THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS

There can be no holiness in human experience without the work of the Holy Spirit. He alone can make men to become "partakers of His [God's] holiness." What is holiness as devotedness to God but the full expression of the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit? What is holiness as purity of heart but the work of the Holy Spirit making effective in the hearts of men the provision of the blood of Christ to purge human nature of its sinful dross? What is holiness as spiritual wholeness or moral perfection, holiness as the full use of the redeemed life in loving service to Christ, but being filled with and giving glad obedience to the Holy Spirit. No discussion of the meaning of holiness can be complete without considering the work of the Holy Spirit

Consideration will be given first to the Person involved,

The Holy Spirit

He, the third Person of the adorable Trinity, is called the "executive of the Godhead," a statement which describes His activity in promoting and administering the will of the Father and the gifts of the Son. He is mentioned often in the Scriptures and almost without exception this mention is associated with action or activity. It is He who moved over the face of the waters in creation to bring order out of chaos; He came upon persons, leaders, kings, prophets, and others, speaking through them, equipping them for leadership back in the Old Testament days; he is active now in reproving of sin, imparting the benefits of salvation, leading, filling, empowering, guiding, teaching, witnessing to and giving assistance to the Christian. This fact of activity prompted Dr. Daniel Steele to remark, "The work of the Father in the gilt of the Son and the work of the Son in pouring out His own blood as a sin offering are complete past acts. But the work of the Spirit in each individual believer is incomplete" (Gospel of the Comforter, page 27).

What of His name, the Holy Spirit? "The adjective 'holy,'" says Dr. Daniel Steele, "cannot be distinctive of the quality of purity which is not found in equal degrees in the Father and the Son. Both are holy. Hence, as it is not descriptive of an attribute peculiar to the Spirit, we infer that it points to the peculiar office of the Spirit, in the redemptive scheme, to make men holy" (Gospel of the Comforter, page 2). John Wesley agrees with this thought, for he says, "The title 'holy,' applied to the Spirit of God, does not denote that He is holy in His own nature, but that He makes us so; that He is the great fountain of holiness to His church; the Spirit from whence flows all grace and virtue" (Works, Vol. VII, page 485).

Paul in writing to the Roman Christians uses this term, "The spirit of holiness" (Romans 1:4). There is a question among Bible scholars as to the meaning of this statement. Many, perhaps most, agree with Dr. Marvin D. Vincent holding that this "reference is not to the Holy Spirit, who is nowhere designated by this phrase, but to the spirit of Christ as the seat of the divine nature belonging to His person . . . . and its characteristic quality is holiness" (Word Studies in the New Testament, Vol. III). However some, including Moffatt, hold that it does refer to the Holy Spirit. Whether or not this statement, "The spirit of holiness" actually refers to the Holy Spirit, this fact is true, that the Holy Spirit is the true source and essence of holiness, for holiness in human life is the gift of God through the Holy Spirit, so in fact He is "the Spirit of holiness." He is, says Dr. Maclaren, "a Spirit that works a deeper holiness than law dreamed, and a more spontaneous and glad conformity to all things that are fair and good, than any legislation and outward commandment could ever enforce. The Spirit that came at Pentecost . . . . is a Spirit of holiness, whose most blessed and intimate work is the production in us of all homely virtues and sweet, unpretending goodness which can adorn and gladden humanity." He is the spirit of holiness who fills the believer with Himself, imparting holiness, inspiring a deep devotedness to God, bringing purity of heart, and He is the inner dynamic of a life of enthusiastic service for Christ. His work is both with the individual and with the church.

His Work With Individuals

Much could be said of the influence of the Holy Spirit upon individuals as a force outside of their lives; His conviction of sin, His promptings to righteousness, His providential dealings and direction, and the many other ways in which He works to influence the lives of people in general. But the chief purpose here is to consider His work within the Christian's life as the inspiration of love to God and man, the dynamic of all righteous living and Christian service, and as the divine Helper in all phases of the Christian life.

