The Holiness Movement:
Holiness movement
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Holiness movement is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the "carnal nature" of man can be cleansed through faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit if one has had his sins forgiven through faith in Jesus. The benefits professed include "spiritual power" and an ability to maintain purity of heart (that is, thoughts and motives that are uncorrupted by sin). The doctrine is typically referred to in Holiness churches as "entire sanctification," though it is more widely known as "Christian perfection."
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What does God’s Word have to say about Christian perfection from sin? Is it possible to be totally sinless in thought and deed? Lets find out
God’s Word tells me that I will never be perfect until I see Him like He is, at the rapture:
1 John 3:2 “ Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
1 Cor. 13:9-12
9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Isaiah 64 tells us about the righteousness that each of us as believers personally possess. God sees our own righteousness as filthy rags!
6.\tBut we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
Matthew5:26-48 tells me that to even think of sinning is the same as committing the act in God’s eyes. We are all held accountable for thoughts as well as our deeds.
To sum this up, God’s Word tells me that:
1. As a believer I will personally continue to sin by thought and by deed. It also tells me that if I have a relationship with Christ, that when I sin, I am to repent, and confess my sin, and continue my walk with Him.
It also tells me if someone tells me that they have not sinned, that they make God out to be a liar, and God’s Word is not in them:
5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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That about sums it up. The Holiness group continue to deny that they sin. We all still have the blood of Adam in our veins, and until the rapture the Holiness that we have is imputed to us by Christ, it is "put on" us by Him when we believe in CHRIST as LORD.
When they asked God what they could do to "work" the "works" of God, Christ responded that the "works of God" amounted to "BELIEF" in Him.
28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Christ is the righteous one, Christ is the sanctified one. When we believe in Him, His righteouness and His sanctification is imputed to us. By our belief in Him, Adams inherited sin no longer stains us and we are no longer "in" Adam. We are now "in" Christ, and until the rapture, only have the down payment of the Holy Spirit in our Hearts. The big problem is that we still have flesh and blood in our veins, and the blood is that of Adam.
1st Cor. 15:50-53 tells us:
50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
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God bless,
Stever :-)
