Holiness: Its Nature, Part 1

Introduction to the Nature of Holiness and the Foundational Text

0:03 Will you now give attention to the reading of the Word of God as it is found in Paul's letter to the church at Rome, Romans chapter 6. And in order to catch something of the flow of thought which precipitated the question with which the chapter begins, I will begin reading at verse 19, which in a real sense is a summary of the entire fifth chapter. I shall read from verse 19 of chapter 5 through verse 14 of chapter 6. Romans then, chapter 5, beginning with verse 19.

0:43 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made or constituted righteous. And the law came in besides that the trespass might abound. But where sin abounds. Grace did superabound.

1:08 That as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.

1:28 We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live then? Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. And may I pause to underscore that those who would take this chapter and make it purely forensic, are not honest with this phrase, walk in newness of life.

2:10 Whatever this death is, its result is not only a new standing, but a transformed walk, that we might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was, crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that we should no longer be in bondage to sin. For he that hath died is justified from sin. But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death no more hath dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died unto sin once, but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey the lusts thereof.

The Three Dimensions of Sanctification

3:24 Neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves unto God as alive from the dead, and your members as alive from the dead, and your members as alive from the dead, and your members as alive from the dead, and your members as alive from the dead, and your members as alive from the dead, as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not exercise lordship over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. In our initial study yesterday afternoon, I stated that the subject of gospel holiness or biblical sanctification was too vast and too expansive to be treated in any comprehensive way in four messages, and that it was too complex an issue to be exhaustive in any one of its parts. And so in the preparation of these studies, these lecture, dash, sermon, dash, exhortations, whatever else they are, I have sought to exercise a very rigid discipline of exclusion and a very careful selectivity. But that selectivity, and discipline of exclusion, I trust has not been arbitrary, but as I intimated yesterday, has been regulated by the desire for the immediate edification of the students,

4:48 for the long-range preparation and furnishing of your minds with these fundamental biblical perspectives, so that in turn you may impart them to your people, and then also the edification of the larger audience, the people of God in general, whom we do indeed welcome heartily into these gatherings. Then in our study we proceeded to examine one fundamental issue, namely the importance or the necessity of gospel holiness. And I sought to demonstrate from the scriptures the tremendous importance of this doctrine in relationship to the human predicament, in relationship to the divine plan of salvation, in relationship to individual concerns, and in relationship to the biblical requirements for the work of the ministry. And then last night's message from Mr. Aitken was indeed the expansion of that fourth line of thought. And I hope you saw that there was a wonderful, unplanned by us, but I'm sure by the Lord, a wonderful synthesis of emphasis.

5:57 Now this morning we begin a consideration of what has been entitled in the announced subject as the nature of God. Is it gospel holiness or of sanctification? And because the majority of the texts that we shall consider this morning are translated in our English Bibles with the word sanctification, I will use that word in the opening up of our subject. Having underscored the necessity of gospel holiness or biblical sanctification, we now address ourselves to the question, what is the precise nature of that sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord? And may I pause in passing to say that what I told you yesterday was nothing but good Westminster Confession theology. And as a school which in all of its public statements as well as in its actual framework of instruction adheres to this ancient document, I read paragraph one on the doctrine of sanctification. They who are once effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified really and personally through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection

7:24 by his word and spirit dwelling in them. The dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed. And the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified. And they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces to the practice of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.

7:53 So for the astounded brother who asked the question of Mr. Aitken, was he teaching that without sanctification and holiness you're not a Christian? I was indeed teaching that because the word of God teaches it and this ancient confessional document concludes its opening paragraph with that very point of emphasis. It is that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.

8:20 Well then, how are we to understand the nature of that holiness? The nature of that sanctification without which we shall not see him with joy? Well, a careful study of the usage of the words in the New Testament pertaining to this doctrine, a careful analysis of the overall concept of sanctification where the basic words sanctify, sanctification, holy or holiness are not used, but the concept is there, will lead us to the conclusion that we are to understand God's gracious work of sanctification as being comprised of three fundamental categories or three dimensions or three elements. And I have entitled them sanctification begun, the radical cleavage with sin, sanctification continued, the gradual process of mortification and renewal, the negative and the positive, and then sanctification completed, the final crisis in which both body and soul will be confirmed in holiness forever. And we will forever leave Romans 7. Hallelujah.

