A few months ago, my aunt posted a question on Facebook regarding holiness. Many responded to what they considered the answer to be. Others stayed out of the conversation.
At the time my aunt asked this question, my father was giving my sister and me a class on holiness. Until now, I had never fully understood sanctification, but slowly, I was beginning to grasp the doctrine. When my mother showed me my aunt’s question, my mind slipped to what we had learned in class.
Many new-born Christians ask about holiness, but are given the wrong answer. “Holiness cannot be attained in this life,” they are told. “It can only be attained in death.” Instead of looking into it, many will leave it there, but according to Scripture, this is not true.
Few people delve into the subject of holiness. It is rare if you hear a pastor preach on it today. Sanctification has become like a book we leave on the shelf – dusty and covered with cobwebs. In this paper, I would like to take this book off the shelf and discuss it. Hopefully, if you have been told that holiness cannot be attained in life, your mind will be changed. I pray that you prayerfully consider what is said in this paper.
Sin, Sanctification, and Holiness
Before we can understand when and how to be sanctified, we must first find out the definitions of holiness and sanctification. Also, we must comprehend what I mean by sin throughout this paper. Let’s talk about sin first.
When most Christians refer to sin, they are referring to both unintentional and intentional sin. Allow me to share an example of each. When I was younger, I would sometimes be so lost in thought that I forgot what I was doing. One time, I picked up a ball in the store and played with it. As it came time to leave, I completely forgot I still held the ball in my hand and walked out of the store with it. This was an act of unintentional sin; I did not mean to steal the ball. Also when I was younger, I would steal muffins out of the fridge. I knew it was wrong to do so, hence it was an act of intentional sin.
When I refer to sin throughout this paper, I will be referring to intentional sin. In other words, I will be talking about direct rebellion against God. I do not believe unintentional sin to be sin; I merely consider them accidents or mistakes. Because we are human, we will always make mistakes on earth.
Now we have a definition of sin, let’s move onto sanctification. According to Thomas Lorimer in his book If There is a God…, the word sanctify merely means “to set apart or to make a distinction from other things.”2 What do we set apart?
We are to set apart our will and renew ourselves in the image of God. In the words of Samuel Logan Brengle of the Salvation Army, we must put “off self and [put] on Christ; [give] up your own will and all things and [receive] the will of Jesus instead.”1
This is sanctification – “renewal in the image of God in righteousness and true holiness.”3
Now, we have the definition of sin and sanctification, but what of holiness? Brengle once more holds the perfect definition:
“Thus, holiness is a state in which there is no anger, malice, blasphemy, hypocrisy, envy, love of ease, selfish desires for good opinion of men, shame of the cross, worldliness, deceit, debate, contention, covetousness, nor any evil desire or tendency in the heart… It is a state in which there is no longer any doubt or fear. It is a state in which God is loved and trusted with a perfect heart.”1
From the definition above, holiness must be a lovely state to be in. There is no sin in holiness, and, because there is no sin, there is no fear. The state of holiness is a state of perfection.
What happens when one is made holy? They are freed from sinful nature and become a part of God’s holy nature.
With the definition of what holiness means, let me show you what it does not mean. When I refer to holiness or perfection in this paper, I am not addressing divine holiness. No human on earth can be completely perfect in mind or body.
Different Aspects of Perfection
Now that we understand the definition of holiness and perfection, allow me to share with you different aspects of the latter. There are many kinds of perfection, and two are attainable to Christians.
First, there is imperfection. No matter how hard you try, you will always be imperfect. How? Christians cannot be perfect in knowledge, health, speech, or behavior.
Allow me to show some examples. First, a Christian cannot be perfect in knowledge. While we are on this earth, we will never fully understand how the entire universe works. Not only this, but we don’t even understand some concepts in the Bible like the Trinity. To understand how God could be three persons but yet one God is too complex for the human mind to comprehend. Second, a Christian cannot be perfect in health. Some preachers say, “If a Christian gets sick, they do not have enough faith.” That is an utter lie. Because we belong to the earth, we are prone to catch germs. If you don’t, then you are immortal. Thirdly, a Christian cannot be perfect in speech. All men and women are inclined to slip up in their words once in a while. Not only that, but some have speech impediments or stutters. We will not be perfect in our speech until we reach heaven. Finally, Christians cannot be perfect in behavior. I illustrated this when I walked out of the store without paying for something. This was an accident.