In the realm of spiritual experience in man He is the author of the new birth. This fact Jesus stressed in His conversation with Nicodemus when He said, "Except a man be born again born of. . . . the Spirit he cannot see.... he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:3-5). Thus Jesus designated the crisis experience in spiritual life called the new birth or regeneration as the work of the Holy Spirit. The second crisis experience in Christian life is likewise said to be the work of the Spirit; "being sanctified by the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:16); also, "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (II Thess. 2:13).

The Spirit's Assistance In Preparation

The Holy Spirit is active with individuals in preparing them for these great spiritual experiences. It is recognized generally that people are brought to repentance through the reproof or conviction wrought upon their hearts by the Holy Spirit; also that in repentance the penitent may expect the aid of the Holy Spirit in bringing him to that "godly sorrow [which] worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of" (II Cor. 7:10); and it is equally true that the faith which reaches from the heart of the penitent person to. touch the forgiving God, receiving from Him forgiveness and new life, is not without the gracious assistance of the Spirit. He is present in every step leading to and making real within man that glorious experience, the new birth by the Spirit (regeneration).

His assistance is given also in the preparation for the deeper experience of entire sanctification. He reveals to the person the depths of the carnal condition remaining after his regeneration for without His help no child of God can come to a realization of the sinful corruption remaining within him, or know the full import of the scripture which says, "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). No Christian can be truly conscious of the weakening effects of that inner conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, described by Paul in his letter to the Galatians, except as the Spirit makes known to him his deprived state indicated by Paul's statement, "so that ye cannot do the things that ye would," and his utter inability in his own strength to overcome or destroy "the flesh" and bring to an end this inner strain. What Christian can know the deep impurities of his nature or be conscious of those subtle forms of evil lurking within him except as the Holy Spirit searches his heart and by His divine illumination makes them known and at the same time reveals the remedy for such a heart condition?

The individual Christian preparing for the work of sanctification by the Holy Spirit must make a complete consecration of himself, of his body as the temple of the Holy Ghost, to God. This work of consecration is twofold; namely a separation from all that is evil and a dedication to God of any that is good; a dying out to that which is carnal and a full commitment of the whole life to God; a crucifying of the flesh with its affections and lusts, and the presenting of our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Him. Neither the negative' nor the positive aspects of the preparation for entire sanctification, namely consecration, can be made satisfactorily without the aid of the Spirit of holiness. There can be no real separation from the evil, the world, the sinful, except as the Christian is influenced by the Holy Spirit to a deep abhorrence of the evil within and as with all his heart he implores the Spirit to make real that inner death to sin which he so earnestly desires. There can be no deliverance from the carnal mind and self will, no crucifying of the flesh, except as the Holy Spirit works with the child of God -- as "ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13).

The positive phase of this preparation, the presenting of a full consecration of the body, the temple of the Holy Ghost, to God, cannot be done acceptably without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. For man, even though regenerated, is so susceptible to deception, he is so limited in his knowledge of himself, that the Spirit alone knows when the consecration is complete and He will continue to bring to the remembrance of the seeker such things not yet consecrated until there is made actually a full dedication to God. The faith that lays hold of God in appropriating the provision of the blood of Christ to sanctify wholly is not entirely of human origin, for the Holy Spirit assists by leading the seeker to a realization that the provision made by Jesus to "sanctify the people with his own blood" is complete and was meant for him; He brings him to a persuasion that God is able to do the work now, to a confidence that even now the very God of peace does sanctify wholly, and to an assurance that through the Spirit of holiness he is now a "partaker of His [God's] holiness."

The truly sanctified Christian is and remains humbly conscious that "all realized human holiness is the mind of the Spirit of God breathed into those to whom He is the soul of their soul and the life of their life" (J. Agar Beet, The New Life in Christ, page 313).

