The Old Man's Child: Jealousy

BLJ: While the title states it is a "Miss," do not think that men do not harbor this carnal trait any less than women, probably more! This trait can be hidden from most, but in the heart, it speaks its deadly poison. To be envy or jealous of another leads to a most unhappy life. Thank God that He has provided a means to rid us of all our carnal traits through entire sanctification.

THE OLD MAN'S CHILDREN -- MISS ENVY JEALOUSY

You certainly want to get introduced to Mr. Old Man's next daughter, Miss Envy Jealousy. She has certain prominent traits by which she may be distinguished from her various sisters. You will notice a very greenish cast in her eyes. She is grieved over the happiness and success of others. She is absolutely unable to love others as herself. In fact, she calls that rank fanaticism. She selfishly begrudges the enjoyment of those around her. She is unfriendly toward those who are prospering and are exalted to higher positions than she can attain. She cherishes a hearty ill will toward these. She has a very strong feeling of ill will against those who are intruding upon what she calls her rights. This ill will frequently leads to hatred, wrath and even murder. In the further study of this, you will learn more about Miss Envy Jealousy.

Strange to say of one of such character, Miss Envy Jealousy is a great churchgoer, and like her brothers and sisters is found not only in the pew, but also in the pulpit. She fills any office in the realm of the church, from the very lowest office of the local church to the highest office of the general connection. She is very busy in the interests of her father, Mr. Old Man, and of her grandfather, Mr. Devil. It would be hard to find a more loyal daughter than she. By her good (?) reputation in the church she can the more easily carry out the plans of her relatives and work havoc to the cause of God.

She is very wise in her work. Being such an apt mixer, she causes many compromises in the church. Preacher Man-fear Is afraid to resist her. And even Sliding Elder, Love-of-praise, must often bow to her tyranny to hold his place of popularity She is strongly opposed to preachers who preach the Word. When the Word is preached in the power of the Spirit she often gets restless, turns pale, and often even faints. At these times Dr. Delusion must give her strong opiates of false security to keep her from realizing her true condition. As you can imagine, she is radically opposed to and cruelly persecutes those who preach a salvation that saves to the uttermost.

Regardless of her strongest protests, we will study her character as revealed in the Word of God. And the first charge that we bring against this daughter of the Old Man is that she caused the sufferings and death of Jesus upon the cross. The chief priests hated Jesus' because they thought the people were turning to Him. Mark 15:10 says of them, "For he (Pilate,) knew that the chief priests had delivered him (Jesus) for envy." Envy leads to murder. Any heart that envies may, under certain provocations, commit the most cold-blooded murders known to man.

Let churches take warning. Miss Envy Jealousy is causing confusion, strife, divisions, etc., that are blasting the life of the church. "Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." No wonder that we have so much strife, so many divisions, so much confusion, so

much evil work." Of too many it might be said, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." Let us give good heed to the exhortation: "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." The Word says of such, "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal . . . . ?" Oh, that we would take warning from the counsel of God. "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; BUT WHO IS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE ENVY?" Yea, "Envy is as the rottenness of the bones." Is it any wonder that this "rottenness of the bones" is causing such a stench in the nostrils of purity? This picture is enough to turn one's stomach. Right in the church, envy, "the rottenness of the bones", in all its loathsomeness is generating the stench of hell. No wonder Paul wrote the church at Corinth: "For I fear . . . lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults." "For jealousy is the rage of a man.

Some things that reveal the presence of Miss Envy Jealousy. 

True statements from testimonies:
Envious or jealous of others OVER THEIR
Living in town Beautiful hands Leadership
Name coming first Experience
Having means to travel Being invited to a home Standing with the boss Pastor
Call to work
Popularity
Prosperity in wickedness
Beautiful homes
Being mother's pet
Standing in the church, home, or society Short dresses
Boy or girl friend
Preaching
Singing
Talents
Education
Good position
Money and ease
Curly hair, beauty, fine clothes
Autos
Companions
(And just dozens more!)
Some of the brothers and sisters of Miss Envy Jealousy:

Murder Hatred Adultery Malice Fornication Backbiting Cruelty Drunkenness

The Old Man's Child: Anger

BLJ: Anger is fully present in the carnal heart. It will lie dormant until provoked. People that "took it by faith" will think that they are sanctified because they believe the anger is gone. Then, upon provocation, the anger rises up and explodes. The old man was not dead, only hiding. How many church problems have been created or exacerbated because of carnal anger in the heart. I asked a preacher once, "Why do you want to keep that thing inside of you?" The response, "I don't believe we can be delivered from anger in this life." My response, "You need a bigger God!  You need the infilling of the Holy Ghost that sanctifies wholly."

THE OLD MAN'S CHILDREN -- ANGER

Let us now meet one of Mr. Old Man's most fully grown sons, his overgrown son, Anger. He is easily recognized. His traits are so outstanding and so well known that there is little difficulty in knowing him wherever he appears. His outward appearance is contrastive to that of his sisters, Pride and Miff Tree.

He is outspoken, red-faced, rough in his ways, has fiery eyes, well-developed feet and fists, a well-sharpened tongue, has a powerful muscular system, etc., etc. Notwithstanding these traits, he is of one heart and blood with his sisters, Pride and Miff Tree. They are known to love one another greatly. He is indeed very proud of them and they are proud of him. All get their distinguishing traits from their father, the very popular and famous citizen of the land of sin, Mr. Old Man. Sometimes they all go out to church together. This affords father Old Man great pleasure as he sits in the best pew or in the Amen Corner, or stands in the pulpit and watches his children in their church activities.

Anger, in its root meaning, has the thought of a pent-up state or condition. May be likened to the condition of the inside of a mountain before the eruption of lava takes place. How true is this of the natural human heart! And how often the eruption does take place right in the home, in society, in the church. Mr. Old Man uses his beloved son Anger in openly opposing the work of God. He delights in destroying the peace of the home, of social meetings, of the church. He is very apt in the work of cursing, of cruelty to man and beast, of hatred, of scandal, of murder. Mr. Anger breaks up homes, fills prisons, maims children, splits up churches and helps to populate hell. He is not only a favorite of his father, Mr. Old Man, but also of his grandfather, Mr. Devil.

Certainly the disposition of Mr. Anger, like his sisters, Pride and Miff Tree, is contrary to the spirit of love. Anger has the spirit of ill will, of hate, of revenge, of murder. This child of the Old Man is a foe of the Bible. He greatly hates for us to read: "In their anger they slew a man . . . .

cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel." -- Gen. 49:6,7. Also he has a cruel hatred for Eph. 4:31 because this condemns him and some of his beloved brothers. "Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."

He has a hearty grudge against these words of holy writ, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath." He shows off also in a spirit that gratifies his father, when one preaches from the text: "But now ye al so put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." He has declared war on all who preach the Word without fear and favor. And has a special hatred for those who preach that his father should be put to death.

Some traits that show Mr. Anger. True statements from verified testimonies. Manifested anger 
WHEN

The cow kicked
The hogs got out
The hogs rooted up the garden
The car would not start
The mule balked
Called a liar
Food was scorched
Clean floor was tracked
The cake would not rise
Dinner was late
Called in the morning
The horse would not follow the row Sister would not mind me
The plow struck a rock
Husband invited the preacher to dinner Auto stuck in the mud
My car was abused
The boss wronged me
Neighbor's cows got into my field
The same preacher came back
Sent to the hard scrabble circuit
The debts were not paid
Calves would not drink
I was contradicted
My friend went out with a rival Mother was partial
Brother had the larger piece of pie Had to work instead of going fishing Cats got on the table
Friend took all the cream off the milk Binder would not work

Ax was dull
The hen would not sit
(These are just a few of the many manifestations of anger. Perhaps you can add to the list.)

