THE TRUE TEACHING OF COMPLETE SANCTIFICATION Part 2

The wisdom of the fathers

THE TRUE TEACHING OF COMPLETE SANCTIFICATON Part 2

There is nothing on earth but the opposition of the carnal mind to the divine way of doing things. This is God's method of purifying the heart. He does it Himself. In like manner men resisted the faith theory of justification in Luther's time, and so men oppose the faith theory of an instantaneous sanctification today. But it will yet be seen on earth, as it will be perfectly known in heaven, that the ''Second Blessing Theory," so often ridiculed and assailed, is God' s way of sanctifying the soul.

The ridicule hurled at it is no indication of its not being true, for it stands in good company in the matter of an undeserved obloquy. So the multitude jeered at Christ on the cross. So men laugh at the Bible, and at the doctrines of the Resurrection and the Final Judgment. And so have I seen them laugh at revival meetings when the Holy Ghost was saving people and they were shouting the praises of God.

Man mocked at Pentecost, and continue to ridicule the truth and work of God. A minister said in the preachers' meeting of a large western city that "he was convinced that the whole second blessing movement was born in hell.·' There was not a preacher present who enjoyed the blessing of sanctification. Most of them were skeptical in regard to the matter, and were trying to keep it out of their churches; but at this fearful remark there was a chorus of protesting voices from the entire body: "No, no, brother; don't say that!"

The speech of the excited man bordered wonderfully near to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. To say that the holiness movement, inspired and swept onward by the Holy Spirit, is a work born in hell is frightfully similar to the utterance of the angry Jews when Christ by the power of the Spirit cast out devils in their presence. They said He did it by the power of Beelzebub, locating the power and origin of the miracle in hell. It, was then Jesus turned and said: "The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven.'' This He said, Mark writes, ''because they said He had an unclean spirit.'' They gave a divine work a hellish origin.

(from "Sanctified Life" by Rev. Carradine)