Sanctification Begun: The Radical Cleavage with Sin (Definitive Sanctification)

9:47 All right, in the time allotted this morning, let us fasten our mental seat belts and attempt to cover this broad spectrum of concern forced upon us by the teaching of the Word of God. What is the nature of sanctification? Well, we must begin with grappling with that aspect of teaching that I have entitled sanctification begun, the radical cleavage with sin. Now, most of the writing on the subject of sanctification focuses upon sanctification continued, that is, the process by which we mortify remaining corruption, on the one hand, and develop in the positive graces of Christ's likeness on the other. And because it is that process which involves us in so many complexities and problems, it is understandable that most of the theological and practical and devotional literature written on this subject is concerned to open up and give practical understanding and direct it to the people of God concerning that process. I have to remember I'm speaking in an English audience. I've come from Australia where process is in order, so if I process in process along the way, you must forgive me.

11:15 It's a matter of cultural identity. Scripture is a very clear body of teaching that we must come to grips with, and I may say that apart from coming to grips with this, we will not really understand the nature of the process. We must start where the word of God confronts us with a doctrine of sanctification begun, which is nothing less than a radical cleavage with sin. Now we think, and rightly so, of regeneration, justification, and adoption as definitive acts, repeated and non-repeatable provisions of God. But what the exegete has done, Professor Murray has left a very helpful legacy to the Church in his careful analysis of those many portions in the word of God where the concept of process will simply not be in the context in which the term sanctification or holiness is used. The usage of the word sanctified

12:40 constitutes an act of God once for all, but non-repeatable. Let us look at several specimen passages, and they are only that, from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, addressing himself to the Church at Corinth, obviously had many problems in what we might call sanctification continued, the gradual process. There was the problem of arrested growth, there was the problem of areas of sin that were not being mortified, graces that were not being cultivated, and yet notice how he addresses them. Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Sosthenes our brother, unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints. As he addresses himself to the Church of God at Corinth, he describes them as those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. And he uses a perpassive, something has happened to constitute them

14:08 a sanctified people, an act, the fruit of which remains to that very hour. In spite of all, in the process, something definitive has occurred in the life and in the experience of the Church at Corinth. And so with a play on words having described them as the having been sanctified in Christ Jesus, he then goes on to say called saints. And it is most likely that the word called there does not mean designated saints, but called.

14:46 The biblical significance of that effectual work of God by which he not only summons sinners out of darkness into light, but graciously brings them out of the kingdom of darkness and into fellowship with his Son. For he picks up that thought again in verse 9. So although he answers the question of the sanctified in Christ Jesus, they became such by virtue of their effectual calling. Then in chapter 6 in verse 11, we find a similar usage of the word sanctified.

15:26 Having described those forms of sin, the practice of which inconsistent with membership in the kingdom of God, he then says by a contrast in verse 11, and such were some of you. But ye were washed, but ye sanctified, but ye were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. And here he uses an aorist passage. There has been an element of sanctification that is definitive, that is once for all, and in the experience of every Corinthian Christian, it is passed, it is accomplished, it is something which cannot be repeated. It is a definitive sanctification. And then Acts 20 and 32 might be brought forward as another indication of this usage. Acts 20 and verse 32, as the apostle is encouraging the elders with serious solemn responsibilities, he then says in 32, Acts 20, And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace,

16:53 which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among them that are sanctified. And here we have a perfect passive participle. The inheritance is among those not present participle, who are being sanctified, but it gives you the inheritance among those who have been sanctified with a sanctification that is definitive. It has already occurred in their experience.

17:25 You find similar usages in the noun form, 1 Thessalonians 4, 7, 2 Thessalonians 2, 13, 1 Peter 1, 2. Other passages could be brought to pair upon the issue, but I trust these will suffice to support the assertion that there is a doctrine of sanctification begun, which in the language of Professor Murray should be understood as definitive sanctification. A sanctification that is radical, once for all, non-impeatable. Now how are we to understand that dimension of sanctification?