The Old Man's Child: Miss Miff Tree or Pout

BLJ: I have seen this carnal child in every church I attended or pastored. I once had a church member get so upset when a visitor sat in "their seat" that she threatened to leave if I didn't ask the visitor to move. I told her she needed to get sanctified and that really sent her up the miff tree! I have seen ministers who had not died to their ministry and if they did not receive a position or title, up the tree they went. Carnality is ugly.


THE OLD MAN'S CHILDREN -- MISS MIFF TREE OR POUT

Another very thriving child of the Old Man's family is daughter Miss "Pout" or "Miff
Tree." You can usually tell this child from the rest of the family by certain traits. The lips are usually thrust out the face often has a sullen look, the breast often swells out with self-sufficiency resembling a peacock or turkey gobbler (in this respect you must look very closely not to confuse her with Pride). Or in stead of a swelling up there may be a shriveling up like an dried apple, or an old potato late in the spring.

This child may be found in every church. She is a great church goer. You will find her in the pew and in the pulpit. Yes, there she comes as special singer, or organist, or Sunday School teacher, or member of the official board, or church boss, or steward, or janitor, or preacher, or evangelist, or camp meeting leader, or district superintendent, or missionary, or ? ?

She must be petted and humored to get her to work. Her name must always head the list. She must have the best pew in the church, must be asked first to sing, or play, or teach, or preach. Must have the best church in the conference, must be looked up to (woe to the one who fails to accord her the proper dignity, honor and praise). She is easily offended; and if you are not careful, instead of praying around the altar, or singing, or preaching, or pushing the battle when the hard pull comes, she will be perched top in the miff tree, taking it easy, fanning herself and saying, "Let them get along the best they can. They don't appreciate one anyway. They will know it when I help them again."

The Old Man is very fond of this child; in fact, she is one of his pets. And she is very partial to him. They are great chums. The Old Man can use her where her brothers Anger or Fury or Murder or Adultery could not work at all in killing a church, or a camp meeting, etc. She is a good mixer and can work where her brothers would fail. She has such a good reputation and standing right in the church. This enables her to work great havoc to the cause of God where others would fail. While she is the pet of her father, the Old Man, the Bible is her dreaded foe. In fact, she loses all her liberty and vainglory when she meets the Sword of the Spirit. There is one blade of the sword that simply robs her of all her joy and peace. When meeting this blade, she has to run to her father for consolation and comfort. That particular blade that causes her so much trouble is, "GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHICH LOVE THY LAW: AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM." Now, this blade simply robs her of all joy and peace until she despairs of her life. And she would give up and die were it not for the dope that her father, the Old Man, injects into her veins when she has a sinking spell. Another blade that gives her heart these sinking spells is, "Charity (Love) is not provoked," She can bear this blade with some comfort when it contains the word "easily." But when this word is left out, as in the Original Greek, her heart simply fails her. And only the most powerful injections from her father, the famous Dr. Old Man, can keep her heart going. If she could only escape from her father, she would go off and die. She did go to a great camp meeting and went to the altar to die, but her sister, Good Reputation, succeeded in deceiving her by making her believe she was dead. Professing to be dead, she went back home but those who live with her and know her best declare that, like the possum, she does not seem to be very dead under certain circumstances.

Some details that manifested the Miss Miff Tree experience. These traits are taken from personal testimony. You may find your picture here.

Went up the Miff Tree WHEN
Not invited to preach
My name did not head the list 
Not asked to pray
Not asked to sing
Not elected to office
Scolded
Bossed
Not given the best church 
Asked to wash dishes 
Unnoticed
Lied about
Unjustly criticized
Not asked first
Punished
Told of my faults
Slurred
Some one else was praised
I had the hardest work

Others infringed on my rights 
I could not be boss
I was teased
My car was used
People did not bring things back
I could not drive
My friend went with another person 
Dinner was not ready
Clean floor was tracked
Told how to do my work 
Falsely accused
I had to wait for my wife
I could not be in the chorus 
Another was advanced over me

The Old Man's Child of Pride

BLJ: Pride will send more people to hell. Pride creates more problems in the church. Pride creates contentions and strife. Pride is destructive and must be dealt with. Pride in the individual must be eradicated from the heart. This will occur in entire sanctification. 

THE OLD MAN'S CHILDREN -- MISS PRIDE

"It is hard to say, whether self-will or pride be the more fatal distemper. It is chiefly pride that threw down so many stars of Heaven and turned angels into devils."

From the study of the Greek root words, referring to pride, we get a deep insight into the meaning of this hearty, robust, and thriving daughter of the Old Man. We get the thought of swelling up like a balloon being inflated with gas, of appearing above others, of rising up (in conceit, pomp) feeling above others, self-exaltation, etc. It is a feeling of superiority over others on account of our possessions, talents, education, attainments, looks, etc. This is contrary to love, which is always lowly and humble. It is "an evil disease which every human soul brings into the world with him." Yea, every human heart, in its natural state, manifests, more or less, of the strut, of inflation, of self-exaltation, of vain conceit. All have noticed this strut in preachers, singers, mothers, fathers, yea, in all classes and ages.

The Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, is the unsparing revealer and foe of Miss Pride. It needs must be. She is against love, against God, against Heaven. Any one with an honest heart needs but to study the following Scriptures to make war on Miss Pride, the daughter of Mr. Old Man.
"Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord." -- Prov. 16:5. "An high look, and a proud heart . . . . is sin." -- Prov. 21:4.

"He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife." -- Prov. 28:25.
"ONLY BY PRIDE cometh contention." -- Prov. 13:10.

This proves that all contention, all strife, all fusses, all divisions of a carnal nature come from Miss Pride. In the home, in the church, in camp meetings, etc., etc., all of these things spring forth from her. No wonder that Jeremiah said, "But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in the secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears." -- Jer. 18:17.

Seeing that all of these divisions, strifes, envies, wrangles, hard feelings, evil speakings, backbitings, church fusses, all discord among brethren etc., come from Miss Pride -- that they are her large and thriving family -- it is no wonder that she is named first in God's list of the seven great abominations. "These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." -- Prov. 6:16-19.

In a study of Romans 1:29-81, we find that some of the brothers and sisters of Miss Pride are: Mr. Fornication, Mr. Maliciousness, Miss Covetousness, Miss Envy, Mr. Murder, Mr. Malignity, Mr. Boaster, Mr. Hater of God, etc.
Miss Pride causes many a fall. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." -- Prov. 16:18.
She binds her victims with chains. "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain." -- Ps. 73:6.
She deceives her devotees. "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee." -- Obadiah 3.
Miss Pride is going to receive severe judgment. "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud shall be stubble: shall burn . . . . saith the Lord." -- Mal. 4:1.

Some details that manifested pride in the heart. These are taken from personal testimonies. These are a few of the things that caused the strut, the puffed up heart, the feeling of superiority, etc. is your picture here?

PROUD OVER MY
Morality
Family and home Education
Ability and talents Singing
Preaching
Clothes

Eyes, hair, feet, teeth High grades
Good position
Fine auto
Farm
Memory and brain
Self-sufficiency
Baby
Girl friend
Leadership
Reputation
Great success
Father's high position
Friends
(Too proud to notice the poor, the ignorant, the uncultured people) (Too proud to wash dishes, or mop floors, or shovel coal, or do any kind of rough, hard or dirty work,
etc.)

God's Remedy for the Old Man

BLJ: The only remedy for the old man is found in the atonement. It is not a matter of human effort or trying harder. It is about eradication, that is removal, of the old man. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ washes away our sins (things we do) and sin (our sin nature, the old man, that is carnality). 

