What Sanctification Is

1. It is separation from sin... [God] puts a line of demarcation between the sanctified soul and all that is unholy... He has nowhere promised that He will kill Satan, but He has promised to put a broad, deep Jordan between the Christian and sin...
2. Sanctification means also dedication to God... A sanctified Christian is wholly yielded to God to please Him in every particular; his first thought always is, "Thy will be done"; his one desire that he may please God and do His holy will... God expects something more of us than simply to be separated from sin.  This is only negative goodness.  He expects that we shall be wholly dedicated to Him, having it the supreme wish of our heart to love and honor and please Him.
-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Sanctification Is Not (part 5)

Sanctification is not a state of emotion.  It is not an ecstasy or a sensation.  It resides in the will and purpose of life.  It is a practical conformity of life and conduct to the will and character of God.  The will must choose God.  The purpose of the heart must be to yield to Him, to please and obey Him. That is the important thing, to love, to choose and to do His holy will.  You cannot have that spirit in you and fail to be happy.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Sanctification Is Not (part 4)

5. Sanctification is not self-perfection.  We shall never become so inherently good that there will be no possibility or temptation to sin.   We shall never reach a place where we shall not need each moment to abide in Him...  The moment you or I become conscious that we are strong or pure, that instant the work of disintegration begins.  It has made us independent of Him, and we have separated ourselves from the life of Christ.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Sanctification Is Not (part 3)

2. Sanctification is not morality, nor any attainments of character... A man cannot build up a good human character himself and then call it the work of God. It will not stand the strain that is sure to come upon it...


3. Sanctification is not your own work: it is not a gradual attainment which you can grow into by your own efforts... It is an obtainment, not an attainment. You cannot sanctify yourselves. The only thing to do is to give yourself wholly to God, a voluntary sacrifice... But He must do the work of cleansing and filling.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Sanctification Is Not (cont.)

You will find that men and women who do not press on in their Christian experience to gain the fullness of their inheritance in Him, will often become cold and formal...  You have doubtless noticed young Christians who have seemed to be marvelously converted and filled with the love of God, but they have not entered into the deeper life of Christ, and in an evil hour they failed.  They had gained a new heart, but they had neglected to get the deeper teaching and life which Christ has for all His children.
-- A. B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Sanctification: What It Is Not

Sanctification is the second step in the Four-fold Gospel.


I. WHAT IT IS NOT

1. It is not regeneration... To be saved eternally is cause for eternal joy; but the soul must also enter into sanctification. They are not the same. Regeneration is the beginning. It is the germ of the seed, but it is not the summer fullness of the plant. The heart has not yet gained entire victory over the old elements of sin... Regeneration is like building a house and having the work done well. Sanctification is having the owner come and dwell in it and fill it with gladness, and life, and beauty.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Considerations Which Should ... (cont.)

4. Because the little word "now" is always linked with it. It must be taken now or never...


5. Because its issues are for eternity. The decisions there are not reversible... God's Word holds out no second chance to any human soul.

6. Because if salvation is missed there will be no excuse for it... All has been done that could be done. Salvation has been brought down to man's level. It has been placed where he can reach it.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Considerations Which Should Urge Us to Take and Give Out This Salvation

Considerations which should urge us to take and give out this salvation


1. Because of the fact that every man's salvation is hinged on his own choice and free will... We are not forced to take it. We must voluntarily choose it or reject it.

2. Because of the tremendous responsibility to which we are held accountable for the salvation of our soul...

3. Because of the guilt which will rest upon us for neglecting and despising the precious blood of Christ, which was shed for our salvation... Jesus suffered intensely to bring it to us, and shall we stumble carelessly over it? Oh, let us be more concerned than we are, both for the salvation of our own souls and for those around us who are not saved.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Why It Is Called the Gospel of Good News (cont.)

4. Because of its universality. Whosoever will may take it and live.


5. Because of the security of its blessings. They are given forevermore...

6. Because of the eternity of its blessings. The sun will have burnt itself into ashes, the earth will have been destroyed by volcanic heat, the heavens will be changed when salvation has only begun. Ten thousand times ten thousand years shall pass away, and we shall have only begun a little to understand what salvation means. Blessed be God for the Gospel of Christ's salvation.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Why It Is Called the Gospel of Good News

Why it is called the gospel of good news:


1. Because of its value. It comes laden with blessings to him who receives it.

2. Because of its freedom. It may be taken without money and without price.

3. Because of its availableness. It is easy of access, being on the level of the worst sinner.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Things the Bible Says About Salvation (cont.)

5. Christ is called the "mighty to save," because no matter how weak or how wicked the sinner may be, He is able to save him to the uttermost.

