CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The Last Generation
The final demonstration of what the
gospel can do in and for humanity is still in the future. Christ showed
the way. He took a human body, and in that body demonstrated the power
of God. Men are to follow His example and prove that what God did in
Christ, He can do in every human being who submits to Him. The world is
awaiting this demonstration. (Rom. 8:19.) When it has been accomplished,
the end will come. God will have fulfilled His plan. He will have shown
Himself true and Satan a liar. His government will stand vindicated.
There is much spurious doctrine
concerning holiness taught in the world today. On the one hand are those
who deny the power of God to save from sin. On the other hand are those
who flaunt their sanctity before men and would have us believe that they
are without sin. Among the first class are not only unbelievers and
skeptics but church members whose vision does not include victory over
sin, but who accept a kind of compromise with sin. In the other class
are such as have no just conception either of sin or of God’s
holiness, whose spiritual vision is so impaired that they cannot see
their own shortcomings, and hence believe themselves perfect, and whose
conception of religion is such that their own understanding of truth and
righteousness is superior to that revealed in the Word. It is not easy
to decide which is the greater error.
That the Bible inculcates holiness is
indisputable. "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I
pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. 5:23. "Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord." Heb. 12:14. "For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification." 1 Thess. 4:3. The Greek word hagios in its
various forms is translated "sanctify," "holy, "
"holiness," "sanctified,"
"sanctification." It is the same word which is used for the
two apartments of the sanctuary, and means that which is set apart for
God. A sanctified person is one who is set apart for God, whose whole
life is dedicated to Him.
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