their conscience (Heb.10:1-4). But now we have the privilege of purifying our conscience from dead works and all impurity, to serve the living God, by the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God (Heb.9:14). This purification helps us to follow peace with all men, and to be at peace with God. With all this we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit and learn to be led by Him. Only the Spirit of God can lead our spirit. Thus we will be able to rule our own spirit. Then the Spirit of God will bear witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God (Rom.8:16). When we have done our part, God’s promises become real to us, and He Who promised is faithful to give us the victory. As the Holy Spirit leads us day by day, our spirit becomes an overcoming spirit, having authority over sin, Satan and anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. That is why the Preacher says, ‘he that ruleth the spirit’ is better than ‘he that taketh a city’ (Prov.16:32). In order to reign with Christ we need a wholly sanctified spirit which

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overcomes all things. Christ’s victory over Satan on Calvary was evident in His being able, in the spirit, to bear and endure all things quietly. The spirit, it is said, makes ‘diligent search’ (Psa.77:6). We also need a sanctified spirit to seek the Lord and to worship Him in the spirit. Again St. Paul says that, apart from our mind being renewed, we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph.1:17), so that we may grow in knowledge and spiritual understanding. In Proverbs 20:27 it is written, ‘The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord’. Hence, when the mind is sanctified, God begins to reveal deeper things which ‘eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man’ (I Cor.2:9,10). The Lord also promises in the New Testament, saying, “I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them” (Heb.10:16), so that we may know the perfect will of God and please Him in all things. When we have a really sanctified mind or spirit, we can hold on to the promises of God and the Lord Who is faithful, is able to cause us to triumph in all places and be made more than conquerors. §§§§§§ 14 What are the activities of the soul in man? How does God sanctify it ? As we have already seen, man is God-conscious through his spirit, world-conscious through his body and self-consious through his soul. The soul is self-conscious in the sense that it is the seat of man’s will, whereby he is endowed with the freedom of choice — to decide and act as he wishes. That is why man is called a living soul. Also, when we consider verses like – “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek.18:4), “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always” (Deut.5:29), “Daniel purposed (willed) in his heart” (Dan.1:8) etc. – we understand that it is the soul that is held responsible for committing sin and not the body or spirit, because the soul is the seat of man’s freewill. The soul is also the seat of emotions such as love (I Sam.18:1), bitterness (Job 7:11), grief (Job 30:25), anguish (Rom.2:9), desire (Mic.7:1) and joy (Isa.61:10). For a perfect life of holiness free from inner conflict, sanctification of the spirit alone will not do, because though the spirit and the soul are distinct in their responsibilities, they are interdependent in their operations and are always knit together, being known as the ‘inner man’. Just as the outer man has a head and a body, the ‘inner man’ is formed by the spirit and the soul and they dwell together in the heart and hence the expression – ‘the hidden man of the heart’ (I Pet.3:4). Since the spirit which governs the thought realm dwells together with the soul in the heart of man, it is said, ‘from within out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts’ (Mk.7:21,22). Though the spirit dwells together with the soul in the heart, its region of activity is the mind, which is fully governed by it, whereas the soul has full control over the heart. Some attributes of the heart: First of all, the heart is the seat of emotion. Many different emotions are attributed to the heart, of which the following are but a few. We read that Jacob’s heart fainted (Gen.45:26); similarly we read of sorrow of heart (Lev.26:16), discouragement of heart (Num.32:7,9), gladness of heart (Deut.28:47), bitterness of heart (Prov.14:10), astonishment of heart (Deut.28:28), brokenness of heart (Psa.34:18), and we read also of a trembling heart (Deut.28:65). Again, the heart is the seat of will (that is, willingness, decision, steadfastness, obedience, etc.). Solomon speaks of how a man’s heart devises his way, that is, his will (Prov.16:9). We are also commanded to love the Lord our God first of all with all our heart (Lk.10:27) and to do ‘the will of God from the heart’ (Eph.6:6). We should incline our hearts to perform the commandments of God (Psa.119:112). David obeyed God from his heart. He said, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek” (Psa.27:8). St. Paul also speaks of steadfastness of heart (I Cor.7:37). Then the heart is the seat of wisdom. Solomon asked for, and received, a wise and