GOD'S REMEDY FOR THE OLD MAN

"God is love." Love may be grieved, but loves still. Though grieved to the very depths of His great loving heart, God did not forsake man when he fell. Let Heaven and earth proclaim, "GOD IS LOVE." Love holds on when all else fails. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'' "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly . . . . God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood . . . . be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Through the loving sacrifice of the Father, the Atonement has been made. Through His exceeding riches in glory by Christ Jesus, provision has been made for triumphant victory for every soul. All who will may come to Jesus, and, through Him, have victory -- triumphant victory -- over all his enemies in life and in death, in time and in eternity. Glory be to our God and to the Lamb for ever and ever! Amen! Were it not for the marvelous grace and love of God, man would be absolutely helpless and hopeless. ''God is love.'' The Father love of God constrains Him to love man with an everlasting love, and to draw him with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

Redeemed men ought to make Heaven ring throughout eternity with shouts of glory over God's grace, His great grace, His riches of grace, His exceeding riches of grace.

The only remedy for sin is the Atonement. "The Atonement is the satisfaction made for sin by the sufferings and death of Christ, whereby salvation is made possible to man." Only through the Atonement can God retain His justice and holiness and forgive man. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." By nature, "There is none righteous, no, not one." The exceeding sinfulness of sin is manifested by every son of Adam. Yea, even children of tender days manifest the sinful tendency and total depravity of the natural human heart. Who can deny that the heart of man is hopelessly wicked and defiled? Who of sound mind cannot see that man's only hope is the Atonement? Experience joins witness with the Bible that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately (that is, absolutely, hopelessly) wicked." Every one having the glory of entering Heaven will be able to sing, from the depths of his heart, to the praise of the Lamb of God, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals there of: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." God's remedy for sin is the Atonement. The only way to deal with the old man is through the sufferings and death of Christ, the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

Fourth Bible Study: Idolatry Established

The lesson today is from 1 Kings 12: 25-33. Last Sunday we saw that the kingdom became divided. Ten tribes rebelled against Rehoboam., left him, and chose Jeroboam to be their king. Jeroboam was a man of great ability, and had experience in managing the affairs of government. Moreover, he had been given special promises by God. However the promises were conditional on his obedience: "hearken unto all that I command thee." The lesson today deals with Jeroboam's failure to keep God's commands. The result was idolatry. Nine times in the books of 1 and 2 Kings, we read the phrase, "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin." What a legacy! What a tragic failure! Today we study some of the steps that led to that idolatry and the warning for us in our life.

The first section is "Carnal Reasoning" vv. 25-27. Jeroboam felt insecure in his new kingdom. He built new sanctuaries, enlarged the city of Shechem, which was the center of the northern ten tribes. As soon as he had fortified one city, he went out to build other fornications. Even with all the building and planning, Jeroboam still did not feel secure. He was afraid that if the people of the northern tribes traveled back to Jerusalem for the required feasts three times a year, they might seek to reunite with Judah (the southern two tribes) and he would be in danger of losing his life. Therefore, Jeroboam devised what he thought was a clever measure to counteract the tendency to reunite with Judah. He started a new religion in order to keep the status quo. He was able to keep the breach between the two kingdoms for many years. Jeroboam's reasoning was carnal. It was selfish, prideful and demonstrates a lust for power. While his plans were successful, he forfeited the promise and favor of God. He cultivated idolatry among the people and this led to their moral downfall. No matter how successful something may appear, those that forsake God and deep piety are defined for failure. Carnal reasoning will lead to idolatry, death and destruction.

In our church life, we are to worship one God, with a true purpose, and in the "fullness of the blessing," without divisions. I have seen churches split. I have seen denominations split. Almost always, there is a carnal reason for such divisions. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians that those who were causing division in their church were "yet carnal." Carnality is powerful. You cannot overcome it. Only by dying to carnality, surrendering it to God, can the power of the Holy Ghost destroy it.

The second section is "Corrupting Idolatry" vv. 28-31. Jeroboam set up new symbols of worship. He "made two calves of gold." These would not have been like the calves Aaron made. Jeroboam would not have been so short-sighted as to introduce a worship which had brought the fierce wrath of God on the people. Most likely the calves were imitations of the cherubim of Solomon's temple. The calves were imitations of true Godly worship. The lesson to be learned is that when a church lets down and goes into worldliness and compromise, they do not go in one giant step. Experience teaches us that the first step is something that is almost like the real worship. For example, there was a time when holiness churches maintained strict standards on dress and entertainments. Some were perhaps too strict, but in the lessening of those standards, what has been the effects? God blessed that old church, and many shouts of victory were heard in the regular services. "True holiness" was insisted on, and the ministry cried out against all forms of worldliness and lukewarmness. I remember before being in the ministry, while attending a "modern holiness" church, that I complained that a young woman appeared on the platform participating in the service in a mini dress and that it set a poor example for the other young women to follow. If she had just been attending the church, not a word would I have said. I was told that I was too old fashioned and legalistic. It wasn't long before I left that church for a real holiness church. Some Biblical standards need to be maintained. For example, both men and women need to dress modestly. That is the holiness way. Some entertainments were forbidden by the conservative holiness churches. We need to revisit the move away from those standards. My point simply is that God blessed the old church with real revivals, shouts and the young people saw God move. Today, we have replaced the move of God with a social gospel. Are people being saved and sanctified today like in years gone by? If something is broken, common sense says we need to go back to where it last wasn't broke and get back on track.

Jeroboam set up his imitation symbols in Beth-el and Dan. Bethel was in the southern part of the kingdom close to Jerusalem and Dan in the northern part. He made it easy to attend the idolatrous services. We see the same thing today. People look for a convenient church and one that will tell them what they want to hear. They go when it is convenient for them. Churches and ministers need to preach the rugged truth. Jesus came to save His people from their sins, not in them. Salvation is full and free. It is full because there is a second work of grace called entire sanctification. Carnality can be removed from the heart of the believer when the conditions have been met. Thank God for holiness!

The third section is "Religious Hypocrisy" vv. 32, 33. Jeroboam created a feast like the Feast of Tabernacles. He created a counter-attraction to God's feast. He offered a substitute to keep people away from the real deal. In my opinion, that is what most American churches do now. They offer a subsitute holiness for true rugged holiness. Jeroboam offered what he had devised in his heart. The carnal heart is capable of extreme deception to lure people away from the truth of the Gospel. He left the ritual and worship which were authorized by God and went to the ceremonies and forms which were of his own devising. Jeroboam threw away all that might have been, and trampled the divine pearls under his feet.

Jeroboam's plan lead to Israel falling and remaining in sin. Most of the kings of Israel after the kingdom was divided were evil men that committed idolatry. That was the fruit of Jeroboam's choices. What are the fruits of churches today that refuse to teach holiness with some standards? We know the fruits of preaching holiness with standards? They were revivals, protracted prayer meetings, and people being saved and sanctified. The case lies before you. You can decide which approach had the smile and approval of God. Choose wisely.

The Golden Text is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3). Anything you place before God will be an idol. He must be first in your life. That is a reason that carnality or the old man must be destroyed. Otherwise, there will be a constant battle for control. Friend, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and know you are saved, please pay the price to get sanctified wholly. Don't let it be said of you, ___________, caused his family, friends, etc. to sin.

My summary points:
1. Carnality will lead to idolatry and ultimately destruction of your soul.
2. Holiness with Biblical standards is a needed message for the church.
3. God has a better way for you then religious hypocrisy. Don't be a Jeroboam.

Next week: "Elijah, the Tishbite." (1 Kings 17: 1-16.

Don't forget to read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.

The "Old Man": Bible Photographs

We are going to spend a few weeks on the "old man." The "old man" is another way of describing inbred sin or carnality. I am troubled when people try to make carnality just some human frailty or lapse in judgment. Carnality is a root in the heart of the unsaved and the saved but unsanctified. It takes a Divine act preceded by a complete death-route experience and appropriating faith to become entirely sanctified. As we study the next few weeks, search your heart for evidence of the "old man."

SOME BIBLE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE OLD MAN

Almost innumerable are the traits or manifestations of the old man. In the sinner, the old man reigns supremely. Going to the Word of God, we shall first endeavor to get some photographs of him as a whole. Later, by the grace and help of the Holy Spirit, we hope to take up some of the most important details of this noted old man.

