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Further on in verse 22 he speaks of "servants to God, and fruit unto holiness". The
whole passage (Rom. 6: 16-23) is to the last degree intensely practical and everyday
doctrine. Our members are the instruments either of unrighteousness or of holiness.
"The mortal body" of verse 12 is not rendered immortal for this service; the same hands
that stole may steal no more but rather labour in order that their owners may not only
earn their own living, but have to give to the needy. The same feet that were swift to
shed blood may, like Paul's, carry the gospel unto the regions beyond. It is not a blessed
thing that here and now with all the consciousness of our failings this manifestation of the
victory of Christ can be given?
If I Cor. 1: 30 exhibits the root of holiness, Heb. 12: 15 reveals the root of bitterness
that can defile. In Heb. 12: 14-16 we read:--
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: Lest there be any fornicator, or
profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."
In what way was Esau "profane"? The word bebelos is related to belos, a threshold,
and indicates anything "trodden", "accessible", and so not "private". This word being
used as an antithesis to holiness partly explains the latter word. That is something sacred,
set apart for God, not for the crowd. Now Esau thought more of easing a healthy appetite
than he did of the higher things of God, and holiness can easily be sacrificed upon similar
principles. Self sows a bitter root whose fruit is not unto holiness but unto corruption.
Hagiasmos occurs ten times in the N.T., and is translated five times "holiness", and
five times "sanctification". We give the ten occurrences so that any who may so desire
can read the complete setting given in Scripture of this one phase of the doctrine of
sanctification: Rom. 6: 19, 22; I Cor. 1: 30; I Thess. 4: 3, 4, 7; II Thess. 2: 13;
I Tim. 2: 15; Heb. 12: 14; I Pet. 1: 2. Seven of the occurrences deal with the practical
outworking of holiness, the remaining three speaking of sanctification in Christ and by
the Spirit.