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The Sanctified Life
The Standard of Holiness
The apostle himself was endeavoring to reach the same standard of
holiness which he set before his brethren. He writes to the Philippians:
“What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: ...that I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being
made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto
the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either
were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that
for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not
myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which
are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus” (
Philippians 3:7-14
). There is a striking contrast
between the boastful, self-righteous claims of those who profess to
be without sin, and the modest language of the apostle. Yet it was
the purity and faithfulness of his own life that gave such power to his
exhortations to his brethren.
The Will of God
Paul did not hesitate to enforce, upon every suitable occasion,
the importance of Bible sanctification. He says: “Ye know what
commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of
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God, even your sanctification” (
1 Thessalonians 4:2, 3
). “Wherefore,
my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will
and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings
and disings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among
whom ye shine as lights in the world” (
Philippians 2:12-15
).
He bids Titus instruct the church that while they should trust to the
merits of Christ for salvation, divine grace, dwelling in their hearts,
will lead to the faithful performance of all the duties of life. “Put them
in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates,