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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 7338 | ||
Greetings Forum! I would appreciate your help. I am currently doing a study of sanctification. I am especially interested in the doctrine of Entire Sanctification. Here is my question: Is there any support for the doctrine of Entire Sanctification in the Bible? This is not a trick question. I am in the process of studying this issue and have an open mind to whatever the Bible says. So, if you have any comments (based upon Scripture) either for or against this doctrine, I would appreciate hearing from you. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 7356 | ||
Dear Tim, I am not quite sure how you are defining the term 'entire sanctification,' but I'll give some of my thoughts and some of the references I've found. 'Entire Sanctification' proponents: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NKJV It was "the grand depositum which God has lodged with the people called Methodists; and for the sake of propagating this chiefly He appeared to have raised us up." John Wesley believed the doctrine of entire sanctification was Methodism's distinctive gift to Christianity. He called it "the great promise of God," Christian perfection, holiness of heart and life. On the other hand, Charles Finney's "Systematic Theology" speaks out against 'perfect holiness' in this life. He said that we could not live on earth in this state. My personal thoughts. The idea of 'entire sanctification,' 'perfect holiness,' ' attaining sainthood,' and 'walking in the perfect will of God' all speak of perfect goal, a holy pursuit of sinless life. However, we are told this is impossible with man. '...as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one;"' Romans 3:10 NASB, and 'But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."' John 8:7 NASB. Only Jesus walked a blameless life on this earth. 'For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.' Hebrews 4:15 NASB. The Bible says that God sees us in our perfected state, because He knows the result of His holy plan. The Word of God exhorts us to seek perfection with all our being. Jesus spoke, "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 NASB. But I can find no record or reference in the Bible that says any man *attained* perfection. Honestly, it sounds more like a Buddhist search for earthly *enlightenment* than trusting God to perfect us in resurrection. I hope this helps, brother. (and I hope you are not a strict Methodist! :-) If so, I beg your pardon.) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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3 | Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 7371 | ||
Greetings Charis! Thanks for the information! Let me explain to you (and to anyone else who is interested) why I am researching this question. I am currently an ordained minister in the United Brethren in Christ denomination. I experienced some serious family problems (a runaway daughter) and am not currently pastoring. However, my family and I have been attending a local Nazarene church. The pastor there has been talking with me about the possiblity of moving my ordination to the Nazarenes. Their doctrine and mine are basically the same, except for this issue of Entire Sanctification. My current understanding of Sanctification is fairly basic. I believe that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us in a forensic sense at conversion. I also believe that the Holy Spirit progressively makes us more like Christ throughout our entire Christian life. And finally, I believe that we will be totally sanctified at our glorification. I have a basic understanding of what Wesley meant when he talked about entire sanctification or Christian perfection, but I really don't have a good grasp of the Scriptural support which is used to justify this belief. So, I'm basically beginning a personal study to discover if there is a solid bibilical basis to this doctrine or not! Some of what I have read up to this point I could agree with. Some of what I have read seems as if Scripture is being seriously stretched in order to defend a "second work of sanctification subsequent to salvation." At this point, I would like to hear from both sides of the issue. I would particularly like to hear from those who do believe in Entire Sanctification. If you were trying to convice me, what Scriptural support would you use? Or, if you were trying to oppose the doctrine, what Scriptural support would you use? Thanks Charis! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? | Bible general Archive 1 | charis | 7374 | ||
Dear Tim, I appreciate your openness and honesty in explaining your circumstance and subsequent desire for undestanding this issue. To be perfectly frank (on my side :-), I have no formal training which would (might?) give me an 'authoritative' answer. I am just a student of the Bible, and always prefer a simpler answer over a complicated one, if one is available in the Bible. After studying a bit about Entire Sanctification and it's various manifestations, I can only conclude that it is too complicated. It makes too many human assumptions about the individual's outward righteousness. For instance, if a person accepts Christ (whatever term you prefer) and is walking in the Lord just fine, has he *achieved* this status? Then, after years of faithful service to God, he stumbles. Did he lose the 'entire' status and return to justification? Or maybe, as some good Calvinists would demand, was he never saved to begin with? Could he be reinstated, as many good Charismatics would insist? As you stated about your belief (I think), it is much simpler to believe that 1) a person is justified by faith, 2) pursues sanctification through the working of the Holy Spirit, and 3) is made complete in resurrection. The details of this process are vague, regardless of some notions of *enlightenment.* Especially, the exact timing of resurrection. I leave these things to Christians that have already perfected all the other aspects of life in Christ :-) Out of curiosity, which denomination believes which? (I was under the impression that many Brethren churches leaned toward Wesleyan thinking) The only support I can think of for Entire Sanctification is that the ones that insist on it are convinced that they have *achieved* it! I know that they may string lots of Bible passages together to 'prove' it, but common sense and two honest eyeballs would show that man cannot *achieve* complete earthly sanctification. I was once a Buddhist, and the concept is familiar, and clearly mystical in nature. Only Jesus was perfect on earth, and He did not *achieve* it, He WAS perfect! One man's humble opinion. Blessings to you, and prayers for your path. In Jesus' name, charis |
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5 | Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 7382 | ||
Greetings Charis! Thanks for the help! United Brethren in Christ is a group that is distantly related to Methodist. The boring history is that our denomination split in about 1889 into the United Brethren Old Constitution and United Brethren New Constitution (Please, no jokes about United Brethren splitting - :-) ) I belong to the Old Constitution group. The new constitution group joined with the Evangelical Brethren to form the Evangelical United Brethren. Later, the EUB's joined with the Methodist to form the United Methodist. Our denomination is definitely Wesleyan/Arminian in theology, but entire sanctification was never embraced by our denomination. I agree with you that simpler is better. I haven't ruled out the doctrine yet, but I have found a few verses that seem to indicate that there might be something to it. For instance, a number of times Paul prays for Christians to be fully sanctified (aorist tense signifying one time action.) I have ordered a book entitled "Five Views on Sanctification", which is published by Zondervan. I hope it will allow me to examine all sides of the issue and come to a conclusion. Thanks! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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