ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION -- FREES FROM SIN

A -- OUTLINE

Scripture Reading:-- Rom. 6:1-23; 8:1-13.

Introduction

Entire sanctification frees the believer from inbred sin. The old man or the carnal mind is eradicated and not merely suppressed or counteracted. Holiness is imparted -- and not merely imputed -- to the saved when he is entirely sanctified. This is the subject of the lesson before us.

I. The Arguments from the Bible or Authority

1. The primary meaning of sanctify in the Old Testament is to consecrate or set apart. while the secondary meaning is to make pure or free from sin. In the New Testament the situation is reversed: The primary meaning is to make pure or free from sin, while the secondary meaning is to consecrate or set apart. Things as well as persons can be sanctified in the sense of being consecrated, or set apart, but only persons can be sanctified in the sense of being made holy or cleansed from sin. The vessels in the temple, as well as the priests that officiate, could be sanctified in the first but not in the second sense.
2. The carnal mind or sinful nature cannot be regulated or suppressed. It must be eradicated or destroyed. It is not subject to the law of God (Rom. 8:7).
3. Cleansing in the New Testament comes from a very definite Greek term. It could not have indicated suppression rather than destruction or eradication. It is the same word that was used in connection with the healing of leprosy. Certainly it did not mean counteraction or holding down the disease there. It meant that the leprosy had been destroyed, the leper was healed (Matt. 1:3; 10:8, 11 5, Mk. 1:42; Lk. 4:27; 7:22; 17:14; 17:17; I John 1.7).
4. In Matthew 3:11, 12, we have a great passage which brings out this cleansing from sin in several ways. It is the Holy Spirit baptism, and baptism carries with it the thought of cleansing. This baptism is a fiery baptism, and the fire implies the burning out of the dross of sin. He is the "Holy" Spirit who baptizes and as holy He sanctifies or makes holy. Again the Holy Spirit when He baptizes throughly purges His floor and burns up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
5. In James 4:8 and Acts 15:9 we have the believer purified. To be purified from the sinful nature within is not suppression but eradication.
6. Other passages in the New Testament use such significant words as "mortify" (Rom. 8:3; Col. 3:5), "crucify" and "crucified" (Gal. 6:14; 5:24; 2:20), and "destroy" (Rom. 6:6, I John 3:8). These terms surely cannot mean less than the destruction of the old man of sin.
7. The words "sanctify," and "sanctifieth," are used twenty-eight times in the New Testament. As we have already shown, sanctify in the New Testament primarily means to make holy or to free from sin. Here again we undoubtedly have eradication rather than suppression. Some of the most important scriptures which use the words "sanctify" or "sanctification" are as follows: I Thessalonians 4:3; John 17:17, 19; Ephesians 5:26; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12.
8. Closely allied to sanctify and its derivatives are holy and holiness. Holy is found more than eighty times in the New Testament as the first part of the phrase "Holy Spirit" or "Holy Ghost." Certainly holy here does not mean chiefly consecrate, but rather sinless character or purity. Holy is found more than seventy times in other contexts in the New Testament and as used in these places it must have the qualitative meaning of freedom from sin, as a rule. Holiness is found thirteen times in the New Testament and perhaps the most familiar verse with this word in it is Heb. 12:14. Here it no doubt means cleansing from sin and not just consecration and suppression.
9. Daniel Steele in a significant passage as to "inward holiness" or entire sanctification writes thus: "If this is not the doctrine of the New Testament, Christ's mission is a stupendous failure, because he does not destroy the works of the devil, and perfect holiness is impossible in this world or that to come."

II. Arguments from Reason

1. Those who are opposed to eradication usually emphasize power rather than purity. This is dangerous! The orthodox holiness movement has always stood for purity first and then power as a result of purity. Above all else, men must be good or holy.
2. The sanctified testify to the fact that they have been cleansed or freed from sin. They are indeed dead unto sin.
3. Suppression is a form of repression from the psychological standpoint and as such it is very dangerous. The carnal mind should be eradicated and not repressed.
4. Let us remember, however, that it takes as much consecration and faith to keep sanctified as it does to get sanctified. We must not emphasize the crisis of entire sanctification or eradication so much that we forget that there is something to be done to keep sanctified, to keep the old man out.
5. Some are led to doubt the eradication of the carnal mind because they confuse infirmities with sin. But we must all remember that we cannot immediately judge one's motives or heart by his deeds. God sees the heart but we can only view the outward man.
6. Some ask this question: How can we backslide if sinful nature is destroyed? How can it come back into the heart if it no longer exists? This confusion arises because too many people think that the carnal mind is a physical thing or entity. Such is not the case. It is a state, condition, tendency, or quality of a psychical existence; and like a kink in the wire or a fever in a living body or a complex in a mind it can be eliminated or eradicated and then come back when certain causes or conditions are present again.
7. Finally, from the practical standpoint, those who deny eradication make God finite and do despite to the cross of Jesus Christ. God through the blood of Jesus cannot destroy the works of the devil in the heart of man, according to them.