To get a life-like picture of him, study the following: 
1. The whole head-sick. -- Isa. 1:5.
2. Eyes -- full of adultery.-- 2 Pet. 2:14.
3. Mouth -- full of cursing. -- Rom. 3:14.

4. Lips -- poison of asps. -- Rom. 3:13.
5. Tongue-- full of deadly poison. -- Jas. 3:8. 
6. Throat -- an open sepulchre. -- Rom. 3:13. 
7. Hands -- full of blood. -- Isa. 1:15.
8. Feet -- swift to shed blood. -- Isa. 59:7.

9. Bones -- full of sins of youth. -- Job 20:11.

10. Heart -- deceitful, proud, depraved, jealous, murderous, revengeful, corrupt, desperately wicked, hard, impenitent, Satan's throne, covetous, unthankful, unholy, fierce, adulterous, etc., etc. -- Bible, Genesis to Revelation.

11. From head to foot -- wounds, putrefying sores. -- Isa. 1:6.

"The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear." -- Ps 58:3,4.

A Modern Miracle of Grace

BLJ: This will be the final post (for a while) from Bro. Boardman's book, "Scriptural Death-Route Holiness." The book ends with a wonderful story of conversion and sanctification. If you want to read about real sanctification, this story will bless you.

A MODERN MIRACLE

Let us call this young man "Joe," though that was not his real name. At the age of thirty-three Joe was a confirmed alcoholic and cigarette fiend, with a teen-age drug and crime history. For years he had been hungry for God. Several times he had been saved, but the craving for alcohol and nicotine was so intense that he could not hold out. By the time this story starts he was at the brink of utter despair. His home and marriage were crumbling. His job was threatened. His future was utterly hopeless. When he was drinking he was so hateful, his wife could hardly endure him any longer. And he was drinking much of the time, especially on week ends. By this time he was drinking on the job -- driving truck and drinking on the highway. Everything was falling apart. He could no longer handle it. He had given up going to church at all. He was on his way out. It would be only a matter of time.

One night he came to our home on a quick errand. I greeted him as a friend. He shocked me. His face was red and bloated. He was despondent and wanted to run. He was desperate. It seemed there was but one more step to the point of no return.

We said, "Joe, you have been hungry for God for years, but these cravings are so intense that there is no way you can keep saved." He agreed.

Then we told him about several men who had been alcoholics for years, who now were marvelous Holy Ghost preachers, pastoring churches, and they recovered from the gutter level only because God healed them and purified their blood and stopped the cravings. He seemed intrigued.

We challenged: "Joe, why don't you come in right now, sit in a chair in our living room and let us anoint you with oil as the Bible says, and if God will heal you and purify your blood stream, you will never have another craving for either of the poisons that have ruined you." He consented.

We further pressed him: "Joe, will you agree to come to our home every evening and be anointed and prayed for until God works this miracle, no matter if it takes weeks or months?" He promised.

He was anointed. We prayed not over three, or possibly four minutes, when God instantly healed him, purifying his blood stream and the cravings were gone. The anointings and praying continued for six more nights until we all felt that it was no longer necessary. The cravings -- even to the sub-conscious buildup of years was instantly removed. Joe had stepped into a new world, but he was not yet saved. A few weeks passed. Getting Joe back to God and soundly converted was not so easy.

However, a few weeks later God put a small town on his mind which was nearly two hundred miles away -- a place he had never seen. Sunday afternoon he drove there with his wife and child. Consulting the phone directory God directed him to a holiness preacher. He walked into that service and could feel the intense hovering of the Holy Spirit. That night he went to the altar and God saved him.

The restitutions which followed for a few weeks, reaching back into the terrible teenage years, brought Joe closer and closer to the experience of heart-cleansing, by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. At that point in time, Joe read the unpublished manuscript of this book and said, "This cut me to the heart and put me under awful 'death-route' conviction." He then requested that he come to our home every evening to pray, to dig out, and confess out his carnal traits and die out to them all, which he did.

God made Joe passionately hungry for holiness. He asked us: "Could we come to your home for nightly visits until God sanctifies me holy?" For the next fifteen nights these vigils continued, digging out, dying to carnal traits and facing traumatic issues.

Then followed the memorable Sunday night when Joe went to our local church service. A visiting preacher brought a powerfully anointed message on the prerequisites to sanctification (or heart holiness). God settled down. Joe hit the altar and in a few minutes took the leap of faith and the Holy Ghost approved of Joe's "death-route" commitments and sanctified his heart. The witness was unmistakable. Every person in the room could feel it. Many issues had been settled and this outpouring of the Holy Ghost confirmed it all.

Many more details could be mentioned and enlarged upon as Joe went down that dark, lonely "death-route" trail to his personal crucifixion, but all would be far too voluminous to bring into this account.

Joe could have taken it by faith scores of times without ever plowing to the depths, nailing old carnal self to the cross, or possessing the sweet anointing of the Holy Ghost which he enjoys today.

We close this account by stating that Joe's entire personality is radically changed. In his dying, God told him he must never defend himself, or fight his own battles, or make his own decisions. God insisted on HIS hand at the controls and Joe agreed to it for time and for eternity. Therefore we sing --

"And it's real, It's real,
Oh, I know It's real.
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it's real."

In the days before Joe was sanctified, God put it on his heart to write three gospel tracts: "Are You Satisfied?" -- "Teen-age Problems" -- "Is Drinking Fun Anymore?" And much of his spare time is spent handing out tracts and telling people what God has done for him. Praise God forever! To Him be all the praise!

Holiness is Real

BLJ: This is a long post that includes Bro. Boardman's testimony of his struggle with carnality. It is a long read but well worth the time. May it speak to you. Pay particular attention to the statements made by the wife. We owe it to our loved ones to be honest with them and not cover for them.


IT'S REAL!

There never was a more carnal holiness preacher! I was marvelously converted in my fourteenth year, on the backside of the hay mow, on my uncle's farm in Vermont. God definitely called me to preach and I was making plans to further my education.

After leaving the farm and doing my high school work in a holiness college, I entered the pastorate -- starting in an abandoned church building in northern Vermont. Six years in that pastorate and one year in another, brought me to the same college, from which I graduated four years later, and entered the pastorate again.

Many pages here could be offered to convince the reader that my consecration to God was as nearly perfect as I knew how to make it. We won't go into detail as to the sacrifices of those early years in the ministry. There seemed to be no limit to which I would drive myself, in my labors for God and the ministry.

I had, it seemed, only one major problem -- carnality. It showed up at home. It showed up out in the business world. It showed up at church. Carnal explosions, many times entirely unexpected, would go off like a pistol. Every time it would happen I would have to pray back onto my feet spiritually, before I could go back to the pulpit and preach the Word.

I had studied the Theology of Holiness in college. I graduated with honors and walked out with my diploma. I had the holiness doctrine and Scriptures in my head, but I did not have the experience in my heart. I thoroughly believed in holiness, but I could not make it work in my own life.

I went through many wonderful revivals during my high school and college years, as well as several years of pastoring in a holiness denomination. I got under conviction hundreds of times (no exaggeration) when others would preach strong sermons on holiness, and when I would preach on the subject myself. Carnal blowups would sometimes make me sick for two or three days. I would go to the woods to pray, and out to the barn to pray, and out in the car to pray, and to the church to pray. Invariably I would feel great relief. I would know God had forgiven me. I marveled at His patience! Hundreds of times He forgave me. I would have given anything and everything to have been delivered from the terrible torture of that hateful monster in my heart. I couldn't control it, and I didn't know how to turn the problem over to God and let Him slay it. I battled with it for all of those early years and was making absolutely no headway toward controlling it or even improving on the situation. God only knows the suffering my wife went through during my mad fits and gloomy, silent hangovers!

Finally, in the spring of 1951, upon recommendation, I engaged an evangelist to hold a revival in my church in Saratoga Springs, N. Y. Up until this time I had never seen or heard of H. B. Huffman.

