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 ." Philippians 2:12 , 13 . 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 ." 1 Corinthians 15:57 .
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 fullness 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 ." Philippians 3:13 , 14 . And Peter sets before us the steps by which Bible sanctification is to be attained : " Giving all diligence , add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge temperance ; and to temperance patience ; and to patience godliness ; and to godliness brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness charity . . . . If ye do these things , ye shall never fall ." 2 Peter 1:5-10 .
Those who experience the sanctification of the Bible will manifest a spirit of humility . Like Moses , they have had a view of the awful majesty of holiness , and they see their own unworthiness in contrast with the purity and exalted perfection of the Infinite One . The prophet Daniel was an example of true sanctification . His long life was filled up with noble service for his Master . He was a man " greatly beloved " ( Daniel 10:11 ) of Heaven . Yet instead of claiming to be pure and holy , this honored prophet identified himself with the really sinful of Israel as he pleaded before God in behalf of his people : " We do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousness , but for Thy great mercies ." " We have sinned , we have done wickedly ." He declares : " I was speaking , and praying , and confessing my sin and the sin of my people ." And when at a later time the Son of God appeared , to give him instruction , Daniel says : " My comeliness was turned in me into corruption , and I retained no strength ." Daniel 9:18 , 15,20 ; 10:8 .
When Job heard the voice of the Lord out of the whirlwind , he exclaimed : " I abhor myself , and repent in dust and ashes ." Job 42:6 . It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord , and heard the cherubim crying , " Holy , holy , holy , is the Lord of hosts ," that he cried out , " Woe is me ! for I am undone ." Isaiah 6:3 , 5 . Paul , after he was caught up into the third heaven and heard things which it was not possible for a man to utter , speaks of himself as " less than the
326