III. The Arguments from Experience

1. I believe that when I was entirely sanctified the carnal mind was eradicated. God on the basis of the Blood and through the agency of the Holy Spirit did the work when I fully met the conditions. The glory must all go to the Triune God.
2. Further, I believe that this truth and the testimony to it, more than anything else which we as holiness people face today, is the great essential. If we compromise at this point, either intentionally or unintentionally, we have opened a breach in the wall of our doctrine which will finally cause the waters of hell to inundate the whole structure.

B -- LESSON THREE STUDY

Scripture Reading:

Romans 6:1-23 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:1-13 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The eradication of the carnal mind, the old man, or inbred sin is meant when it is held that entire sanctification frees from sin. In taking this position we oppose the "holy in Christ" theory, Keswickism, or what some have called Calvinistic holiness. Those who are in this group believe in suppression, suspension, or counteraction rather than eradication. Actual or complete freedom from sin for them comes only by proxy. Christ's holiness is taken for ours and we have only positional or imputed cleansing. Wesleyan holiness, on the other hand, insists that purity is imparted to the heart of the individual through the blood of Jesus Christ and the precious agency of the Holy Spirit, when the Christian consecrates his all and believes now that the work is done. This is the view which we discuss in this lesson.

The term "sanctify" comes from two Latin words which mean to make sacred or holy. In the Bible the word sanctify has two outstanding meanings -- consecration, and cleansing or making morally clean. The predominant meaning in the Old Testament is consecration. This is closely related to the root meaning of the Hebrew word which is translated sanctification. This Hebrew word likely came originally from a term which meant cut off or separate. Having this origin it easily lent itself to the thought of being set apart for or consecrated to a special service or function. In this sense, sanctification can apply to things as well as to persons. The Sabbath, the temple, and the vessels of the temple could be and were spoken of as holy or sanctified along with personal beings. Please remember, however, that this was only the primary significance of sanctification in the Old Testament. A secondary definition was to make pure or holy or morally clean.

When we come to the New Testament we find a very different situation. Here the Greek word from which sanctify or sanctification comes literally means not worldly. From the standpoint of its origin it is perhaps not very different from the Hebrew word in content. Nevertheless, the English word "sanctify" has the same twofold significance in the New Testament that it has in the Old Testament, with this difference, that the emphasis is reversed. The primary connotation in the New Testament is cleansing or moral purity, while the secondary definition is consecration. This view can be verified by many authorities -- in spite of the fact that there are still some who are dogmatic in their assertion that sanctify never means anything but consecrate. One of the definitions that a school dictionary gives is as follows: "To sanctify is to cleanse from impurity, pollution, or sin."

The Greek word in the New Testament which is usually translated holy has as one of its meanings -- to purify internally by reformation of soul -- according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon. A present-day biblical theologian declares that holiness finally came to signify complete purity and righteousness, separation from everything evil and sinful. Therefore, the very terms "sanctify" and "holiness" carry with them the thought of freedom from sin -- especially in the New Testament.

Let us be more specific and take up a study of some of the scriptures themselves. They are so definite that it seems strange that anyone should ever interpret them in terms of suppression. Take Romans 8:7, where these words are found: "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." That which is not subject to the law of God cannot be regulated or suppressed. There is but one way to deal with such a condition and that is to eradicate or destroy it. Sin of any nature or description cannot be regulated. It is anarchistic or lawless in character.

For instance, men try to control the liquor traffic, but they have never succeeded in doing it and they never will. The only way to deal with it is to prohibit it, do away with it completely. We do not try to set limits to murder, we forbid it. God said and we say: "Thou shalt not kill." The same method must be used in dealing with the carnal mind. It must be crucified, purged, extirpated.