That Saturday evening I brought him home from the bus. He immediately began walking back and forth across our living room and saying over and over again, "Bro. Boardman, there are very few preachers who really have the Holy Ghost." He had not said that more than three or four times before I came under the most awful conviction. It was a deeper and different kind of conviction than any I had ever felt in my life, and I was already scared of him. I had a feeling he could read me like a book. I knew I had to keep a guard up or he might go after me and expose my carnal condition and embarrass me before my congregation.

He then suggested we go into the church to pray. We knelt at the altar in the darkness and he said, "Bro. Boardman, you pray." That was the last thing I wanted -- for him to hear me pray. But I was on the spot, so I said to myself, "This prayer has got to go over strong. I simply must convince him that I am all right." So I prayed out as loud as I could yell and pounded the mourner's bench, and thought I had done a real good job of covering up my fears and apprehensions. But Old "Doc" Huffman had seen hundreds of carnal preachers across the years try to bluff their way out from under "death-route" conviction, and he was not fooled. A hundred prayers like that would only have made things worse for me.

The next morning (Sunday) he preached a marvelous sermon. That night he did the same. I now felt he was the most wonderful preacher I had ever heard and my fears of him subsided. The tears ran down his face while he preached. I was thrilled! I loved it!

By Monday night his tears were dried. He let the plow down, picturing carnality as I had never heard it preached before, and I went home "under." You would have thought he had some inside information, and that he had me only in mind when he screamed out "CARNALITY! CARNALITY! CARNALITY!" at the top of his voice, and painted it black. I was angry. (Let us use the colloquialism, "mad.") I was mad! But I covered up my feelings, smiled, and kept up a front as long as I could.

Then I landed on an idea. I said, "Bro. Huffman, I want you to come into my study and listen to one of my sermons." I picked out what I felt was one of the best recordings. I thought, "When he hears me preach, that will convince him that I am sanctified, and he will get off my case, and start trying to help my people." However, the sermon was hardly started when he jumped up, started for the door and said "Shut that thing off -- Yack! Yack! Yack!" If he had salved me up, I never would have made it.

Talk about Mad! I was furious! In my heart I said, "He isn't fair. He didn't even wait till I got down into the good part of my sermon where it was real spicy. He didn't give me a chance."

For the next few nights, when he would preach on carnality, that awful carnal anger would rise up in me until I hated his sermons and him too. I couldn't understand why he had to preach on carnality every night. And he seemed to know more about it and its ways than any preacher I had ever heard. When he would tell about the old turkey gobbler, he made me feel like I was the meanest thing on earth, and I had the old turkey gobbler in my heart.

Then I put up one more big bluff. I drove out to a little pond under some shade trees and sat there in my car most of the day, searching my heart and writing down the evidences of sanctification and holiness in my heart. Late in the day I showed him my list. I had three or four evidences that I thought were quite convincing. He looked at it and said, "Well, Bro. Boardman, keep your heart open and God will show you." I knew by this time the bluffing would never work. But I was breaking. I had determined to bluff him out and shake him off, but nothing worked. I knew I was in for it!

The next day I went back to the little pond and searched my heart all day again, and wrote down all of the evidences of carnality that I could locate in my heart. I believe I had thirty-seven. In the late afternoon I showed Bro. Huffman my list and he said, "Well, that looks more like it." Then the siege set in, in dead earnest. The bluffing was over. I became a seeker.

I knew my boat was sunk, and for the first time in my life I had come to the place where I was willing to come out in the open and become a seeker. I begged Bro. Huffman to let me come to the altar as a seeker. He said, "No, that would spoil it all. You are not sick enough yet."

"Man," I said, "sick? I'm sick enough to die!"

"No," he insisted, "just a little head conviction. If you should come to the altar now you would pray a little, and maybe cry a little, feel a little better and think you are sanctified and lose all of your conviction."

Then we went to a preachers' meeting in Albany and the district superintendent wanted to know how the revival was going.

"Oh," I said, "I'm sick as a dog."

"Bro. Boardman," he expostulated, "Don't say that. Bro. Huffman does that to everyone he can. He preaches away their confidence. He held a revival a few years ago and he did that to my wife, but I calmed her down, and after the meeting was over, she got over it."

"Bro. -- -- -- ," I said, "I'm too deep 'under' conviction to back out. I've got to see it through. I know I am carnal. And I know now that there is a cure. I'll never rest till I am sanctified." He was very upset. But I kept digging.

Several more days went by. I made a few restitutions. But every night before he would get anywhere near through picturing carnality as black as the pit of hell, and as loud as thunder to my soul, I would sit there and get so mad I could hardly stand it. Lots of seekers never get mad at all when they are dying out to old carnal self, but I did.

Finally my wife and I and our song evangelist got our heads together, and as soon as Bro. Huffman walked through the door into the parsonage, we locked him out, and we went to the altar. He came banging on the door, but we ignored his knocks and kept on praying. I saw more carnality in my heart that night than I had ever seen before. The awful worldly ambitions, the desires to be a big preacher, the most subtle and hateful motives -- it all came out. Finally, at nearly two in the morning, it seemed as though there was a trap door in the bottom of my heart that opened and down in the hidden depths of my being the most subtle and awful traits of carnality were lurking, and I spewed them all out. Such relief came to me as I could never describe. I was sure I had finally arrived and was sanctified wholly.

Together wife and I went up to Bro. Huffman's room and rapped on his door. He pulled on the bed light and asked us in. I told him I had prayed through and the Lord had sanctified me. He only replied, "Well, you keep your heart open an God will show you."

As soon as we left the room I said to my wife, "He didn't act as though he believed it, did he?"

"No, he didn't," she accentuated! I was disgusted.

The next morning I was down in the basement praying quietly when Bro. Huffman came into the church over my head and began to pray. I heard him pray, "O Lord, Bro. Boardman thought he was sanctified last night, but he didn't make it."

When I heard that, that lurking anger that had been "playing possum" arose in my heart and I was mad clear through. And again I said to myself, "There is no use in my praying through and getting sanctified while Huffman is here. He would never accept it anyway. I'll wait till he is gone and then I'll pray through and get it settled."

That evening I made up my mind I was not going to get mad when he preached. I said to myself, "I am going to sit there and smile and boost when he preaches, and maintain a sweet and cheerful countenance." However, I had something on board that I couldn't handle, and before he had preached fifteen minutes I was as mad as a wet hen. I remained in that mood nearly to the end of the sermon, when suddenly I emerged on the other side of the anger that had flared for years. I had come out of it like coming out of dark room into the sunlight. I knew the carnal storms were behind me. I knew the Old Man was dead!

With a feeling of finality I went up into a little room in the steeple, locked the door and said to God: "I will stay in this room and not come out for seven days and seven nights if it takes it that long to get sanctified. But when I come out, if I don't have the blessing I will leave the ministry forever. I simply cannot go on in this carnal condition."

I had not prayed but a few minutes when my wife turned the knob and finding the door locked, asked to come in. At first I said, "No, I must be alone." Then with a deeper pathos in her voice than I had ever heard, she said, "But I want to come in." Immediately and impulsively I arose and unlocked the door.

She said, "Sit down. I want to talk to you. I have a confession to make. The devil told me that if I should confess to you, you would leave me and would never come back. But I must confess that I have sinned against you the worst sin that a wife could ever sin against her husband."

My mind went immediately on a rampage, but I knew then, again, that the Old Man was dead. I knew that no matter what her awful sin might be, I could not get mad.

She then explained: "This is the sin that I have committed against you: You have been the meanest man to live with I have ever seen, and it is all my fault."

"How come it's your fault?"

"It's my fault because I have petted you, and babied you, and palavered over you, and made excuses for you, and called your problem 'human nature' instead of 'carnal nature' and it is my fault that you are in the condition you are in."