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understanding heart (I Kgs.3:9,12). Though the mind is active, when we use our wisdom the mind is controlled by the heart. We read that Reuben had great thoughts of heart and great searchings of heart (Judg.5:15,16). As we have already noted, Jesus said that it is from the heart that evil thoughts proceed. The heart is also the seat of conscience. Our conscience has its abode in the heart. Exhorting us to enter boldly into the presence of God, St. Paul says, ‘having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience’ (Heb.10:22). He speaks of how he served God with a pure conscience (II Tim.1:3). We read that David’s heart (or conscience) smote him (I Sam.24:5). Finally, the heart is the seat of character, both good and bad. We read of a froward heart (Psa.101:4); a proud heart (Psa.101:5); a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (Prov.6:18); a subtle heart (Prov.7:10); a deceitful heart (Jer.17:9); a perverse heart (Prov.12:8); a backsliding heart (Prov.14:14). But we also read that Jesus is meek and lowly in heart (Matt.11:29). ‘‘Let it be the hidden man of the heart ... the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit’’ (I Pet.3:4). The character of holiness is also formed in the heart. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt.5:8). Further, we read of ‘charity (love) out of a pure heart’ (I Tim.1:5) and of a ‘true heart’ which can approach the presence of God in full assurance of faith (Heb.10:22). The heart of a sinner: The heart of a sinner is a spacious house, and it can accommodate all the lusts and pleasures of the world. The counsel of John the Apostle is, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I Jn.2:15-17). When a man opens his heart to the world, there is room made in the heart for the devil. The heart can also accommo- date a legion of demons, as was the case of the demoniac of the country of the Gadarenes (Mk.5:9). The heart can become a store-house for all types of sins and lusts. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetous- ness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviouness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness : all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mk.7:21-23). Sin originates in the heart and the heart is a fertile soil for the growth of sin. When room is given for these sins to grow in the heart of man, they begin to establish the very nature of Satan in the heart, and the works of the flesh are made manifest in his life. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivious- ness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal.5:19-21). Finally, the kingdom of Satan is established in the heart, and the heart becomes the throne of Satan. Jesus said concerning the house of the strong man (Satan), “How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his good except he first bind the strong man?” (Matt.12:29). The method by which the soul is sanctified is the same as in the case of the spirit — separation from sin and things unclean, purifying our conscience by the blood etc. When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts, He dislodges Satan and cleanses us of all sin. However, we should allow Christ to reign in our heart, and co-operate with Him in continuing the work of sanctification in us. In Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus talks of a man who was satisfied in that his heart was swept and garnished. Here, He referred to a heart that was washed by His blood but in which He was not allowed to stay and reign. Therefore, this man ended up in a worse state than ever. The greatest power that can purify the emotional reactions of the soul or the heart, is the love of God. It is true that God fills us with His love, but we have to grow in our love for God and the saints. The love of God which is shed abroad in our hearts, heals the broken-hearted, soothes the wounds caused by bitterness or anger, casts out fears, brings comfort to the weary, and strength to the weak. Hence we need to be filled and refilled with the love of God. Anything

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that disturbs or defiles the purity of such a love should be confessed and forsaken. While building up our love we must build up our faith too, because faith and love go together. In Galatians 5:6 we read of ‘faith which worketh by love’. Again in Ephesians 3:16-18 we read that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith, and that thereby we are able to understand every aspect or dimension of the love of God. Referring to the children of Israel, God says that they are a people who ‘do always err in their heart’. This was because they had an ‘evil heart of unbelief’, and did not build up their faith in the Word of God. We need both faith and love. Otherwise, the heart will depart from God. The soul is easily drawn to the things of the world by the five senses of the body. Hence we must learn to ‘set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth’ (Col.3:2). Worldliness, love for the world and its pleasures, is the weakness of the soul. The soul of the foolish, rich man was attached to worldly goods. That is why he said to his soul, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Lk.12:19). The pleasures of the world choke the heart, and hinder the Word of God from bringing forth fruit (Lk.8:14). In I Peter 2:11 we are warned to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Solomon was a man