Objections to seeking perfect love

I've been reading and praying a great deal about sanctification or "entire sanctification" as coined by Wesley, Clarke and many others. Here's some questions and answers regarding objections for entering into "perfect love" (i.e. sanctification) that I read from a dear brother.

What course do many who profess religion pursue in regard to Christian holiness?

They pursue much the same course in respect to it, that sinners do in respect to justification; they neglect it, and endeavor to justify themselves in so doing by various excuses. There is a striking similarity in the excuses presented by the impenitent for not seeking religion, and those made by (those who) profess for not seeking holiness.

What are they, and what is your reply to them?

1. ”I am not clear in my views of Christian holiness.”

You are clear that God requires it; that he has made provision for it; that he promises it; that you need it, and that the Church needs it. The sinner presents the same excuse, “I am not clear in my views of religion,” as a reason for his neglect of seeking regeneration. You say to the sinner, what we say to you, -- he has sufficient light in regard to religion to see that it is both a duty and a privilege to seek it. The Christian with the light of justifying grace, can see that he ought to be cleansed from all sin, so as to love God with all his heart. “If any
man will do His will,” says Christ, “he shall know of the doctrine.”

2. ”I regard entire sanctification a great blessing, too great for me to obtain.”

If it is too great for you to obtain, it is too great for God to require of you. That it is a great thing we gladly admit. You have a great Saviour. He died to secure great results, and can “save to the uttermost.” He says, All things are possible to him that believeth.” Will you believe the Lord Jesus Christ? Can He lie, or did He ever deceive anybody? Unbelievers present this excuse for not seeking religion -- “It is a great thing to be a Christian.” You tell them the provisions of’ the gospel are ample, mighty, divine. Are they?

3. ”If I attempt to seek holiness, I am fearful I shall fail.”

You need not fail. If you do, it will be your own fault. The Bible encourages no such idea; and that should be the rule of our faith and practice, and not our imagination. Holiness is sought by consecration, prayer, and faith. Will not such efforts to secure a pure heart be attended with happy results upon Christian life and character, even though there be a failure to obtain the clear witness of entire sanctification? The impenitent make the same excuse about seeking religion. The reply made to them will answer this objection.

4. ”I have known persons who professed holiness to do things which are wrong, and thereby gave no evidence of holiness.”

This we do not deny; though you may misjudge or lack charity. Admitting it to be true, is it not a reason why you should be entirely sanctified, and so “let your light shine “ as to disabuse the minds of men regarding this precious doctrine? This is the standing objection of wicked men against seeking salvation. Do you justify sinners in neglecting Christ, because so many who profess give no evidence of being saved? St. Paul says, “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

5. ”Some have obtained it and lost it, and I fear I should lose it.”

Is the fact that good men have lost grace and become vicious, a reason why bad men should not seek grace and become good? The excuse, “I should not be able to live religion if I had it,” is common among sinners. It takes no more grace to keep men saved than it does to save them; and St. Paul asserts, “My grace is sufficient,” and God “is able to make all grace abound toward you.”

6. ”If I seek holiness I shall have to change some items of my business, and give up some of my habits.”

If your business or your habits are wrong, you will have to give them up or lose your soul. If honest in this objection, you are not in a justified state, and consequently have no religion at all. You cannot frequent the theater, circus, horse-race, and parlor-dance, and retain any religion at all. Those paths are the broad way to destruction. A justified state cannot be retained an hour while things are done known to be wrong. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin;” “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” The sinner makes the same excuse; would you tell him he could obtain religion and not give up all? There is a wile of Satan in this objection which is alarming.

7. ”If I were entirely sanctified, I should be obliged to do many duties from which I now excuse myself”

If honest in this excuse, you have no reason to regard yourself a Christian. A Christian is a man who loves and obeys God. What right have you to choose to do a part of God’s will, and refuse to do a part? “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord! Lord! Shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (See question 4. ) No man could obtain pardon with this excuse in his heart, nor justification be retained with such a state of mind.

8. ”If I obtain holiness, and live a holy life, I shalt have enemies.”

Well, suppose you do. The man who has no enemies as very little character; as he who has not sufficient pluck and virtue to make some enemies in this world, is about next to nobody. Our ideal of virtue and manliness, is one who has decision and a fearless love for what is right, regardless of any opposition he may encounter. The man who loves virtue, and has the will and principle to vindicate it, must expect enemies; but this will be good for him. The strong tree that defies the wind, is more deeply rooted and fastened in the soil by every blast it encounters. A good man never knows how much there is of him, or how much Christ has done for him, until he has confronted and braved enemies. All the enemies that a holy life provokes, will serve a good purpose in the wisdom and power of God, though no thanks to the devil who brings it about.

9. ”If I were entirely sanctified, lived in that state and confessed it, I would be singular, and be subject to observation and talk.”

