Holy in Christ: Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is HolyMurray, Andrew
Religion
Holy in Christ: Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy
Murray, Andrew
Holiness
From this point of view it is evident that faith has a twofold
operation. Faith is the evidence of things not seen, though _now
actually existing_, the substance of things hoped for, but _not yet
present_. It deals with the unseen present, as well as with the unseen
future. As the evidence of things not seen, it rejoices in Christ our
complete sanctification, as a present possession. Through faith I simply
look to what Christ is, as revealed in the Word by the Holy Spirit.
Claiming all He is as my own, I know that His Holiness, His holy nature
and life, are mine; I am a holy one: by faith in Him I have been
sanctified. This is the first aspect of sanctification: it looks to what
is a complete and finished thing, an absolute reality. As the substance
of things hoped for, this faith reaches out in the assurance of hope to
the future, to things I do not yet see or experience, and claims, day by
day, out of Christ our sanctification, what it needs for practical
holiness, 'to be holy in all manner of living.' This is the second
aspect of sanctification: I depend upon Jesus to supply, in personal
experience, gradually and unceasingly, for the need of each moment,
what has been treasured up in His fulness. 'Of God are ye in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us sanctification.' Under its first
aspect faith says, I know I am in Him, and all His Holiness is mine; in
its second aspect it speaks, I trust in Him for the grace and the
strength I need each moment to live a holy life.
And yet, it need hardly be said, these two are one. It is one Jesus who
is our sanctification, whether we look at it in the light of what He is
made for us once for all, or what, as the fruit of that, He becomes to
our experience day by day. And so it is one faith which, the more it
studies and adores and rejoices in Jesus as made of God unto us
sanctification, as Him in whom we have been sanctified, becomes the
bolder to expect the fulfilment of every promise for daily life, and the
stronger to claim the victory over every sin. Faith in Jesus is the
secret of a holy life: all holy conduct, all really holy deeds, are the
fruit of faith in Jesus as our holiness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account