THE LIFE OF HOLINESS

God calls His people to a life of holiness, or to be "holy in all manner of conversation" or behavior. The experience of entire sanctification or heart purity discussed in the last message is essential to the life of holiness, for without this experience there can be no holiness as a state of life. In this message we will consider the life of holiness.

In the study of the biblical meaning of holiness in man, three phases of meaning were emphasized as being comprehended in holiness: first, devotedness to God; second, purity or cleansing; third, spiritual wholeness or soundness -- the perfection of the moral or spiritual relation with God through the abiding fullness of the Holy Spirit Each of these phases is included in holiness as a state of life. The life of holiness is a life of devotedness to God, it is a life of purity, and it is a life of spiritual health or wholeness, a Spirit-filled life.

One essential factor must be recognized in considering this subject; that is' that we are not thinking of holiness as it relates to God, or to angels; we are thinking of

Holiness In Humanity

Holiness in man is a divine impartation; man becomes a partaker of God's holiness (Heb. 12:10). In a previous message the relation between holiness in God and holiness in man is discussed; holiness in God is absolute, but holiness in man is relative, consistent with man's finite and limited earthly state. In considering the divine gifts and blessings in relation to man, Paul says: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of us" (II Cor. 4:7) "The earthen vessel which holds the priceless treasure," says Dr. James Denny, "is human nature as it is, man's body in its weakness, and liability to death; his mind with its limitations and confusions; his moral nature with its distortions and misconceptions, and its insight not half restored" (Expositor's Bible, II Corinthians, page 159). Instead of finding such a frail earthen vessel a hopeless vehicle of divine life and blessing, Paul recognizes that the possession of such a knowledge of God in this earthen vessel is a manifestation of the wonderful power of God, "That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." Holiness in man is a manifestation of God's power and not a display of man's ability.

The experience of entire sanctification and the life of holiness does not impersonalize or dehumanize its possessor. Rather through the cleansing and the spiritual wholeness brought about in entire sanctification, the true self is freed from many former limitations and the result is a truly normal expression and development of the personality. Paul expressed this freedom thus: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2). And he further stated that through the crucifixion of the old self, the true self was made to live: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). A sanctified person is just as human as an unsanctified man, but he is aware of an inner freedom of which the unsanctified person knows nothing. He enjoys freedom from impurities of sin, his heart is cleansed. He has freedom from the inner strain caused by the presence of the carnal mind, for that which "is enmity against God .... not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" has been removed. He has a freedom in the fullness of the Holy Spirit which gives power in service and victory in conflict. He is human, but he is devoted to God and filled with His Spirit.

Holiness as devotedness to God brings a dominant purpose to life. In this sense holiness is conceived as love to God and a devotion to His will, or as perfect love. "Love is in a sense perfect or all-inclusive, when it rules all the life and embraces all people, as the Father's love is perfect or all-inclusive because it encircles all men (Matt. 5:4448). Love is complete to a certain limit when it pervades the whole conscious life and has in a large measure reorganized character around itself as the dominating principle" (Curtis in An Epoch in the Spiritual Life, page 201). Speaking of the sanctified person, Dr. Daniel Steele says, "However fractional the man may be in all other respects, he is in one sense an integer: love pervades the totality of his being" (Milestone Papers, page 32).

This phase of holiness and that of spiritual wholeness corresponds greatly to what psychologists call personality integration, the term which a modern psychologist defines as "the achievement of that harmonious development of one's personality which makes possible a sense of ease and facility in meeting the issues of life. It is free from disturbing inner conflicts that try the souls of men and render them ineffective in their daily tasks. Unbridled appetites do not dominate, violent emotions do not unexpectedly break through and take control The emotional attitudes, the desires, the impulses and propulsions of the individual have been so blended as to permit him to direct his energies toward one end." What this writer suggests is the achievement of a person, Dr. Daniel Steele says is "the great work of the Sanctifier," which "by His powerful and usually instantaneous inworking, is to rectify the will, poise the passions aright, hold in check all innocent and eradicate all unholy appetites, and to enthrone the conscience over a realm in which no rebel lurks" (Milestone Papers, pages 134).

Another writer expresses this phase of holiness in these words: "The goal of Christianity is to bring men into perfect communion with God When Christ has been accepted as the Lord of the life and perfect relationship with God through Him has come to be the master sentiment, all other sentiments become co-ordinated in their expression to help toward the relation of the master sentiment His energy is no longer wasted in activity which is unrelated to the ultimate goal of his life. Everything he does in an aid to the realization of that good Abundant life for him means life that is spent in fellowship with God" (Barbour in, Sin and the New Psychology).