Filled With The Spirit

The great positive work of this experience is the baptism with or fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in this work of entire sanctification accepts and fills His temple, the body or life of the individual Christian, which is entirely dedicated to God. It is an abiding fullness, a vital fullness, which is maintained as the Christian lives in the Spirit. "There is a fullness of the Spirit," says Dr. Daniel Steele, "which must imply entire sanctification -- the permanent gracious presence in the soul of the Holy Spirit in His fullness, not as an extraordinary gift, but as a person having the right of way through the soul and body, having the keys to even the inmost rooms, illuminating every closet and every crevice of the nature, filling the entire being with holy love" (A Defense of Christian Perfection, page 110). The Spirit of holiness sanctifies, fills, seals this consecrated Christian as His own, thereby making real that holiness which is devotedness to God, and, by His abiding presence and fullness He enables the sanctified Christian to live day by day a life of full devotement to God -- a holy life.

The negative aspect of this work of the Spirit of holiness is purity of heart -- the heart that is filled with the Spirit -- is made pure (Acts 15:8, 9). The great area of evil in humanity is in the deep realms of the nature which the Bible calls the "heart," and which for all practical purposes is quite equivalent to what modern psychologists call the subconscious and unconscious levels of mind. For, generally speaking, the writers of the Bible think of the heart as the central reservoir of life from which comes "the issues of life," and which is the source of "the thoughts and intents," the drives and urges of life. Into this deep realm, the heart, the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of holiness comes to abide in His fullness, purifying, healing bringing harmony and peace, making possible the coordination of the forces of life around the supreme objective of love to God and the doing of His will, and, a love for men which ever seeks their best interests. It was the realization of this deep experience, this inner deliverance, that prompted the Apostle Paul to exclaim, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). He also revealed the secret of continued inner harmony and peace when he said, "to walk after the Spirit," or "to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The abiding consciousness of inner purity and the fullness of the Holy Spirit prompted Peter to testify years after Pentecost that their hearts were purified by faith when at Pentecost they were filled with the Spirit (Acts 15:8, 9).

In this mighty experience of entire sanctification wrought by the Spirit of holiness none of the essential characteristics of personality are eradicated, none of the instinctive forces of the personality are destroyed, nor is the person made free entirely from all of the effects of evil upon his personality, for until the day of his death he will carry some of the deep scars of his previous sinful life. However there is brought by the Holy Spirit a spiritual wholeness or soundness in the center of life, there is made real the perfection of the moral relationship of the Christian with his God in which the principle of sin is destroyed until life on the level of consciousness becomes the willing response and glad obedience of the heart to God; also, there is a purity of heart -transformation by the purifying and healing influences of the Holy Spirit in the deep realms of the mind, the subconscious, which is beyond man's ability to analyze or to comprehend.

This work of the Spirit of holiness in the life of the child of God, a work of grace subsequent to his being "born again," makes that Christian holy in the scriptural sense of that word; he is pure in heart, he is spiritually sound, he is using his redeemed powers in the service of God for others, and, a state of devotedness to God exists -- he has become "a partaker of his [God's] holiness."

Life In The Spirit

This vital experience of entire sanctification or fullness of the Spirit is not the ultimate purpose of God for human life, it is not the final work of the Spirit of holiness for man in this world. It is a high point in human experience, it is the completion of the initial work of salvation; but the purpose of God for man in this world is saintliness of life and Christlikeness in character. Without this work of holiness wrought in the life by the Holy Spirit any appreciable progress toward this goal of saintliness is impossible. On the other hand we must recognize that as wonderful as is this experience of heart holiness it does not of itself bring the sanctified person immediately to that goal of saintliness of life or perfect Christian character.

It is interesting to note as one reads the biographies of great Christians that almost without exception it will be found that they have had an epochal experience in their Christian life subsequent to their regeneration. It is true that not all have spoken of this deeper experience of grace in the terms used in this treatise, also that they would not all accept the full meaning of that experience as set forth in this discussion -- although many of them would, and some of them knew a deeper experience than they gave witness to -- but it is a fact that universally they testify to a more rapid progress in Christian character after enjoying this second epochal experience of spiritual life.

