THE CHRISTIAN'S HERITAGE

There has been no greater legacy left to God's people in this life than the experience of entire sanctification or Christian holiness. It is the top-notch experience in grace for all Christian believers. Not only is it a glorious privilege, but it is the duty of Christians to obtain this experience.

Some offer objections, but we are not concerned with these, as we are interested in helping those who want to know more about how to be full-fledged, spiritual Christians. We proceed to lay down some principles concerning this gracious experience.

1. It is the Oldest Doctrine in Existence. "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love," Eph. 1:4. We know of nothing older than this. God, in the council chambers of eternity, decreed that His children should have this experience, and Christ made ample provision on Calvary for it.

2. It is the Heritage of Every Christian Believer. St. Paul said he was sent to be the minister of the Gentiles, "that they may receive forgiveness of sins, (regeneration) and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me," Acts 26:18. You see, this experience is not for sinners, but for believers, as it is to be received after forgiveness of sins. God willed it to us, (I Thess. 4:3), and if we do not receive the benefit of the will, it is not His fault.

3. It is God's Highest Will for Us. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification," I Thess. 4:3.11 Pet. 3:9 says He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This is God's first will for man. His sanctification is His next will, and the highest in life. To receive this experience and live this life is the greatest pleasure any child of God could bring to His heavenly Father. Now connect Matt. 7:21, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," and you will see what it is going to take to get us through to the City. These passages bring home the truth that repentance for sinners and sanctification for believers constitute the supreme will of God. Christ explains in the last one that only "he that doeth the will of my Father" will get into the kingdom. The verb "doeth" calls for action, and to repent and get sanctified are both definite experiences. O Christian believer, do not hesitate, trying to find excuses for not being "filled with the Spirit," wholly yielded to God and "meet for the Master's use." Instead, confess your need and implore divine mercy for the cleansing power of the Spirit's baptism!

4. Christ Died to Make It Possible. In Heb. 13:12, 13, we read: "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him, without the camp, bearing His reproach." Eph. 5:25-27 also explains how He gave Himself to sanctify the church, His believing children. Paul explains that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," (I Tim. 1:15) and that, according to these other passages, He died to sanctify believers. It is a noteworthy fact that Christ pronounced many sinners forgiven before His death on the cross, but never did He tell anyone they were sanctified. He exhorted His disciples, "Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high," Luke 24:49. John 7:39 explains that the "Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." It took His atoning blood to cleanse away the corruption of the carnal nature. Again, Christ must be "glorified" in the life of the converted believer before the Holy Ghost can be given to him.

In His great high priestly prayer, John 17, Christ prayed for the sanctification of His disciples. He declared that they were not of the world, even as He was not of the world; that they should not be taken out of the world, but kept from its evil. Then in verse 17 He definitely prays, "Father, sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Later, He also prays "for them also which shall believe on Me through their word," that they may likewise have this experience which brings oneness with Christ and God, vs. 20, 21. If the Saviour thus prayed that we might have such an experience, does it not behoove all Christians to seek and obtain it?

Let us go a little more specifically into this doctrine of holiness, or entire sanctification. We shall discuss the negative side first.

WHAT IT IS NOT

1. It is not Absolute Perfection. This belongs to God alone. No human being will ever attain to this, either in time or eternity. Humanity will be subject to mistakes of head and faulty actions arising from misjudgment, blunders and the like as long as it remains human. See James 5:16. Faults of this nature, however, appear not to be looked upon by Scripture writers as being sinful so long as the motive behind them is pure.

2. It is not Adamic Perfection. By this is meant the perfection which Adam enjoyed before the fall in Eden. His was not only moral, but human perfection as well. This kind of perfection is not possible to mankind in his fallen state, nor do those who believe in Christian perfection claim any such thing. The spiritual nature of man is so renovated by the baptism of the Holy Ghost as to render his spiritual nature in much the same state as was Adam before the fall. But the natural state of Adamic perfection cannot be enjoyed until glorification's morning, at the Lord's second coming.

3. It is not Sinless Perfection. This would put its possessor beyond the possibility of sinning. The advocates of heart-holiness have been misrepresented here as in other matters as teaching that sanctified people cannot sin any more. This is not true, and they teach no such thing. But they do teach, and the Scriptures bear proof of it, that Christians do not want to sin, and that God provides grace to keep one from sinning. Read I John 3:1 through 10.