People talk about you now. Your coldness, indifference, dwarfishness, and unhappy representation of Christianity is seen and talked about. If one must be observed and talked about, would you not rather people would talk about your devotion to God, holy singularity and religious enthusiasm, than to talk as they now do? Christians are a “peculiar people;” they are to be “separate from the world,” and are to let their light shine, like a city on a hill which cannot be hid. Men cannot be public sinners, and then become private saints. This is what sinners would like, but God has no private saints.

10. “The inconsistencies of some who have professed holiness have prejudiced my mind against it.”

What! Have you let the folly of mortals prejudice your mind against HOLINESS? -- against that which is godlike, and the most lovely and excellent of all the moral elements in the universe – against that which cost the blood of God’s only Son – against that which constitutes the only preparation for the society of angels and of God? Is this not evidence of depravity that needs the cleansing blood of Christ? Unbelievers who meet with one hypocrite in the church, often come to think that most who profess are hypocrites. This objection indicates a similar regard for those who profess perfect love. What have the faults or sins of men to do with your obligations to yourself, to the world, to the church, and to God?

bro Habakkuk
this thing which the Lord has had you share is the same thing which the Lord has been impressing upon me of late. as a Christian my sole reason for being is to bring God glory and unless we are operating from this position, we're not making the cut. the cost of such is pretty steep, everything, our life as we know it really. even the very love we have naturally is not acceptable before the Lord and must be given up so we may receive the perfect love of God. i myself have been guilty of avoiding this call because of many of the reasons mentioned in your post. The Lord's grace is sufficient to see this work done in us.

There has been a lack of focus on the Lord's Holiness and Righteousness which we are baptized into through Christ. There has been a lack of emphasis on the cross where the death of self sees the start of these things bein realized in us.

may our Lord help us!AMEN.

Thank you for sharing brother. Yes, it is a struggle because it costs everything. Here's a chapter from a book entitled "Helps to Holiness" by Samuel Brengle [url=http://www.victoryoversin.com/brengle/helps.htm]Hindrances to Holiness[/url]

Chapter 3
HINDRANCES TO OBTAINING THE BLESSING

Holiness has not legs and does not go walking about visiting idle people, as a lazy Christian seemed to think who told me that he thought the experience would "come" to him "some day." A sister aptly remarked: "He might as well expect the hall to come to him."

The fact is, there are hindrances in the way of holiness with most people; but you that are seeking the experience must put from you, for ever, the thought that any of these hindrances are in God, or in your circumstances, for they are not, but are altogether in yourselves. This being true, it is the extreme of folly to sit down with indifference and quietly wait, with folded hands, for the blessed experience to come to you. Be sure of this, it will not come, any more than a crop of potatoes will come to the lazy fellow who sits in the shade and never lifts his hoe, nor does a stroke of labor through all the spring and summer months. The rule in the spiritual world is this: "If any would not work, neither should he eat," and, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. vi. 7).

Therefore, the part of wisdom is to begin at once, by a diligent study of God's word, much secret prayer, unflinching self-examination, rigid self-denial, hearty obedience to all present light and a faithful attendance at the meetings of God's people, to find out what these hindrances are, and, by the grace of God, to put them away, though it cost as much pain as to cut off a right hand or to pluck out a right eye.

Now, the Bible tells us -- and the testimony and experience of all holy people agree with the Bible -- that the two great practical hindrances to holiness are: First, imperfect consecration; and, second, imperfect faith.

Before a watchmaker can clean and regulate my watch, I must give it unreservedly into his hands. Before a doctor can cure me, I must take his medicine in the manner and at the time he requires. Before a captain can navigate me across the trackless ocean, I must get on board his ship and stay there. Just so, if I would have God cleanse and regulate my heart with all its affections, if I would have Him cure my sin-sick soul, if I would have Him take me safely across the ocean of time into that greater ocean of eternity, I must put myself fully into His hands and stay there. In other words, I must do what He tells me to. I must be perfectly consecrated to Him.

A Captain knelt with her soldiers, and sang: "Anywhere with Jesus I will go," adding: "Anywhere but to H____, Lord." Her consecration was imperfect, and today she is out of Salvation Army work. There were some things she would not do for Jesus, and therefore Jesus would not cleanse or keep her.

The other day, a poor backslider told me that he knew, at one time, that he ought to give up tobacco. God wanted him to do so, but he held on to it and used it secretly. His imperfect consecration kept him from holiness and led to his downfall, and today he walks the streets a common drunkard, on the open road to Hell.

In his heart was secret disloyalty, and God could not cleanse or keep him. God wants perfect loyalty in the secret of your own heart, and He demands it, not only for His glory, but also for your good; for, if you can understand it, God's highest glory and your highest good are one and the same thing.

This consecration consists in a perfect putting off of your own will, your disposition, temper, desires, likes and dislikes, and a perfect putting on of Christ's will, Christ's disposition, temper, desires, likes and dislikes. In short, perfect consecration is a putting off self and a putting on Christ; a giving up your own will in all things and receiving the will of Jesus instead. This may seem well-nigh impossible and very disagreeable to your unsanctified heart; but if you mean business for eternity, and will intelligently and unflinchingly look at this strait gate through which so few enter, and tell the Lord that you want to go through that way, though it cost you your life, the Holy Spirit will soon show you that it is not only possible, but easy and delightful thus to yield yourself to God.

