ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION IN TYPE.
The Mosaic dispensation was legal, ceremonial and typical. "The law
having a shadow of the good things to come," says the author of the
Hebrews. But a shadow always points to a substance; and so far as
holiness is commanded, and so far as it is shadowed forth in the
ceremonial law, we shall find that there is a corresponding substance
and reality in the gospel of Christ.
In the first place, if we study carefully the provisions of the Mosaic
law, we shall be struck with the many forms of ceremonial uncleanness
described therein, and with the "divers washings," not only of the
"hands oft," but of the whole body, and of "cups and pots, brazen
vessels and of tables." All these point to the fact that God will have
a clean people, and a clean people is a holy people. The same thing is
vividly exhibited in the distinction between clean and unclean animals,
the one kind to be used as food, and the other to be disused. Of land
animals, only such as both chew the end and divide the hoof, might then
be eaten. And of aquatic, only such as have both fins and scales were
to be accounted clean. There can be no doubt that this restriction in
regard to food is full of meaning. God help us all as Christian
believers to distinguish between the clean and the unclean in a
spiritual sense, and not to forget that God will have His people now
pure in heart, clean in soul, holy both within and without.
The seal of the covenant with Abraham was circumcision, and this became
the perpetual rite by which his descendants were admitted to the rights
and privileges of that covenant. "Every male child shall be
circumcised." But this rite was an outward symbol of "a circumcision
not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in
the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2: II. R.V.) And in Romans 2: 28-29,
we are told that "He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is
that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which
is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit,
and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God." Beloved
reader, may you and I know what it is to experience the inward
circumcision, made without hands, even the putting off of the body of
the flesh. And this is entire sanctification. In the consecration of
Aaron and his sons to the priests' office, not only were they to be
adorned with holy garments for glory and for beauty, not only was the
breast-plate to be set with twelve kinds of precious stones, but the
plate for the mitre was to be made of pure gold, and engraved with the
motto "Holiness to the Lord." This was to be always upon the forehead
of the High Priest, and must signify that Aaron was to be the holy
priest of a Holy God, and that the law required a continuous holiness,
as most assuredly the gospel does also.
Now, in the most important sense both the priesthood and the sacrifices
were typical of Christ. In the mediatorial work of redemption, he was
both the priest and the victim. He offered Himself. And no one will
deny that He was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.
The holy priest, under the law typified the holy priest, who is a
priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. But under the gospel
dispensation all Christians are priests. "But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." And
we are priests, not for the purpose of expiation, for expiation was
completed by the Lord Jesus Christ, when He "bore our sins in His own
body on the tree," but priests to offer up "spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." And every such priest must
needs be continuously holy.
The "spiritual sacrifices" which the Christian priest must offer are,
as previously stated, (1) his body, with all its members and
capacities. The heart was given to Christ at conversion. It is,
however, largely through the body that the soul is led into sin, and it
is through the body, also, that the soul must perform its work for
Christ, so long as soul and body are united in probation. Hence, the
Apostle exclaims in the twelfth of Romans, "I beseech you, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service." The Christian must offer (2) also his continual testimony. He
must "hold fast the confession of his faith without wavering." "By him,
therefore, let us offer the sacrifices of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." And, finally
(3), the Christian priest must offer the sacrifice of a holy life. "But
to do good, and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God
is well pleased." Beloved, let us ask ourselves if we are constantly
offering as a holy priesthood, a consecrated body, a confessing tongue
and a godly life. Amen.
This subject has already been alluded to under a different head, but
it will bear repetition.
In the ceremonial used under the law for the cleansing of the leper, we
find an impressive type or symbol of holiness. Leprosy is most clearly
and strikingly a type of inbred sin. It is loathsome, unclean,
incurable, fatal and hereditary. The leper was driven from society; he
could not dwell in the camp nor in the city. He was an outcast. None
must be permitted to approach him. They must be warned off by the
despairing cry "unclean, unclean." Nothing can be conceived more
desolate or more hopeless than the condition of the leper, unless it
be, indeed, the sinner who is an "alien from the commonwealth of
Israel, a stranger to the covenants of promise, having no hope and
without God in the world."
But to the leper, in many instances, came the glad "day of cleansing."
He might not come into the camp, until the priest went forth to him.
The priest and no one else could pronounce him clean. And none but
Christ has any authority to tell the sinner that he is converted, or
the believer that he is sanctified. A clean bird must be slain over
living water, another bird dipped into this water flies away toward
heaven with bloody wing; the leper is sprinkled seven times, to denote
the completeness or perfection of his cleansing, with blood by means of
hyssop and scarlet wool bound to a stick of cedar; he must wash his
clothes; he must pass a razor over his whole body, and bathe the whole
body likewise in water. Certainly, all this needs no explanation.
Surely, here is atonement by blood, and cleansing by the washing of
water through the word, as plainly described as symbolic language can
utter it.
All the bloody sacrifices of the Jewish law, the daily sacrifice both
morning and evening, the paschal lamb, the Day of Atonement, the
offerings at the various feasts, and innumerable sacrifices offered for
individuals or for the whole people, the guilt offering, the sin
offering, one for what we have done, the other for what we are, the
peace offering, the burnt offering, these, also, all point to the Lamb
that was slain from the foundation of the world. In all the sacrifices
which we have named, a life was taken and blood was shed. "Almost all
things are, by the law, purged with blood, and without shedding of
blood is no remission."
