11/28/23 BIBLICAL NUANCE OF "HOLINESS"

11/28/23 BIBLICAL NUANCE OF "HOLINESS"

The word (the concept, the doctrine, the spiritual condition of), "holiness," use to be erroneously associated with, "tongues speakers," and "holy rollers," and "snake handlers," and other people who were mistakenly called, "Charismatic," or "Pentecostal."

Eventually, "holiness," became less intimidating, more acceptable in the "church crowd," basically because it was obvious that holiness is a Biblical concept that is related to a Christian's relationship with God.

However, it is still misinterpreted and misunderstood. Though the term, the doctrine of holiness is associated with righteous behavior, it actually is also associated Biblically with the spiritual condition of heart purity, as brought about through Entire Sanctification by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Holiness is not only related to what you do (a believer's actions), it is related to what you are (a believer's being).

Seldom does the word get used in this fuller and proper context. Holiness is not only the manner in which a Christian lives his life, it is the deliverance from the sinful nature (Old Man, the Carnal Mind, the Flesh, the Double Mind).

The narrower and limited view causes people to misunderstand the saving grace of God, which forgives and regenerates us, but also cleanses us from all sin. God's grace not only cleanses our hands (changes the way we live), it purifies our hearts (delivers us from the inner "law of sin and death"), as Paul stated it in Romans 7 and 8. Scripture plainly tells us that holiness of heart and life (purity of heart and life, righteousness of heart and life) comes through the blood of Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.

Most of the people I read or hear, deny that God saves believers from all sin in this present evil world. They don't understand that holiness of heart is essential for us to love God with the whole heart, mind, soul and strength, essential for us to be made "perfect in love".

Because people deny the purifying work of Entire Sanctification, they think of holiness as simply walking in grace or growing in grace. They mistakenly refer to "progressive sanctification" as if that is holiness.

Holiness of heart and life is, as someone has said, "approached slowly, entered into suddenly and grown in forever." You can grow in holiness, but you cannot grow into holiness, any more than you can grow into justification or regeneration. Entrance into heart purity is an instantaneous, crisis, work of God that cleanses the believer from ALL sin. Holiness is when a believer is made PURE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS PURE.

Though the Bible is clear on this doctrine, there are relatively few who acknowledge this reality. This is not surprising, since there are relatively few people who actually believe in the new birth, though it is clearly taught in the Bible.

Learning about the purifying, delivering, enabling, infilling fullness of the Holy Spirit, which perfects the believer in holiness, is essential to being qualified for ministry. It is true that Jesus sent the disciples into all the world to preach the gospel, but He told them that they must stay in Jerusalem until they received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This principle is also true for present day believers.

Keep in mind, the person who does not believe in Entire Sanctification (as spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 5:23) does not understand or believe in Biblical holiness. Remember, the Bible says, "without holiness ("the sanctification"), no man shall see the Lord." As Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." God promises fullness for the believer who hungers and thirsts for righteousness.

The Biblical doctrine of holiness is the promise of God to all those who seek Him with the whole heart. Though most people erroneously teach that Romans 7 says Christian's are doomed to a lifetime of internal struggle between the Old Man and the New Man, Paul actually tells us that God delivers the believer from the corruption and bondage of the "law of sin and death." In Romans 8, God's word continues to reveal that this deliverance from the "body of sin and death" leads into the life of walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh, deliverance from the Carnal Mind. This comes when the believer is filled with all the fullness of God and it is evidenced by the Christian being always led in triumph.