The second hindrance in the way of him who would be holy is imperfect faith. When Paul wrote to his corps of Salvationists in Thessalonica, he praised them for being "ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia," and added, "in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad" (I Thess. i. 7, 8). That was the best believing corps in all Europe, and so real and sturdy was their faith that they could endure much persecution, as we see from chaps. i. 6, ii. 14, and iii. 2-5; so that Paul says, "We were comforted over you, in all our affliction and distress by your faith" (iii. 7). Strong faith that, but it was not perfect, for Paul adds, "Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith" (iii. 10). And because of their imperfect faith they were not sanctified; so we find the Apostle praying, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly" (v. 23).

All who are born of God and have the witness of His Spirit to their justification know full well that it was not through any good works of their own, nor by growing into it, that they were saved, but it was "by grace through faith" (Eph. ii. 8). But very many of these dear people seem to think that we are to grow into sanctification, or are to get it by our own works. But the Lord settled that question, and made it as plain as words can make it, when He told Paul that He sent him to the Gentiles to "open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me" (Acts xxvi. 18). Not by works, nor by growth, but by faith were they to be made holy.

If you will be holy you must come to God "with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Heb. x. 22), and then, if you will wait patiently before Him, the wonder-work shall be done.

Consecration and faith are matters of the heart, and the trouble with most people is there; but, no doubt, there are some people whose trouble is with the head. They fail to get the blessing because they are seeking something altogether too small.

Holiness is a great blessing. It is the renewal of the whole man in the image of Jesus. It is the utter destruction of all hatred, envy, malice, impatience, covetousness, pride, lust, fear of man, love of ease, love of human admiration and applause, love of splendor, shame of the Cross, self-will and the like. It makes its possessors "meek and lowly in heart" (Matt. xi. 29), as Jesus was; patient, kind, full of forbearance. pitiful, full of tender compassion and love; full of faith, benevolent and zealous in every good word and work.

Now I have heard some people claim the blessing of holiness because they had given up tobacco, feathers or something of that sort; while they were still impatient, unkind or absorbed with the cares of this life. The result was, they soon got discouraged, concluded there was no such blessing, and became bitter opponents of the doctrine of holiness. Their trouble was in seeking too small a blessing. They gave up certain outward things, but the inward self-life was still uncrucified. The gold miner washes the dirt off his ore, but he cannot wash the dross out of it. The fire must do that, and then the gold will be pure. So the laying aside of outward things is necessary; but only the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire can purify the secret desires and affections of the heart and make it holy. And for this you must earnestly seek by perfect consecration and perfect faith.

There are other people who fail to obtain the blessing because they are seeking something altogether distinct from holiness. They want a vision of Heaven, of balls of fire, of some angel; or they want an experience that will save them from all trials and temptations and from all possible mistakes and infirmities; or they want a power that will make sinners fall like dead men when they speak.

They overlook the verse which declares that "the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (I Tim. i. 5); which teaches us that holiness is nothing more than a pure heart filled with perfect love, a clear conscience toward God and man, which comes from a faithful discharge of duty and simple faith without any hypocrisy. They overlook the fact that purity and perfect love are so Christ-like and so rare in this world, that they are in themselves a great, great blessing.

They overlook the fact that while Jesus was a great Man, King of kings and Lord of lords, He was also a lowly Carpenter and "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant ... and humbled Himself" (Phil. ii. 7, 8). They overlook the fact that they are to be as Jesus was, "in this present world," and that "this present world" is the place of His humiliation, where He is "despised and rejected of men"; a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief"; with "no (outward) beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. liii. 2, 3). "In this present world" His only beauty is that inward "beauty of holiness" (I Chron. xvi. 29), that humble spirit of gentleness and love, that "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (I Pet. iii. 4).

Is your soul hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of perfect love? Do you want to be like Jesus? Are you prepared to suffer with Him and to be "hated of all men for His name's sake" (Matt. x. 22)? Then, "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset" you (Heb. xii. 1); present your body "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. xii. 1), and "run with patience the race which is set before you, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith" (Heb. xii. 1, 2). Come to the Lord with the same simple faith that you did when you were saved; lay your case before Him, ask Him to take away all uncleanness and to perfect you in love, and then believe that He does it. If you will then resist all Satan's temptations to doubt, you will soon find all your hindrances gone, and yourself rejoicing "with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Pet. i. 8).

"The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thess. v. 23, 24).

And yet one more thing I received today from a dear brother named Joe. It's a bit long but very meaty.

The Sanctified Life

And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you …that you should be Mine. (Lev. 20:26)

Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp {separating from the multitude}, bearing His reproach. (Heb. 13:12-13)

Jesus shed His blood on the cross for the purpose of preparing a fully sanctified life. He can share with His disciples. By choosing to follow Him through the cross, we can enter into His sanctified life and find complete freedom from the self-centered, self-seeking and self-exalting form of life that everyone first receives from Adam. His indwelling life does away with the body of sin that naturally lives for self, so we too may live for God’s will alone.