of God, who, after having established the kingdom, built the temple of God. Yet in his old age, it is written that his heart was drawn away by strange women (I Kgs.11:4). It was the lust of the flesh that made such a wise king so foolish in the end. That is why St. Paul also tells Timothy to flee from vices like youthful lusts, love of money, etc. (I Tim.6:9-11; II Tim.2:22). In Proverbs 4:23 we see the exhortation, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”. This necessitates constant cleansing of the heart. King Nebuchadnezzar built Babylon, and so his heart was lifted up (Dan.4:30). When God blesses our ministry, our hearts should not be lifted up. Therefore, we have to constantly examine our heart and keep it humble, for God searches the heart (Jer.17:10). He tries the hearts and the reins. We have to stand before such a God to examine and purify ourselves. Saints often cried to God and besought Him to purify their hearts. Even King David prayed saying, “Search me, O God and know my heart” (Psa.139:23). This should be our attitude also. Further, for the sanctification of the soul, we must do the will of God from our heart (Eph.6:6), and draw near Him with a true heart (Heb.10:22). Unless we do our part, God cannot purify us. This is why St. James tells us, “Purify your hearts, ye double minded” (Jas.4:8). When we do our part, the Lord will sanctify our heart and help us grow in His love and holiness and preserve us until His Coming. §§§§§§ 15 How does God sanctify the body ? Let us first consider why God created a body for man, and how it became corrupt and sinful. Unlike the angels who are spirits, man needed an earthly body since he was made to dwell on the earth. Hence it is written, “The first man is of the earth, earthy”(I Cor.15:47). The physical body was, more or less, the home of the inner man. Man was not created naked, as some believe. He was clothed with the glory of God, which was given to him for beauty and protection. The only way Satan could subdue Adam, was by tempting him to sin against God and disobey His commandments. When Adam disobeyed God, the glory of God departed from him, and he became naked. Thereafter, “all (his gene- rations) have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Man became a slave of Satan, sin and death; his body became sinful and mortal (Rom. 6:16; 7:24). This was our state before we came to Christ. By fulfilling the ‘lusts of our flesh’ and the ‘desires of our mind (Eph.2:3), and by yielding our ‘members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin’, we were ‘servants of sin’ and ‘unrighteousness’ (Rom. 6:13,17). God’s desire is to deliver man from corruption and sin, and to restore the glory that he

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lost through sin. The Body of Christ It became necessary for God to prepare a sinless body in order to redeem our body from the curse of sin, death and hell. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats (offered by the saints who lived before Christ for the remission of their sins) should take away sins” (Heb.10:4). Therefore, Jesus took upon Himself a human body, immaculate from birth, and preserved blameless, till it was offered for our sins at Calvary. He said, “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me … Lo, I come … to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:5,7). This body was tried in all points for thirty-three and a half years. He proved Himself faultless and blameless, having overcome all temptations. Therefore, when He was crucified and buried, death and hell had no power over Him. The grave could not hold Him back. He rose victorious, having triumphed over them all. These are His own words, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev.1:18). Bless His Holy Name. By His death and resurrection, He cancelled sin and abolished death once and for all, for those of us who believe in His finished work (II Tim.1:10). We appropriate this blessedness through the three-fold experiences of being born again, being baptized in water and being filled with the Holy Spirit. At salvation, when we are born again, our sins are forgiven and we are delivered from them. Water baptism brings us to the experience of being dead to sin, while baptism in the Holy Spirit quickens our body to overcome sin as those that are alive from the dead. It is no more the old sinful body that we have. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor.5:17). An Overcoming Body We should not forget that our body which is now redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ still faces trials and temptations in this world, as before. However, we will discover two blessed experiences. Firstly, sin has lost its hold or dominion over us. Though apparently the trials may come with greater force, the abundant grace which abounds where sin abounds, will enable us to be dead to sin. “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom.5:17). Secondly, we will begin to overcome all temptations through the indwelling presence and the power of the triune God. That is why St. Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal.2:20). Again we read, “... as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom.5:21). “If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13). Though Jesus can sanctify our body through the finished work of Calvary, He cannot accomplish it unless we surrender our body to Him entirely. St. Paul therefore exhorts us saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom.12:1). A Living Sacrifice Some do not believe in the dedication and surrender of their body to God. They give their heart to God, (so they say), to keep themselves from hell, but keep back their body to do their own will and pleasure. And they wonder why they are continually living a defeated life, being overcome by temptation and trial. Those who desire the sanctification of the body are exhorted to present their body as a living sacrifice unto God. Let us see why we should dedicate our body to God. 1. In our ignorance, we had surrendered our body to sin which had dominion over us. St. Paul says, “Ye were the servants of sin … But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom.6:17,22). Only an yielded body can be sanctified wholly and be transformed to bring forth fruit unto holiness and righteousness (Rom.6:19). 2. From the Scriptural point of view, it is evident that our body does not belong to us any

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more, but to God Who redeemed it. The Redeemer has every claim over it. He wants to dwell in it. “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor.6:19,20). 3. The body of Jesus was a body prepared to do the will of God. Jesus said, “A body hast thou PREPARED me: … Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” (Heb.10:5-7). Therefore, our redeemed body must be prepared to do the will of God. It is the love of God that constrains us to do the will of God. St. Peter says, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God” (I Pet.4:1,2). 4. This body is sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, the day Christ comes for His sanctified Church. It is sanctified by the blood of Christ, the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit — the filthiness of the flesh is removed so that it might be changed into an immortal, incorruptible, powerful and glorious body like unto the glorious body of Christ. Hence, we must cleanse our body by the blood of Jesus continually, confessing the sins of our flesh, or anything we have done to grieve the Holy Spirit by word or deed, and constantly surrender our body to Him, so that the Spirit of the Lord may quicken it and lead us day by day to perfection. §§§§§§ 16 Are consecrated ministers really needed to help the Church be sanctified and attain perfection? Yes. These are those who have made themselves wholly available to Him by consecration. They are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers given by Christ to the Church, “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph.4:11-13). Let us observe the following points in the light of Ephesians 4:11-13. God expects His saints to be ‘perfect’, matured saints, having grown to the very measure, stature, and the fulness of Christ in sanctity and divine nature. To help the Church attain this perfection, Jesus has appointed these five kinds of ministers viz. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They are called the gifts of Christ. Christ expects them to dedicate themselves fully to Him, to do His will, obey Him and serve Him. He says, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk.14:26). By forsaking their all — their people, kindred, family, possessions and their own life, they become His bond-servants or prisoners of Christ (Eph.4:l), so that He may be able to give them as “gifts” to the Church, in order to do the ministry for which they are called. Consecration also leads them to a closer walk with God whereby they are able to practise what they preach. They purify themselves moment by moment to be as pure ‘as he is pure’ (I Jn.3:3). They grow to the full measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, so that both by knowledge and experience they can preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; in order to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Col.1:28). By living a wholly dedicated life, counting all their earthly ‘gain’ as ‘loss’ or even as ‘dung’, they are able to comprehend ‘the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus’, obtain ‘the righteousness which is of God by faith’, experience ‘the power of his resurrection” (Phil.3:7-10), manifest the life of Christ in their own personal life and ministry, and become ‘a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting’ (I Tim.1:16). God reveals His hidden mysteries to His consecrated servants. When the disciples came,

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and said unto Him, ‘Why speak thou unto them in parables?’ He answered and said unto them, ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given’ (Matt.13:10,11). Mysteries such as ‘the mystery of his will’, ie., in the fulness of times all things which are in earth and in heaven should be gathered together in one, in Christ (Eph.1:9,10), and ‘the mystery of Christ’ ie., we, the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs with Israel and share all the ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’ (Eph.3:4-8), etc., were not revealed to the Old Testament saints ‘in other ages’ (Eph.3:5) and were ‘from the beginning of the world hid in God, who created all things by Christ Jesus’ (vs.9). The consecrated servants of God have the gift and grace, not only to understand these mysteries, but also to teach them clearly, and ‘make all men see’ these mysteries, with a view that they may ‘press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’ (Phil.3:14). True consecrated servants of God are like faithful shepherds. They “feed the flock of God ... taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind” (I Pet.5:2). They are like mothers who know how to feed their children. They feed the ‘babes in Christ’ with ‘the sincere milk of the word’ that they may grow (I Cor.3:1,2; I Pet.2:2). They are gentle as a ‘nurse (nursing mother) cherishing her children’ (I Thess. 