Understanding Definitive Sanctification: Death to Sin in Union with Christ

18:07 Sanctification The sanctification begun is to be understood in the light of two major categories of thought in the New Testament and several minor categories. I will take time only to expound briefly the two major categories, mention the minor, and then give you a brief bibliography of Professor Murray's exegetical work, which I trust you will quickly take in hand and carefully study. Now what is the nature and character of this sanctification begun? Well its two major categories of thought in the New Testament are in the light of Romans 6 and in the light of Colossians 3 and Ephesians 4 a putting off of the old man and a putting on of the new. And perhaps no passage is more fundamental in all of the word of God in addressing itself in this dimension of God's gracious work of sanctification begun than is the passage read in your hearing Romans chapter 6 and perhaps we should say even continuing through chapter 7 and verse 6. Paul is answering

19:33 that if our salvation in terms before God and obedience of that other is received by faith and faith alone then the devil's logic is now added to that theology by the stated objection. If I raise a mountain of sin ten thousand feet high and you tell me Paul this price is a righteousness adequate for that of sin fifty thousand feet all the more. If you tell me the peak of sin then continue in sin that grace may abound mountains of our sin that's the devil's logic added to the truth of justification based on the doing and the dying of another

21:02 and received by faith alone. Now Paul is going to answer that objection. We continue in sin and now notice what is the crux of his answer we who shall we any longer there is to the devil's justification based on the perfect righteousness of Christ and received by faith alone introduce the entire doctrine of the nature of union with Christ and in essence what he says is this the same faith which so you to Christ so that in the purchasedness that he himself has wrought is that same that has brought dissipation of his objected that has brought you in a way as acceptable as dissecting it with clinical analysis

22:30 but real nonetheless that same you possessor of an imputed righteousness that is utterly perfect it is in the virtue of that union that Christ's death for sin has become your death and that's the heart of his answer. We who to sin have looked away from having praised the Lord's righteousness according to Paul have died. The question is how in the world can we longer live in that realm to which we have died. Now if we were to have the time to trace out in detail Paul established that our living to sin and in the realm is for every one of us let me just briefly trace out the lines of thought as that by nature all of the Romans all of them

23:55 without exception were the slaves of sin. Verse 16 know ye not that to whom you present yourselves to obedience his servants you are under death for obedience to righteousness. Verse 17 and speaketh God that whereas verse 20 when you were footloose in righteousness servitude to sin was very real. The best commentary on it is Ephesians 2 1-3 while we were sin slaves we fulfilled the desire and of the mind we were animated by the of our own devil himself he says the spirit that worketh same verb used as we have in Philippians 2 God worketh in you he says the spirit that worketh in the disobedience you see the slavery to sin is real it's not an abstraction it was real it resulted in their presenting he says the members of their body slaves to their master the mind thought the thoughts that pleased its master the eyes looked upon the objects that pleased the master the hands did the bidding

25:23 of the master the feet walked in the paths dictated by the master but now he says in virtue of your union with Christ you have so been so identified with Jesus Christ in the virtue of his and his election that you in him and with him have sin and notice how pervasive this emphasis is verse 2 we who die verse 6 knowing this our old man was verse 7 a tacky exegetical problem it may be translated he that is died released from sin verse it is not an exhortation it's a statement of fact sin shall not oh he says in verse 22 in this I see the apostle is teaching not exhorting at this point is simply teaching that for ever to whom consciousness

26:50 in terms of the glorious doctrine of justification so thoroughly expounded in chapter 321 to the end of chapter the word of God is teaching anything in this passage it is teaching that basically then what does this concept of death to sin mean well I can do no better than to whet your appetite for the material that I'll mention by way of a little bibliography later on than to quote from professor Murray who says on page 204 of principles of Christian conduct the person who has died knows and acts in the sphere or realm of sin in the moral there is a transition as real and decisive as in the realm of the psychico physical on the event of ordinary death those who still live in the realm of sin and whose life is constituted by may say with reference to the person translated from it he passed away and lo he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found the place that knew him knows him no more there is a kingdom of sin of darkness and of death the forces of iniquity rule there it

28:19 is the kingdom of this world and lies in the wicked one the person who has died to sin no longer lives there it is no more affection will life and action his well springs are now kingdom which is antithetical the kingdom of God and of his righteousness it is of this translation that Paul speaks elsewhere when he gives thanks to the father who delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love Colossians 1 we are too ready and all listen to the dear man of God who now looks upon the face of his savior with joy we are too ready to give heed to what we deem to be the hard empirical facts of Christian profession and we have erased the clear line of demarcation which scripture defines as a result we've lost our vision of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus our ethic has lost its dynamic and we've become conformed to the world we know not the power of death to sin in the death of Christ and are not able to bear the rigor of the liberty of redemptive emancipation we die the glory of the accomplishment and the guarantee of the Christian ethic