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin… For the death that He died, He died to sin {living for self} once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” (Rom. 6:6, 10)

Those who have truly chosen to follow Christ are easily recognized. They are not necessarily identified by the testimony they give with their mouth, but by the fact they no longer live for themselves. Many people insist they are Christians but they are still living by their own will for their own pleasures. In other words, the body of sin is still living on. But those who have truly received Christ’s sanctified life into their heart will be found living for God alone. “Because we judge thus: that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2 Cor. 5:14-15) Having died to their self-life, their whole being is given up to live for Him.

If there is anything remaining in your life, in your household, or in your married life that is not fully given over to the Lord to be used for a display of His glory, you are resisting Christ and His way of the cross. That part of your life that is not fully yielded to God is considered evil in His sight. It is something that He needs to destroy before it destroys you. But you must make the choice to have it done. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin {the old self-originated form of life}, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11)

Christ died for the purpose of gaining full possession of the vessel of your body. The vessel belongs to Him whether you give it to Him or not. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price…” (1 Cor 6:19-20) What do you think He will say to you on the great Day of Judgment if you have refused to give Him your body to be used as He had originally purposed? The basis of His judgment of you will not be so much on what you have done, but on whether or not you have given the vessel to the Lord so He may display His life and works through it.

Christ had only one purpose while walking in a mortal body. He lived for the will of His Father alone. From the moment He recognized the necessity of being about His Father’s business, even as a young child, there was never a moment when He was not fully occupied with this one great purpose. And there is only one reason why someone does not have this same innate desire. It is because they are not partakers with Him in His fully sanctified life. They have not yet followed Him outside the camp and taken His way of the cross.

For the death that He died, He died to sin {to self-will} once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (Rom. 6:10)

And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:19)

And whoever does not bear his cross {by choosing to die to self-will} and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:27)

Christ sanctified Himself so that He would have a sanctified life {a life set apart for God’s exclusive use} to give to His disciples. And the life of holy love that is in Him lives for God’s will alone. This is the Christ you must receive. It does not do any good to believe in a Christ of your own imagination and making. You will need to receive into your heart, the true Christ, who has sanctified Himself to provide you with complete freedom over the old self-centered, self-seeking and self-exalting form of life.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you {with His fully sanctified life}—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Cor. 13:5 NIV)

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:24-25)

It is written that Christ “through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God.” (Heb 9:14) Jesus did everything through the Spirit. When we are living through the Spirit as He did, we can expect the Spirit to also enable us to walk as Jesus did. He takes of the things of Christ—His lowliness, His humility, His submissive and lamblike spirit—and begins to make them known to us. “He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” (John 16:14)

Jesus walked daily with His Father. He did not do anything according to His own wisdom or will. He never even spoke His own words. When we come to that place where we no longer have an independent life of our own, but desire only to do the Father’s will, we will know that we have become partakers with Christ in His fully sanctified life. It is the mark of a purified heart. (Acts 15:8-9)

And that is our heritage – not to be moved by the pressure of human opinion, human love, or human ideas of duty, but to be moved moment by moment by the Spirit of God. We must not permit anything or anyone to move us away from His purposes for our life.

The closer we are in harmony with His perfect will, the more we will enjoy His indwelling Presence. In contrast, those who direct their own steps will find that they have separated themselves from His heavenly life. God will only make His eternal life known within our inner being after we have begun to reckon ourselves to be dead to self-will and have begun to live for His purposes alone. “My sheep hear My voice…and they follow Me {by taking the way of the cross}. And I give them eternal life…” (John 10:27-28)

The Lord needs disciples who will learn to wait on Him and listen for His voice. He needs fully sanctified followers who are always at His disposal and remain tuned to the voice of His Spirit. These are His true brothers and sisters—the sons and daughters of God. (Rom. 8:14)

And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matt. 12:49-50)

The devil will tempt even earnest souls to step out in their own will and strength. And he does not mind if these individuals remain in the church if he can deceive them into living by their own resources. He understands how this self-directed course leads to a self-exalting form of life. Knowing that it spreads carnal darkness within the church, he uses these people to distort Christianity and to hide the fully sanctified life that Jesus gives to His true followers.

Jesus set an example when He set His mind on the way of the cross and did not permit anyone to distract Him. We will need to do the same. The devil will come to us with many distracting thoughts to turn us back to the ways of the world. And some of these thoughts will come from those we love. We must not permit the wisdom of men to turn us away from God’s revealed will.

We should note that Jesus’ own disciples tried to discourage Him and turn Him away from the way of the cross. But the Father then led Him to the mountain where He could speak with the ambassadors of the heavenly world. Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:30-32) Similarly, if you hope to receive real support when you take this way of the cross, it will be necessary to go to the mountain of God for your support. When He provides others to help you through this difficult period, it will always be people who are already living in the heavenly realms. They will know how to provide real help.