A discussion of the life of holiness is given in another chapter (Chapter VI) of this book. Here it is our purpose to emphasize the place that the Spirit of holiness fills in producing saintliness and Christlikeness in life, or the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

It is of interest to note some of the scriptural statements relative to the co-operative relationship existing between the Christian and the Holy Spirit in daily Christian living. Here are some of them: walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, led by the Spirit, taught by the Spirit, assisted by the Spirit in prayer, prayer and supplication in the Spirit, the fellowship of the Spirit, the power of the Spirit for victorious living and service, and many others. What a glorious wealth of "the things of the Spirit" are placed within the reach of the child of God! Yet they are all potential and must be made realities of the spiritual life by co-operating with the Holy Spirit.

One of the most gracious facts of the spiritual life, a means of showing forth the Spirit actively working in the life of the Christian is "the fruit of the Spirit," which "is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22, 23). This "fruit" may be yielded in increasing abundance and quality as the child of God truly lives in the Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit" says Dr. H. Orton Wiley, "is the communication to the individual of the graces flowing from the divine nature, and has its issue in character rather than in qualification for service" (Christian Theology, Vol. ii., page 317).

There is also the assistance and effective working of the Holy Spirit in Christian service, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . ." (Acts 1:8). He does give power for service. How gloriously was this power demonstrated in the service and witnessing of the early church, by the disciples of Jesus and their associates. And the effectual working of this power in service is known today by thousands of Spirit-filled Christians. The tragic fact faced today is that too few of those professing holiness are giving themselves as fully as they should to a life of active service to Christ and for others, hence they are experiencing far too little of the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The Transforming Work Of The Spirit

The active work of the Spirit in His transformation of character is stated by the Apostle Paul in these words, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Cor. 3:18). Glorious promise! Wonderful experience! The children of God "beholding . . . . the glory of the Lord, are changed' ' -- rather are being changed- (the beholding and the changing being definitely associated) "into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord." The full fruition of this transformation by the Spirit will be in the future glory, but the spirit works effectively and constantly a glory now, the glory of more and more saintliness and an increase in the likeness of the Lord whose glory His child is beholding. This work of the Holy Spirit in transforming character is constantly going on in the life of His sanctified children as they walk in the Spirit. "We must believe in the Holy Ghost," says Dr. Daniel Steele, "as a n indispensable agent in the production of spiritual life both in its incipiency and in its fullness. There is a sense in which He is now the most important active factor in the production of Christian character" (Gospel of the Comforter, page 27).

This thought of increasing Christlikeness in life is suggested by this further statement of the Apostle Paul, "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21). Here is an antithesis; "as sin hath reigned" (emphasizing its degrading, permeating influences, ever progressing as the sinner gives himself over to sinning), "unto death"; "even so" (to the same extent, in the same manner), "might grace reign" (progressively, permeating its nature and virtues more and more in the life of the Christian) -"through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." An antithesis of this nature requires a perfect balance, and the emphasis is that the reign of grace will be as glorious, as free, and will as progressively infuse its virtues, producing righteousness unto eternal life, as sin was inglorious, enslaving, degrading, and progressively permeated its virus unto death. How may grace so reign except through the presence and transforming power of "the Spirit of grace"?

Oh that God's sanctified children might have more of a realization of the saintliness of character and of the increase of Christlikeness that is possible in the daily life of holiness through the transforming work of the Spirit of the Lord in the reign of grace. As His child beholds -- looks steadfastly upon, meditatively reflects upon, permits its rays to penetrate deeply his nature -- "the glory of the Lord, he is being changed into the same image from glory to glory,.... by the Spirit of the Lord."

God's purpose for His children is holiness. Holiness in its initial sense of purity of heart, fullness of the Spirit and devotedness to God. Holiness in its progressive sense, the transformation of character into saintliness and Christlikeness. Holiness in its ultimate sense in sharing the eternal glory of the exalted Christ. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of holiness.

