Paul would have us "dead to sin" by reckoning. Peter would have us
"dead to sins" by making no response to the suggestions of Satan or the
temptations which he may present to us. To be dead either to sin within
us or to sins without us, implies holiness of heart, that is, entire
sanctification. Praise the Lord for the perfect agreement of His two
great apostles in regard to this glorious doctrine.
Still further, Peter speaks of the "holy women" of old, and exhorts
Christian women to be like them, particularly in adorning themselves
not with gay attire, but with inward and spiritual graces. And in his
second epistle, he alludes to "holy men of God," speaking through the
Old Testament as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And here we have
the best possible definition of inspiration, in regard to which volumes
have been written, and very different views expressed by equally
learned and candid men. But what can be more satisfactory to the
humble, Christian mind than just to feel that when he reads his Bible,
he is perusing the words of "holy men of God who spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost." Such a mind will find no difficulty about
inspiration.
In the last chapter of his second epistle, Peter rebukes the unbelief
of the scoffers, who then believed, and whose successors still believe
that the present order of the material universe will continue for an
indefinite period, if not, indeed, forever. He assures us that the Lord
has not forgotten, that He is not slack concerning His promises, but
that the very reason why the sinful world has been spared so long is
because of God's long suffering and mercy, "not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance." And, then, having
declared that the heavens and the earth which are now, are reserved
unto fire, that the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night,
that the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up, he exclaims with most
appropriate words, "Seeing then, that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness," and this in order "that ye may be found of
Him in peace, without spot and blameless."
Praise the Lord for the doctrine of entire sanctification as taught by
the apostle of the circumcision. Amen.
CHAPTER IX.
ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION AS TAUGHT BY JOHN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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