Coming to the Scriptures to ascertain God's will, we find that the great work which God asks of us is not work for others, but work in ourselves, subduing, conquering, ruling self. Everything else, therefore—our service to the household of faith, and our doing good unto all men, by home and foreign missions, etc.—is subservient to this most important work within. For, as the Apostle by inspiration declares, Though we should preach the gospel eloquently to others, and though we should give all our goods to feed the poor, or become martyrs for a good cause, without love, the Spirit of Christ and the Father, developed in us as the ruling principle of life, we would be nothing, from the Divine standpoint.
Sanctification implies separation from self and the world, and the dedication of self to God's service. Its full operation will develop in us a character like that of our Heavenly Father. No less than the development of a God-like character is the will of God for His children, and he who during the time of the elective call has submitted himself to the will of God will ultimately be like God on the spirit plane of being, while in the Mediatorial Reign of Christ such submission will be rewarded with perfect human life.
Lev. 20:7, 8; Mic. 6:8; John 17:17; Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 6:11; Eph. 5:10, 26, 27; 1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Thes. 2:13; Titus 3:5, 6; Heb. 2:10; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Pet. 1:22; Jude 1.
