the concluding prayer Paul returns to the thought. The essential idea in sanc tification is that of being set apart for God, but there is also the thought of the character involved in such separation. In this place Paul has both aspects in mind. Moreover, while there is a hu man element, in that a man must yield himself up to God (cf. 4:4), yet the primary thing is the power of God which enables this to be made good. Thus Paul’s prayer is that God will bring about this sanctification. So important is this sanctification that Paul repeats the prayer in an other form, this time praying that the whole man may be preserved entire and without blame. Paul is not at this point giving a description of the na ture of the human constitution, but engaging in prayer. He uses this graph ic form by way of insisting that the whole man, and not some part only, is involved. All our powers of what ever sort are to be sanctified, entirely set apart for God. This totality is brought out in another fashion in that the verb “be preserved” and the adjec tive “entire” are both singular, though they clearly are intended to apply to all three. In different ways Paul em phasizes that sanctification applied to the whole of man, and is not to be restricted to any segment. The word “entire” does not differ very greatly from that rendered “wholly” in the ear lier part of the verse, though there is probably some difference of emphasis. Whereas the former word brought us the thought of “that which has attained its end,” this, one signifies “that which is complete in all its parts.” Vine, “It has interesting associations with sac rifice in the Greek Old Testament and elsewhere. It describes the ‘whole’ stones that were used in making the altar. It is used also of the victims that were offered. If Paul has this sacrificial usage in mind it would fit in very well with the entire surrender of the man to God which is involved in sanctifica tion.” If the completeness of the sur render is in view in this word, it is rather the result which is in mind in
the adverb rendered “without blame” (found in this Epistle only jn the New Testament). The character involved in being a Christian is one which admits of only the very "highest standards. Paul prays, not simply that they may live good lives, but that they may be blameless. The prayer, in substance, is that the readers may be kept perfect until the return of Christ: “The God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly.” “Him self’ indicates that God, and God alone, can so sanctify. This sanctification is not only an act but a process. To sanc tify is to set aside or to separate for the service of God, to consecrate but also to purify, to make fit for such service and to free from all fault. The prayer is that this may be done “wholly,” that is, “ throughout” or “through and through.” This complete sanctification is des cribed even more fully: “And may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame.” It need not be supposed that Paul is here giving a sci entific and technical division of the component parts of human nature. “Spirit” and “soul” are not to be re garded as absolutely separate and dis tinct elements. The reference is to the one indivisible personality, in its God- ward relations, in its natural activities, and in its uses of the body. The prayer is that every aspect of one’s life, every expression of the inner self, every as piration and motive, as well as all forms of conduct, shall be sanctified. The entire being is to be “perserved” as an undjvided whole, intact, “entire.” The purpose is that believers may be found “without blame at the coming of. our Lord Jesus Christ.” The return of Christ is mentioned at the time when true character will be revealed and also when perfection will be complete. That even so extraordinary a prayer will be. answered is affirmed by the words at its close: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” That believers might become holy, sancti fied, complete, was the very purpose of (continued on page 33) 31
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