Before closing this discussion some thought must be given to the

Holy Spirit And The Church

Any discussion of the Holy Spirit and the Church must begin with Pentecost, for Pentecost marks both the official advent of the Holy Spirit into the world and the birthday of the Christian Church. Something new in the spiritual realm emerged that day when those one hundred and twenty believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, for it was then that these individual believers were fused by that Spirit into a spiritual organism, the Church of Christ. This "church," says Dr. H. Orton Wiley, "is not merely an independent creation of the Spirit, but an enlargement of the incarnate life of Christ" (Christian Theology, Vol. iii, page 108). Another writer suggests that this enlargement of the incarnate life of Christ, like the incarnation of Christ himself, is a condensation upon the part of God, for says he in speaking of the Holy Spirit and the Church, "His earthly body is never commensurate with His personality, never fully adequate to the performance of His purpose" (H. Wheeler Robinson, The Christian Experience of the Holy Spirit, page 151).

The same Holy Spirit who works with the individual in the experience of salvation and transformation of character, also incorporates the individual believer into the body of Christ, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (I Cor. 12:13). This corporate life is a fellowship of the Spirit, a unity of the Spirit, the Church of Christ. Describing this unity Dr. H. Orton Wiley says, "The Holy Spirit being the bond of union in the Godhead becomes likewise, the source of union in the Church, uniting the members to one another, to their exalted Head, and to Himself" (Ibid, page 108).

This unity of the Spirit, the Church of Christ, is spoken of in the New Testament by the use of different figures or pictures. It is the temple of God, "Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; . . . . for a habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:20-22). It is the body of Christ, of which He is the living Head; "the moral unity of its members," says Dr. Robinson, "should correspond with the unity of the animating Spirit, that it may grow into the fulness of Christ" (Ibid., page 140). It is the bride of Christ, loved by Him to the point of giving "himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:25-27). "All these metaphors," says Dr. Robinson, "imply the unity of the Church, but that of the temple also suggests its dignity, that of the body its Cooperation, that of the bride its purity The dignity, harmony and purity which characterized her were a creation of the Spirit" (Ibid., page 140).

The Life Of The Church

The Holy Spirit is the life of the Church, its inspiration and its power. A casual survey of His relationship to the activities with the Church of the New Testament reveals Him giving guidance to the Church in the settlement of difficult problems, until with confidence the leaders of the church could proclaim, "It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us "(Acts 15:28); directing the Church in the selection and the sending of missionaries or evangelists; "The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed . . . ." (Acts 13:2, 4); enabling them to preach the gospel "with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven" (I Peter 1:12); imparting special gifts to the Church, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit .... For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will" (I Cor. 12:4-11). These gifts all are within the one body, the body of Christ, and the unity of that body, "is that of the Spirit"; says Dr. Wiley, "and the diversity includes anything that is not out of harmony with that spiritual unity" (Ibid., page 112). There are also gifts of differing ministries, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11). These are the gifts of the Spirit for the increasing and edifying of the body of Christ, as Paul says. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:12-13). It is the abiding presence and active working of the Holy Spirit in the Church which gives it life, power and success in its ministry, and makes it a living fellowship of the saints. The work of the Spirit of holiness within the church is to bring it to the Ultimate goal of Christ, a holy Church.

The Holy Church

The purpose of Christ for His Church is, "that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). In what sense is the Church holy or to be holy? In the discussion of holiness in man (Chapter 2) it was stated that there was a ceremonial holiness and also a moral holiness; that ceremonial holiness includes that which God specially claims for Himself and which in a special sense belongs to Him; and, that moral holiness relates to persons who have been made holy in heart by the grace of God. The Church is now holy in this ceremonial sense because it is claimed by God as His very own, and in a special sense it belongs to Him; it is "the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). The Church is holy in the moral sense in so far as the individual members are sanctified wholly, or as they by the Spirit of holiness are made to become "partakers of his (God's) holiness." It is the work of the "Spirit of holiness" to bring the individual members of this unity of the Spirit, the Church, into the deeper experience of purity of heart or the fulness of the Holy Spirit, that more and more the holiness of God may be manifested through the Church, that more and more the Church as a body may become morally holy.

