The Holiness Of God Pdf Download

[Armanda Kicks]

The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism,[1] and to a lesser extent influenced other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism.[2][3] The movement is historically distinguished by its emphasis on the doctrine of a second work of grace,[4][5] which is called entire sanctification or Christian perfection.[6][7] The word Holiness refers specifically to the belief in entire sanctification as a definite, second work of grace, in which original sin is cleansed, the heart is made perfect in love, and the believer is empowered to serve God. Churches aligned with the holiness movement additionally teach that the Christian life should be free of sin.[8][9] For the Holiness movement, "the term 'perfection' signifies completeness of Christian character; its freedom from all sin, and possession of all the graces of the Spirit, complete in kind."[10] A number of Christian denominations, parachurch organizations, and movements emphasize those Holiness beliefs as central doctrine.[11][12]

The Holiness movement believes that the "second work of grace" (or "second blessing") refers to a personal experience subsequent to regeneration, in which the believer is cleansed from original sin.[15] It was actually upon this doctrine, the attainment of complete freedom from sin, that the movement was built.[16]

"In this line of thinking, a person is first saved, at which point he is justified and born again. Following this, he experiences a period of growth...This ultimately culminates in a second work of grace whereby the Holy Spirit cleanses his heart of original sin, eradicating all inbred sin. The Holy Spirit then imparts His indwelling presence, empowering the believer...This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It happens instantaneously as the believer presents himself or herself as a living sacrifice to God with an attitude of full consecration," and faith.[17]

"Entire Sanctification... is that great work wrought subsequent to regeneration, by the Holy Ghost, upon the sole condition of faith...such faith being preceded by an act of solemn and complete consecration. This work has these distinct elements:

"We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect. It is wrought by the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service. Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by grace through faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness."

This experience of entire sanctification or Perfection is generally identified with the filling of or the baptism of the Holy Ghost.[15] As such, entire sanctification is also known in the Holiness Methodist tradition as Baptism with the Holy Spirit. In Pentecostalism, this term carries a different meaning.[7][22] John Swanel Inskip, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, explained, "There is, however, one doctrine, in a great measure peculiar to Methodism. It is that, in which we teach the possibility of man attaining a state of grace in the present life, in which he will be made free from sin."[23]

Reflecting this inward holiness, Holiness Methodists, who make up the bulk of the Holiness Movement, have emphasized the Wesleyan-Arminian doctrine outward holiness, which includes practices such as the wearing of modest clothing and not using profanity in speech. Holiness Quakers have emphasized the Friends teaching on testimony of simplicity. Holiness Anabaptists, such as Holiness River Brethren and Holiness Mennonites, have upheld their belief in nonconformity to the world.[24] Baptists who have embraced the second work of grace have founded their own denominations, such as the Ohio Valley Association of the Christian Baptist Churches of God. The Original Church of God and the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. were founded by Baptist ministers, including Charles W. Gray and Charles Price Jones, who embraced the doctrine of entire sanctification.

Holiness adherents also hold to a distinctive definition of (actual) sin. They believe that "only conscious sins are truly sins."[25] Historian Charles Jones explained, "Believing that sin was conscious disobedience to a known law of God, holiness believers were convinced that the true Christian, having repented of every known act of sin, did not and could not willfully sin again and remain a Christian."[26] Historian Benjamin Pettit described the approach of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement as:

In his study of this question, Caleb Black concluded that "the consensus understanding of sin in the Holiness tradition is that sin is an avoidable, voluntary, morally responsible act that those born of God do not commit."[28] Put simply, Holiness adherents adhere to the definition of sin, as explained by Wesley himself.

