ALONE WITH GOD     

Entire Sanctification

   In our English Bible we have the two words "holiness" and "sanctification" in their various forms; but they are translated from a single word in the Greek text, and consequently the two words meant the same thing. It matters not, then, which word is used in the English translation; for the meaning is always the same, and the words are perfectly interchangeable. If we would understand what the Bible says about the subject, we must keep this fact in view.

That it is God's plan that we should be holy, has already been shown; but it will probably be well to quote the Scriptures again. "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:13). "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:28,29).

Now, this image of Christ, to which we are to conform, is the same as the image in which man was originally created. This pertains especially to his moral image. It is God's will that we be like his Son so that he shall not be ashamed to call u s brethren. Christ became like us and took upon himself mortal flesh and the nature of man that we might bear His image, and in nature be like him. That we be in nature like Christ has from the beginning been God's plan and purpose. He has made all necessary provision that it may be so; and we may now be holy like our great high priest, Jesus Christ; of him the Bible says, "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26). And in Hebrews 12:14 we find the following words, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

Concerning the purpose of Christ's death, we read, "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). Again, we read, "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will" (verses 20, 21). When God called us by his grace, he did not call us to an unholy service, nor to an unholy life. "God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" (I Thessalonians 4:7). He has made it possible for us to be holy and to live holy. "That he would grant unto us, that we ... might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life" (Luke 1:74, 75).

God wants us to be holy because he is holy. He can find pleasure in nothing but what is holy. Listen to what he has said: "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" (I Peter 1:15, 16). And Jesus prayed thus: "Sanctify them through thy truth: ... and for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified" (John 17:17-19). In this prayer he did not make his request merely for the Twelve , for he continued: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (verse 20).

Many have supposed that holiness is something to be obtained only after death. The Scriptures, however, speak of it as a present experience. When Paul wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians, he addressed them thus: "To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus" (chapter 1:2). Jude addresses his Epistle to "them that are sanctified by God the Father" (verse 1). Neither of these apostles was writing to persons in heaven or to persons who were dead. On the contrary, they were writing to persons who were alive and were then in this world. Those addressed in the Hebrew epistle are called "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling" (chapter 3:1). Paul calls the Colossian Christians "holy and beloved" (Colossians 3:12). In I Corinthians 3:16, 17 Paul says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ... For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." Surely language could not make anything plainer. Holiness is for us, now and here. Concerning the purified man, Paul said, "He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21). And here is a picture that Peter drew, describing the sanctified state: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2Peter 1:4). The reader can, if he will consult his Bible, easily find many other texts bearing on this subject.

There are two phases, or two steps, in the work, of sanctification. In the Scriptures just quoted no attempt was made to distinguish between these phases; but we shall now proceed to not that there are some distinctions. We have before show n, by Hebrews 13:12, that Jesus suffered and shed his blood that he might sanctify the people. All cleansing, therefore, of whatsoever sort, that is wrought by the work of Christ comes properly under the term "sanctification." John tells us that "the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7). The Revelator speaks of Christ thus: "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelations 1:5). In Hebrews 1:3 it is written of him: "When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." All who are truly Christians have been thus purified in the blood of Christ; the guilt of their sins has all been washed away. They have yielded themselves to Chri st and have become holy through his blood.

The cleansing from guilt, however, is not all that the Scriptures promise. Under a previous heading it has been shown that there is a remedy for that inner depravity that still remains in the believer. To the Thessalonian Christians, Paul said, "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (I Thessalonians 5:23). This language was not addressed to sinners. In verse 27 he speaks of them as being "holy brethren." If the reader will turn to the first chapter of the Epistle, he will find that th ey were neither sinners nor backsliders, but Christians in a very commendable state of grace. They had need, however, of still further attainment, and so he prayed that they might be sanctified wholly. This is in perfect harmony with Christ's praying for the apostles that they might be sanctified. In 2 Corinthians 7:1 Paul mentions "perfecting holiness in the fear of God," and defines it as being a cleansing from "all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." It will serve no good purpose to multiply texts here, though it might easily be done; for if any one will reject these, he would reject a thousand, whereas, if he will accept these and submit himself to God, he may know in his own soul the truth of them.

There are a number of reasons why people oppose the doctrine of sanctification. One is because they misunderstand it. Some get a very exaggerated idea of what is meant by the term and of what the life of one possessing the experience must b e; and that misunderstanding make the doctrine appear unreasonable to them, therefore they can not receive it. The experience is, of course, something that no man can understand until he knows it for himself by having entered into it. We may have a th eoretical knowledge of it, but real knowledge comes only through experience.

Some persons reject the doctrine because they have, through the influence of others, been prejudiced against it, or because theology which they have been taught finds no place for it. If we accept any theological opinions that are contrary to th e Scriptures, the sooner we can get rid of them, the better for us. Those theological opinions, whatever may have been their source, are likely to prove a barrier when we come to investigate this doctrine. It is something worthy of our most careful in vestigation, and we should not, therefore, let our theology stand in the way of such investigation.