Let us take the word "cleanse." It is the translation of a very strong Greek term which could by no logical reasoning be thought of as indicating suppression instead of destruction. But we do not have to go back to the Greek to find out that cleanse very definitely indicates eradication. Christ used it in connection with the healing of leprosy and surely He did not mean that He just suppressed that disease in the individual when He healed him (Matt. 8:3; 10:8; 11:5; Mk. 1:42; Lk. 4.27, 7.22, 17. 14; 17:17).

When Paul tells us that Jesus gave himself or the Church that He might sanctify and cleanse it, he undoubtedly meant that the Christian would be as free from carnality as the leper was from leprosy after he had been cleansed. The same is true of John's use of "cleanse" in the famous passage in I John 1:7: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

In Matthew 3:11 and 12 we have a very significant passage which teaches eradication rather than suppression in more ways than one. This passage reads thus:

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Here we have the fiery baptism with the Holy Ghost -- baptism and fire both signifying at least symbolically the thought of cleansing Further; it is the Holy Spirit who is the special agent in this baptism of Jesus, and, as Stevens says in his New Testament Theology: "The Spirit is holy, and the work of the Spirit is sanctification," that is, the bestowal of holiness or freedom from sin. In addition, we have a very vivid description of the work of this baptism in the twelfth verse: The floor will be purged thoroughly -- the chaff being burned up and the wheat garnered. This does not sound like the halfway house of suppressionism. In this connection, it may be pointed out that not only baptism and fire symbolize cleansing, but, also, to be filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4; 4:8; 9:17; 13:9; Eph. 5:18) and to become circumcised in heart all point to a radical work of grace that could not be described in terms of suppression.

Purify, purifieth, purified, purifying, and purification are in the same class with purge and cleanse. When used in connection with the state of sin in the heart they have the same meaning that they have elsewhere, that is, a heart which has been purified has been freed from sin. James 4:8 informs us that the sinner is to cleanse his hands and the double-minded or Christian is to purify his heart Likewise, in Acts 15:9 we are told that God put no difference between the Gentiles and the Jews purifying the hearts of the former by faith.

There are a few other important passages which employ words that are too definite and striking in content to ever be classified as suppressionist in character. Paul calls on us to mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit (Rom. 8:13) He also exhorts us to mortify our members which are upon the earth and these are listed as follows: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Col. 3:5) Again, the Apostle to the Gentiles declares that the world has been crucified to him (Gal. 6:14), that he has crucified the flesh with its affections (Gal. 5:24), and that he is crucified with Christ so that he no longer lives but Christ lives in him (Gal. (2:20). Destroy and destroyed are terms which are in this group. Paul in Romans 6:6 tells us that the purpose of the crucifixion of the old man is that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. And John asserts that the Son of God was manifested in order that He might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8).

When we add to what has gone before the fact that the words "sanctify," "sanctifieth," "sanctified," and "sanctification" are used twenty-eight times in the New Testament, and that -- as we pointed out earlier in this lesson -- they chiefly refer to an ethical or moral state of freedom from sin, they must surely stand on the side of eradication and not suppression. A few of the most important passages in this field are as follows: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification" (I Thess. 5:23), "Sanctify them through thy truth" (John 17:17); "for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified" (John 17:19); "that he might sanctify and cleanse it" (the church) "by the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26); "the very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (I Thess. 5:23); and, "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate" (Heb. 13:12). Closely allied to sanctify and its derivatives are holy and holiness. Holy is found more than eighty times in the New Testament as the first part of the phrase "Holy Spirit" or "Holy Ghost." Certainly holy here is not synonymous with consecrate. The least that we can infer from it in this connection is that it ascribes to the Third Person in the Trinity a character which is wholly free from the contamination of sin. This surely guarantees to us the same qualitative meaning for holy when it is found more than seventy times in other contexts. The outstanding passage in this class is found I Peter 1:15, 16: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." Holiness occurs in the New Testament thirteen times and perhaps the most familiar verse which has this word in it is Hebrews 12:14, and it reads thus: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." The predominant meaning here must be that of moral cleanness or freedom from sin.

Daniel Steele well says:

"That inward holiness which the altar ritual of the Hebrews, with their interminable repetitions, was unable to produce, has been rendered possible to every believer through the offering of the adorable God-man once for all. While the atonement sanctified no one, it renders possible the entire sanctification of every offspring of Adam who will trust in Christ for this purchased blessing."

