Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

I strong" in God, because "the power of Christ rests upon me." "I can do all things," not through the
strength that comes from growth, but "through Christ that strengtheneth me" -- through the strength
which he at the time, imparts to me -- "strengtheneth me" -- it is the present tense. "Without me ye
can do nothing" -- "without my helping you at the time, you need strength."
Samson was strong only when God was with him. When his faith, that found expression in
obedience, and which linked him to this divine strength, was gone, he became weak as other men.
And it was not until that faith, which showed itself in his prayer for strength, again put him in
communication with the Source of that strength -- it returned unto him. He did not grow into this
strength either before or after his fall. It is thus with the fully baptized Christian. He is not only
absolutely helpless -- "without strength" -- in himself but he feels it. With Charles Wesley he feels
and says, "Every moment, Lord, I need the merit of thy blood," and then trustingly adds, "Strong in
the strength which God supplies through his eternal Son."
We, then, do not leap into spiritual maturity when "the promise of the Father" is fulfilled in us;
but God, as it were, leaps or comes suddenly into our weak, helpless souls, and substitutes our
impurity and weakness with his purity and strength -- puts us in direct communication with divine
resources. It is this view of the matter, doubtless, that prompts Principal Moule, in giving his
experience, to say: "It was a new contact, as it were, with the inner and eternal movements of
redeeming goodness and power, a new discovery in divine resources." We are not surprised that Dr.
Gordon, after speaking of Moule as "one who writes upon this subject with a scholarship evidently
illuminated by a deep spiritual intuition," adds:
"Well is our doctrine described in these words: 'A contact with the inner movements of divine
power.' The energy of the Spirit appropriated, even as with uplifted finger the electric car touches
the current which is moving just above it in the wire and is borne irresistibly on by it. Thus does the
power which is externally for us become a power within us."
Paul teaches that our experience of love and strength is "according to" or from "the power that
worketh in us" -- God's power communicated to the soul when we come into "contact with the divine
resources of love and power."
Even Dr. Crane, who teaches that regeneration and full sanctification are coetaneous, and who
advocates the theory of growth from regeneration to Christian perfection, makes the following
admission. He says:
"A clear apprehension of the blessing, an ardent desire, a full surrender of all that we have and
are and hope for, a fixed purpose, a strong faith, urging the believer to the throne of God in humble,
persistent, importunate prayer [secure], as much progress in an hour as was accomplished during
previous years."
This looks very much like a "leap" into or "toward" perfection or maturity of character, instead
of our "leap" into perfection of love or purity of heart. But Dr. Crane states identically the scriptural
condition of the latter. And this is certainly a long "leap" -- many thousands of times longer than
those made during previous hours after regeneration. We claim no more for our theory. Yet God's