Some persons oppose the doctrine because they wrongly interpret certain passages of Scripture. It is probable that the interpreting of the seventh chapter of Romans to mean the experience of one who is saved by divine grace, is the greatest barr ier in the way of the truth seeker. Many teachers of entire sanctification refer to that chapter as being a picture of the Christian life and as showing the necessity for a higher work of grace. It certainly does show the need of a work of grace, for it is the picture of a man without grace. It is the picture of the awakened sinner, one who finds his mind approving that which is right and good, but at the same time finds sin reigning over him and holding him by its power so that he can not of himse lf break away from it. If he will be a Christian at all, he must get over into the experience pictured in the eighth chapter. The Christian life at its lowest ebb is higher than that experience represented in the seventh of Romans.

In order to emphasize the believer's need of entire sanctification, many teachers lower the standard of the justified life to a plane wholly inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible. Persons who are in the justified state are represented in the Book as being holy, not as being sinful and wicked. Neither are their hearts full of a great multitude of evils ready to assert themselves at any time. Teachings that lower the standard of justification often cause real Christians to reject the do ctrine of entire holiness, because they realize that the standard of justification preached does not come up to the standard of life to which they are living; and, as a consequence, they naturally conclude that what the preacher is teaching them is
s imply the experience that they already possess.

Another stumbling block is the mistakes some preachers of holiness make in applying to the subject many scriptures that have no true application to it. The theology and interpretations of many of the teachers of entire sanctification are much in need of revision. This, however, does not discredit the true doctrine; instead, it discredits those teachers. But it does often hinder sincere people who would otherwise accept the truth.

Another stumbling block is the way of the investigator is the excesses of some professors of sanctification. They give way to many wild and unseemly demonstrations, actions that cause the beholders to feel ashamed. Such professors declare some things to be of God, which, if they truly were, would greatly put him to shame. These demonstrations and excesses often, instead of testifying to the presence of holiness, show the absence of that true quality of holiness for which people look. True h oliness is godlike, and will not behave itself unseemly.

Some persons disbelieve because of the inconsistency of some who profess. Hypocrisy is not dead. Those who profess to be holy and who live lives, in private or in public, not consistent with that doctrine, prove themselves to be hypocrites. Su ch persons' lives are not a true test of the doctrine. There are many whose lives do correspond to their profession. They shine as lights in the world. They are blameless and harmless. Such persons do not make a great noise or show of their lives. They simply live godly and righteously and let their lives tell the story. Their lips may tell the story also; but if the experience is in the heart, the life tells it more convincingly than the lips do.

Some oppose the doctrine of holiness because depravity is in their hearts. This evil element is not in the least favorable to holiness. Being the exact opposite of holiness, it naturally repels it and everything that belongs to it. Another rea son why some oppose sanctification is because they are unwilling to bear the reproach that in some places attaches to the professor of entire sanctification. They are not willing to be like Christ, if being like him means to be reproached as he was rep roached, and scorned as he was scorned. They think very highly of the people's opinions of them, and they are not willing to do anything that would lessen them in that regard. Peter looked at it differently. He said, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye" (I Peter 4:14). But those who love the praise of men cannot see how they could be happy in reproaches; therefore, they refrain from accepting both the doctrine and the experience.

Others are not willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord. They like their own way; they like to make their own plans and to do as they please. The doctrine of entire consecration does not sound good in their ears. It does not meet a respons e in their hearts. In order, therefore, to ease their conscience, they oppose the doctrine. If they do not do this outwardly, they have an internal feeling of opposition, and God sees and knows it very well. The person who holds such an attitude, how ever, will soon find himself far from God. Whatever be the motive that leads to opposition, either to accepting the doctrine or to obtaining the experience, it cannot but react upon the soul with disastrous consequences. Jesus taught that if any man i s willing to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. Let him put this doctrine to that test, and he will not fail of understanding it.

The word "sanctification" always has two meanings, or contains two ideas. These two ideas in the word are never separated. The first is dedication, the second sacredness and purity. The first always results in the second; the second can ne ver exist (except in God) without the first. There are two kinds of sanctification taught in the Bible - one, that common to the Old Testament, is a ceremonial sanctification; while the other, characteristic of the New Testament, nearly always conveys the idea of a moral dedication and purification. The theology which make the word mean dedication only is very superficial in its nature. I shall call attention to a few examples of this twofoldness of the word as used in the Old Testament.