"Then let's pray," I wilted! We slipped onto our knees there in the darkness and prayed for two or three minutes, when the Holy Ghost slipped into my heart, and I knew He had come. Together, again, we rapped on Bro. Huffman's door. He pulled on the light. I stood there as cool, as calm and as nonchalant as ever I was in my life, and said, "Bro. Huffman. The Holy Ghost has come." I had no outstanding emotion except a peace that flowed like a deep, quiet river. Bro. Huffman immediately laughed and cried all at the same time. He had the witness also. My war with the carnal nature was over. The devil was defeated. The Old Man was crucified. The Holy Ghost viewed the sacrifice on the altar, and was satisfied. He came to abide. He came to reign. That was thirty-six years ago, and He still abides. A sizable volume could be written on some of the terrible storms I have been through since that memorable night when the Holy Ghost came in and sanctified my heart, but He has never failed me.

Three years out on borrowed time now, finds me nearing the crossing, but I have never regretted that painful "death-route" journey which took me to the crucifixion of that awful carnal nature which kept me constantly in defeat for years, and would have damned my soul in hell if God had not delivered me. A million years from this hour I will still be thanking God for that "death-to-self" revival wherein I prayed through to victory and was sanctified "holy" and "wholly".

Since that night in the steeple of the Old Saratoga Springs Church I have been through and conducted many "death-route" revivals. That is the kind of revivals I stood for through seventeen years in the evangelistic field, as well as many years in the pastorate. Only eternity will reveal how many souls prayed through in those revivals, including some of the greatest Holy Ghost preachers that are out there today, preaching "death-route holiness" and seeing people sanctified.

A Heartfelt Appeal

BLJ: Dear reader, whether church leader or not, may I appeal to you? I urge you not to neglect the death-route. I beg you not to walk against light. I cry to you to renounce self, die to self and crucify self. Then you are on believing ground, and God will grant you faith to be sanctified wholly!

AN ARDENT APPEAL

O preacher, preacher, preacher -- you who wield an influence over multitudes -- let me beg of you, please do settle forever the "death-route" crucifixion of your own heart. Only then can Christ take over the controls of your life. Only then will you save your soul and them that follow you (I Tim. 4:16). Do not drift on with the great stream of those who at one time had the Holy Ghost, but now are out there in the spiritual wilderness. Many are down to the twilight zone of life and the Holy Ghost has departed from them, and in some cases has been gone for years. Please do not follow those into eternity who failed to get a sanctified (purified) heart, and missed it forever. Do break, once and forever, my friend, from those crafty, manipulating, "usurpers" who have drifted far off the true path, and have left the Holy Ghost and Christ far back on the trail, even though, in many instances, they still profess to be Christians. Let me beg of you to flee from the wrath of God which shall be poured out upon the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6). Let us never become like the hireling preacher (John 10:12-13) and "Smooth down the stubborn text to ears polite; and snugly tuck damnation out of sight." [52]

"Depart, lost soul, thy tears to weep,
Thy never-drying tears;
To sigh the never-ending sigh,
To send up the unheeded cry,
Into the unresponding sky,
Whose silence mocks thy fears."

MILLIONS HAVE MISSED IT

All carnal church members are symbolized by the man who came to the Marriage Supper of Christ without the wedding garment (Matt. 22:11-14). This man identified himself with holy people but he was not holy. Christ ordered him bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness, to wail in deep anguish and gnash his teeth in pain. From this account we understand that no carnal person will be allowed at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Therefore, none who profess to be sanctified holy, but yet have sin in their lives, and carnality in their hearts, will qualify for the Rapture.

BLJ: Carnal church member, please don't neglect or worse yet, reject this teaching. Your soul's destiny is at stake.

The fact that no carnal person will be in the Rapture is further verified in I John 3:3, which declares: "And every man that hath this hope in him [the hope of ever being with Christ -- verse 21] purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure."

The only means of God purifying the carnal heart is through the baptism of the Holy Ghost, such as the believers received on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 15:9). Please don't miss it, my friend.

"Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul; Christ the only [Person] that can the gates unroll. And when He comes to set thee free, arise and follow fast. His way may lie through darkness, but it leads to light at last!"

The carnal enmity of the heart will never become subject to God. It cannot be reasoned with, or coerced, or compelled, or bribed, or restrained, or frightened into total subjection to Christ (Rom. 8:7). It reigns jealously in the very seat and citadel of the soul with its willfulness, stubbornness, hatefulness, contrariness, insubordination, and malice. There is no way for one to walk as Christ walked (I John 2:6), or to be as He is in this world (I John 4:17) or to be conformed unto His image (Rom. 8:29), with that hateful, carnal element in the heart, which will not be wholly subservient unto Christ (Luke 14:33). It is entirely foreign to His very nature! "But as he that has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy, For I am holy" (I Peter 1:15-16).

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24:15); self or Christ! There is no middle ground. There IS a fence here, but there are no straddlers. One brother well said: "Christ and self cannot both be lifted up at the same time." We must face present death to carnal self or the eternal death of our immortal souls. The choosing is inescapable.

Unless the "Old Man" is dead and buried, Christ can never have first place in our lives. Let the last one of us know that the crucifixion of self becomes a living reality within us, and that the Old Man is dead and buried, and Christ reigns unchallenged in every facet of our lives, for time and for eternity.

Gregory Mantle gives us the ideal pattern for the emptying of self and the filling of our hearts with the Holy Ghost. He wrote:

"Take us, Lord, Oh, take us truly,
Mind and soul, and heart and will!
Empty us and cleanse us thoroughly,
Then with all Thy fullness fill."

A. W. Tozer, a widely known and highly regarded twentieth century writer on the subject of true, experiential Christianity, sounded the depth of the only valid relationship that a human can have with Christ. Tozer asked this searching question: "When will Christians learn...that to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self?" (Convention Herald, January 1982).

"May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Live in me from day to day --
By His love and power controlling
All I do and all I say."

BLJ: Reject yourself and receive the fullness of Jesus Christ.

Church Leaders Beware

BLJ: Bro. Boardman had seen church leaders that were hiding behind their positions and titles. It is such a dangerous place to be for a church leader to have the lost the experience of holiness and be too proud to admit it. While I am a young 65, I have seen this also. I watch and observe. Do I hear testimonies of entire sanctification? I remember hearing some of the old timers who would say: "Praise God! I can testify that He still saves and sanctifies my soul. He takes me all the way through and my experience is up to date and top shelf!" That is my testimony today! What is yours?

WHEN LEADERS LOSE OUT

A fearful tragedy appears in the lives of those who one time did take the "death-route" to the terminal, and were gloriously sanctified holy, but they do not now have the experience. Many of them attained to a high level of power and influence in the church, but they grieved the Holy Ghost away and became politically corrupt in handling the business of the church. There are many who DO believe in the crucifixion of self, and who preach it in theory, but they themselves are no longer crucified, nor are they living the sanctified life as they once did. Their problem is that the Old Man didn't STAY dead. It seems to be a fairly consistent pattern for many church leaders, if they are in leadership very long, to maintain holiness in their theology, but become carnal in their spirit and dealings.

"He answers me no more,
My pride has closed the door;
Oh, I've trifled with God and conviction,
Till He answers me no more!"

Backslidden, professed Christian leaders are among the devil's greatest helpers for robbing any church of true Christianity. The overall purpose of this book is to create an overwhelming desire on the part of backsliders and other lost, hell-bound souls to go all the way back to God and prepare for heaven; to alert careless ones who are beginning to slip into a condition which, if not checked would mean eternal loss to their souls; and to urge professed Christians on every level of influence, to gain and retain the best possible Christian experience that is available to them, for the sake of their own eternal hope and their tremendous influence on others. Let us all, now and forever, be totally emptied of self and filled with God!

"Emptied of self, and filled with Thee,
Spirit of God, abide with me;
Help me to die to self and sin,
Spirit divine, come in, come in!"