Next, there is Adamic perfection. Before the fall, Adam was perfect in heart, mind, and body. Since the fall, no man has ever been able to attain this sort of perfection on earth. As I stated before, no Christian can be perfect in knowledge and know all things.
Finally, there is Christian perfection. This type of perfection can be explained thus: As much obedience as a fallen man, with God’s help and grace, can give. How much obedience can this be? According to Wesley, this can be total obedience of the heart, meaning utter holiness: “A Christian is so far perfect, as not to commit sin.”2
How to be Sanctified
To be sanctified, we must give our all to God. No man in his right mind can say that God only deserves part of us. He gave Himself for us, hence we should give ourselves to Him.
The #1 problem when it comes to sanctification is a man cannot make himself holy. How often we try to fix ourselves instead of letting God help us through it! Keep this in mind as you read on how to be sanctified.
Holiness consists of separating ourselves from sin and to God. This means we must lay aside every attitude or behavior unlike Christ. What sort of attitudes and behaviors are these? According to Peter, they are “all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and all envies, and all evil speaking.” (1 Peter 2:1, KJV)
How do you rid yourself of these things? You might believe that you cannot control your thoughts. And you’re right: You cannot. God can help you.
First, you must be walking with God. Samuel Logan Brengle says, “The man who wants power, just when it is most needed, must walk with God.”1
Second, you must have faith. Holiness can only be received by faith. If we have the faith that the Holy Spirit can do this work in us, holiness can be given unto us now.
So, in order for God to cure and sanctify us, we must put ourselves fully into God’s hands and remain there, waiting on Him. Not only this, but we of course must ask Him to sanctify us. If you have asked and waited on Him, but nothing has occurred yet, do not be discouraged. Continue to ask of God, believing He can do it, and give Him your all.
When
Sanctification begins when a man is saved. He must pray and wait on God to bring him to that place of entire sanctification as he matures in the faith.
A question that is often asked concerning holiness is, “Can we be made holy in this life?” Many answer, “No,” but it says differently in the Bible. According to Samuel Brengle, “God means us to be holy in this life.”1
This statement can be supported with a flurry of Scripture. First, Luke states in his Gospel, “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luke 1:74,75, KJV). Notice it says “all the days of our life.” It does not say “when we get to heaven.”
Next, Ezekiel 36:25, 29a states, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you… I will also save you from all your uncleannesses” (KJV). Notice how God promises to cleanse us from “all your filthiness” and “all your uncleannesses.” God would not promise something he could not complete.
Finally, Paul told the Corinthians, “Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, KJV). Paul doesn’t say, “We will be plagued by sin on earth, and be made holy in death.” No! Instead, this man of God says we must “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness… perfecting holiness.” This means we are to do this now!
Not only does God promise us that we can be made holy in this life, but he commands the same. Jesus told a multitude, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48, KJV). Once again, Jesus did not say, “You will be made perfect like your Father in death.” He clearly commanded the multitude to be perfect, now!
In this world, we can become like our Master. John stated, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world,” (1 John 4:17, KJV). We can expect sanctification before death!
When will we be made holy? First, according to Brengle, holiness comes when “He came in, self went out.”1 Next, when a person holds fast faith in every situation, they will eventually obtain perfect assurance. Finally, holiness can be received now.
The Sanctified Man
The Christian who has been perfected loves God with all his heart, mind, strength, and soul. All sin is taken away. God is his joy and desire. The Lord is his all. He is always joyous, for perfect love has thrown away his fear.
According to John Wesley, the sanctified man’s number one rule is as follows:
“‘Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father through Him.’”3
A Christian who has obtained holiness is one of the happiest people on earth. Brengle said,
“Oh, how happy is that man who finds God to be his delight; who is never lonely because he knows God, talks with God, delights in God; who feels how lovable God is, and gives himself up to a loving, serving, trusting God with all his heart.”1
Who doesn’t want to feel this amount of joy? Imagine utter bliss in Jesus our Savior.