2:7). They know how to give ‘strong meat to them that are of full age’ (Heb.5:14). Their only desire is to see that every member of the Body of Christ grows up ‘into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ’ (Eph.4:15). Dedicated servants of God preserve the Church from erroneous doctrines, heresies etc., which cause young believers to be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph.4:14). St. Paul left Timothy at Ephesus that he might ‘charge some that they teach NO OTHER DOCTRINE, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions’ (I Tim. 1:3,4). Sometimes, internal trouble may crop up in the Church, caused by people like Diotrephes who loved pre-eminence in the Church (III Jn.9); there may arise some others ‘speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them’ (Acts 20:30). There are yet others who may turn to be ‘unruly’ and ‘disorderly’ (Tit.1:10; II Thess.3:6) and cause divisions in the Church. ‘These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts’ (Jude 16). They defile the Church and destroy sincere souls who are called to grow to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. True servants of God take these problems to God in prayer and supplication, to know how to solve these problems and rescue sincere souls. Finally, servants of God are there to share the personal problems of the growing saints. They are there to ‘comfort the feeble minded, support the weak’ (I Thess.5:14) and establish them in the faith when they pass through trials and temptations (I Thess.3:1-3). These ministers are used by God as seen above, that the Church may grow as a body, ‘fitly joined together’, being nourished by His Word, united in love, serving one another ‘according to the effectual working’ of His power in each member (Eph.4:16) so that the Church may be found perfect, ‘unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints’ (I Thess.3:13). §§§§§§ 17. What rewards do the sanctified saints receive after their rapture ? It is humanly impossible to express in words all that awaits the raptured saints as their rewards. Every kind of good work, from giving a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, to forsaking one’s all to serve the Lord, will be richly rewarded. But it is not given to us to know all things in detail now. St. Paul says, “We know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away ... For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (I Cor.13:9,10,12). We can vizualize only in a measure, all that awaits us in eternity.

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Some of the important rewards awaiting the raptured saints are mentioned below: 1. They will ‘win Christ’ — their ‘Bridegroom’ or their ‘Husband’ (Phil.3:8; II Cor.11:2) because they suffered all things joyfully in order to win Him, even as He endured all things for ‘the joy that was set before him’, that is for the joy of winning for Himself a Bride that is without ‘spot or wrinkle’, and ‘holy and without blemish’ (Eph.5:27; Isa.53:10). 2. By winning Christ, they inherit all things which belong to Christ, Who is the Heir of all things (Rom.8:17; Rev.21:7). 3. Their body will be as glorious as that of Jesus. “We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (I Jn.3:2). The purpose of creating a body for man was to display ‘the praise of the glory of his grace’ (Eph.1:6). But it was sin that cut him short of this glory (Rom.3:23). However, the sanctified and perfected saints will shine, some as the sun, some as the moon and some others as stars, according to their labour. The glory of one will differ from the other (I Cor.15:41-44). 4. They will reign with Christ, sharing the power and authority of His throne (Rev.3:21). All the angels and the saints of various other dispensations will be under the power and guidance of these glorified saints of the Church of the Period of Grace (Eph.1:20-23). By submitting their will to God in love and humility, they become ‘more than conquerors’ in all their afflictions and trials through Christ Who loved them. Hence, they are found worthy to reign with Him. St. Paul says, “If we suffer (with him), we shall also reign with him” (II Tim.2:12). 5. The glorified saints being the Bride of Christ will inherit NEW JERUSALEM which is their eternal home or abode. This is what Jesus went to prepare for them. “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn.14:2,3). 