DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIFE OF THE JUSTIFIED AND THAT OF THE ENTIRELY SANCTIFIED

     Somewhat akin to the followers of Zinzendorf is that class of persons who, in their desire to give the experience of justification an exalted place, make the mistake of placing it too high, and, as a consequence, in order to make room for the second work of grace, they are forced to substitute angelic perfection for Christian perfection. Thus they lay the foundation for all sorts of wild and extreme speculations, and for numerous perplexities and perhaps downfalls. Both the teacher and the pupil failing to attain to the exalted ideal set before them, must either conclude that they are not cleansed, or by the light of the Holy Spirit be shown the error of their theories. Theories are of little value unless they tally with everyday experience.

     One misleading statement that is often made is that there is no difference between the life of the justified man and that of the entirely sanctified. Without proper qualification this position is extremely misleading.

     Every advance in grace that the soul makes, and advances should be made every day, invariably causes a closer walk with God and a consequent bettering of the outward life. This change is often very noticeable. The tone of the voice changes, prayer shows more melting of the spirit, the words are fewer and better chosen, the actions are more deliberate and the whole life takes on more and more of the image of Christ. If this is true concerning growth in the state of grace already attained, how much more is it true when there is given the additional experience of perfect love.

     There is a marked change in the life of that person who obtains the experience of entire sanctification for the reason that all of the old tendencies toward evil, which have troubled so long, are taken away, and the soul is free to follow God without the inward hindrances with which it was formerly annoyed.

     1. There is a difference in the life arising from the fact that the justified person is forced to spend some of his energies struggling against the inward tendencies to evil, and, as a consequence, he is not prepared to spend as much of his powers in controlling his outward life as is the entirely sanctified. Since we are finite beings, our possibilities are limited and strength spent in one occupation decreases, in that measure, the possibility of at the same time exercising strength in another. Grace can do much for us, but even grace is hampered and hindered by indwelling sin.

     2. The life of the two states differs from the fact that the sinful nature, remaining in the regenerate heart, by its unholy movements, exerts some influence on the life and causes the person to do things that an entirely sanctified man would not do. We do not wish to be understood to teach that a justified man can or does indulge in sin, but only that, by the unholy movements of the soul, he is betrayed into attitudes of heart and life which are not strictly consistent with the spirit of perfect love.

     3. Since wrong motives struggle in the soul, and since motives are deep seated and sometimes hard to distinguish, it stands to reason that a justified man might unwittingly be prompted by a wrong motive in performing any given act. True, he could not willfully obey a wrong principle or motive, but he might be betrayed into unconsciously following such a principle for the time being. This is seen in the fact that men who are only regenerated are apt to be hasty in forming judgments and in acting on their hasty judgments, to say words that are harsh and cutting, and also that they do not exercise sufficient judgment in dealing with their fellow men. But since the entirely sanctified man is delivered from all wrong motives, he sees with comparative ease the error which the enemy presents, and is enabled to keep comparatively free from harsh and hasty judgments. For this reason the life of the latter excels that of the former in carefulness and influence.

     4. The carnal nature is blinding, and this to such an extent that many regenerate persons have thought they were led of the Spirit when in reality they were led by the rash tendencies of their souls, or by the desires of the flesh. It is hard to tell how far this blindness may go and how far a person may follow the desires of the flesh and yet retain a measure of the grace of God. But some things are sure: (1) Willful blindness is inconsistent with the grace of God. Those who refuse to listen or read lest they shall receive light that they will not want to follow are already devoid of grace. (2) Continued involuntary blindness is deadening to grace. That person who does not study to know the will of God, if he lives at all, will live at a dying rate. (3) Grace, allowed to have its way, will not long allow the soul to follow any wrong course of action. Thus the universal testimony is that as grace increases, light advances and actions which were at one time allowed are made impossible, and we say, "I have light on this matter and cannot do as I used to." The heart that is cleansed from carnality sees with great ease and is much less liable to fall into error. Moral qualities are more easily distinguished by that heart which is free from self.

     5. Carnality is deadening. It throws its pernicious influences through all the avenues of being, attempting to draw into its slimy folds every power of the soul, and to crush out the least spark of grace. Its deadening influence is perhaps felt the most in the secret place, where it would rob the soul of the sweetness of communion and of even the desire for prayer. How well it succeeds depends much upon how persistent the soul is in opposing its power and in holding steady before God. These sinful tendencies being gone, with the sanctified man prayer moves with comparative ease. Though he must still struggle against mental and physical sloth, yet his soul burns with a fervent heat, and longs for communion with God.

     6. In the full purpose of his heart the regenerate man serves God, but there remains an involuntary evil principle which hinders him from doing all the service he otherwise would do. These failures are not willful but involuntary. Involuntary principles are apt to manifest themselves outwardly in various ways, and that to such an extent as to be plainly seen by onlookers whose eyes are open to the fine points of moral actions. Such distinctions may not be noticed by the world, yet they exist clearly and positively. The fact that these distinctions are so close may be the reason for some saying that there is no difference in the lives of the two states. When the evil principle is removed these defects which it causes cease, and henceforth the soul is all for God and always for God.

     Although a justified man is honest, sober and upright, yet in the points mentioned, and in many others, he is not as careful and holy "in all manner of conversation and godliness" as is the sanctified mall.

     Wesley perfectly agrees with this position, as the following quotation will show: "But we should likewise be convinced that as sin remains in our hearts, so it cleaves to all our words and actions. Indeed it is to be feared that many of our words are more or less mixed with sin; that they are sinful altogether; for such undoubtedly is all uncharitable conversation; all which does not spring from brotherly love; all which does not agree with that golden rule, 'What ye would that others should do to you, even so do unto them.' Of this kind is all backbiting, all talebearing, all whispering, all evil speaking, that is, repeating the faults of absent persons; for none would have others repeat his faults when he is absent. Now how few are there, even among believers, who are in no degree guilty of this; who steadily observe the good old rule, 'Of the dead and the absent -- nothing but good.' And suppose they do, do they likewise abstain from unprofitable conversation? Yet all this is unquestionably sinful, and 'grieves the Holy Spirit of God;' yea, and 'for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of judgment.'

     "But let it be supposed that they continually 'watch and pray,' and so do 'not enter into temptation,' that they constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips; suppose they exercise themselves herein, that all their 'conversation may be in grace, seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers;' yet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all their caution? And even when they endeavor to speak for God, are their words pure, free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention? Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves? Is it wholly to do the will of God, and not their own will also? Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they go on 'looking unto Jesus,' and talking with Him all the time they are talking with their neighbors?...

     "And how much sin, if their conscience is thoroughly awake, may they find cleaving to their actions also? Nay, are there not many of these which, though they are such as the world would not condemn, yet cannot be commended, no, nor excused, if we judge by the word of God? Are there not many of their actions which they themselves know are not to the glory of God? Many, wherein they did not even aim at this; which were not undertaken with an eye to God? And of those that were, are there not many wherein their eye is not singly fixed on God? Wherein they are doing their own will, at least as much as His; and seeking to please themselves as much, if not more, than to please God? ... And while they are endeavoring to do good to their neighbor, do they not feel wrong tempers of various kinds? Hence their good actions, so called, are far from being strictly such; being polluted with such a mixture of evil."