al that all have a clear
understanding of what the Scriptures teach upon this point.

True sanctification is a Bible doctrine. The apostle Paul, in his letter
to the Thessalonian church, declares, "This is the will of God, even your
sanctification." And he prays, "The very God of peace sanctify you
wholly."(794) The Bible clearly teaches what sanctification is, and how it
is to be attained. The Saviour prayed for His disciples, "Sanctify them
through Thy truth: Thy word is truth."(795) And Paul teaches that
believers are to be "sanctified by the Holy Ghost."(796) What is the work
of the Holy Spirit? Jesus told His disciples, "When He, the Spirit of
truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth."(797) And the psalmist
says, "Thy law is the truth." By the word and the Spirit of God are opened
to men the great principles of righteousness embodied in His law. And
since the law of God is "holy, and just, and good," a transcript of the
divine perfection, it follows that a character formed by obedience to that
law will be holy. Christ is a perfect example of such a character. He
says, "I have kept My Father's commandments." "I do always those things
that please Him."(798) The followers of Christ are to become like Him,--by
the grace of God to form characters in harmony with the principles of His
holy law. This is Bible sanctification.

This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ, by the power
of the indwelling Spirit of God. Paul admonishes believers, "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."(799) The Christian will feel
the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a constant warfare against it.
Here is where Christ's help is needed. Human weakness becomes united to
divine strength, and faith exclaims, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."(800)

The Scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctification is
progressive. When in conversion the sinner finds peace with God through
the blood of the atonement, the Christian life has but just begun. Now he
is to "go on unto perfection;" to grow up "unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ." Says the apostle Paul, "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."(801) A