INFAMOUS INFLUENCE IS INEXCUSABLE

One who does not understand the crucifixion of self may be to some extent excusable, but one who does understand it and rejects it and tries to destroy it from the church, is both anti-Christ and anti-Holy Ghost. There is hope for one who does not understand it, if he will keep his heart open to God and walk in all the light which God gives him. Paul confessed that he persecuted the church and tried to destroy it, but he did it ignorantly in unbelief (I Tim. 1:13).

The faithful Holy Ghost will reveal the truth of "death-route" holiness to anyone whose mind is not closed. If God could get the initial step toward this vital truth across to Saul of Tarsus after he had been destroying Christians, He should be able to get it across to anyone who will be open-minded and honest (Acts 9:1-9).

"Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die."

Self Promotion and Holiness

BLJ: Self promotion will prevent one from seeking holiness because one that promotes self will not die to self. When you think more of your self than God, you are at best backslidden. A disciple of Christ should to be like his or her Master. Christ went outside the camp to suffer and shed His blood to save and sanctify the people. We are to follow His example. We must be willing to die to self, to renounce self, and to crucify the self (flesh). Don't allow self to keep you from the highway of holiness.

SELF-ESTEEM, THE SABOTEUR OF SAINTHOOD

Is it not the most formidable, destructive leaven that could ever ferment in a Christian organization -- that of self-importance, self-esteem, and self-elevation, instead of the Biblical self-renunciation which should characterize all of its members? (Matt. 16:25; Luke 14:26; Phil. 3:7, 8). Basic New Testament Christianity can never look upon "uncrucified" and unsanctified leaders and followers as examples to accept and pattern after.

BLJ: When self is the center of the church, you may be assured that the church is carnal and will be appealing to the world and the flesh. When the music makes you think you are in a dance hall or bar, you know self is reigning.

Christians who have never been crucified, and thereby are not sanctified, are yet in the initial stages of Christian experience. In Hebrews 6:1 we are admonished not to be satisfied to remain in an immature state, but to leave the initial stages of Christian experience, and to go on to perfection. In this passage we are told not to continue to lay "again the foundation of repentance from dead works." In other words, we, as Christians, are not to continue sinning and repenting continuously, but rather to leave that bottle-baby state (I Cor. 3:2) and go on to perfection.

BLJ: The new convert is to crucify self, deny self and renounce self. They are to be encouraged to begin this process immediately become being born again.

No greater dwarfing tragedy could ever come upon a Christian church than to have its members fail to die out to carnal self and become sanctified "holy" and "wholly." And is it not most regrettable that the more prominent church leaders and officials, who wield the most controlling influence over the flock, are the very ones who find it the most difficult to obtain or maintain a spirit of self-abandonment, especially when the temptation to self-importance is a persistent decoy? The danger increases when some are highly esteemed by others, praised, and made to feel the elevating sensation of power over people. Mr. Schuller's anti-crucifixion of self, under the disguise of Christianity, finds its counterpart even in conservative holiness circles, when backslidden church members evidence that they have given in to a spirit of self-importance. When such professed Christians are followed, the flock will be influenced in the same direction, and cannot remain deeply spiritual. The only true safeguard is for every Christian in the ranks to be utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost.

BLJ: I have seen church boards that were so carnal. They try to protect their little kingdom. They hinder the pastor, hinder growth and hinder the general work of God in the local church.

"Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!
Seeking all His fulness at whatever cost;
Cutting all the shorelines, launching in the deep
Of His mighty power -- strong to save and keep.

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Ghost!
Oh! the sinking, sinking, until self is lost!
Until the emptied vessel lies [submissive] at His feet;
Waiting till His filling shall make the work complete." [50]

Third Bible Study: "The Kingdom Divided"

Today's study comes from 1 Kings 12: 6-17 and is entitled "The Kingdom Divided." With the death of Solomon, Judah's throne was turned over to his son Rehoboam. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he took the throne. However, he lacked the character and moral maturity to be a ruler. To understand the importance of the lesson, we need to understand what the kingdom looked like at Solomon's death. It was well organized with a good army. Luxury was everywhere, but the people were overburdened with taxes to pay for it all. Rehoboam had every opportunity to increase the prosperity and happiness of the kingdom. However, he makes a tragic mistake, and loses the major portion of his domain. There were two issues:
1. The lack of character of Rehoboam to rule; and
2. Listening to the counsel of others.

Rehoboam's training was neglected by his father Solomon. Solomon was too busy with his kingdom and pleasures to pay much attention to his son. Having grown up "spoiled," his character was weak, conceited, and untrained. He was very proud and selfish. While his parents can share part of the blame, Rehoboam was chiefly responsible for his own conduct and actions.

The first section is "The Meeting at Shechem" vv. 1-4. In the first four verses we are told that Jeroboam becomes the speaker of the northern tribes. He meets with Rehoboam at Shechem which was in the territory of Ephraim, near present day Nablus which is a city in the West Bank about 30 miles north of Jerusalem. Jeroboam told Rehoboam that his father had put a heavy yoke of taxes and harsh labor on them and they needed some relief. If Rehoboam did this, they would agree to serve him. This was a straight forward plea for help to the young ruler. How would he answer? Rehoboam chose to seek counsel, but as we shall see, he was unwise in who he allowed to have his ear.

The second section is "The King's Counselors" vv. 5-11. Rehoboam asked for three days to make a decision. He wanted to seek advise from his counselors. He could have been in a place spiritually that he could have made a decision on the spot because the request was legitimate. He wasn't. No doubt he had a conflict between what was right and what would be in his best financial interest. This is evidence of carnality, the war within. he sought advise from two groups. First, he consulted with the elders. Their advise was to grant the requests of the people because: (1) it was the right thing to do; (2) it was good for the people and it would make them happy; (3) it would bring the highest prosperity for the kingdom; (4) it would be good for the king and his virtue; (5) it would make the government more stable;  and (6) it would bind the people to him in loving loyalty.

Then, Rehoboam consulted the young men. These men had most likely grown up without discipline and were like the king having lived in luxury. They thought only of themselves and their pleasure. Selfishness made them blind. Their advice agreed with the greedy desires of Rehoboam. The answer would be no relief and in fact Rehoboam said it would be worse and more demanding for the people. Notice that there is no mention that Rehoboam ever prayed or sought the Lord in his decision making process. This would lead to a disastrous result.

The third section is "The Kingdom Divided" vv. 12-17. When Rehoboam announced his decision to add to the burden of the people of the northern tribes, they responded by saying, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse...." The kingdom was now divided. This is an example of what occurs when leadership abuses the people and seeks to take advantage of them. Interestingly, Judah (the southern kingdom) never regained control of the northern area of Palestine. In the Bible, the northern kingdom became known as Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah. Rehoboam failed to know what to do initially and then failed to listen to the wisest counselors. His actions lead to a permanent division of God's people.

We can see some parallels today when churches split. Some splits are necessary because one group seeks to embrace the world and sin and the other group wants to maintain the old fashioned truths. Some splits are carnal. Egos and pride and the seeking of position  or wealth are never reasons to divide.

The Golden Text is "A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) I have seen the truth of this Scripture many times, both in the church world and in the business world. Many times a dispute is disarmed because of a soft response as opposed to a loud aggressive word. Practicing soft answers will make you a peacemaker and Jesus said you would be blessed in so doing.

Next week, "Idolatry Established" (1 Kings 12: 25-33).

Don't forget to read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.

Rejecting Holiness is Rejecting God

BLJ: Regrettably, I have seen supposedly sanctified church members argue and separate over the most ridiculous subjects, such as furniture, carpet, etc. The sanctified will be able to resolve their differences Biblically, the way Jesus taught.

CARNAL CONFEDERACIES

Many have followed strong personalities out of the will of God. They sometimes form strong collusions which create head-on collisions between personalities, which seriously damage the work of God, defy the Holy Ghost and crush the hearts of the Spirit-filled and the conscientious. The only way to safeguard against getting caught in this apostate condition is to die out completely to the last trace of carnality and have a purified (sanctified) heart.

