11. True Holiness.
TRUE HOLINESS. WHAT I BELIEVE At this point I think it will be appropriate for me o reinforce the truth in the previous chapter by giving further scriptural grounds for believing that the redemptive work of Christ provides for an uttermost deliverance from indwelling sin. Scripture makes it perfectly clear that we are called to be holy in all manner of living (1 Peter 1:15). Holiness means, therefore, that our outward lives must be right in God’s sight in all our activities and relationships. We need continually, therefore, the wisdom and strength which come through the daily growing in the knowledge of God’s will as revealed in His Word by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In this sense, holiness is a process. But Scripture also teaches that “outward” holiness must be the outcome of “inward” holiness. The deep, hidden springs and motives of our lives must also be right in His sight. Our Lord taught the vital importance of this truth when He said, “Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26). In order, therefore, that our outward lives may be holy we need to have a clear understanding of the meaning of true, inward holiness. Frances Ridley Havergal wrote the following beautiful words: — God’s own holiness within thee, His own beauty on thy brow, This shall be thy pilgrim brightness, This thy blessed portion NOW. Who can estimate the value of the riches of holiness expressed in those few lines? God’s own holiness within us NOW! Is that scriptural? I answer, “Yes, undoubtedly.” God’s word to His children is, “As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15). How holy can God make us in this life? That is a vital question for every Christian. Let us see what God’s Word says about it. “POSITIONAL” HOLINESS First of all, I fully appreciate what is taught by those who emphasize the “positional aspect” of sanctification, namely, the perfection of the believer’s “standing” in grace before God, because he is “in Christ” and “accepted in the beloved.” I own, indeed, that I could not for one moment stand in the favor of an infinitely holy God on the ground of any merit that is of myself, and that in the sight of infinite holiness I am accepted because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for me on the Cross and because of what He is on my behalf before God. “Every moment I need the merit of His death.” But this “positional sanctification” or ‘perfection of standing in grace” is, however, only one aspect of the truth. There is another aspect of truth equally vital. God not only looks at Christ and sees us “in Him,” but He does also look at us as we really are. He does take account of our every thought, word, and deed. God looks at the heart and ‘Call things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Moreover, whatever may be urged regarding “positional sanctification” cannot nullify the plain declaration of Scripture that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” This verse applies to all Christians.
Throughout all eternity we shall be either gainers or losers according to what we have done “in the body” while we have been on the earth. Thus, every thought that we cherish, every word hat we utter, and every deed that we do while we are “in the body” are making an indelible impress upon our characters for eternity. How vitally important, therefore, it is to be as holy as God can make us while we are “in the body,” not only for our own sake but, first of all, for the glory of God!
HEART HOLINESS AND PERFECT LOVE The question now arises, If there is a “perfection of standing in grace” for the believer, is there also any inherent perfection for the believer while he is “in the body”? I believe there is. It is blessed to know what Christ has done for us, but it is equally blessed to know what He can do in us. I believe Scripture teaches a “perfection of condition” while we are “in the body” as well as a “perfection of standing in Christ.” This perfection is not, however, Adamic, sinless, or resurrection perfection. Neither is it bodily or mental perfection, because while we are “in the body” we shall always be liable to infirmities, mistakes, etc., on account of our fallen condition. For salvation from all these effects of the fall we await the redemption of the body. Briefly, this perfection is “heart-love” perfection or “perfect love.” It is the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit and dominating the life of the believer who is fully yielded to God (Romans 5:5 and 1 John 4:12; 1 John 4:18). This love is perfect in kind but capable of infinite increase. The “heart,” scripturally speaking, is the very center and mainspring of the being. It is in the heart that sin has wrought its terrible havoc, causing unbelief of God and enmity to Him; it is here that man with all his achievements in science, philosophy, and government is so utterly powerless; but it is in the heart that the mighty salvation of God from sin can be experienced while we are “in the body.” This full salvation involves a twofold work of divine cleansing and filling, which is what I mean by inward holiness or entire sanctification by faith. From God’s standpoint there is no reason why this fullness of blessing should not be realized at the new birth, but in practice this is not the case.
We need first to be born of the Spirit in order to realize our need of this deeper cleansing and filling, and we need the Spirit to enable us to exercise the further faith necessary to appropriate the fuller blessing. Hence the entrance into this fullness of blessing is correctly regarded as a definite second work of grace in the Christian. I have tried to show the way into the blessing in the last chapter. I now explain what I believe is involved in the cleansing and filling of the believer in this second work of divine grace. THE DIVINE SIDE OF HOLINESS 1. A Cleansing. Some of the phrases used by the Holy Spirit to define this blessed work of cleansing are: the circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 30:6 and Colossians 2:11); the creation of a clean heart (Psalms 60:10); the taking away of iniquity and the purging of sin (Isaiah 6:7); the taking away of the stony heart (Ezekiel 36:26); the destruction of the body of sin (Romans 6:6); the making free from sin (Romans 6:22); the cleansing from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) and the purifying of the heart (Acts 15:9). What a glorious deliverance from sin is expressed by these wonderful phrases of the Holy Ghost!