29:47 are bound up in that doctrine if we live in sin we've not died to it and if we've not died to it if we die to our such as have died to sin how any longer there in six and verse two and brethren this is why it rather disturbs me to hear people throwing laurels at the feet of this dear man of God involving him perhaps the most careful reformed exegesis exegesis since professor Warfield and then become irritated when someone dares to preach and press the exegetical work that the dear man of God did it is true if we die any longer in that realm Peter gives the same emphasis in first Peter 2 24 and chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 but I said this is only a surface treatment there is another dominant biblical analogy to set forth this concept of sanctification begun in the radical cleavage with sin and it is the concept of Colossians 3 verses 8 and 9 Colossians 3

Understanding Definitive Sanctification: Putting Off the Old Man and Putting On the New

31:15 verses 8 and 9 in which the apostle Paul to the process of mortification the putting to death of remaining sin says that that process is to be carried out in a context in which there has been a radical cleavage with the dominion of sin so he tells them after exhorting them in verse 5 to put to death therefore he now 8 and 9 but now put them all in anger malice railing shameful speaking out of your mouth lying on in ye had the new man and here you have concept to see of something that was definitive once for all unrepeatable there was a putting off of the old and a putting on of the new with respect to the problems in the process and the demands of the process derived from the radical

32:35 nature of the new to mortify the deeds of the flesh negative sanctification cultivate the graces of love and meekness and patience as he goes on to describe them the positive dimensions of progressive sanctification and in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 22 and following you have the parallel passage and though the translations in most of our English Bibles would indicate that that's an exhortation I'm convinced that Professor Murray's treatment of the exegesis and the grammatical problems is very convincing and it's found in that chapter in principles of Christian conduct called the dynamic in which he treats very carefully this whole problem pages 214 to 217 and demonstrates conclusively that Ephesians 4 is a parallel to Colossians 3 in which the exhortations in the realm of progressive sanctification derive from the reality of the definitive sanctification the radical cleavage in which they were taught of Christ to put off the old man and to put on the new and then there are a few secondary

34:04 analogies in scripture which underscore the same basic concept that sanctification begun is a sanctification involving a radical cleavage with sin it is the concept of Romans 8 that every Christian has been constituted spiritual Romans 8 verses 7 through 9 the carnal mind is enmity against God is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwells in you but if any man has not the spirit of what's the obvious teaching well it's this every believer has the spirit of Christ the spirit of Christ have been introduced to the realm of the spirit as the dominant context of spiritual reality is no loss if it is says you're devoid of the spirit and if you're devoid of the spirit you're none of his he does not you're in the realm of the spirit but full of the spirit you're not controlled by it you have a problem

35:31 in identification no he says if you are not basically in the realm of the spirit your problem is your unregeneracy you are not the spirit of Christ he is none of his that was not written as a club by which to go after Pentecostals and say your teaching on obtaining the spirit is unbiblical no no it may be pressed into that use where necessary but my friend that's not its use in the context in the context the apostle is demonstrating that all for whom there is no condemnation are those who are in use and in union with Christ I have been brought out of the realm that's why he can say in verse 14 as many as are led by the spirit of God they the sons of God not any others now that's after writing about the reality of the struggles of Romans 7 that's in the context of verse 13 where he talks about mortification and putting to death remaining

37:00 there's all that but don't lead away the vigor of these passages then another line of emphasis in the new testament of course is the whole concept that we are a washed people it's stated very clearly in such passages as first 611 you have been washed a once for all washing and it's put in the same context as the definitive justifying act it's also in Titus chapter 3 and then it's beautifully taught by our Lord in John 13 he that is bathed all over needeth not save to wash his feet what is that bath all over that's definitive sanctification that's sanctification begun the radical cleavage with sin with sin's dominion and with sin's lordship and I earn you at this time that you have never examined this dimension of biblical truth carefully please I urge you to obtain a copy of professor Murray's selected writings volume number 2 and read the section beginning on page 277 through 313 the first two articles in particular deal with this and then in principles of Christian conduct pages 202 to