As long as we remain on earth we are in the probationary state, or state of trial, in which condition our free moral agency must be retained. If we could not sin, we would be compelled by force of circumstances to serve God and such a service would have no moral value in it. Even the angels in heaven once had a probationary state, it appears, and when the third part rebelled and were cast out, the probationary stage or trial state was finished for those which remained true to God, so that they are now beyond the possibility of temptation. So will it be with all those saved people who are true unto the end of life. They will then enter upon a blessed heavenly life where temptation will be forever an impossibility; hence, no need to choose between right and wrong. They made their eternal choice between the two here, and will have nothing but the right to enjoy forever up there.

While we are constantly facing the possibility of sinning, it must be stated in fairness to truth that the grace of Christian holiness so delivers its possessors from the polluted carnal nature and empowers them to overcome evil that they can live triumphantly over it right down here amidst all the muck and mire of a sinful world, despite the changing vicissitudes, trials and sorrows of life.

WHAT IT IS

We have seen what holiness is not, let us now examine it positively. What is it?

1. It is An Experience and a State. Entire sanctification is a definite experience in grace. The word "sanctify," in this connection, means to "purify," to "make holy," to "cleanse." This experience is referred to under several terms just as is the experience of regeneration. For example, regeneration, the new birth, justification, being saved, conversion, etc., all refer to one and the same thing in general terms. So sanctification, perfection, cleansing, heart purity, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, being filled with the Spirit, are all terms signifying the same experience, though they refer specifically to various aspects of the experience just as do the different terms for regeneration.

Let us explain it this way, with corresponding Scripture passages: Sanctification is the crucifixion of the old man: "Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed, Rom. 6:6. It is wrought by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, Rom. 15:16, "Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." This cleanses the carnal nature out of the heart, "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith," Acts 15:8, 9. This Scripture plainly shows that in both instances, at Pentecost and at Cornelius' household, the baptism with the Holy Ghost brought heart purity. Nothing need be more plain than this. At this time the perfect love of God is "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," Rom. 5:5. This experience is received upon the merits of Christ's shed blood, Heb. 13:12, 13.

To clarify further, the Word is the enlightening instrument, the Holy Ghost is the applying Agent, the blood of Christ is the atoning basis of virtue by which the carnal mind is cleansed away from the trusting believer's heart, and it in turn is filled with the perfect love of God, and the Holy Spirit.

Holiness is a moral state and refers to that condition of heart which obtains in the sanctified person. Sanctification is the act of God cleansing the heart from sin, the Holy Ghost is the Agent who performs this gracious act, and holiness is the continuous spiritual state which the sanctified believer enjoys. References to this state are such as Luke 1:75; Rom. 6:22; I Thess. 3:13, and many others.

2. It is Christian Perfection. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," Matt. 5:48. The Greek here means "be ye brought to completion," and refers to the fact of a completed Christian experience. It does not mean as perfect as God, but rather, Be ye perfect, complete, entire in your Christian experience as God is perfect in His sphere as a loving Father. Holiness as an experience puts the finishing touches upon the work of grace in the Christian's heart. True, he should grow in grace as long as he lives, but the work of eradicating sin is complete and need never be done again if he goes on with God as he should.

What is Christian perfection? Let others answer.

"Both my brother and I (Charles Wesley) maintain that Christian perfection is that love of God and our neighbor which implies deliverance from all sin. It is the loving of God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This implies no wrong temper, none contrary to love, remains in the soul; and that all the thoughts, words and actions are governed by pure love" -- John Wesley, Works, Vol. vi. p.500. He further states: "It is nothing higher and nothing lower than this -- pure love of God and man. It is love governing the heart and life, running through all our tempers, words and actions," Works, Vol. vii, p.717.

Rev. John Fletcher, co-laborer of Wesley and one of England's most humble, holy and godly ministers, says: "It is the pure love of God and man shed abroad in a faithful believer's heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him, to cleanse him and to keep him clean, 'from all the filthiness of the flesh and spirit,' and to enable him to 'fulfil the law of Christ,' according to the talents he is entrusted with, and the circumstances in which he is placed in this world" -- Last Check to Antinomianism, p.567.

