Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

"In both Testaments the words holy [one], hallow, holiness, correspond exactly to saint, sanctify,
sanctification. These words may be transposed without error. A saint is a holy person; holiness is the
state resulting from the act of sanctification. That we have two families of words for one idea results
from the fact that our language is a Latin superstructure built upon a German foundation. From each
of these languages we derive words conveying the one idea of holiness."
Purify and cleanse, purity and cleanness, do not seem to be the exact synonyms of sanctify and
hallow, sanctification and holiness. The latter terms embrace the idea of consecration, both before
and after the act or process of purifying or cleansing takes place, while the former seem to result
from such act. Purification seems synonymous with the second part or meaning of holiness or
sanctification -- the act or process by which we are cleansed, and the resulting condition. Purity may
be considered the equivalent of negative holiness, freedom from all sin and spiritual depravity; but
positive holiness is a very active principle, an aggressive life, which proceeds from purity or negative
holiness and the empowering of the soul with love, as a stream from its fountain.
Sinfulness, "sinwardness," sin, as a state of depravity, constitutes man's spiritual disease.
Consecration, the first part of sanctification or holiness, is the act of putting oneself into the hands
of the great Physician; the cleansing or healing of the soul, bringing it into a state of purity, negative
holiness, or spiritual health, is the second or subjective part or work of sanctification or holiness,
while positive holiness -- a life of active obedience -- is what proceeds from this state of purity and
health. During the cleansing and healing process, or at its close, the great Physician takes full
possession of the patient -- "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" -- and keeps him clean and
healthy just so long as the first part of sanctification or holiness remains intact, so long as he is fully
separated from the world and consecrated to God, so long as he thus keeps himself in the hands of
this great Physician. And, through the power of the Spirit, he so tones up and empowers this now
healthy soul that it is enabled to triumph over all sin and temptation, to keep clean and practice
holiness, is "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man," and "filled with all the fullness
of God."
The term "perfect," or "perfection," as used by us is, in the sense of Dr. Steele's fourth definition,
"evangelical" or "Christian" perfection; and that only in the sense of "perfect love," perfect freedom,
in the heart and life, from all the feelings, tempers, words, and deeds that are contrary to or
inconsistent with love to God and man. We do not use it, except qualifiedly, even in the sense of
maturity or ripeness of character. We use it only in the sense of perfection of quality or healthiness
of nature, and not of degree, quantity, or development of life -- pure, unmixed love, not mature or
ripe love.
For fuller and more critical definitions of the terms used in the Bible in speaking of this work, the
reader is referred to Summers' Holiness, Lowrey's Possibilities of Grace, and Beet's Holiness as
Understood by the Writers of the Bible.
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