"Nothing is sin, strictly speaking, but a voluntary transgression of a known law of God. Therefore, every voluntary breach of the law of love is sin; and nothing else, if we speak properly. To strain the matter farther is only to make way for Calvinism."[29]

Dr. Timothy Cooley explained, "If this definition is compromised, victorious Christian living becomes meaningless, and entire sanctification an impossibility."[30] "The definition and consequences of sin are a key theological distinctive of the Holiness Movement as it underlies their entire theological system. To differ on the conception of sin is to destroy the foundation of holiness theology."[28]

Harry Jessop warns "It should ever be born in mind that believers cannot commit sin without forfeiting justification."[33] The founder of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), D. S. Warner, explains "Holiness writers and teachers, as far as my knowledge extends, uniformly hold up a sinless life, as the true test and Bible standard of regeneration."[8] This doctrine follows in the footsteps of Wesley who wrote If a believer wilfully sins, he casts away his faith. Neither is it possible he should have justifying faith again, without previously repenting."[34]

Holiness groups believe the moral aspects of the law of God are pertinent for today, and expect their adherents to obey behavioral rules.[35] Consequently, members of the Holiness movement readily apply Scriptural lifestyle commands to their lives, and view them as generally binding today, and apply these principles in numerous different ways.[36] "Holiness churches have been distinguished from other churches by their more careful lifestyle. Many churches and denominations in the Holiness movement prohibit smoking, drinking, dancing, listening to inappropriate worldly music, or wearing makeup or flashy clothes."[37]

Christian denominations aligned with the holiness movement all share a belief in the doctrine of Christian perfection (entire sanctification). Apart from this, denominations identified with the holiness movement differ on several issues, given that there are Methodist, Quaker, Anabaptist and Restorationist churches that comprise the holiness movement and these denominations have unique doctrines and theologies.[38] Methodist denominations that are a part of the holiness movement, such as the Free Methodist Church or Missionary Methodist Church, affirm the celebration of the sacraments, chiefly Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Denominations of the Quaker tradition, such as the Central Yearly Meeting of Friends, are entirely non-sacramental.[38]

Anabaptist denominations aligned with the holiness movement, such as the Apostolic Christian Church, teach the observance of ordinances, such as communion, headcovering and footwashing.[39] While the Methodist denominations of the holiness movement hold to church membership, such as the Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church, the concept of membership rolls is rejected in holiness denominations of a Restorationist background, such as the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana).[40]

Though it became a multi-denominational movement over time and was furthered by the Second Great Awakening which energized churches of all stripes,[41] the bulk of Holiness movement has its roots in John Wesley and Methodism.[42]

The Holiness movement traces their roots back to John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Fletcher, and the Methodists of the 18th century. The Methodists of the 19th century continued the interest in Christian holiness that had been started by their founder, John Wesley in England.[43] They continued to publish Wesley's works and tracts, including his famous A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. From 1788 to 1808, the entire text of A Plain Account was placed in the Discipline manual of the Methodist Episcopal Church (U.S.), and numerous persons in early American Methodism professed the experience of entire sanctification, including Bishop Francis Asbury. The Methodists during this period placed a strong emphasis on holy living, and their concept of entire sanctification.

Two major Holiness leaders during this period were Methodist preacher Phoebe Palmer and her husband, Dr. Walter Palmer. In 1835, Palmer's sister, Sarah A. Lankford, started holding Tuesday Meetings for the Promotion of Holiness in her New York City home. In 1837, Palmer experienced what she called entire sanctification and had become the leader of the Tuesday Meetings by 1839. At first only women attended these meetings, but eventually Methodist bishops and hundreds of clergy and laymen began to attend as well. At the same time, Methodist minister Timothy Merritt of Boston founded a journal called the Guide to Christian Perfection, later renamed The Guide to Holiness. This was the first American periodical dedicated exclusively to promoting the doctrine of Christian holiness.[46] In 1865, the Palmers purchased The Guide which at its peak had a circulation of 30,000. In New York City, Palmer met with Amanda Smith, a preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who testified that she became entirely sanctified in 1868 and then began to preach Christian holiness throughout the world.[44]

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