This devotedness to God as a dominant force in life is of great practical benefit in the life of holiness. This inner unanimity gives a poise to life, an abiding peace in the heart, and a disposition to face life's conditions and battles with courage and fortitude. Evelyn Underhill says: "Indeed, it is a peculiarity of the great spiritual personality that he or she constantly does in the teeth of circumstances what other people say cannot be done. He is driven by a total devotion which overcomes all personal timidity, and gives a power unknown to those who are playing for their own hand or carving their own career" (The Spiritual Life, page 96).

The person who is entirely sanctified begins the life of holiness with a spiritual wholeness or integration of personality that those who have not been sanctified do not know. Let us develop further this study of the life of holiness, and note additional advantages of such an inner unanimity.

First, the life of holiness must be considered as a

Life Of Dependence upon God and upon His grace.

The source of all grace, of all life and of all power is God. Only as the Christian constantly relies upon God can he maintain a satisfactory relationship with Him. Holiness is a gift from God, for a holy man is a partaker of God's holiness, and to have holiness continue as a state of life man must depend constantly upon the holy God. Holiness is not a deposit given to man to be kept independent of God; a holy life is maintained moment by moment through active faith and obedience to God. "For God does not give them a stock of holiness," says John Wesley, "but unless they receive a supply every moment nothing but unholiness will remain" (Plain Account, page 33).

There must be also the constant reliance upon the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus to be kept pure and clean in a sinful world. This is emphasized by the Apostle John in the statement, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin" (I John 1:7). Note the word, "cleanseth"; it means a present and continued cleansing. "Cleanseth" -- the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse or keep clean as one walks in the light. "It is only as and while a soul is under the full power of the blood of Christ that it can be cleansed from all sin. One moment's withdrawal from that position and it is again actually sinning. It is only as and while kept by the power of God himself that we are not sinning against Him. One instant of standing alone is certain fall" (Frances R. Havergal).

A necessary element in this life of holiness through dependence upon God is an attitude of penitence expressed in a feeling of our unworthiness of being the recipients of God's grace and holiness, in a realization of the weaknesses and limitations of the "earthen vessel" which houses this spiritual "treasure" and of our consequent coming short of God's ideal for us, in a readiness to confess our blunders and mistakes and failures, and in an eagerness to make any necessary adjustments with others in order to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3).

This attitude of heart is expressed beautifully by Henry Brockett, "By virtue of the fact that we are still in a fallen condition so far as our bodily and mental powers are concerned, we are subject to many infirmities, we lack perfect knowledge of God's will in all things (this has to be learned by degrees), we are liable, therefore, to errors of judgment, etc., and various other faults which may not be known to ourselves but are seen by God. Hence the holiest Christian, from this point of view, may daily pray that humble prayer of confession, 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors' . . . . Yes every moment we need the cleansing efficacy of the precious blood of Christ and the high-priestly intercession of our Lord Jesus if we are to enjoy unclouded fellowship with God who is infinitely holy. Hence we see that the holding of the truth of entire sanctification by faith produces an attitude of self-abnegation and deep humility in the presence of the Lord. And yet, all the time, we can have a deep joy because we know that we have been set free from our greatest inward enemy, namely, indwelling sin and possess the glorious blessing of an indwelling Christ, i.e., we truly know the blessing of entire sanctification" (Scriptural Freedom from Sin, page 42).

Always there must be a ceaseless drawing from God for all of the necessities of the spiritual life. This fact is pictured by Jesus in the analogy of the vine and the branches. The holy Christian is a branch, a purged branch, of that true Vine, and as such he must constantly draw from Christ all of his spiritual sustenance and also the ability to bear fruit. No person realizes the truth of Jesus' statement, "For without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5), and the absolute necessity of abiding in Christ always, more than does the person who has been entirely sanctified.

In all of this life of holiness there is ever the realization that it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 2:5); and, it is not by our works of righteousness that He keeps us saved, or keeps us living a holy life. It is only by our constant reliance upon His grace. The life of holiness, like the experience of heart purity, is "not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:9,10).

