Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

which is altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern.
Sanctification is a progressive work. The successive steps are set before
us in the words of Peter: "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance
patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8. "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give
diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye
shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." verses
10, 11.
Here is a course by which we may be assured that we shall never fall.
Those who are thus working upon the plan of addition in obtaining the
Christian graces have the assurance that God will work upon the plan of
multiplication in granting them the gifts of His Spirit.
Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, or a day. It is a
continual growth in grace. We know not one day how strong will be our
conflict the next. Satan lives, and is active, and every day we need to cry
earnestly to God for help and strength to resist him. As long as Satan reigns
we shall have self to subdue, besetments to overcome, and there is no
stopping place, there is no point to which we can come and say we have fully
attained.
The Christian life is constantly an onward march. Jesus sits as a refiner
and purifier of His people; and when His image is perfectly reflected in
them, they are perfect and holy, and prepared for translation. A great work is
required of the Christian. We are exhorted to cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Here
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