The ultimate purpose of Christ is to have a church that is "holy [morally] and without blemish." It is such a church that Christ will eventually present to Himself; "that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, or any other defect -- holy and unblemished" (Weymouth, Eph. 5:27). It is the creation of such a holy church, a bride, "An enlargement of the incarnate life of Christ" toward which the "Spirit of holiness" is working today. No one but God is capable of judging to what extent the Church is now morally holy, how many of the people of the various nations, races, classes and languages of this earth are now a part of this bride. No one but He will know when the Spirit of holiness has accomplished His work, when the Church is complete and ready to be presented by Christ "to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle or any other defect -- holy and unblemished."

Co-operating With The Spirit

It is essential therefore that each individual member of the body of Christ, the Church, give to the Spirit of holiness his utmost obedience and fullest co-operation that the Church may be "holy and without blemish."

The transforming work of the Spirit in the lives of individual Christians has been discussed in the earlier portion of this chapter. This transformation is a recognized co-operative endeavor; as the child of God keeps on "beholding . . . . the glory of the Lord," he is "changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Also, the fact has been stated that each Christian by the Spirit is incorporated into the body of Christ, the Church, and we are members one of another as well as members of the Head, Christ Jesus. This spiritual unity brings an added responsibility to the Christian, he must co-operate with the Spirit and with the other members of the body. He owes to the whole body his full individual co-operation with the Spirit of holiness in personal experience and holy living, his life and conduct reflects honor or dishonor both on God and on the body of Christ, and he is responsible also to the Church to promote its best interests, to seek its edification, to endeavor "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," to work for its increase in the salvation of sinners and the entire sanctification of believers, and to work together harmoniously with the other members of the body of Christ that through the direction and power of the Holy Spirit the Church may become what Christ desires it to be, "holy and without blemish" -- His pure bride.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes the two phases of the Christian's relationship to the Spirit of holiness by the use of the same term, "The temple of God," or "The temple of the Holy Ghost." He makes the appeal to persons in these words, "What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor. 6:19-20). His appeal is made to the group, the Church, thus, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Cor. 3:16). The temple of God in this verse is the same as "God's building" of verse nine. This is somewhat in keeping with Peter's statement, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house"; emphasizing too that Jesus Christ, the Living Stone, is the "chief corner stone" (I Peter 2:4-6). The individual temples or living stones are brought together by the Spirit to form the corporate temple or sanctuary of God, the Living Stone, Jesus Christ being the chief corner Stone.

The work of the Spirit of holiness with the individual, as has been stated is to save the sinner, to sanctify the believer, and to continue His work of character transformation in the life that he may indeed "glorify God" in his body and in his spirit which are God's, also to incorporate this individual believer into the Church, the body of Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit. His work in the Church is to bring these individual members into a consciousness of their oneness with other members of the body, of their responsibility for building the church, and to build of such materials as will honor God and at the same time bring reward to the builder.

A striking picture of the Church and this co-operative endeavor is used by Paul, "Ye are God's building" and "Ye are the temple of God" (I Cor. 3:9, 16). The foundation is laid already, "Which is Jesus Christ"; but the actual building erected upon that foundation -- the Church -- is the work of the individual Christians -- leaders in particular, but all Christians in general -co-operating with each other in their work with God, "laborers together with God" (verse 9) in the building of His temple, His Church. But each Christian is responsible for the kind of materials of which he builds; "Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:12-15).

Think of it! Some who even may be saved eternally have co-operated so poorly with the Spirit of holiness in His work of developing or building the temple of God, His Church, as to build of such inferior and insecure materials of wood, hay and stubble. Think of the sad disappointment in that day of test, "he shall suffer loss" -- the loss of what he has lived for -- yet "he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." His loss and the loss which the church also has suffered is irreparable. Those who so co-operate with the Spirit of holiness as to build of gold, silver and precious stones honor God, build the Church and receive an individual reward.

How essential it is that each Christian give his full co-operation to the Spirit of holiness in his work of transforming or developing personal Christian character, and in His work with the body of Christ, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," and working together with other Christians successfully -- "laborers together with God" -- in such a manner as to bring honor to God in the temple, the Church, builded under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.