Very few ever find close relatives and friends to stand behind them and encourage them when they set their mind on taking Christ’s way of the cross. In fact, the way of the cross typically splits families apart. It was because of the implications of this way of the cross that Jesus said, “For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.” (Luke 12:52-53)

It was when Peter attempted to turn Jesus from the way of the cross that Jesus said to him, “You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matt. 16:23) Fallen man thinks in terms of saving himself and living for himself. We can therefore expect others—those who live by the “psuche” life—to do their best to turn us away from Christ’s way of the cross. But we must not permit the wisdom of man to change our direction.

Those who choose to fully surrender to the Word of God will receive a vision of the heavenly Pearl. As He did with Jesus, God will open the heavens and reveal the glory that is on the other side of the cross. While these souls will still need to go through a painful period of trial and crucifixion—a death to the old self-originated form of life, this “selling all” will in due time result in being lifted by the resurrection power of the Spirit into the heavenly realms with Christ. “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Rom. 6:5)

The carnal mind does not see the value in following Jesus. Because it finds its life from the temporal realm, it just naturally thinks in terms of finding spiritual support from the world and its things. It does not comprehend how a person can experience an enjoyable spiritual life after dying to the self-directed and self-seeking ways of this world. This is where we must have faith in the God who can create worlds out of nothing and hold them up by what appears to be nothing.

There was a reason why Peter and the others did not want to encourage Jesus when He set His mind on going to the cross. If they were to remain His disciples, it meant they too needed to follow the same course. We therefore find Peter rebuking Jesus in an attempt to save himself. It was at this point that Jesus began to teach His disciples how each of them would need to lose their “psuche’ life if they hoped to find His eternal “zoe” life. (Matt. 16:24-25)

There is only one way to follow Jesus. We must voluntarily choose to lay down the old “psuche” life that is developed through self-will. This is the narrow path that Jesus established: “My Father loves Me, because I lay down My {“psuche”} life… No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.” (John 10:17-18) And if we truly desire to be lifted by His Spirit into His eternal life, we too must choose to lay down our “psuche” in the same way.

Jesus warned His disciples in advance because He knew that it was not an easy course to take. But He also wanted them to know that dying to the old self-originated “psuche” life is the only way to find His heavenly “zoe” life. There is no way around it. And that is why there are so few being saved from their old self-originated way of life. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to {“zoe”} life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt. 7:14)

Christ is very open and straightforward about His teachings. No one needs to be deceived by the devil. He even instructs us to sit down and consider the cost before we choose to follow Him. We gain nothing if we end up being like the foolish man who begins to build a tower and never finishes what he starts. (Luke 14:28-30)

Those who have truly considered the cost from the very beginning are more prepared to press through every trial. It was for this reason that Paul was constantly trying to build Christians up in their faith. He knew that the path into Christ’s eternal Kingdom-life—the way of the cross—would inevitably take every believer through a period of suffering.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22)

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time… But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Pet. 5:6, 10)

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has {from the self-originated form of life} cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:27, 33)

Upon the mountain we find the Father comforting His obedient Son and rebuking Peter. He said, “This is My beloved Son; hear Him.” The disciples were refusing to listen to Jesus. Like many today who have heard the same words, they simply do not acknowledge what the Lord has stated. Yes, they hear the words. But they do not accept them into their heart. Where is the disciple who has truly denied himself and lost his “psuche” life in order to find our Lord’s heavenly life of perfect love?

When Christ sanctified Himself, He died so that all His followers would have a means for being fully sanctified with Him. No one can set themselves free from their self-centered and self-exalting form of life. This old demonic way of life will naturally rise out of the heart until the heart has been filled and purified with the “zoe” life from above. Christ died so that those who are caught up in self-love, and in their own interests, may find a real deliverance from their old self-seeking nature. But each individual is still required to go into their own Garden of Gethsemane and make a choice to follow Christ through the cross, if they hope to find His eternal life.

Those who are still depending on the temporal realm for their spiritual life will naturally be worried about anything that separates them from their idols. There will still be a sense of fear in approaching death. But once we are truly sharing with Christ in His eternal life, we are completely delivered from the fear of being separated from the world and its things. There is no longer any sting in death.

Those who have already died to the “psuche” life begin to glory in the cross. “But God forbid that I should boast {in anything} except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ {in His crucified and fully sanctified life}, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal. 6:14) This mark of the cross is recognized on Christ’s true disciples by the way they live for God alone. Because they no longer live for themselves, it becomes a sign to others. It identifies them as the crucified ones who are receiving divine life from the heavenly realms.

This way of the cross is the means for becoming victorious in every hardship and trial. When we are participating with Christ in His heavenly “zoe” life, we find that our spirit is lifted above all other principalities and powers. Our spiritual life is no longer weighed down by the darkness and oppression that surrounds this world.