Sanctification Continued: The Gradual Process

38:25 228 but now I must hurry on 10 minutes yet remain to touch the other two dimensions though there is some imbalance it leaves me opportunity to enlarge in the next hour that I am privileged to share with you but now the bible teaches that the nature of the sanctifying work of God is not only understood as a radical cleavage with sin beginning this gracious work but we must understand it as sanctification continues by means of a gradual process and the text which teach the necessity and the reality of the process are legion let me try to classify them very quickly into several categories and give you just a specimen text or two for each one alright first of all the text which teach the reality and the struggle with remaining sin Romans 7 and Galatians 5 17 the same is in Romans 6 that there is breaking and in that there is this fundamental transferal from the realm

39:52 of flesh to the realm of spirit thank God that is that biographical of his own good evil and he knows the agony of the reality of remaining sin he asserts it again in Galatians 5 17 when he says the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other then there is a second category of text which force upon us the concept of sanctification as a gradual process and it is those texts which underscore sanctification as continuous renewal continuous renewal Romans 12 I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice fully acceptable unto God which is your reasonable or spiritual service and be not conformed to this age but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind well you see that has to be a process as the mind is continually transformed in this work of renewal 2 Corinthians 3 18

41:19 is another dominant renewal but we all with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are transformed into that same image from one stage of glory to another there is the concept of a process of gradual renewal into the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ then there is a third category of text which can only be understood in terms of a process of sanctification it is those texts which demand the constant mortification of sin Romans 8 13 if ye by the spirit do put to the deeds of the flesh ye shall live there is the necessity you see of the constant mortification people who have died to sin must yet put sins to death and Colossians 3 4 mortified which are upon the earth people who have put off have put on the new are not yet perfect new men and they have the duty of mortification and then a fourth category of text are those which lay out the duty of consciously cultivating Christian graces we have Peter's words and besides this

42:45 adding on your part all diligence faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge self control people in whom the dominion of sin has been broken which can only be performed by a gradual process and then there are those texts in which we are exhorted to continuous cleansing 2 Corinthians 7 1 is a specimen text having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse ourselves of all of the flesh and of the spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God that's a process and it goes on until the and we are confirmed in holiness forever now let me just say quickly by way of application any person who finds no problems with this process is either indifferent to its claims or is deceived as to its nature if you find no problems with this process of sanctification you are either indifferent to its claims or ignorant of its nature I could hardly believe my ears when some of the fellows sitting here today

Sanctification Completed: The Final Crisis

44:13 told me and so it was confirmed by two witnesses so it's biblical that I should repeat it that someone dared to claim that he could no longer sing with any degree of enthusiasm or self conviction prone to wonder Lord I feel it prone to leave the God he dared to claim that for 13 years he had felt no proneness to wonder I say that man is ignorant of his own heart and ignorant of the fools of the demands of this process and then sanctification is going to be complete some day sanctification will be completed as it was begun it was begun with a radical definitive work and thank God it's going to be completed by what I call the final crisis now for most of us it will come in two installments when we pass through the portals of death we will join oh how I thank God for that one text because it's the only explicitly clear text on the subject there are many inferences

45:41 but how I thank God for Hebrews 12 23 where the writer to the Hebrew says you have not come and then he describes the peculiarities of the mosaic economy may I say that the passage is pivotal in some other controversies with which some of you are wrestling you are not come but he says you are and the many privileges and realities to which I come through Christ the mediator of the new covenant inserted is this precious little word to the spirits of just men made perfect oh I tell you if I must pass through death this is one of the things among many others that takes away the dread of death itself though the experience of dying is frightful to me as I think of it to know that God has decreed that the moment this spirit is wrenched from this body all of the energy and virtue of the death of Christ that procured the perfecting of my spirit will come may I say it reverently crashing in with irresistible glory and every last stain of sin will be purged from Al Martin's spirit and it will look upon the face of Jesus to love him, to praise him

47:09 sinlessly and they'll stick this old beat up carcass in the ground and the worms will have a thanksgiving meal but only until the trump of God and when he speaks upon all the prostituted like unto his own glorious body and that will be the completion of the process in the language of Philippians 3 21 he shall fashion the body of our humiliation like unto his own glorious body and that perfected spirit will then join its proper habitation a perfected body and now there'll be none of that tension where the spirit enjoys more desires of grace than the body can hold when with all that is within us the level of grace has brought us to the point where we long to serve with an energy that the body does not have no more of that disparity what a wonderful thing to have a spirit that has no motions but those that are holy and a body that will be its willing servant