All this being said, the Christian man who has been made perfect will still make mistakes. This will happen because he has not been made perfect in knowledge or body. Hence, he will make mistakes due to his lack of understanding.
Hindrances
Holiness is a great blessing, but there are things that will hinder it. The hindrances that keep you from holiness are not in God but in yourself. You must put these hindrances away from you completely. One way to do this is to know what they are before they hit you.
First, many people have a problem with understanding God’s glory and their good. Sadly, many Christians will do what they think will benefit them before even considering what they should do to give God the glory. These people don’t understand that “God’s highest glory and [their] highest good are one and the same thing.”1 Before you become holy, you must willingly do everything for the glory of God, not for your good.
Next, many Christians refuse to believe that they can be made holy in this life. Some don’t want to believe it because they have an excuse to keep on sinning under grace (this contradicts the Bible; Romans 6:12-23). Others innocently believe holiness to be only attainable in death, but they also preach that the Christian should not go on in sin. According to Brengle, these Christians “rather deny the sickness than take the medicine.”1 Holiness cannot be attained if you don’t believe it can be obtained in this life.
Thirdly, imperfect faith is a hindrance to holiness. Holiness can only be attained through faith. Therefore, you must put all your faith in God and ask Him to make you holy. Without faith, holiness cannot be attained. Going to God and asking for holiness without faith is like going to the doctor and only waiting in the lobby because you doubt they have medicine.
Finally, there is arguing. In order to keep a clean heart, we must not argue. This is a very hard hindrance to avoid especially in our world today. With all the political upheaval going on, we want to nastily respond to those who disagree with us, but we must remain patient and respond diligently. You cannot obtain holiness if you are argumentative.
Attacks
The devil is always up to his old tricks, and this does not change when it comes to holiness. He may attack you if you are already made holy, or if you are considering only the doctrine of holiness itself. How are we to be prepared if he attacks us? One way to be ready is to know some of his schemes.
First, Satan will tell you that you are guilty of sin when you are not. The sanctified man is freed from sin, so it would make sense if the devil came to him, accusing him of doing wrong when he has only done right. If you have been made holy and you fear you may have sinned, remember that these anxious thoughts come from the devil.
Next, Satan will lie and lie and lie. There is no ending to the devil’s lies. He will tell you that God does not care for you. He will tell you that God has left you alone. If you listen to the devil’s lies, you will become weak. To rebuild the faith you once had will be difficult. Don’t give into believing the devil’s lies, but put your faith in God.
Finally, Satan will use religious leaders. For example, John Wesley was told repeatedly by religious leaders that he was dishonoring Christ by preaching perfection. That’s ironic since Christ himself taught perfection. When being told off by a leader in the church, do not heed them instantly. Show them what the Bible says on perfection.
How are we to overcome all these attacks from the devil? In order to have victory over Satan, we must go to the scriptures. In 1 Peter 5:8-9, we are told to be watchful, because the devil is always ready to attack. In James 4:7, James orders us to submit to God and resist the devil. Only then will he flee from you. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul tells us to take faith to protect ourselves from the devil’s attacks.
Ultimately, we must wait on God. We must wait on him if we are not to backslide and give into the devil’s temptations. All failure originates in “neglecting to wait on God until filled with wisdom, clothed with power, and all on fire with love.”1 “
Conclusion
Ultimately, we are to be as Christ for He is the perfect example of what it is to live a holy life. It is important for the Christian to follow in the footsteps of his Master. We must have a heart like Christ. Not in part, but the whole.
As Brengle says, “It is impossible for us to walk like Him, to live like Him, unless we have a heart like His.”1
First, like Jesus, we must have a humble heart. He came from heaven and was born of a virgin. He became a carpenter and lived with the poor instead of the rich. He washed the feet of His disciples. We too must display such humility if we are to become holy.
Lastly, like Jesus, we must have a meek and gentle heart. He did not seek revenge on those that hurt Him and did not attempt to justify Himself. Instead, He put everything in the Father’s hands.
If we have a heart like Jesus, only then have we become holy.
1. Brengle, Samuel Logan. Helps to Holiness. Amazon Kindle: Jawbone Digital, 2015
2. From If There Is a God by Thomas Lorimer © 2009. Used by permission.
3. Wesley, John. A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Missouri: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1966