Regarding SANCTIFICATION
Dear Friends in Christ!
This brochure was first published in 1964 by responsible ministers of the Evangelical Baptist Brotherhood. It was meant to be a spiritual help to believers. It brought them abundant blessings and achieved positive results in their growth pertaining to holiness.
In the past years the number of suitable brochures in circulation has greatly decreased, yet the need has increased. Because of the spiritual condition of the churches the need arises again and again to examine one's own walk before God in order to do away with every sin which hinders fellowship with the Lord and fruitful service for Him.
This brochure will also be helpful as a call to sanctification for churches which are not in our brotherhood, because they are close to us in spirit and in the marvellous doctrine of Jesus Christ.
The true disciples of Jesus understand that the return of our Lord is ever nearer. Therefore the condition of the Christian world becomes even more dangerous. That is why Jesus Christ Himself warned, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). The day of the Lord, "shall not come, except there come a falling away first" (2 Thess. 2:3).
The instructions to the true church remain: to attain to the fullness of the Holy Spirit through benevolent, effective sanctification, with prayer in which the whole congregation participates, and that each congregation experience the presence of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, "in Whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace " (Eph. 1:7).
Without sanctification there can be neither answers to prayer nor revival, neither successful missionary work nor evangelistic work nor a godly building up of the church.
May the Lord bless this somewhat supplemented spiritual material for the benefit of His people and to the glorification of His Name!
"And 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).
With Love and Prayers, your brothers in Christ — The Council of the Evangelical Christian Baptists
January 1990
To all brothers and sisters who constitute the Church of Jesus Christ:
"This is the will of God, even your sanctification". 1 Thess. 4:3
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Heb. 12:14
Beloved co-labourers in the Church of Jesus Christ! Beloved brothers and sisters!
"Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Gal. 1:3-5
In July, 1964 a Conference of elders, evangelists, and ministers of the ECB Churches convened. The question of the spiritual condition of the Church in our whole country was discussed. During the Conference it was mentioned that in August 1961, the Lord, through His ministers, had called the churches of the ECB to purification and sanctification, because a significant part of God's people had wandered away from the truth and had entered the path of deliberate violation of the Lord's basic commandments both in personal life as well as in church life. This appeal was answered gladly by many children of God and by whole congregations. Those who purified themselves are experiencing rich spiritual blessings from the Lord today. They are being strengthened and continue to grow in the Lord.
However, many believers, and not a few congregations, have not accepted the call to holiness. Therefore, because the work of sanctification is being neglected among them, they remain in the condition of self-deception, in that, although they accept the teaching that sanctification is desirable, they believe that it is, nevertheless, not absolutely necessary.
Some believers have accepted the call to sanctification, yet, for various reasons, have not taken any action toward it.
Christ loves His church and gave Himself for her, so that He may purify her. He wants to see His bride holy and without blemish and without any sinful spot (Eph. 5:25-27).
The church of Christ has received an undeviating command to holiness from the Lord, and He warns that the salvation of those who do not follow the way of sanctification is in danger, for without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).
The Conference also dealt with the question regarding what more the children of God must do in order to undertake practical steps, with God's blessing, that will lead to the origination of a pure and holy condition in the church and, so purified, to acceptance of the boundless grace of God for life and service to His glory.
As a result of these discussions the brothers reached a unanimous decision: to encourage all those who love the Lord, all those who hold the salvation of God as precious, to commit themselves to self-examination and soul-searching and also to begin to inspect their ranks (Lam. 3:40).
Everyone who, in the light of God's Word, discovers any sin and whose conscience, through the Holy Spirit, is convicted, is commanded by the Lord to forsake the sin and to cleanse themselves (2 Cor. 7:1).
We may talk a lot about sanctification. However, if we postpone it until tomorrow, if we do not begin immediately today to judge ourselves regarding every sin and every deviation from the truth and do not repent and as long as we are not able to say, "From now on I will strive to walk in the way of absolute fulfilment of the Word of God"—so long purification and sanctification will not begin and will not come about.
The conference of the ordained brothers has made those explanations and given advice based on the Word of God and has unanimously accepted those resolutions which will lead to the sanctification and purification of the congregation. It was recommended that we make several supplements to the material presented and then to distribute the completed brochure among God's children, which we are now doing. Dear brothers and sisters, we are not presenting this material to you as a regulation, but rather as brotherly assistance, as practical information. This material on sanctification is directed solely to born again souls for whom God's Word is Truth and His laws are commands.
In the Conference, the hope was expressed, that all responsible brothers and all of God's children whose salvation is dear to them and who sincerely desire to follow Christ, would accept our advice, accept our brotherly assistance, and answer the call of God to sanctification. If they will do that they will certainly experience the riches of godly blessings.
We will accompany this appeal with our prayers that the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, will move your hearts so that you will fulfil His will in everything.
In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of your salvation, we beseech you with full earnestness and feeling of responsibility, that you accept this appeal, and that you conduct yourselves toward the laws of God with fear and awe.
May the Lord, by His grace, bless these undertakings to the spiritual benefit of His Church and to the glory of His glorious Name.
To Him be honour and worship! Amen.