ABSURDITIES

The wisdom of the fathers

ABSURDITIES

As rational beings, then, we must accept this doctrine of entire sanctification as a revealed truth of God, and hold that "Jesus is ABLE to save ALL to the UTTERMOST, or we must hold to the following ABSURDITIES:

1. That God of choice induces imperfect, when he might just as well induce perfect, moral and spiritual purity.

2. That Jesus "abides" in believers who are filled with ''warring lusts" and constantly "sinning in thought, word, and deed," when he might render their hearts and beings clean temples of the Holy Ghost.

3. That Jesus, though "ABLE to save to the uttermost" and "sanctify wholly" his seeking, willing children, yet prefers to "dwell in them" and "walk with them," while they do not "separate themselves nor "cleanse themselves from all defilement of flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

4. That Jesus came to be not only our righteousness (justification) but our "sanctification," and he has "all power," to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," yet when we come with agonizing hearts pleading to be "sanctified wholly," he will not do it, preferring to have us remain in sin,

5. That Jesus taught that our heavenly Father was more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him than are earthly parents to give bread to hungry children -- that Spirit that can ''purify our hearts," and "cause us to keep his commandments and do them," yet when we plead for the baptism with the Spirit, our Father in heaven will not send him, preferring to have us remain uncleansed and disobedient.

6. That God commands us to be holy, a command which he knows, with all possible grace to help, we never can keep -- thus making himself an unjust tyrant.

7. That God declares that "he is able to make all grace to abound," and "my grace is sufficient," when it is not sufficient, and we are under the painful necessity of sinning "daily, in thought, word, and deed " -- thus making himself a liar before the universe.

8. That Jesus prayed for our sanctification, and Paul prayed, "Now the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly " -- prayers that never were or can be answered.

9. That all the promises that we may be "sanctified" and "partakers of the Divine nature~" are mock promises.

10. That the "witness of the Holy Ghost" to the sanctification of believers is all untrue.

11. But I forbear. There is absolutely no end to these absurdities to which a man is driven who rejects this truth. As for myself, I prefer to reject all these absurdities, and open my whole being to the joyful truth that we have a Saviour both ABLE and WILLING to "save to the uttermost," and a "Holy Spirit waiting and longing to purify our hearts" and "fill us with all the fullness of God."

(from "Holiness and Power" by Aaron Merritt Hills)