An active and consistent practice of the exercises of devotion are essential to holy living, such as, the reading and meditation upon the Word of God, the giving of oneself to prayer and communion with God, seeking to know and to do the will of God, the cultivation of spiritual-mindedness, faithfulness in matters of personal relationship to God and in service, and always a consciousness of "walking in the Spirit.."

This consciousness of dependence upon God in the life of holiness safeguards against spiritual pride and boasting, against a feeling of self-sufficiency and against Phariseeism in any of its forms. On the other hand, it encourages a spirit of humility and trust. The life of holiness is a life of dependence upon God.

The life of holiness is also a

Life Of Discipline

Discipline is demanded in all phases of life. In the life of holiness discipline implies the full co-operation of the sanctified man working together with God in the process of living the life of holiness.

This discipline involves keeping the heart set upon God and upon His purposes for life, as suggested by St. Paul's exhortation, "Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1, 2). Here the exhortation is to "seek.... things above," and to "set your affections [your minds] on things above." The familiar scripture, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14), is a definite exhortation to discipline. Let us examine it: "Follow" -- as persistently as a dog follows in the chase -- "peace with all men -- no one can live the life of holiness except as he is at peace with his fellows -- "and (follow, as persistently) holiness" -- not only the experience, but the holiness of all of life, as a state of living -- "without which (the following of peace with all men, and holiness) no man shall see the Lord."

Further, there is the discipline of guarding the heart against the encroachment of evil and bitterness: "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be deified" (Heb. 12:15). Amidst all of life's experiences, its disappointments, its disillusionments, the failure and discrepancies of professors of holiness, guard against bitterness, keep the heart sweet and the life holy. There is also the guarding of the mind against anxious care: "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard or garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philip. 2:6, 7). There must also be the maintaining of the proper thought life: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor. 10:5); and, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil. 4:8).

Mastery Of Physical Life

This discipline in the life of holiness includes mastery of the physical life. The sanctified person is human in every particular, subject to the weakness of the human nature marred by sin, and is the possessor of all essential powers, passions, appetites, and impulses of a human being; as the Apostle Paul said: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels." This body is also the "temple of the Holy Ghost" (I Cor. 6:19); and as such it has been dedicated to and accepted by God as His own possession. In the life of holiness man so disciplines and uses his body as to glorify God in his body, which is God's (I Cor. 6:20).

The Apostle Paul gave us a glimpse into the discipline of his own life along this line when he said: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Cor. 9:27).

His exhortations to the Thessalonian Christians stress this discipline of the body; note, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter" (I Thess. 4:3-6). Three phases of discipline are mentioned here: First, that of clean living, "that ye abstain from fornication." (Notice: "that ye abstain" -- here is a personal obligation of discipline placed upon the sanctified person that he abstain from certain practices and associations) "from fornication," i.e., "from all uncleanness" (A. Clark). This includes abstaining from all immoral practices, that is plainly evident; but it also includes the abstaining from all adulterous desires, thoughts and looks, from all unclean thinking, unclean motives, impure actions and unclean living. The contrast the apostle is making is between the sanctification or purity of the Christian and the cardinal vices of the contemporary pagans impurity. He emphasizes that the Christian therefore must abstain from it and all impurities that are related to it.

The second phase of discipline is control or mastery of the physical body; "that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour." When Paul uses this term "vessel" he always means persons, particularly as related to a physical existence or body. Let us note some of these uses: "A chosen vessel" (Acts 9:15); "earthen vessels" (II Cor. 4:7); "vessel unto honour" (II Tim. 2:21). "To possess his vessel" means to get possession of, or to have mastery over, the vessel -- the body. The suggestion is that the sanctified person knows how to possess or master his body in sanctification and honor, hence it is his duty, as part of the discipline of the life of holiness, to work out this knowledge in practical life and to possess or master his body.

The third phase of discipline is respect for the rights of others: "That no man go beyond and defraud [overreach or oppress] his brother in any matter." This carries the matter of discipline in holiness to all phases of human association -- business, moral, social, family and religious -and in all of these the sanctified person must have respect for others.

Conquest Of Personality

Discipline also involves the conquest of one's personality in the "working out" of the salvation which God has "worked in" (Phil. 2:12, 13). This is the work of harmonizing the conduct and personality manifestations with the inner work of holiness -- making for saintliness in conduct. This is a process, a conquest by faith, in which always we seek and rely upon the help of God.