This statement is not really complete without these other words which Steele gives in another connection: "If this is not the doctrine of the New Testament Christ's mission is a stupendous failure because He does not destroy the works of the devil, and perfect holiness is impossible either in this world or that to come."

We have been dealing largely with Scripture in the preceding sections of this lesson, but let us now turn to some proofs for eradication which are based more specifically on reason. Those who advocate the "holy in Christ" theory emphasize power rather than purity. This is dangerous. Power comes through the sanctifying baptism with the Holy Spirit, but it is a result rather than a cause. It is power through purity, through a heart that is holy -- and not purity because of power. The chief emphasis in the Christian life must always be on purity and not power, on holiness and not on the spectacular. Above everything else, men must be good, partakers of the divine nature. The demand for righteousness is supreme, whether we are thinking of God or man. The only God that is worthy of being God must be holy, and a man may be a healer or a performer of miracles, but if he is not living righteously he is not a follower of God. Thus, he who puts power before holiness is on the wrong track.

Among who have been entirely sanctified, many have testified to the fact that they felt clean after receiving the experience. They witnessed to the truth that the carnal mind was gone, that there was no longer any dissension within, that the peace of God which passeth all understanding reigned supremely. George S. Ingram in describing his reception of this blessing says: "And then in God's own time came His deep inward assurance that He had cleansed my heart from all sin, and filled me with His Holy Spirit, and that inward assurance has remained with me through the years as a very precious possession." Going back to the early Methodist Movement, we give the testimony of the sainted Fletcher. Here are his words:

"I will confess Him to all the world; and I declare unto you in the presence of God, the Holy Trinity, I am now "dead unto sin." I do not say, "I am crucified with Christ," because some of our well-meaning brethren say, "by this can only be meant a gradual dying"; but I profess unto you that I am dead unto sin, and alive unto God. He is my Prophet, Priest, and King, my indwelling holiness; my all in all."

These testimonies are only samples of many others which might be given which point in one way or another to the eradication of the old man of sin.

It has been suggested that suppression is but a form of repression, from the psychological standpoint. Certainly there is some ground for such a position. And if suppression is a type of repression, then it is a very dangerous condition mentally and should not be tolerated. That which is wrong within us should be eradicated and not merely repressed. Otherwise it is likely to find a place in the subconscious mind and then lead a sort of underground existence which will sooner or later break out into the open with very disastrous results. There can never be a spiritually integrated personality so long as the Adamic nature is anywhere within the realm of the human individual. The divided self cannot be overcome without the eradication of the old man of sin which is in the human heart.

On the other hand, there is a psychological danger in holding to the eradicationist view. While there is no doubt that the Bible teaches it and that theologically it fits into the picture better than the notion of suppression, it is easy for those who hold it to make the mistake of emphasizing the crisis too much. They get sanctified and the carnal mind is eradicated, and then they feel that they do not have to do anything in order to keep sanctified. This is a mistake. It takes the same consecration and faith to keep sanctified that it does to get sanctified. We must abide in the vine after we get in. Moment by moment we must live the sanctified life by the constant presence of the Holy Spirit which was given to us when we were sanctified. Wesley was wise enough to call the attention of the early Methodists to this truth. He even went so far as to declare that there was danger in talking about a state of entire sanctification. He feared lest the devil would deceive some people by this idea and prevent them from trusting God moment by moment as they should.

Another caution must be called to the attention of those who read this. It is that it is easy to confuse eradication with suppression because it is difficult to differentiate infirmities from sin. We must be careful that we do not judge people. We see their external life, but we do not see their motive. We can see only the outward man, but God looks on the heart. However, someone may say that we are to know Christians by their fruits. This Bible statement is true in the long run, but not in the short run. In the long run fruits and roots are similar that is fruits reveal the nature of their roots. Conduct will manifest one's character sooner or later but it is usually later -- after the observed has been within reach of the observer for some time. Therefore we should not depend upon snap judgments in evaluating either intelligence or character. Such a procedure is dangerous. Let's be done with it forever! At this point of determining between infirmities and sin, a man should be hard on himself and very charitable toward the other fellow. There is no ground here for concluding that your brother has just had the old man suppressed instead of eradicated.