Dr. Adam Clarke, one of the most learned men Methodism produced in his day, and a great Scripture Commentator, asks and answers: "What, then, is this complete sanctification? It is the from the remains of sin." -- Clarke's Theology, p.206.

Rev. J. A. Wood says of Christian perfection: "Negatively, it is that state of grace which excludes all sin from the heart. Positively, it is the possession of the pure love of God. In the grace of justification, sins, as acts of transgression, are pardoned. In the grace of sanctification, sin, as a malady, is removed, so that the heart is pure" -- Perfect Love, p.34.

St. John explains in I John 4:17, 18 that it is the perfect love of God which casteth out fear; fear of people's opinions, actions, of death and the judgment. The fear here referred to is beyond doubt a trait of the carnal mind, because it "hath torment," which is not in keeping with the filial fear of the perfect love of God in the truly holy heart.

There is an encouraging thought to leave with you. God said to Abraham, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect," Gen. 17:1 Even at that early date, true spirituality consisted of perfect submission, obedience and love to God. If Abraham could do it then, surely we can now with all the added light and grace which God has furnished us. But there is another comforting thought in that word, "Almighty." In the Hebrew that term, "El-Shaddai," signifies that God is to His people just what the mother is to her suckling child; its food, its protection, its love, its all. When God has promised to be "our all and in all," what more do we need to live in perfect obedience to Him and endeavor to do His whole will?

3. It is Heart Purity. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God," Matt. 5:8. "His strength was as the strength of ten because his heart was pure," said the poet of Sir Galahad. This is illustrative of the sanctified person. Mr. Wesley is reported to have said that the power of one sanctified man is equal to that of twenty regenerated men. In spiritual matters, purity is power.

4. It is the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. "That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost," Rom. 15:16. It is as impossible to be entirely sanctified without the baptism of the Holy Ghost as it is to be converted without believing faith or repentance. Without Him there is no sanctification, for He is the Sanctifying Agent by which the work is accomplished. Why does He not come to abide in regeneration? He does come to every sinner's heart and convict him, and to every penitent's heart to convert him; otherwise, he could never be saved. He imparts new life to the penitent sinner, and gives him joy in believing, and is with him. The reason He cannot take up His inward abode in fullness is simple: The carnal nature yet occupies the heart of the believer, hindering the work and presence of the Holy Ghost. See Rom. 8.7.

Paul explained that "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would," Gal. 5:17. Yet, in vs. 13, he calls these same people "brethren"; hence, they must have been Christians, but not fully Spirit-dominated Christians, nor fully sanctified Christians, for He tells them in the 24th verse that "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Rom. 6:6 explains that this "crucifixion" destroys the old man, but these "brethren" had not yet received this experience. It is plain, then, that the reason the Holy Ghost does not take up His abode at regeneration is because of remaining sin in the believer's heart. God cannot abide where sin abides; therefore, He cannot condone the believer's sin by entering into His habitation with it to dwell.

On the other hand, if the Holy Ghost applies the blood to cleanse the heart for His dwelling, to come in and live, guide, teach and comfort the Christian, it is utter foolishness to suppose that He would thus prepare it for His abode, then retire for days, weeks or months and leave it empty and void of His indwelling presence. Do not be deceived by such false ideas. There is not ONE LINE of Scripture to support such a notion. Any teaching of this sort rests upon a distorting and misconstruing of the Scriptures. He comes to the sanctified heart to "abide forever."

5. It is sometimes termed the Canaan Land Experience. There was a double crossing of the Israelites in getting from Egypt to Canaan. They crossed the Red sea, then finally the Jordan River. These two crossings are often taken to represent regeneration, freedom from sin's bondage; and full salvation, deliverance from the unhappy wilderness state.

Canaan was a land "flowing with milk and honey," and loaded with sweet grapes and pomegranates and other delicious foods in abundance. It was a rest for the people of God from their wanderings; a blessed promised heritage realized.

Just so it is with sanctified Christians. They reach a deeper, sweeter and richer state in grace than they ever had when they enter this experience. They have rest from tormenting carnal traits and inward impurities. They find rivers of delight, fountains of holy joy and rapture springing up within their souls. Such peace as they never realized possible is now their daily enjoyment. They have "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, gentleness, and faith" welling up within and sweetening their lives daily. O blessed experience! If you do not possess it, dear Christian friend, it is your heritage in Christ today.