But turn now to the New Testament, and read that "It is not possible
for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." Read again, "If
the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the
unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God." Read again, "In Him we have redemption through His
blood"--"Having made peace through the blood of His cross"--"Ye who are
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ"--"Being now justified by
His blood"--"That He might sanctify the people with His own blood"--and
especially "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all
sin."
Here, I insert a quotation from that saintly man, Dr. Edgar M. Levy.
"When an oblation for sin was offered up under the old dispensation,
the priest was commanded to dip his finger in blood, and to sprinkle it
seven times before the Lord. This denoted the perfection of the
offering. Nor would the blessed antitype come short of the type. Seven
times, at least, did our Lord pour forth His precious blood. He was
circumcised and there, of necessity, was blood. He was buffeted on the
mouth, and by such brutal hands, that this must needs have been
attended with blood. He was scourged, and from Roman scouring there
was, of course, blood. The crown of thorns was driven into His precious
temples and, surely, this was not without blood. The sharp nails
penetrated into His hands and feet, and again there was blood. And one
of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced His side, and forthwith came
thereout blood and water."
The blood of Jesus, then, is the procuring cause of our sanctification
as it is of our justification. Glory be to His Name forever for the
precious, cleansing blood. And every Christian can heartily join in the
immortal hymn of Toplady on the "Rock of Ages," and especially with the
rendering now frequently given to the conclusion of the first stanza,
viz.:
"Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath--and make me pure."
The pure olive oil is mentioned many times in Scripture, and was used
for a great variety of purposes. In typology, however, it has special
reference to the office work of the Holy Spirit. He is distinctively
the Sanctifier, and to be filled with the Spirit is designated by the
Apostle John as "the unction" or "the anointing." The holy anointing
oil was to be sprinkled upon the tabernacle and all its sacred
vessels. It was also poured upon the heads of prophets, priests and
kings, as a necessary qualification for the discharge of their
respective offices. There can be no doubt but that this use of the
anointing oil and the sweet perfume, which none were permitted to
imitate or counterfeit, has a direct typical reference to holiness.
The sacred writer, indeed, says as much. "That they may be most holy;
whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy." And as all Christians are
kings and priests unto God, it is necessary that they also be anointed
with the Holy Spirit, as their types in the Old Testament dispensation
were anointed with the outward oil. "Be ye clean that bear the vessels
of the Lord." A priest must be holy.
We have already spoken of leprosy as a type of inbred sin, and of the
requirement of blood-shedding in the cleansing of the leper. But before
that cleansing was complete, the anointing oil, also, was to be applied
to the leper, who was healed of his malady. As the priest had already
touched his ear, his thumb and his toe with the blood of the sacrifice,
so now he touched the same parts also with the oil. First, the blood;
afterwards, the oil. And thus it is in the wondrous plan of salvation
through the Lord Jesus Christ. First, atonement for guilt and to secure
pardon; afterwards, the Holy Ghost baptism for complete cleansing.
First, justification through the blood; then entire sanctification
through the Spirit.
The anointing oil was also to be applied to the ear, the thumb and the
toe of Aaron and his sons in their consecration to the priesthood and,
finally, poured upon their mitred heads that it might reach the beard
and the skirts of the garments, but by no means touch the flesh. And
so, beloved, we must be touched with blood and oil as to our spiritual
ears, that we may take heed how we hear and what we hear; and as to our
hands that they may do the work of God in all righteousness, and
goodness and truth; and as to our feet, that they may run swiftly and
beautifully upon the errands of redeeming love; and, at last, upon our
heads and running down overall the person to purify and energize the
whole man, that we may be "ever, only, all for Him." Praise the Lord.
And this can never happen while the flesh, the carnal mind, is still
alive.
Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God and the Son of Man, He who was
holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, was,
nevertheless, anointed with the Holy Ghost as a needful qualification
for His mediatorial work.
In the synagogue at Nazareth, He read part of the sixty-first chapter
of Isaiah. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord
hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He had sent Me
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord"--and here He ceased His quotation
abruptly, without saying a word about "the day of vengeance of our
God." It was now a day of grace, not a day of vengeance. But to those
who will not accept this grace, that terrible day of vengeance will
surely come. Jesus was anointed, and He was holy. His anointed
followers must also be holy. They must seek and find the baptism with
the Holy Ghost and fire, they must be sanctified wholly. To be
baptized, and filled and anointed with the Holy Ghost is the privilege
and duty of all God's children. If we would belong to the royal
priesthood, we must be cleansed from the defilement of sin.
Finally, we will allude to the fire symbol. Gold is spoken of in
Scripture as tried in the fire. So of silver. "He" (Christ) "shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver." The precious metals will endure
the fire, but "dross and tin," as well as reprobate silver, will and
must be consumed. The baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire is a
sin-consuming baptism. Fire is a great purifier. It makes the substance
which is subjected to it pure through and through, and not like
anything cleansed by water, pure as to its surface only. "Our God is a
consuming fire." Oh, beloved, let us give up to the fire all that is
for the fire. Let all depravity, all inbred sin, all tendency to depart
from God and yield to Satan, be burned up in this fiery baptism. May
God put upon all His pardoned children not the blood-mark only, but
the fire-mark also.