After mentioning
the gift of the Holy Ghost, he adds, "and put no difference
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts xv.
9). Among other things, then, the baptism of the Holy Ghost
purifies the heart; but the disciples were converted before they
received this Pentecostal experience, so we see that heart
purity, or holiness, is a work wrought in us after conversion.
Again, we notice that Peter says, "purifying their hearts by
faith." If it is by faith, then it is not by growth, nor by
works, nor by death, nor by purgatory after death. It is God's
work. He purifies the heart, and He does it for those, and only
those who, devoting all their possessions and powers to Him, seek
Him by simple, prayerful, obedient, expectant, unwavering faith
through His Son our Saviour.
Unless we grasp these truths, and hold them firmly, we shall not
be able to "rightly divide the word of truth," we shall hardly be
"workmen that need not be ashamed, approved unto God" (2 Tim. ii.
15). Some one has written that "the searcher in science knows
that if he but stumble in his hypothesis--that if he but let
himself be betrayed into prejudice or undue leaning toward a pet
theory, or anything but absolute uprightness of mind--his whole
work will be stultified and he will fail ignominiously. To get
anywhere in science he must follow truth with absolute rectitude.
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