Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

that he was not yet fully laid aside, and to put on the new man, as if Christ were not fully investing
and pervading the nature."
(3) That we gradually grow into entire sanctification. Dr. Steele well asks: "Why these aorists, if
only a gradual growth out of sin into holiness is contemplated As already noted, it is "one decisive
act" to be performed -- an instantaneous work to be wrought in or on faithful saints, subsequent to
their conversion, answering all the demands of a baptism. This exhortation seems to be the
substantial equivalent of the one given in the next chapter to 'be filled with the Spirit.'"
Similar lessons might be taken from Paul's other Epistles and the writings of the other apostles,
but lack of space seems to forbid our doing so. As Bishop Hendrix says, Paul, in all His Epistles but
one, prayed for the entire sanctification of those to whom he wrote. Such prayer assumed that they
were not entirely sanctified at the time he wrote. They were, then, not fully saved at conversion, or
had afterwards backslidden. If such prayer was based on the latter fact, it is unaccountable that the
apostle never, except to "the churches of Galatia," hints at their relapse.
And on this theory, his prayer should have been for their restoration rather than for the "perfecting
of their faith" and the "strengthening of them in the inner man" because they were "babes in Christ."
And it would seem that he would have exhorted them to repentance as the condition of His prayers
being answered. That was the method of our Lord in His effort to reclaim the backslidden churches
of Asia. After commending them for the good still remaining in them, he uses such expressions as
the following: "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works"; "I know thy
works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things
which remain, that are ready to die"; "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore
and repent." There was repeated charge of backsliding, followed by repeated exhortation to
repentance.
And, as already intimated, Paul did this with "the churches at Galatia," except that he failed to
commend them, as he did the other churches, for the good that was in them.
1. The first thing that he said to these Galatians after invoking blessing upon them was: "I marvel
that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel."
And he follows this up with such expressions as these: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you that ye should not obey the truth?" "How turn ye again [margin, 'back'] to the beggarly
elements?" "I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain"; "Where is then the
blessedness ye spake of?" "Ye did run well, who did hinder you?" -- "drive you back," margin.
2. And it is a suggestive fact that the cause of this declension seems to have been their losing sight
of the fact that we are to "stand fast," become established, and go forward by faith, rather than by
works -- by trusting in Christ to do the work for us instead of relying on our own efforts after full
salvation by growth. Hence, Paul asks of them: "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the
Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the
Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Further on he says: "The just shall live by faith," and