The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 526

SANCTIFICATION

486

"good works" forces the fruit out these two leads the people astray. Sanctification is man's work; it can not be

the root into the ground; to do

To confound

of the fruitful tree.

The

"

Pietist says:

upon with

insisted

And

godly."

sufficient emphasis.

the Mystic maintains:

It is

"We

our best effort to be

can not do good works,

and may not insist upon them for man is unable God alone works them in him independently of him." Of course, both are equally wrong and unscriptural. The former, in reducing sanctification to good works, takes it out of God's hand and lays it upon man, who never can perform it; and the latter, in making good works take the place of sanctification, releases man from the task laid on him and claims that God will perform Both errors must be opposed. it. Both sanctification and good works should receive recognition. Ministers of the Word, and through them the people of God, should understand that sanctification is an act of God that He performs in man and that God has commanded 7nan to do good works to the ;

;

;

And

glory of His name.

have twofold

this will

God's

effect: (i)

people will acknowledge their complete inability to receive a holy disposition otherwise than as a gift of free grace,

earnestly pray for this grace. in

whom

this

work

glorifying works

" :

is

Tho

They

and then they

in Christ Jesus, that

Him

will

will pray that His elect,

may show it forth we should

already wrought,

Chosen

and without blame before

fusion

(2)

in love " (Ephes.

i.

in

God-

be holy

4).

this distinction is very clear,

two things may cause con-

may

be attributed to the good

:

First,

the fact that holiness

One may be holy, but also do holy works. The Confession speaks of the " many holy works which Christ has done for us and in our stead" (art. 22). Hence holiness maybe exterworks themselves.

nal and internal.

The following passages works

:

"

Seeing that

all

refer,

not to

ner of persons ought ye to be

holy conversation?"

in all

As He which hath called you is manner of conversation" (i Peter 15). II).

sanctification,

but to good

these things shall be dissolved, what

"

i,

out of the hands of our enemies,

may

holy, so be "

(2

you holy

find that the

word

"

holy

" is

iii.

in all

That we being delivered

serve

Him

without

holiness and righteousness all the days of our life" (Luke

We

man-

Peter

i.

fear, in 75).

used of both our inward

dispo-

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