When warm, holy friendships are damaged or destroyed by personality collisions, only the Holy Spirit can cure the leprous condition in the church and in the lives of those affected -- and then, only when the guilty ones will humble themselves, repent and make wrongs right. It is always easier for the innocent ones to seek reconciliation than for the guilty. However, any who reject all pleas for reconciliation, and who refuse to repent of their wicked influence have no more hope of heaven than Esau whom God hated (Rom. 9:13), or Ephraim who was "joined to his idols" (Hosea 4:17). No Christian would ever fall into this pitiful condition if he had allowed God to crucify his carnality, purify his heart and guide his steps.

Sanctified people always grieve when the devil uses carnality in the church to effect division and devastation. They long for healing and will do what they can to accomplish it, as the Lord leads. Jesus taught that "...if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:23-24).

BLJ: Carnality causes much church strife.

Even the most unintentional misunderstandings will sometimes cool warm friendships. However, when both parties involved are genuinely sanctified "holy" and "wholly" the remedy which Jesus prescribed in Matt. 18:15-17 will work marvelously. However, it will not work when either party is stubborn and unrelenting.

REJECTERS ARE FORFEITERS

This is striking, but true: if one willfully rejects the crucifixion of his carnal self when he sees the light, he automatically rejects and forfeits the benefits of Christ's crucifixion and atonement. As long as one's reactions are carnal, the Old Man is not dead. The Scriptures plead: "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach" (Heb. 13:12-13). Bearing His reproach, which means nothing less than crucifixion, is a requirement of all true followers of Jesus. As Christ took His "death-route" to PROVIDE our sanctification (Heb. 13:12) we are to take our "death-route" in order to RECEIVE our sanctification (v. 13). Christ requires the crucifixion of all of our proud, stubborn, selfish, old, carnal ego before He will enter the control room of our hearts and take over. This "death-route" is the only Scriptural highway from the corruption of carnal self to heart-purity in Christ. "Death-route" opposers are devastating to true Christianity. They have been known to blanket official boards, or ruling bodies along with other top officials, with letters, bitterly denouncing the "death-route" and have been successful in removing a segment of the "death-route" emphasis from the denomination's official literature. This is a deadly thrust against true holiness at the very heart of the holiness church, through its publication department! Be not surprised when spiritually vigorous movements thus lose the power of the Holy Ghost. Are not all Christians supposed to be responsible for the preservation of Scriptural and spiritual heritage? Are they not supposed to stand up in defense, when former, holiness landmarks are threatened? Is it not mockery at its worst, when those holding responsible positions in a holiness church militate against true holiness and promote an off-brand substitute?

BLJ: Simply put, to reject holiness is to reject God.

Results of Death-Route Rejection

BLJ: This is a somber, but necessary read. Bro. Boardman was sending a warning. Regrettably, I have witnessed first hand death-route rejectors. It has ALWAYS ended poorly with severe backsliding and probably losing salvation.

THE RESULT OF DEATH-ROUTE REJECTION

Now, with the difference between mere consecration and the total crucifixion of self being made clear by the testimonies of Lyle Potter and E. E. Shelhamer, in chapter one, we turn to a far more serious opposer than one who simply misunderstands what we mean by the term "death-route." We refer now to one who DOES have a clear understanding of the term, and yet does everything he can to stamp out both the term and the reality for which it stands. This opposer soon discovers how impossible it is to oppose the "death-route" without also opposing the ones who endeavor to promote it, as well as the God who originated the plan and placed it in the Bible.

In Hebrews 4:1, we are warned against coming short of "soul rest." We know this "soul rest" refers to holiness because verse nine says it is only for the people of God. When Christ prayed that the disciples might become sanctified, He said the world could not receive this blessing (John 14:17).

Many "death-route" rejecters have bitterly opposed the preacher under whose influence and preaching they went down the "death-route," almost to the terminal, saw the price of crucifixion, and backed out. Often there is a bitterness that causes such an one to spend years trying to destroy the influence and ministry of the man who preached them under this deep conviction in the first place. In many instances their bitterness against the "death-route" is so pronounced that it aims at ALL "death-route" promoters. Such an opposer seems not to realize that when he tries to destroy the influence of a "death-route" holiness preacher, he is waging war against the Holy Ghost Himself. This is a sin for which Jesus said there would be no forgiveness (Matt. 12:31-32). Such interference becomes a very serious matter with the judgment day and eternity facing us all.

THE KILL-ROUTE CATASTROPHE

Did you ever notice how often those who reject the "death-route" take the "kill-route"? So often they will try to destroy the "death-route" emphasis and the influence of its loyal supporters. Killer bees are not honey producers. Wherever they migrate the bottom falls out of the honey-producing business. The honey bees do very well until the killer bees move in with their detrimental influence. The same thing may happen when a carnal element moves into a spiritual church. Please think of this the next time you are tempted to bring your killer-bee-spirit into the ranks of the righteous.

PROBLEM-PRONE PERSONS

Have you not noticed that persons who come to grips with deep, "death-route" conviction, and reject it, often become problem personalities in their church, in their homes and wherever they work or do business? Their carnality seems to become more sensitive and bitter than it was before they rejected the light on "death-route holiness."

It seems also, that persons can be far more difficult and disagreeable after they have backslidden from a pure, sanctified state of grace. Matthew 12:43-45 may throw some light on this mystery. This passage states that when an evil spirit is cast out of a person, that evil spirit is very unhappy until he returns and finds that heart where he once resided, empty, swept and garnished. It seems the Holy Spirit Who purified that heart had departed (I Sam. 28:15). Adam Clarke says that "empty, swept and garnished" means the Holy Spirit and His fruits were gone and left the heart empty. The evil spirit then reenters that heart, bringing with him seven of his cohorts, making that person seven times more wicked than he was in the first place.

In this connection Adam Clarke has this to say:

The last state of that man is worse than the first. His soul, before influenced by the Spirit of God, dilated and expanded under its heavenly influences, becomes more capable of refinement in iniquity, as its powers are more capacious than formerly. Evil habits are formed and strengthened by relapses; and relapses are multiplied, and become more incurable, through new habits.

"So shall it be also unto this generation." And so it was: for they grew worse and worse, as if totally abandoned to diabolic influence; till at last the besom [broom] of destruction swept them and their privileges, national and religious, utterly away. What a terrible description of a state of apostasy is contained in these verses! May he who readeth understand. [51]

Peter also sounds the depths of this mystery in words which should soften the hardest heart. He declared:

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and over come, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:20-21).

Some of these "death-route" rejecters will leave the church, and it may become impossible to ever get them back. Others will stay in the church for years, but they seem more inclined to create personality problems than they did before they were ever saved. Carnality, when it receives a threatening blow, and yet is not entirely killed, or perhaps later comes back to life, seems to be more on its guard, and more jealous of its citadel than in former years before it was disturbed. It is therefore, a very dangerous thing for one to come to grips with the issue of true "death-route" holiness and reject it, and settle back into a carnal state and decide to stay that way. It is no less perilous for one to pray through, receive this wonderful experience of holiness, and then lose it because of disobedience or carelessness, and turn away from it, and oppose it.

It has been noticeable at times, that people who were extremely sensitive to making restitutions when they were first converted, when they later on backslide, can get involved in the most terrible sins within the church, against God's anointed, and never once be willing to repent and make confession and restitution for their wrongs. Many times they don't admit to being backslidden. They continue to function in the church in their former capacity. Even when the pastor or evangelist preaches on restitution as strong and clear as words ever could make it, they may become more rebellious and reactionary, but they do not feel conviction, or guilt as they one time did. Some refer to this as being gospel hardened, or having a seared conscience (I Tim. 4:2). At any rate, it is a very dangerous condition to fall into (Matt. 12:45).