Dead to the World, Sin, and Self

The Bible sets forth clear descriptions of those that are sanctified wholly. The sanctified Christian is dead to the world, dead to sin, and dead to self. The below is from Rev. Boardman's book, "Scriptural Death Route Holiness."

DEAD TO THE WORLD

The true Christian maintains daily an attitude of deadness to the WORLD and everything in the world which is contrary to the Spirit of the Triune Godhead and the Holy Scriptures. From the beginning of Paul's Christian life on the Damascus road, to its conclusion by Caesar's edict in Rome, he maintained: "...the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). The love of the world in the heart MUST be slain, or Christ will be constrained to depart. The worldly spirit and the Holy Spirit can never be reconciled.

BLJ: I fear that worldliness so pervades the church in America that it renders it powerless, incapable of evangelizing, and reduces it to no more than a social club. For example, do people spend more time getting ready for church in their external appearance, e.g. hair, dress, make up, etc. than they do getting ready spiritually for church, e.g. prayer and fasting? Is the church a social club, e.g. food, fun and fellowship, words that suggest the church has become a worldly institution that wants everyone to enjoy themselves but never mentioning sin. 

DEAD TO SIN

The true Christian maintains a "death-route" rejection of SIN in his life. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin..." (Rom. 6:11). Also, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:6). "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom. 6:2).

BLJ: If you are in sin, you are not a candidate for sanctification. You are a candidate for salvation. Once the sin issue as been dealt with as far as acts of sin, you are eligible to begin the process of seeking to be entirely sanctified.

DEAD TO SELF

Furthermore, the true Christian will maintain a "death-dealing" attitude toward SELF. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews contains a great list of worthies who were totally dead to SELF. The account climaxes with this majestic eulogy: "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were

tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented...they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" (Heb. 11:37-38).

The great majority of professed Christians, even in the holiness ranks, when coming face to face with their own carnal state, and their own execution, have backed down and sought an easier way. They made a little shallow consecration, shed a few "crocodile tears," took it by faith and went on professing an experience of grace which was never real in their own hearts. They actually experienced neither the thorough killing of their carnal ego, nor the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. It's a bitter trip and an agonizing death to old self, but there's none sweeter when it is finally consummated in the glorious experience of Perfect Love, with the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Rom. 6:5).

BLJ: Having preached a number of holiness revivals, I have seen people come to the altar, cry a bit, and make a profession of holiness, only to never walk on the highway of holiness. They return revival after revival to become seekers, but never paying the price to die all the way out and enter into holiness. Dying to self is generally unpleasant and most people just don't want to pay the price.

DEATH-ROUTE RENDEZVOUS

I had a rendezvous with death
In a revival many years ago;
Old Carnal self was crucified,
And received the final killing blow! My friend, has this death come to you? Or did you fail your rendezvous?
I had a rendezvous with God;
Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
This Triune One is now in charge!
He was my Guest, but now He is my Host! My friend, does He have full charge of you? Or did you fail your rendezvous?
I had a rendezvous with death --
To the world and self and sin I dared to die! I threw my bankrupt heart's door open then, And let Him come, old self to crucify!
My friend, is this death real to you?
Or did you fail your rendezvous?
Soon one more glad rendezvous with Christ,
As the rapture of the church draws near!
In the clouds, when the "zero hour" strikes,
Like lightning rends the sky, HE shall appear!
My friend, your lamp must then be filled and burning too Or you will forever fail your rendezvous!
-- L. S. B. --

"I loathe myself when God I see And into nothing fall;

Content that Christ exalted be; And God is all in all."