How can we backslide from entire sanctification, if the sin nature within has been destroyed? How can the carnal mind come back in the human heart when it has been cleansed away? This is a question which is often asked of those who teach eradication. If a book is burned up or done away with completely, how can it appear again? The confusion at this point is due to the fact that the carnal mind is thought of as a material thing or as a psychical entity or personality. But such is not the case! Inbred sin or depravity is only a psychical state, condition, or quality of an entity or personality. As such, it can be eradicated and them come back when the cause which produced it at first is present again. This situation may be illustrated as follows: The writer has had fever several times in his life, but he does not have fever now. Fever is a state or condition of the physical man and as such it may come and go. When it has gone it has been eradicated or destroyed but it is not something which can be found somewhere outside of the physical organism. The fever which I once had, I do not now have -- and it is not to be found anywhere. Nevertheless, fever may come my way again when certain causal conditions arise in my body. This is just an illustration, and still it may assist us in understanding how one may backslide after having had the old man eradicated.

Another and better illustration may be found in a psychological complex. A person who is afflicted with a serious psychological complex may go to a psychiatrist and get remarkable relief. The complex is so completely gone that we may correctly affirm that it has been eradicated. However, this does not mean that the very same complex cannot come back. It may be brought back by the same process of faulty mental living that caused it in the first case. It has been destroyed and cannot be run down anywhere and yet it can recur or, in other words, one can backslide from the healthy mental state at which he has arrived. These illustrations ought to help us to better comprehend how an entirely sanctified person can backslide.

We have considered the arguments from authority or the Bible and the arguments from reason. This brings us to a very brief discussion of the bearing of experience on this question of freedom from sin. As we come to this part of the lesson it is in order for the writer to testify again. I believe that when I was wholly sanctified the carnal mind was eradicated. God on the basis of the blood of Jesus Christ and through the agency of the Holy Spirit did the work when I fully met the conditions. Since God did the sanctifying, the glory must all go to Him and truly my heart is filled with praise to Him for His wonderful goodness. May I also say in this connection that I believe that this truth and the testimony to it, more than anything else which we as holiness people face today, is the great essential. If we compromise at this point either intentionally or unintentionally we have opened a breach in the wall of our doctrine which will finally cause the waters of hell to inundate the whole structure. Early in the present century, when the term "eradication" was accepted without question by the holiness movement, a leader wrote thus as to eradication:

"This is a distinctive position taken by the holiness movement, and is, after all, the battleground of the future. Much depends upon the maintenance of this doctrine. If it be true God stands vindicated before angels, men, and devils; if it is not true it follows that the Father winks at man's greatest need, and delights in the wail of the seventh chapter of Romans or proclaims himself such a weakling that He cannot save His people from the power of inbred sin."

In concluding this discussion, let me point out an implication which I believe to be involved in the denial of the eradication of sin. There are those today who are generally thought of as fundamentalistic in their theology and who would, therefore, radically oppose the idea of a finite God. Nevertheless they so limit God as to make less than all-powerful. This is really what a theologian does when h advocates the theory of suppression for inbred sin instead of eradication. The implication is: Men sadly need freedom from sin and want it; they are also willing to pay the price for it, but God either cannot or will not deliver them from the power and presence of indwelling sin; however it must be that God cannot rather than at He will not, for He is holy and surely would do His best to make men holy. Practically, then, those who take the suppressionist position against eradication are worshipping a God who is finite, that is, one who is definitely circumscribed in power, who must fail to really sanctify because He cannot rather than because He will not. This must certainly be the case, for if they hold that God does not because He will not, they impugn His goodness or holiness.

Of course, those who champion suppressionism would stoutly deny that the heresy of a finite God is involved in their belief. Nevertheless, a denial is not enough to evade the logic of the facts of the situation. They must reject the contention in which they have taken refuge or else accept the implication which goes with it, however much they may dislike it.

Further, at the same time that they are thus limiting God, they are also circumscribing the blood of Jesus Christ or doing despite to the Cross. This is inevitably the case, however much they may manifest loyalty to the blood of Jesus Christ. According to their teaching, the blood of the Son of God is impotent to save the individual to the uttermost. It is weak and feeble in that it cannot cleanse away the pollution of sin at the heart or center of human personality. The Cross with all of its infinite sacrifice and agony did not provide full destruction for the works of the devil in the human heart. Spiritually speaking, man is left a cripple until death overtakes him. This is the final outcome of suppressionism. It makes God finite and dishonors the blood of His only begotten Son. It is no wonder that the Bible teaches the eradication of the carnal mind or freedom from inbred sin, and that at least some men accept this teaching and appropriate its glorious benefits!