Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

chapter, calls "carnal" and "babes in Christ," and who "walked as men"? If these latter were "carnal"
because backslidden, or were weak and undeveloped "babes," how about the others who "had been
enriched by him," and "came behind in no gift"? Were there not two classes addressed here?
St. John virtually divides those to whom he wrote into two classes -- those whose love was
"perfect," free from "fear," and those whose love was imperfect, was mixed with "fear." And the
same apostle in one chapter twice addresses three classes -- "little children," "young men" and
"fathers" -- this distinction doubtless growing out of differences in their religious experience. The
first because "your sins are forgiven you" -- you are justified and regenerated; the second because
"ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one -- have
received the Strengthener, "the Word of God," into your hearts, enabling you to "overcome the
wicked one." The third because "ye have known him that is from the beginning" -- ye have grown
into a profound knowledge of the Son of God through the long abiding of his Interpreter in your
hearts. These three classes seem to represent those of all ages, who, first, have just been converted
-- had their sins forgiven; secondly, those who have been baptized with the Spirit and had Christ to
come into their hearts; and, thirdly, those who have subsequently "grown in grace and knowledge"
-- into a profound and ripe experience -- a sort of perfection or maturity of life.
The line between these classes may not be as sharply defined in the apostolic writings as they are
in some modern books and sermons, but they unquestionably were had in mind and were referred
to in the New Testament.
5. It is asked, by way of objection to this theory, Why are the children of sanctified parents born
depraved, if the latter are saved from all depravity? Mr. Wesley and other writers have wrestled with
this question, but it must be confessed that their solutions of the problem are not entirely satisfactory.
Does not what scientists call the "law of reversion to type," which runs through the vegetable and
animal kingdoms, explain the fact? Take a simple illustration where this reversion is immediate. By
grafting the crab with the pippin we greatly improve the fruit of the tree, bringing it to comparative
perfection. But from the seed of the pippin will spring the crab, which will never bear good fruit until
it in turn is grafted from the superior tree. So the man that, by being grafted into Christ, bears the
sweet and luscious fruit of perfect love can never impart this power to his children. They will revert
to the original type of depraved human nature, and will themselves have to be grafted into Christ
before they can bring forth the fruit borne by their parents.
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