'WE believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be "wholly
sanctified", and that their "whole spirit and soul and body" may
"be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ".
That is to say, we believe that after conversion there remain in
the heart of the believer inclinations to evil, or roots of
bitterness, which, unless overpowered by Divine grace, produce
actual sin; but that these evil tendencies can be entirely taken
away by the Spirit of God, and the whole heart, thus cleansed from
everything contrary to the will of God, or entirely sanctified,
will then produce the fruit of the Spirit only. And we believe that
persons thus entirely sanctified may, by the power of God, be kept
unblameable and unreprovable in His sight.'--_The Doctrines of The
Salvation Army._
STANDARDS OF LIFE AND SERVICE
I
God's Call
_'What manner of persons ought ye to be?'_ (2 Peter iii. 11.)
_'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.'_ (1
Peter i. 15, 16.)
When we set up standards for life and character we must be quite clear
that our teaching fits in with God's purpose as revealed towards His
people. Therefore, when we enforce the doctrine of personal Holiness,
there is no reason more weighty than that which Peter gives us in the
verses quoted, namely, that God calls us to Holiness.
The statement I have read seems to me to show that _it is a mistake to
suppose that personal Holiness is left optional_. Many people go to
Meetings, and, when they are shown the teachings of the Bible about
Holiness, they recognize that it is a state of being cleansed, filled
with the love of God, and kept by the indwelling Holy Ghost. They see
it as a very desirable thing and a possible experience. But, somehow or
other, they sit and listen, come and go, and seem to have the idea that
it is quite left to themselves whether they should obey the call and
claim this blessing or not.
Some talk as if there were two roads to Heaven; I mean the sinning and
repenting life; falling down and getting up again; persevering in their
journey with just enough religion to make them want to save their souls
from going to Hell, in contradistinction to the experience of the
saintly man or woman who says, 'By God's help I am going to live a life
without sin! I am going to have my heart fully sanctified, and walk in
the will of God.'
Some, I am afraid, even go so far as to deliberately say, 'Holiness is
a very good thing if you want it; but I am not quite prepared for this,
or to give up this, that, and the other. I think I shall get on very
well as I am. If _you_ want the blessing I am glad to see you go in for
it.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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