August 24 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified" (John 17:19, NIV).

Devotional

Christ is glorified in the progressive holiness of his people. "Pray then like this," says our Lord "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven'" (Matt. 6:9–10). The increase of this kingdom is just the measure and extent of the believer's advance in sanctification. This is that internal righteousness, the work of God the Holy Spirit, which consists in the subjugation of the mind, the will, the affections, the desires—yes, the whole soul—to the government and supremacy of Jesus, "tak[ing] every thought captive to obey Christ," says the apostle (2 Cor. 10:5).

O you who "struggle against sin" (Heb. 12:4)—longing to be "conformed to the image of God's Son" (Rom. 8:29), panting to be more "pure in heart" (Matt. 5:8), "hunger[ing] and thirst[ing] for righteousness" (Matt. 5:6)—think that in every step that you take in the path of holiness, Christ is glorified in you! In every corruption subdued, Christ is glorified in you! In every besetting sin laid aside, Christ is glorified in you! In every holy desire begotten, Christ is glorified in you!

Perhaps you reply, "But the more I strive for the mastery, the more I seem to be conquered. The stronger I oppose my sins, the stronger my sins seem to be." But what does this prove? It proves that "God is working in you both to will and to work for good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). It proves that the kingdom of God is invading the kingdom of Satan. It proves that the Spirit dwelling in the heart is making war with the flesh.

John Owen truly remarks that "if a believer lets his sins alone, his sins will let him alone." But let him search them as with torches, let him bring them to the light, let him oppose, mortify, and crucify them—then they will struggle to the last for the victory. And this inward warfare undeniably marks the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit in the soul.

To see a believer advancing in holiness, thirsting for God—his heart fixed in its solemn purpose of entire surrender, actively cultivating higher views, and aiming for a loftier standard, how Christ is glorified!

To behold him, perhaps, carving his way to his throne through mighty opposition—"fighting without and fear within" (2 Cor. 7:5), striving to master some besetting sin, sometimes foiling and sometimes being foiled, sometimes with the shout of victory on the lip and sometimes with the painful consciousness of defeat weighing down his heart, how Christ is glorified in such a saint!

To see him yet moving still onward—the compass of his soul, with slow and tremulous, but true and certain, movement still pointing to its glorious attraction, God—faith that can never fail and hope that can never die and love that can never be quenched, hanging amid their warfare and in all their weakness upon the "nail fastened in a sure place" (Isa. 22:23)—how much more Christ our sanctification is glorified in such a saint!

Oh, to be like Jesus!—meek and lowly, gentle, kind, and forgiving. Oh, to be without duplicity, without deceit, without malice, without revenge, without one temper, or thought, or feeling, or look, that is unlike him!

Beloved, do not mistake the nature and the evidence of growth in sanctification. In all your self-denial in this great work, be cautious of grace-denial. You will need much holy wisdom here, lest you overlook the work of the Spirit within you.

It may be that you have thought of the glory that Christ receives from brilliant genius and profound talent, from splendid gifts and glowing zeal, from costly sacrifices, and even extensive usefulness. But have you ever thought of the far greater and richer glory that flows to him from a contrite spirit, a broken heart, a lowly mind, a humble walk? Have you ever thought of the far greater and richer glory that flows to him from the tear of godly repentance that falls when seen by no human eye, and the sigh of godly sorrow that is breathed when heard by no human ear? Have you ever thought of the far greater and richer glory that flows to him from the sin-abhorrence and self-loathing, the deep sense of vileness, poverty, and infirmity that takes you to Jesus with the prayer—

"Lord, here I am; I have brought to you my rebellious will, my wandering heart, my worldly affections, my particular infirmity, my besetting and constantly overpowering sin. O Lord, please receive me graciously. Put forth the mighty power of your grace in my soul. Subdue all, rule all, and subjugate all to yourself.

"Will it not be for your glory, the glory of your great Name, if this strong corruption were subdued by your grace, if this powerful sin were nailed to your cross, if this temper so sensitive, this heart so impure, these affections so truant, this mind so dark, these desires so earthly, these pursuits so carnal, and these aims so selfish, were all entirely renewed by your Spirit, sanctified by your grace, and made each to reflect your image? Yes, Lord, it would be for your glory, through time and through eternity."

Rise, my soul, to watch and pray,
from thy sleep awaken;
be not by the evil day
unawares o'ertaken.
for the foe,
well we know,
oft his harvest reapeth
while the Christian sleepeth.

(Johann B. Freystein, 1697; tr. By Catherine Winkworth, 1863; alt.)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.