The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 337

OLD AND NEW TERMINOLOGY There first

297

is this difference,

exercise he

\fa.s

One

to be active.

is

however, that in regeneration and faith's enabled him converted and one converts himself; the one is

passive, while in conversion grace

incomplete without the other. 6. Hence conversion merges itself in sanctification. a divine act, and not human not a growing toward

This

is

also

Christ, but an

;

absorbing of His life through the roots of faith. In children of twelve or thirteen deceased soon after conversion, sanctification does not appear. Yet they partake of it just as much

as adults. Sanctification has a twofold meaning:/-;-^/, sanctification vihich as Christ's finished work is given and imputed to all the elect and second, sanctification which from Christ is gradually wrought in the ;

converted and manifested according to times and circumstances. These are not two sanctifications, but one; just as we speak sometimes of the rain that accumulates in the clouds above and then in drops on the thirsty fields IjcIow.

comes down

Sanctification is

and closed in the complete redempbody and soul divine grace completes the dying to sin. Hence in death a work of grace is performed which imparts to the work of regeneration its fullest 7.

tion at

finished

the time of death.

unfolding.

If until

are

in ourselves

still lost

In the severing of

then, considering ourselves out of Christ, we and lying in the midst of death, the arti-

cle of death ends all this. Then faith is turned into sight, sin's excitement is disarmed, and we are forever beyond its reach. Lastly, our glorification in the last day, when the inward bliss will be manifest in outward glory, and by an act of omnipotent grace the soul will be reunited with its glorified body, and be placed in such heavenly glory as becomes the state of perfect ^

felicity.

This shows how the operations of grace are riveted together as the links of a chain. The work of grace must begin with quickening the dead. Once implanted, the still slumbering life must be awakened by the call. Thus awakened, man finds himself in a new life. i.e.,

he knows \i\ms^\i justified Being justified, he lets the new life Conversion flows into sanctification. Sanctifi-

result in conversion.

cation receives

And

its

keystone through the sneering of sin in death. completes the work of divine grace

in the last ^ors glorification ,

in our entire person.

Hence

it

follows that that which succeeds

is

contained in that

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