Much of the teaching of the doctrine of holiness has been by the method of explaining the types suggested by some of the Old Testament events. The crossing of the Red Sea by Israel is a type of regeneration. Their crossing of the Jordan into their Canaan inheritance pictures the second Christian experience, entire sanctification. May not, then, their conquest of Canaan picture this discipline in the life of holiness, the conquest of personality?

In this discipline or conquest there is the overcoming of prejudices, attitudes and mannerisms which may hinder the full and symmetrical manifestation of holiness in the life. The manner in which God dealt with Peter, the Spirit-filled Apostle, in helping him to overcome his prejudices toward the Gentiles is an example (see Acts 10:1-48); also Paul's attitude toward Mark (Acts 15:36-40; II Tim. 4:11). This discipline must include the conquest of our moods to which we must not give way. Note the psalmist of old and how he dealt with his moods: "Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance" (Psalm 42:5). He calls his own soul before the bar of his own judgment, demanding that soul to give reason for such a mood. He overcame by his confidence in God and the assurance of his hope.

There is also the conquest of one's natural dispositions. The naturally impetuous person must develop patience; the timid, hesitant, backward person must overcome these hindrances by the help of God; the natural critic or cynic must overcome that tendency and cultivate a charitable attitude toward others. There is also the conquest of our emotions; we must not be ruled by them, nor should we cast away our confidence in God because we "do not feel right." Here is an example of discipline in this phase of life: That saintly character, the late Commissioner Samuel S. Brengle of the Salvation Army, after fifty years of a life of holiness, was asked whether his realization of sanctification ever had waned. "The answer was, 'Judging by my emotions, yes; judging by my volitions, no.' There had been times, he said, when his emotional experience ebbed out. Doubt assailed him, and he wondered if he had grieved or quenched the Spirit. Once for a whole month he cast away his confidence. Then deliverance came. 'I discovered,' he says, 'that my will did not waver in its purpose; that my volition held fast to Christ in the midst of emotional storm and desolation that swept over my soul.' From this he gave the advice, 'Be faithful, regardless of how you feel, for Christ will never leave His own.'" (Quoted by J. I. Brice in Pentecost).

The life of holiness is also a

Life Of Development

Progress is manifestation of life. It is normal, then, to think of the spiritual life being one of progress. The exhortation of the Apostle Peter is ever applicable here: "But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).

We have discussed the experience of entire sanctification as the perfection of the moral or spiritual relationship with God-spiritual wholeness or Christian perfection. Here the matter of being perfect yet making progress is under consideration. There is nothing inconsistent in the thought of being perfect, yet perfecting; no more inconsistency than exists where is found a sound, healthy, physically perfect babe, which continues to grow or develop. In fact its development is more rapid because of its good health, or physical perfection, than it would be were the child diseased or physically impaired. Christian perfection in this sense means only a condition of spiritual health or wholeness which makes for rapid spiritual growth.

"A perfect Christian grows far more than a feeble believer whose growth is still obstructed by the shady thorns of sin and by the draining suckers of iniquity" (John Fletcher). "One perfected in love may grow in grace far swifter than he did before" (John Wesley).

The Meaning Of "Perfect"

The word "perfect" is used in the Scriptures with at least three different meanings. First, there is the perfection of the moral or spiritual relationship with God, or perfect love (Matt. 5:48; I John 4:17, 18). Second, there is the perfection of maturity -- come to age or full grown: "we speak wisdom among them that are perfect" (I Cor. 2:6); and "Till we all come . . . . unto a perfect man (Eph. 4:13). Third, there is a resurrection or eternal perfection: "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect" (Phil. 3:11, 12). It is to be noted that while Paul was pressing toward this resurrection perfection and said he was not perfect in that sense, he testified that he and others of these Philippian Christians were enjoying a perfection of some kind, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded" (Phil. 3:15). He was not perfect in the resurrection or eternal sense, but he was perfect in his spiritual relation to God.

The third meaning of perfection -- resurrection or eternal perfection -- is the eternal goal of the Christian; the first meaning or perfect love is now the gracious privilege of the Christian in the experience of entire sanctification by faith in Christ; and the second meaning or maturity in grace is the goal of progress for the Christian as he continues in the life of holiness.

This spiritual wholeness or perfection brings a stability to life which contributes greatly to development in the life of holiness. The Apostle Paul prayed for the Thessalonian Christians: "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God" (I Thess. 3:13). The Roman Christians were exhorted to enter into a grace by faith "wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2).