Surely this deliverance is something much more deep and drastic than the mere repression of sin in the heart, which is not entire sanctification. Do not let us be scared away from the blessed truth contained in these phrases by the cry of “sinless perfection,” and “There is no perfection in the flesh.” The above scriptural phrases surely mean nothing less than this, that, as far as “the heart” is concerned, God has provided for us a perfect and full deliverance from indwelling sin through the Cross, even while we are “in the body.” Any teaching concerning holiness, in order fully to honor the work of the cross of Christ and the power of His precious blood, must measure up to the full deliverance from sin expressed by the above “words …. which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” 2. A Filling. Having provided a perfect cleansing for the heart, the question arises, What has God promised to do in the heart He has cleansed? Just think for a moment of a few wonderful promises. The Father will come and make His abode in the heart of the one who loves Christ and keeps His words (John 14:23). Christ also promises to come and make His abode in the heart of the one who loves Him (John 14:18; John 14:23). And the Spirit, too, when He takes full possession, fills the heart (Acts 2:4).
Thus, the salvation we can experience in our hearts, while we are still “in the body,” is nothing less than this: The heart once polluted by sin, but now cleansed by His mighty power, becomes the dwelling place of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Who can fathom such a profound mystery? Who can define the limit to what God can or will do in the hearts of those of His children who trust Him. for full salvation? There is no defined limit on God’s side to what He may do The only limitation is our capacity to receive God’s blessing. If, according to Paul’s prayer and doxology in Ephesians 3:14-21, Christ may dwell in the heart through faith, if we may be filled unto all the fullness of God and God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, then God has provided a full and perfect salvation for us in our hearts here and now. If there is not such a perfection, then it was futile for Epaphras to pray fervently for the Colossians that they might “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Let us cast side that insidious unbelief that would limit “the Holy One of Israel.” Let us believe what God says, give glory to His name, and rejoice evermore! And as there s no limit to the spiritual blessedness we may enjoy, let us not be content with any past experiences, however blessed, but let us press on to know more and more of the love of Christ and increase and abound in love one toward another. THE HUMAN SIDE OF HOLINESS Our Responsibility. But there is another side to this question of holiness and that is human responsibility. The full heart salvation outlined above is a blessing of faith. It is not a fixed state of sinless perfection. There is no state of grace in this life from which we may not fall, and as long as we are “in the body” that warning will always apply, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Every moment we need the flow into our hearts of the resurrection life of the ascended Lord Jesus, just as the branch continually needs the flow of sap from the vine. Without Christ we can do nothing. If there were, for one moment, a withdrawal of the indwelling power of Christ we should at once fall again into bondage to sin. Nothing less than the continual abiding presence of an invincible, indwelling Christ can meet our need. It is only by the intercession of an all-prevailing High Priest on the throne, and the mighty power of an indwelling Christ in the heart, that self can be denied, the world and Satan overcome, and the life of continuous victory become an actual fact. But we have a responsibility. We are called to “abide” or “continue” in Christ and this is done by faith and obedience. The blessing of entire sanctification is, therefore, a condition that is maintained by faith and obedience and is not an unconditional state of sinless perfection. In the life of holiness it is very important to remember the following vital and practical considerations: — The Body. We can enjoy a perfect “heart” salvation from sin, even while we are “in the body.” But the body, marvelous though it is, is still unredeemed and in a fallen, corruptible condition. Its senses and appetites, though not sinful in themselves, may become the occasion for temptation and the avenues along which sin may again defile the heart. It is through the body and the mind that we are in contact with a world all around us full of sin and hostile to holiness. If, therefore, the full blessing of heart holiness is to be maintained, the body must be “kept under” and “brought into subjection.” This solemn waning of Paul in Romans 8 applies to fully sanctified believers. “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.” It is only as we “was in the Spirit” that we “not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Alas, how many there are in whose hearts the fire of the Holy Ghost once burned brightly but has now died right down because of the failure to “keep under the body” One of the greatest preservatives of “heart holiness” is a godly, reverential fear which dreads the thought of the slightest cloud coming between the Lord and the soul and ever causes the believer to watch and pray lest he enter into temptation. The Mind.
Likewise the thoughts of the mind must be watched and kept under. We must ever stand like a sentinel on guard over the thoughts that come into our minds. Some thoughts we can welcome, but to other we must cry a stern, “Halt. You must not pass,” and refuse them, lest they defile the heart. We cannot avoid thoughts of evil coming into our minds but we can refuse to cherish them. We thus bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. It is through the mind that the hosts of evil spirits inject their thoughts of unbelief, etc. We shall never, therefore, be freed from temptation while we are “in the body.” Hence, too, the need of meeting all these assaults with the shield of faith. The life of holiness involves the “fight of faith.” The deeper the blessing we nave received from God, the greater the need for watchfulness, prayerfulness, meditation on God’s Word, and letting the heart of love show itself in the outward life of love, lest we should lose those things which we have wrought and lose our full reward (2 John 1:8).