We must not be fearful of going too far in this way of the cross. Those who sink the deepest will find themselves being lifted into the highest measures of the spiritual life of heaven. There is no limit to how far we can enter into Christ’s heavenly Kingdom-life through a yielded faith. While others may turn back from the way of the cross for lack of spiritual vision, we need to realize that it is the only means for finding a spiritual life that is able to satisfy the soul “as with the richest of foods”. We pray that each of our readers will have this same vision.

I have seen you in the sanctuary, and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than {psuche} life, my lips will glorify you… My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. (Ps. 63:2-5 NIV)

Have you received this same heavenly insight into the promises of God? Do you believe that He can do what He has promised? Then why not humble yourself under His mighty hand by sinking down into your nothingness so He may exalt you in due time? You will lose nothing when your ever-dying “psuche” life ceases to be and you are living in the heavenly realms with Christ and sharing with Him in His “zoe” life.

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. {It cannot be united with God in His heavenly life.}… He who loves his life will lose it… If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me {through the cross}; and where I am {in the heavenly realms}, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me {in this way of the cross}, Him My Father will honor. (John 12:24-26)

We must receive Christ and His life as He is – as the Lamb of God. The book of Revelations consistently refers to Christ in heaven as the Lamb. The eternal life that is in Him is the spirit of the Lamb. And it is by sinking down into our nothingness and becoming “one spirit with Him” that we share with Him in His heavenly life.

These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. (Rev 14:4-5)

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. (Matt. 20:16)

While the teachings of our Lord always sound difficult when first heard, let us remember that we are not expected to live them out in our own strength. The first disciples had this same problem. But once the glorified Lord filled them with His sanctified life, they too were enabled to remain faithful to death.

The command never provides the power to fulfill the requirement. There is no real power in the letter of the law. The commands found in the Word of God continually contradict our nature. The intent is to turn us to Christ. He is the One who has sanctified Himself so that we may be fully sanctified in truth. His life—the Living Word—does by nature what the law requires.

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son…that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom. 8:3-4)

And of His fullness we have all received {we all have access to His fully sanctified life}, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17)

At first it may sound strange to read how grace and truth came through Jesus rather than through the laws that were written down for our understanding. It is easier to understand grace being contrasted with law. But many wonder how there can be a contrast between “truth” and the laws of God. And yet there is the same contrast.

Here is where we need to realize that “truth” is more than the “shadow” of what can be learned by the mind through written laws. For divine Truth to be real, it must have reality within our heart. It must come to us in the power of the Spirit before the Living Word—Jesus Christ—will be displayed through our mortal bodies.

The letter does little more than condemn and kill the spirit. It is the “Spirit of grace” who takes the truth and makes it a real part of our inner nature. He takes of the Kingdom-life of Christ and reveals the life in power within our inner being. “For the kingdom of God {our Lord’s Kingdom-life} is not in word but in power.” (1 Cor. 4:20)
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves {because there is nothing self-originated in the spiritual man}, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor 3:5-6)

God requires His children to yield their whole being to the teachings He has revealed through His inspired Word. And as we have shown, Christ has only promised to reveal Himself within our inner being after we have fully responded to His teachings. (John 14:21) But trying to live by law through our own efforts does not supply eternal “zoe” life to the soul. Those who are truly honest with themselves will find that the law does not give life, but actually breaks the self-sufficient spirit.

Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came {and the eternal “zoe” life was available}, we were kept under guard by the law {as a means to constrain sin}, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ… (Gal. 3:21-24)

The words of George D. Watson may be helpful at this point. As he indicates, the law of God requires us to be like God in holy love. And the law is insistent in its demands. But in the end it must turn us to Christ if we truly hope to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the law. (Rom. 8:3-4)

Let us remember that the law in its letter knows no mercy or deviation and, although Paul says it is holy, just and good, and has an office to fill of exacting righteousness, and is essential in God’s economy, yet it is not the minister of grace; that is reserved for the personal Christ Himself, for the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ…

The Holy Ghost administers the law of Mt. Sinai to the conscience, just as literally as He administers the atonement to the heart of the obedient believer. This explains that vast world of religious life and experience known as “legal bondage.” A soul in the early joys of justification does not feel any bondage of service, but if it fails to go on to the perfection of love, the law will soon put in its claim for perfect love, and if the subject still fails to yield to it, the law will seize on that soul and make a “bondsman” out of him… Such a soul feels it must serve the Lord, and yet there is a bondage in its prayers, in its spiritual reading, in its benevolence… The creditor of the law has really seized upon the inner, delicate fountains of the soul, and its grasp will never be relinquished until such a one yields himself up to an unlimited consecration, and to loving God [to living for God alone] just as the law requires. Many thousands of sincere religious people are in this condition.

There is a fully sanctified life that can provide every believer with a real freedom from that old nature that still desires to live for self. You should not look at these truths as exaggerations. Christ sanctified Himself fully so that you may be sanctified in the same way. You can now receive an abundant entrance into His heavenly Kingdom-life if you will go to Him outside the camp where He died to self-will once for all on the cross.

