Question: How may we helpfully encourage the tentatively justified to consecration?
Answer: We should never hold out the hope of reward to the tentatively justified as a motive to consecrate; as though a bargain were to be made by them with God for them to be dead to self and the world and alive to Him on condition of God’s giving them a reward. Instead, let us hold out to them the motives of sightless faith in God’s trustworthiness, thankful love for Him for past favors and appreciative love for Him for having such a noble character as could bestow such unmerited favors.
This would be making a covenant of sacrifice, which is an unconditional covenant. The old and new Law Covenants are contractual, bargaining, covenants; but not so with the covenants of sacrifice and the Oath-Bound Covenant. To offer faith justified ones now the hope of Consecrated Epiphany Campership as the motive to consecrate would be inviting them to offer themselves to God in exchange for Consecrated Epiphany Campership – a bargain. Such is not the way to present consecration now, but in principle will be in the next Age. Rather, God’s creative, providential, redemptive, instructional and justifying favors, all of which the faithful justified ones have been enjoying, should be presented to them as the all-sufficient motives to enkindle in them a consecrating faith and love ().
Consecration not to be Urged
They should not be urged to consecrate. They should be invited to consecrate by lovingly impressing upon their minds God’s trustworthiness, love and lovableness, through stressing the five forms of His favor toward them mentioned above, showing that consecration is a reasonable thing. Furthermore, God’s plan in general should be brought to their attention. These considerations, backed by the exercise of God’s spirit in the one inviting the pertinent ones to consecrate, will bring the properly-disposed justified ones to consecrate.
Then, after they have consecrated, they may be encouraged to faithfulness, among other ways, by holding out the hope of Consecrated Epiphany Campership, which hope will then be theirs; for now, after they consecrate, God makes the Oath-Bound – unconditional – Covenant in its earthly features with all who truly consecrate; and the promises of that Covenant remain theirs as long as they abide faithful in their covenant of sacrifice.