6. The 144,000 consecrated servants of God will inherit ZION, the abode of the triune God. It is the highest and most glorious place in eternity. “These are they which were not defiled with women; ... These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth ... in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Rev.14:4,5). When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the two tables of testimony in his hand, the skin of his face shone so brightly that the children of Israel were afraid to come near him. The glory was so blinding, that they could not look upon his face, unless he covered it with a veil. Similarly, the glory of Zion, it is believed, will be so great, that many will not be able to bear to see the real glory of Zion or that of the Trinity except through the consecrated servants of God who will dwell in Zion. One might ask whether it is possible at all to see the Father and the Son in heaven. Yes, it is possible. We see that God the Father and the Son are the light of New Jerusalem (Rev.21:23). The Father and the Son have the power to diminish their glory so as to be seen by all in varying measures of glory, according to the spiritual state or attainment of the saints in the various regions in heaven. Jesus, Who was the ‘brightness of his glory and the express image of his person’ revealed Himself to all when He dwelt on the earth and He said, ‘ He that hath seen me hath seen the Father’ (Jn.14:9) But no one will be able to see the Father or the Son in the fulness of their glory, except those who have fully grown to share their glory. The saints who are raptured will receive personal rewards too. i. Fine linen garments clean and white: (bright - margin) (Rev.19:8): These reveal the righteous works of the saints. ii. Right to eat of the tree of life (Rev.2:7) : The tree of life which is in the midst of Paradise represents Christ. By eating of the fruit of the tree of life i.e. by experiencing Him more and more, the sanctified saints grow in life i.e. they keep growing in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (Jn.17:3) even in eternity. iii. A crown of life (Rev.2:10): This is for those who were faithful unto death. iv. A crown of righteousness (II Tim.4:7,8): This crown is for having ‘fought a good fight, finished their course, and kept the faith’. Only those who ‘love His appearing’, those who live in the hope of the imminent return of the Lord, can finish their race on such a victorious note.

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v. A crown of glory (I Pet.5:2-4): This is for the faithful servants of God who fed the flock of God ‘not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind; ... being ensamples to the flock’. The souls whom they led to perfection turn out to be for their glory. Addressing the Thessalonian church, St. Paul writes, “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? For ye are our glory and joy” (I Thess.2:19,20). vi. Hidden manna (Rev.2:17): This refers to deep revelations of God. In eternity, the sanctified saints have access to all the mysteries of God, to all the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. “Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known,” says St. Paul (I Cor.13:12). vii. White stone bearing a new name which no man knows (Rev.2:17): A white stone is a precious stone. Saints who have joyfully and patiently suffered for righteousness' sake, being strengthened by the love of God (Rom. 5:3-5), become precious and transparent in eternity. A new name known only to the Lord and the receiver, speaks of the intimate relationship the sanctified saints will have with the Lord in eternity. viii. The morning star (Rev.2:28): One of the names of Jesus is ‘the bright and morning star’ (Rev.22:16). Jesus becomes a great reward to those who brought the hope of a new life to those who ‘sat in darkness and in the shadow of death’ (Matt. 4:16). ix. Made a pillar in the ‘temple of my God’ (Rev.3:12): Those who faithfully shouldered heavy burdens and responsibilities in the Church, especially servants of God, who, like James, Cephas and John (Gal.2:9), were as pillars in the Church, and lived an exemplary life, will continue to serve Him with greater honour and glory than the others in the temple of God in heaven. x. The ‘name of my God’ (Rev.3:12): This is the Father’s name which will be written upon the consecrated servants of God who dedicated themselves to the whole will of God (Rev.14:1;22:3,4). xi. The ‘name of the city of my God’ (Rev.3:12): The name of the city of God being written on a person shows that person becoming a part of that city (Rev.21:9,10). As already mentioned, the sanctified saints receive New Jerusalem as their inheritance. xii. ‘My (Christ's) new name’ (Rev.3:12): Jesus was given this name, the name above every name, when He humbled Himself. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Phil.2:8,9). Saints who have similarly humbled themselves, receive this name. All these eternal rewards and inheritances are said to be ‘incorruptible, and undefiled, and that which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us’ (I Pet.1:4,5) in contrast to all carnal and material things which are as grass and all the glory of man which is as the flower of grass; ‘the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away’ (I Pet.1:24). May the dear Lord grant us the grace to ‘continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel‘ (Col. 1:22). Let us ‘set our affection on things above, NOT on things on the earth’, and ‘seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God’ (Col.3:1,2). *******

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