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11)

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:3)

I wanted to bump this Article up.
It is great!
I have been studying the part Hindrances to Ho;iness.
Sanctification is one thing that satan doesn't want people to receive, or learn about.
I would encourage all the Young and Old people on this web-site to seek after the Lord , for this.
It is by Faith in the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.
You Young people don't have as much baggage as the older folk, like what Mama & Daddy, Grandpa and Grandma believed, so you should enter quickly.
Nevertheless, God is Faithful, what He does for the Young, He will do for the Old.
He is an ever present help.
I pray that He will wholly sanctify us all.
God Bless
Nellie :-)

Hi ya all.....

before i post the verse i so dearly love to read i will share this with you all.

Beware the false prophets, and false teacehers......they will all tell you the same thing in one way or another "you cant be perfect"....

Dont be discouraged....7000 have not bowed to baal.

The King James Version (Authorized)
(2 Corinthians 7:1)

"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."

Here is another article and it's available on SI and written by a man named Aaron Hills. There's some online books written by him available here [url=http://www.raptureready.com/resource/hills/aaron_hills.html]Aaron Hills[/url].

Sanctified By Faith

"That they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among all them that are sanctified by faith in me." -- Acts 26:18.

God has through His Word announced many conditions of receiving the Spirit in sanctifying power.

1. -- There is the conviction of need. "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3).

2. -- Sorrow for not having received the Spirit before. "Blessed are they that mourn" (Matt. 5:4).

3. -- Praying for the Spirit. Luke 11:11: "How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

4. -- Obedience of a surrendered will. Acts 5:32: "The Holy Spirit given to them that obey him."

5. -- Hunger and thirst for the blessing. Matt. 5:6: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.

6. -- Consecration for it. "Present yourselves unto God" (Rom. 6:13 and 22:1).

7. -- Faith. "Sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:18). This is naturally and necessarily the last condition. Until the other conditions are met the soul is not on believing ground, not in the place where it can believe. But when all the preliminaries have been complied with, there is nothing left for the soul to do but to BELIEVE AND ENTER IN.

I. -- Jesus speaks authoritatively here of a second work of grace.

If there is any authoritative voice on matters of morals and religion in this world and during all the ages, it is when Jesus speaks. He had dwelt in the bosom of the Father before the world was created, and knew the secrets of eternity. Of all religious teachers He only could say: "I speak that which I do know, and testify that which I have seen."

Notice the doubles of statements in the context: "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But arise and stand on thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee (1) to appoint thee a minister (2) and a witness, (1) both of things wherein thou hast seen me, (2) and of the things wherein I shall appear unto thee; (1) delivering thee from the people (Jews) (2) and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, (1) to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light (2) and from the power of Satan unto God, (1) THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS (2) AND AN INHERITANCE AMONG ALL THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH THAT IS IN ME. Here are five pairs of statements. If the last pair does not teach two works of grace -- justification and sanctification -- it would be difficult for human speech to do it.

"But," say some, "talk about a second blessing! I have had a hundred blessings." We heard this very thing said with a smile before a large audience of ministers by a doctor of divinity and ex-missionary in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. The dear brother manifestly thought he was making a masterly and irresistible argument against a second work of grace.

Now it is doubtless true that that brother had been stirred by the breath of the Spirit moving upon his heart a hundred, yea, a thousand times. But that distinct epochal Pentecostal experience which the apostolic band received in that upper chamber, which so revolutionized and transformed their lives, is in the language of Wesley, "THE SECOND BLESSING, PROPERLY So CALLED," and no man who has received that blessing will ever speak lightly of it Pentecosts are not obtained So easily. The truth is, that Doctor of Divinity did not know what he was talking about, nor does any other man who speaks flippantly of "The baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire."

II. -- Notice it is received by faith.

On this matter there is a jargon of conflicting voices:

1. -- Some tell us that we get all the saving grace there is for us at conversion. There is nothing, they say, beyond regeneration and justification, but a lifelong struggle with inbred sin and continuous development in spiritual life. (a) It is a sufficient answer to this to point to Pentecost. The disciples there received a blessing they had never had before, which continued with them through all their eventful lives. (b) Christians, but never sinners, are often exhorted and commanded to seek and obtain this experience of sanctification. (c) Uncounted multitudes through all the Christian centuries, after being regenerated, have sought and obtained this sanctifying grace.

2. -- Others say we get it BY GROWTH. But this cleansing by growth is nowhere taught in Scripture, and there is no recorded example of it in the Bible or out of it. The hearts of the one hundred and twenty in the upper chamber were cleansed in the twinkling of an eye by the Holy Ghost.

3. -- Others still tell us that we get the deliverance from inward sin AT DEATH, or by death. Now all instructed teachers will admit that the grace of God may be given at death to all justified souls, otherwise prepared for heaven, who have not knowingly and willfully rejected sanctification. The light may then break on longing eyes that have never been purposely closed to it.

