Christian Character
59
Christ” (
Ephesians 3:8
), and then assures them of his earnest prayers
for their spiritual prosperity:
“I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ...that
he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strength-
ened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which
passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God”
(
Ephesians 3:14-19
).
He writes to his Corinthian brethren also, “to them that are sanc-
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tified in Christ Jesus...: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on
your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all
knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so
that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ” (
1 Corinthians 1:2-7
). These words are addressed not
only to the church at Corinth but to all the people of God to the close
of time. Every Christian may enjoy the blessing of sanctification.
The apostle continues in these words: “Now I beseech you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak
the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that
ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same
judgment” (
verse 10
). Paul would not have appealed to them to do that
which was impossible. Unity is the sure result of Christian perfection.
In the Epistle to the Colossians also are set forth the glorious
privileges vouchsafed to the children of God. “Since we heard of
your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the
saints, ...we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for
you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk
worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might,
according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering
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with joyfulness” (
Colossians 1:4-11
).