We make a definite statement as follows, viz: No Christian can do all
that God would have him do, nor enjoy all that God would have him enjoy
in this world, without the grace of entire sanctification. In the
beautiful language of metaphor the Saviour says, "I am the true Vine
and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not
fruit He taketh away, and every branch in Me that beareth fruit He
purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit." And again, "Herein is
My Father glorified that ye bear much fruit: so shall ye be My
disciples." Now the abundant fruit requires for its production the
abundant life, and these are both found in the Lord Jesus Christ. "I am
come," says He, "that ye might have life (in regeneration) and that ye
might have it more abundantly" (in entire sanctification). The abundant
life and the abundant fruit, therefore, can only be found in connection
with purity of heart.
It is doubtless _true_ that every living branch, that is to say,
every justified and regenerated believer, may and should and must, if
he would retain his religion, bring forth some fruit. And it is
precisely these branches that are bearing fruit, whom the Great
Husbandman "purges"--sanctifies--that they may bring forth the more
abundant fruit by which He Himself shall be glorified. And here we
might rest our case with a Q. E. D., but another remark or two will be
in place.
The late Lord Tennyson could perceive, with the genius of a poet, the
intimate connection between purity and power. He puts into the mouth of
Sir Galahad, one of his heroes, these beautiful words, viz:
"My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure."
Now one of the most common complaints among Christians of all
denominations, is because of their weakness and their leanness. And yet
nothing is clearer than that God has promised to make His people
strong, that He has commanded them to be strong in the Lord, and that
not to be strong is even blameworthy, not to say criminal in His sight.
The reason, then, of our weakness and our leanness and the meagreness
of our fruitage, can be nothing else than because we do not fulfill the
conditions on which He promises to make us strong. One of these
conditions, and an indispensable one, is that we be entirely
sanctified. It is they that know their God, both in conversion and
entire sanctification, both in pardon and purity, that shall "be strong
and do exploits." Beloved, if you would accomplish the work that God
has given you to do, and not have to regret its non-accomplishment in
eternity, even if you are saved so as by fire, seek and find that which
is the essential condition, and ask at once to be wholly sanctified.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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