But death itself has no essential relation to the blessing. God may bestow it an hour, or a day, or a year, or fifty years before death, as easily as in the moment of transition from this world to the next, if the soul is only willing and prepared to receive it. It is nothing but a theological fiction that "SIN IS A NECESSITY," and that we must be cursed by it "daily" as long as we live. Nothing can possibly be more unreasonable or more contradictory to the holy Word.

4. -- The Roman Catholic Church puts the blessing further away, and teaches that we are sanctified BY PURGATORY. That is not the teaching of the Bible.

God said under oath that "we should serve Him IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS ALL OUR DAYS" (Luke 1:73-75). Jesus says in our text that we are sanctified BY FAITH instantaneously. It is not theory with Christ. He knows.

III. -- What is the nature of sanctifying faith?

1. -- It is a clear intellectual apprehension of a great truth. There is indeed a great truth as the basis of all rational faith on any subject; for rational faith is not credulity. On this particular subject there must be an apprehension of the fall of man and the consequent depravity of the race, from which every son and daughter of Adam needs to be cleansed. Evolutionists flatly deny all this; but the whole Bible states or assumes this fact, and bases the whole plan of salvation upon it. This truth must be known and accepted.

2. -- It must be accepted as true that Christ's baptism with the Holy Spirit is the remedy for us by the atonement. This is why we are told that "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate" (Heb. 13:12 and 10:10, and .Eph. 5:25).

But we are as plainly told that the work is accomplished by the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire (Matt. 3:11; Mal. 3:3). "Giving them the Holy Ghost . . . cleansing their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:8, 9).

3. -- It is a heart-faith. Not only the intellect but the whole moral nature is involved in it, intellect, sensibility and will. Moody said: "Saving faith involves assent, consent, and laying hold." Dr. Whedon says: "Saving faith is that belief of the intellect, consent of the affections and act of the will by which the soul places itself in the keeping of Christ as its Ruler and Savior."

4. -- Saving faith involves a ceasing from labor. Our own efforts end. In rescuing a drowning man, an experienced swimmer waits till the man ceases to struggle. Faith is a self-committal of the whole matter of salvation to God, a sinking of self down into Him and resting there.

When Blondin, the famous tight-rope gymnast, proposed to wheel a man in a wheelbarrow across Niagara Falls, he asked Blondin what he should do. "Do?" said Blondin, "do nothing but lie in the barrow like a dead man. I will take you over." And Blondin did it. So when a soul seeks sanctification, it complies with all the preliminary conditions which precede faith. Then faith CONFIDENTLY TRUSTS, WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OF FEELING, THAT GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE AND SANCTIFIES. God never fails such a believing heart. He does it.

I love it.
I've been hungering and thirsting for this Blessing.
God will not fail me.
The Bible says that when we hunger and thirst after Righteousness, we shall be filled.
I want to go record and say,
I believe in Sanctification through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Though the promise tarry, I wait for it, for I know God will not fail me.
His Blessings to you all,
Nellie

My dear brother Ormly. I apologize for the length in the posts. :-)

As for me on this issue of sanctification?

I believe in "entire sanctification" (full sanctification, being sanctified wholly, entering into perfect love, etc.) and believe it's a doctrine that has been largely dormant, even among those who are avowed "holiness" for at least most of my life.

It's a work done as Sister Nellie by the blood of Jesus through the working of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification requires that we actually surrender everything fully to Jesus. The Lord is still dealing with me on a number of things.

For example, if "my" time is no longer mine and he wakes me up to pray, can He wake me up when He chooses? That's just an example but he is dealing with my heart about particular areas of my life until they're fully surrendered.

I surely covet your prayers, regardless of your particular view on this issue. It's a very critical time in my walk with the Lord. I'm trusting Jesus to bring me through.

habubkuk......

praise God my dear brother.....

God commands it.

Jesus lived it.

the law could not do it.

but grace can do it.

nothing short of it is expected.

keep longing for it.

keep praying for it.

you can have it.

believe and you will posses it.

God bless u!

Thank you all for the words of encouragement!

Here is a delightful quote from Samuel Chadwick's "The Call to Christian Perfection" available here [url=http://www.raptureready.com/resource/chadwick/chadwick19.html]The Call[/url].

He wills that I should holy be,
That holiness I long to feel;
That full divine conformity
To all my Saviour's righteous will.
See, Lord, the travail of Thy soul
Accomplished in the change of mine,
And plunge me, every whit made whole,
In all the depths of love divine.

On Thee, O God, my soul is stayed,
And waits to prove Thine utmost will;
The promise, by Thy mercy made,
Thou canst, Thou wilt, in me fulfill.

Now let Thy Spirit bring me in,
And give Thy servant to possess
The land of rest from inbred sin,
The land of perfect holiness.

Lord, I believe Thy power the same,
The same Thy truth and grace endure;
And in Thy blessed hands I am,
And trust Thee for a perfect cure.

Come, Saviour, come, and make me whole!
Entirely all my sins remove;
To perfect health restore my soul,
To perfect holiness and love.