Exodus 29:9 states that Moses was told to consecrate Aaron and his sons. Then follows an account of the directions as to how Moses should do this; and in verse 21 we read, "And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anoi nting oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. "As a result of this consecration an d hallowing of the garments, they are in verse 29 called the holy garments; and of the priest who had been thus dedicated, it is said "for he is holy unto his God" (Leviticus 21:7). After telling how to consecrate and sanctify the altar, God said, "Seven days thou shalt make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy" (Exodus 29:37). Again, "And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify t he altar: and it shall be an altar most holy" (chapter 40:10). Concerning the tabernacle and the things belonging thereto, God said, "And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shall hallo w it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy" (verse 9). From that time forward these were called "the most holy things." In Numbers 4:4-15 we find a full account of these things and the treatment that must be accorded them on t he account of their holiness. In I Chronicles 23:13, we read that "Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons forever." This does not imply that the things were holy before they were sanctified, but that they be came most holy as a result of that sanctification.

The scriptures quoted show the truth of the statement already made, that dedication, or the first idea of sanctification, always produced the second, and resulted in the holiness of the object sanctified, whether that was an animate or inanimate thin g. Whatever was sanctified became, from that time forth, a sacred and holy thing, and might not be used for any but a sacred and holy purpose. This use of the word is uniform throughout the Scriptures. In the New Testament the same twofoldness of tho ught runs through all the texts relating to the subject. The purpose of dedication, both in Old and New Testaments, is that the object may be holy; not simply that it may be dedicated, but that it may be sacred and holy unto the Lord.

In the Old Testament there was a double sanctification of the object. In the twenty-ninth chapter of Exodus, after giving instructions concerning the sanctification of Aaron and his sons, the garments, and the altar (verses 21, 35-37), the Lord goes on to say: "And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office" (verses 43, 44). It was not enough that Moses and Aaron should sanctify these things, but God himself by a separate act must also sanctify them. When the tabernacle was completed and set up ready for dedication and had been dedicated by the priests, the glory of the Lord fell upon it so that they could not enter in, and thus the Lord did his part of the sanctification.

This idea of a double sanctification is also brought over into the New Testament. We note first man's part: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness i n the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21). This is man's part. This he must do , so that God may do his part. Through Ezekiel God gave a promise relating to His part. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols, will I cleanse you" (Ezekiel 36:25). In Roman s 15:16 we read, "That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost"; and again in I Peter 1:2, "sanctification of the Spirit," that is, of the Spirit of God. And Jude says, "Sanctified by God the Father" (Jude 1). As a result of this twofold sanctification, believers become "sanctified, and meet for the master's use" and "holy and without blame before him in love." Of such Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matt hew 5:8).

Those who make sanctification a mere dedication miss the deepest and most glorious idea which it contains. The idea of purification is always included in the word, and the idea of the state in which the object is left is always that it is pure. It is no longer a common thing - it is holy unto the Lord.

Just before Jesus was take away from the apostles, he gave them two promises, or what was equivalent to two promises. The first is stated in these words: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an other Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; which the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:15-17). The second we find in the seventeenth chapter where these words are recorded: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth"; "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth" (verses 17 and 19). This, though a prayer, amounts to the same as a promise. He clearly expressed his will for them. He sanctified himself, that is, he dedicated himself to die for them that, through the shedding of his blood, they might be sanctified. He not only sanctified himself in the sense of dedicating himself; but through that sanctification he became, as the Savior of men, "holy and harmless," sacred in that office. He needed no moral purification. He could have none, for he was already pure. Nevertheless, the word contains the idea of his being holy in his office as a Savior, and this is no exception to the common use of the word.

Did the apostles receive this twofold experience? Let us see. In the second chapter of Acts we have the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and the perfect fulfillment of Christ's words relating to it. Then was his prayer for their sanctification also answered? and if so, when? Peter ought to be a very good witness. At the council of the church in Jerusalem, Peter said, in reference to the time when he went to the household of Cornelius, "And God which knoweth the heart, bear 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).

In the tenth chapter of Acts Luke gives the story of Peter's visit. Cornelius, though a Gentile, was a devout and holy man, one that feared God and prayed much, and in verses 34 and 35 Peter acknowledges him to have been accepted with God. In verse s 44-47 he gives the account of how the Holy Spirit fell upon those who were in Cornelius' house; and in his speech before the council Peter declares that the same thing was accomplished there as was accomplished on the day of Pentecost, that is, those present received the Holy Ghost and their hearts were purified by faith. If the apostles were not sanctified when thy received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, then we have no account that they ever received the experience; and if they did not, then Christ's prayer was never realized, his answer was never granted. Those who make a separation between the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the experience of entire sanctification do violence to the Sacred Text. And those who say that we are sanctified wholly and then afterwards receive the Holy Spirit, likewise pervert the gospel. The two - being sanctified and receiving the Holy Spirit - cannot be separated. They belong together - they belong together in the Bible, and they belong together in personal experience.

Sanctification has two aspects - the negative, relating to the cleansing of natural depravity, the cleansing which leaves the soul pure; and the positive, relating to the filling of the soul with the divine fullness by the Holy Spirit. Without both these we are not wholly sanctified.