Subject: Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? |
Bible Note: Greetings Tim and NazMan! I may be speaking from a Wesleyan/Methodist background, but my view of what "Entire Sanctification" means is very much like John Wesley's (surprise, surprise! :-) ). So to accurately present what and how I believe Entire Sanctification applies to us, then I will quote part of Brent Douglas' excellent post... "My understanding is that passages and verses such as Luke 14:25ff and Matthew 6:24-Luke 16:14, Romans 12:1f, etc. give the clearest indication of what Wesley meant by entire sanctification. It is not a condition of sinless perfection or an ability to set aside the flesh completely. Rather it is a state or condition of being fully set apart, not only positionally by God but in one's own heart and will -- a condition in which (by the Spirit's empowerment) nothing is allowed by the will to compete with God for allegiance. While there is great disagreement among those who have the pursuit of "holiness" as one of their central guiding principles -- I believe Wesley seems fairly clear in his own (later) writings that any state of "entire sanctification" can be lost and regained without at all affecting salvation itself. I believe Wesley would interpret 1 Corinthians 10:13 as a very real possibility for the true Christian at any given time and not simply a worthy but unattainable goal." Blessings to you, Nolan |