6. It is called a near salvation... "The Word is nigh thee..."  We can find Him everywhere we are.  Salvation is at our door... No steps were allowed to God's ancient altar, for then some poor sinner might not be able to get up to it.  Jesus is on the very plane where you are this moment.  You can take His salvation here now...-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Things the Bible Says About Salvation

Things the Bible says about salvation:
1. It is called God's salvation.  It was not invented by man...
2. It is called "your own salvation," because you yourself must appropriate it.
3. It is called "the common salvation," because it is free to all who will accept it.
4. It is called a "great salvation" because it is full and infinite in its provisions.  It is large enough for all your needs.
-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

The Steps By Which (Salvation) Is Received

The steps by which (salvation) is received:

1. Conviction of sin.  We must first see our need and our danger before we can be saved.  The Holy Ghost brings this to our heart and conscience.  ...
2. There must be next an apprehension of Jesus as our Saviour...  It will not do merely to feel and confess your guilt.  What is needed is to get the eye on Jesus. 
3. Salvation comes by repentance.  There must be a turning from sin...
4. Salvation comes by coming to Jesus... There must be a turning to Jesus as well as a turning from sin.
-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

The Process by Which These Blessings Come (cont.)

(continued from yesterday)
The process by which these blessings come:
5. Salvation comes through the intercession of Jesus at the right hand of the Father.  He is our Great High Priest there, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us, and thus keeps us in continual acceptance.
6. Salvation comes through the grace of the Holy Ghost... He keeps our feet in the way, and He will never leave His work until He has put us forever into the bosom of Jesus.
7. Salvation comes to us by the Gospel... Our refusal to accept it, or our neglect to do so, fixes irrevocably, by our own act, our eternal condition. ...

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

The Process by Which These Blessings Come

The process by which these blessings come:
1. They come through the mercy and grace of God. ...
2. Salvation comes to us by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  He perfectly fulfilled for us every requirement of the law. ...
3. Salvation comes to us through the death of Christ.  His obedience is not enough. ...
4. Salvation comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which was God's seal of His accomplished work and the pledge of our pardon.

-- A.B. Simpson,  The Four-fold Gospel

What Salvation Brings to Us (part 2)

4. Salvation gives us a new heart... Every spark of life from the old polluted nature is worthless, and the divine nature is born in us as a part of our very being.

 5. Salvation gives us grace to live day by day...  Salvation takes us out of prison, and provides for all our needs besides.

 6. It brings to us the help of the Holy Spirit, ... helping our infirmities and bringing grace for every time of need.

-- A. B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Salvation Brings to Us (part 3)

7. It brings to us the care of God's providence, causing all things to work together for our good.  This is never true until we are saved: but when we are the children of God all things in earth and in heaven are on our side.
8. Salvation opens the way for all the blessings that follow it.  It is the stepping stone to sanctification and healing, and the peace that passeth understanding...
9. Salvation brings us to eternal life.  

-- A. B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Salvation Brings to Us

1. It brings the forgiveness of all our sins and entirely removes them... They can never appear against us again.




2. It brings us justification in the sight of God, so that we stand before Him as righteous beings. We are accepted as though we had done everything He had commanded, and had perfectly kept the law in every particular.



3. It brings us into the favor and love of God, and secures us full acceptance in the person of Jesus. He loves us as He loves His only begotten Son.

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

What Salvation Does for Us

4. It delivers us also from our evil conscience. There is always a shadow left on our hearts by sin, and a feeling of remorse... It takes the shadow from the heart and the stinging memory of sin from the soul.

5. It delivers from an evil heart, which is the source of all the sin in the life... Salvation frees us from its power and gives us a new nature.

6. It frees us from the fear of death... The death-bed of God's children is to them the portal of heaven...

7. Salvation delivers us from Satan's power and kingdom...

8. Beyond all else, salvation delivers us from eternal death...

-- A.B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Salvation Saves and Delivers

I. WHAT IT SAVES US FROM (continued)




2. Salvation saves us from the wrath of God. God hates evil and must punish it somehow. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men. But from this salvation delivers us.



3. Salvation delivers us from the curse of the law. . . Salvation delivers us from this curse through Him who was made a curse for us.



-- A. B. Simpson, The Four-fold Gospel

Intro to A.B. Simpson: The Four-fold Gospel

Today we begin a series of quotes by A.B. Simpson (1843-1919), prolific author and songwriter, editor, healer, college founder, and founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. Simpson was the first well-known leader to teach that all of the First Corinthians 12 gifts of the Holy Spirit are available today, including tongues and healing. He taught that healing is in the Atonement. That is, that Christ died for our healing as well as dying for our sins. He taught that we can bring about Christ's soon return by increasing our efforts at world evangelism. The quotes are from The Four-fold Gospel, a book which established Alliance theology.




Let us look a little at what it means to be saved. It is not at all a little thing... Christ said that it was greater to have one's name written in heaven than to be able to cast out devils. What does salvation mean?



I. WHAT IT SAVES US FROM



1. It takes away the guilt of sin. It frees us from all liability and punishment for past offences. Sin deserves punishment. Salvation takes this all away. Is it not glorious to be saved? (to be continued)