[COMPLETE] SANCTIFICATION BY FAITH
The wisdom of the fathers
[COMPLETE] SANCTIFICATION BY FAITH
There is an instinct in the human soul by which people try to work themselves into salvation. It is instinctive. People try to work themselves into pardon; and it is the most difficult thing to get people to understand that salvation is divine, supernatural, a free gift. It is all right. There must be a human side to it. There must be a human work. But it is so difficult to get the sinner to see that salvation is divine, it is a gift, it is to be received by simple faith.
The same thing is true about Christian people seeking sanctification. They will do anything in this world but just fall right flat down at Jesus' feet and say, "Jesus, I am your child, but my heart is depraved. Please wash out my depravity and save me, for I cannot do it. If you do not save me, I never can be any better than I am. Cleanse me."
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People go to camp meetings; they join the choir and sing; men will get up and preach sermons; they will do anything but trust the cleansing blood. They will putter round and make believe they are working hard for God, as if they could buy God off with a little bit of work. A great many people will do things to avoid the issue. They will say they are working for God.
They will take a basket, or two baskets, and go round and hunt for the poor, and they will say, "Now I am working for God," and they will think God ought to sanctify them. They will go and beg subscriptions, and work, and do anything but trust the cleansing blood. Preachers will preach themselves hoarse, and they will think the Lord ought to sanctify them because they have been preaching so well. God won't sanctify you if you preach yourself to death. You cannot hire your God to sanctify your soul by doing anything. You have got to trust the cleansing blood, or you will never get a clean heart. You may weep and pray, and go around and make believe you are doing a lot of work, but let me say, you have got to come right down where you can say, Lord, —
In my hand no price I bring;
Simply to Thy cross I cling.
Jesus, Thy blood, Thy blood alone,
Has power sufficient to atone. to be continued
(from "Love Abounding" by G.D. Watson)