The grounds of this sanctification, according to out- ward appearance, are twofold, viz. : (o) Holiness is given of God by the mediation of Christ, conditioned upon faith and an inward surrender, which are themselves likewise the gift of God. (h) Man from within, by a proper purification of the heart, may attain this sancti- ty. Although the last cannot occur without the assist- ance of God, yet the personal activity of man is neces- sary and almost preponderant. Still, even interior holi- ness is, as above implied, the direct work of God.
8. As everything dedicated to God partakes in a cer- tain manner of his holiness, so even things (e. g. the Temple), forms, and ceremonies (e. g. sacrifice) : hence " to hallow" means also to dedicate to God, to offer up, to bring as an qffer-ing, to present one's self as dedicated to God throwjh Christ (Rev. xxvi, 18; 1 Cor. vi, 11 ; Eph. V, 26 ; Heb. ii, 11 ; x, 10, 14 ; John xvii, 17). In the N. T., where the merciful assistance of God in customary purity or objective holiness appears prominent, the ex-
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pression to "sanctify one's self is user! only concerning Christ, and means here the same as to offer up himself as a sacrifice for human sin (John xvii, 19). Hut as man may make himself holy, i. e. under the assistance of the Holy Spirit, he may work for his own purity ; similar phraseology is used of Christians (Matt, xxiii, 17 ; John xvii, 1!); 1 Tim. iv, 5).
4. That by which God reveals his holiness, e. g. the Law. is also holy (Kom. vii, 12).
III. I'rof/ression. — Complete holiness, as applied to men, designates the state of perfect love, which exhibits itself in this, that every thought of man, every emotion and volition, hence also every deed, is determined by the will of God, and thus the old man, who has been fainting under tlie burdens of worldly lust, and has been cam'ing the chains of the flesh, is cast off, and the new man is fully put on. This sanctitication is both a work of Goil and of man. This divine grace comes through Christ, first at conversion, and by successive steps there- after under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Man must seize the proffered hand of God, use the means of grace afforded him, and by the assistance of God perfect holi- ness. Thus, on the one hand, everything comes from God, and, on the other, the personal work of man is nec- essary. Whatever the good man is, he is through God and his own v.ill; the evil man, however, is so only through his own will, for evil is falling away from God. Goodness consists ultimately in susceptibility for the di- vine work of grace, while wickedness has its final ground hi the free hardening of the heart against the divine in- fluences.
Personal holiness is a work of development in time, frequently under a variety of hinderances and back- slidings, and even with the possibility of entire ruin. Hence the admonitions to watchfulness, to continual prayer, to perseverance in faith, in love, and in hope, are abundant (1 Cor. i, 30 ; 2 Cor. vii, 1 ; Eph. iv, 23, 24 ; comp. Kom. xii, 2) ; hence also the apostle's prayer that the love of the Philippians might abound yet more and more (Phil, i, 9). But while the laying aside of the old, and the putting on of the new, are thus refen-ed to man, of course it is not the meaning of the sacred writer that sanctilication is accomplished by our own power. Christ is our sanctification, as he is our righteousness (1 Cor. i, 30) ; yet all that Christ through the Holy Spirit works in man may become in vain, because man by his vm- faithfulncss can hinder the operation of the Spirit.
IV. Metapltorical Representations of a State of Holi- ness.— In the Scriptures this sanctification is described in manifold as well as strong and explicit figiu-es as a " putting off" of the old man, and a putting on of the new man (Col. iii, 9), the subject becoming dead to the old, and having recovered the lost image of God. It is represented as self-denial (1 Cor. ix, 26, 27) ; as a cleans- ing (1 John i, 9 ; comp. Heb. i, 3 ; ix, 14 ; Eph. v, 2G ; 2 Pet. i, 9); as a washing (1 Cor. vi, 11); as a taking away of sin (John i, 29) ; as being filled with the fruits of righteousness (Phil, i, 11); with the water of Ufe (John vii, 38 ; compare iv, 14) ; as a shedding abroad of the love of (iod in the heart (Rom. v, 5) ; as baptism into Christ (Rom. vi, 3; Eph. i, 10; ii, 5; Rev. xv, 1) ; fellowsliij) with God (I John i, 3); as being in the Fa- ther, and in the Son, and in the light (1 John ii,5,6, 10, 24; compare Eph. ii, 15; John xiv, 20) ; as the having God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (John xiv, 17, 20; Gal. ii, 20; 1 Cor. v, 15; 1 John ii, 24; iv, 4, 12-15 ; Eph. iv, G) ; as a birth unto God anil Christ (1 John ii, 29; iii, 9, 10; iv, 4-7; v, 18, 19); as being partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet. i, 4) ; children of God (Rom.viii, 14; John i, 12; 1 John iii, 1, 2); born again (John iii, 5, 7 ; Titus iii, 5, G) ; as being one with Christ and one another (John xvii, 22, 26).— Krehl, Neu- testam. Worterh. p. 356. See Sasctificatiox.