This life of perfection and progress is not "a flawless life" but, as someone has suggested, "It is an adequate life." Everything is there that is essential to stability and progress. It is moreover a blameless life. God has "so set us free from indwelling sin in our hearts that we may have a heart perfect in love toward God and man and we can be preserved 'blameless' (I Thess. 5:23). But we shall never be 'faultless' before God until we stand in glory before His throne with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). (Henry Brockett in Scriptural Freedom from Sin, page 42.) It is not absolute or infallible perfection. "Absolute perfection I never contended for. A sinless perfection, such as enables a person to fulfill the whole law, and so needs not the merits of Christ; I acknowledge no such perfection; I do now, and always did, protest against it" (John Wesley). It is the perfection of the moral or spiritual relationship with God, a spiritual wholeness or perfection of love.

Growth In Grace

In this life of holiness there is development in the Christian graces, increase in bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and a gaining of knowledge and experience which adds to progress toward maturity. There is deepening of the spiritual life, increasing enjoyment of fellowship with God, enrichment of character, expanding of one's sympathies and compassion, and additions of those virtues suggested by the Apostle Peter: "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Peter 1:5-8).

This discipline and development also includes the patient endurance of trials and afflictions: "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" (I Peter 5:10). It includes as well the uncomplaining acceptance of chastening, making it work to our profit in developing saintliness: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb. 12:11); and the development of a faith and confidence in God which confidently knows "that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).

Since this state or condition is a relative holiness, not absolute or ideal holiness, and since it is manifested through human nature of differing educational, religious and moral backgrounds, there may be a difference in the manifestation of holiness; but in each case there will be development toward that mature or perfect man, There will be acquired "a certain skill in the art of holy living, in prayer, in the understanding of the Word, and a larger faith and more power to resist temptation. There is less practical ignorance of God and His ways of working with man; higher attainment in the moral discernment of conscience is evident" (Curtis in An Epoch in Spiritual Life, page 264). There is no limit to the progress possible in this life of holiness.

The life of holiness is

A Victorious Life

There is in this life of holiness a free participation in the fullness of spiritual life and in the enjoyment of "the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 15:29). It is a Spirit-filled life, a life where God is a conscious reality, where undivided response is given to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. There is the power of the Spirit in the life, a holy boldness in doing the will of God, an ability to overcome the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil, a power in prayer which "availeth much" (James 5:16).

The victorious life is not freedom from temptation, but a life in which temptations are met with a heart in which there is no enmity against God, so by God's help there may be no defeat. There are trials, fierce trials, but these are met with a spiritual poise known only to those who are fully devoted to God, and in them God gives victory. There is not exemption from the common experiences of all people in this life of holiness, but there is a confidence in God that in all these things we may be more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Rom. 8:37). There is always the possibility of falling, since the sanctified person is still human and lives in a sinful world, but by the grace of God sinning is not habitual and falling is not necessary. The major emphasis in the life of holiness is upon God, upon what He is able to do, upon the victory He gives, upon the abiding fulness of the Holy Spirit in the life and not the weakness and infirmities of the holy man. In this life of holiness there is always a practical realization of God's keeping power, that He "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).

It is a life of victory maintained moment by moment through active faith and obedience in Christ, a real victorious life. By the grace of God taking away the inner strain and bringing and maintaining a state of spiritual wholeness, nothing of the outward world need defeat that life. There is an enlargement to life, a heightening of the powers of personality, an overflowing spiritual vitality not reserved to a few instances of spiritual blessings but existing as the normal state of life. There is a normal manifestation of the Christian graces, for the holy man is like the disciples after Pentecost -- he is not painfully endeavoring to follow Christ, he is giving free and normal expression to a fullness of life and devotion to God with an ease that is captivating and with a joyousness that is contagious.

This victorious life is a life of Christian service. In our second study we learned that holiness in man "implies the most intense mental and bodily activity of which we are capable. For it is the employment of all our powers and opportunities to work out God's purposes; and this implies the use of our intelligence to learn how best to do His work, and the bodily effort which His work requires" (J. Agar Beet), and that the practical manifestation of holiness is in sacrificial love and service to others. The purified people are those who are "zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

The life of holiness is a human life devoted fully to God and filled with His Spirit, a life of dependence upon God, a life of discipline, a life of development, a victorious life; it is a life which is "holy in all manner of conversation -- human relationships."