48:36 to do all of the impulses of that holy spirit that sanctification completed for most of us I say it'll come in two stages for those who are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord they'll get the double invasion of that irresistible power impinging upon spirit and body simultaneously and they shall be glorified with Christ well I'm one minute over my allotted time let me conclude by simply saying it is a wonderful thing that God has purposed to do for his own the same God who conceived in his infinite wisdom and sovereign love exigencies arise at the legal dimension because of our sin to satisfy by the bloodletting and obedience of his own son and that is the foundation of our confidence as the ground coming and as it were structural to all other considerations to know that that God has made perfect provision for my complete restoration to his image and he has chosen

Conclusion: God's Purpose and Provision in Christ

50:03 to do so in that work of grace that the bible calls sanctification and it is set before us in these three major dimensions or categories sanctification begun the radical cleavage sanctification continued the gradual process sanctification completed the final crisis and I want to say emphatically God never sanctifies a part from all three dimensions all whom he sanctifies if they live at all even a few hours like the dying thief there will be evidence of this process and there will be thank God the final consummation where does it all come from union with Christ when by faith we are implanted into Christ then in the language of the confession it is in the virtue of his death and resurrection that sins dominion and in the language of the confession we are enabled both to mortify sin and cultivate those graces and thank God

51:31 one day we shall look upon him with joy do you know that sanctifying work my friend if not you are none of his if you do take heart the struggle will not be forever thank God consummation is coming and he who has begun the good work will complete it let us pray Heavenly Father we confess that with all of the limitations of our humanity and all of the dullness which is native to us because of our sin we find it so difficult even to hold before our minds for a few moments such blessed gospel realities we cannot begin to conceive what it will be to love you with an unsinning heart to serve you with a body that will never never be an enemy to the impulses of our hearts oh God how we praise you for these provisions in your son and we pray for those sitting here today to whom these things

52:59 are mere words who have never known in union with your son that radical cleavage with sins dominion the evidence of it is found in their making no progress in the process Lord have mercy upon them grant that they may be graciously drawn into vital union with your son for the many of us who struggle in the process oh Lord teach us in these days how to make progress so that more and more honor and glory will be brought to your son as beholding the travail of his soul coming to fruition in our own progressive sanctification his heart may be made glad and the cause of his strength in the earth continue with us bless your servant who will address us in the next hour give him joy and liberty and the help of the holy spirit and give us understanding and obedient hearts to your word we ask these mercies with much thanksgiving in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the lecture or message that you have just heard was produced by the reformed theological seminary in Jackson Mississippi and distributed in the Mount Olive

54:29 Presbyterian church tape library in Bastille Mississippi the purpose of the reformed theological seminary is stated in its perpetual charter establish control and develop an institute of established upon the authority of the word of God standing written in the 66 books of the Holy Bible by almighty God and therefore without error and committed to the reformed faith as set forth in the Westminster confession of faith and the larger and shorter catechisms as originally adopted by the Presbyterian church in the United States fundamental in the concept of the theological training held by the reformed theological seminary is the dynamic union of doctrine and strength of the reformed faith with the warmth of evangelistic passion the board of trustees and the faculty are committed to the maintaining an institution of academic excellence with the help of God this seminary resolves to stand as a faithful witness to the whole council of his word it aims to fulfill an edifying role conserving and presenting clearly and positively the growing heritage of the Presbyterian and the reformed tradition it is the expressed desire of the reformed seminary to contribute constructively to the life and the work of the church as an independent academic institution reformed theological

55:57 seminary is free from ecclesiastical control all who are associated with it however are individual under the jurisdiction of the various church courts of the Presbyterian and reformed denominations of which they are members the seminary seeks to serve all branches of evangelistic Christianity but especially the churches of the Presbyterian and the reformed family should you desire further information regarding the reformed theological seminary your request to write to the reformed theological seminary Jackson, Mississippi that is 5422 Clinton Boulevard Jackson, Mississippi zip code 39209 permission to reproduce this tape for the purpose of publishing should be requested of the reformed theological seminary in Jackson, Mississippi