3. Perception Is Essential
It is said that the physical miracles of Jesus in some way prefigure His intent of grace. Thus, the healing of a leper typifies the cleansing of inward depravity. This, too, may be illustrated with the miracles of giving sight to the blind (Mark 8:24-25). When Jesus touched the blind man, he asked him about his sight; and the man replied, "I see men as trees walking" At the "second touch," Jesus asked the blind man to look up; and when he did so, he "saw every man clearly." Mrs. F. E. Hill uses this picture as a type of the second work of grace, saying:
"Light, perfect light shines on this holy way,
Twice He touched my blinded eyes,
Sight, perfect sight my vision has today,
Healed by Blood that sanctifies." [4]
Spiritual clear sightedness is an essential of entire sanctification. Jesus insists upon our teaching and preaching His word and this can only be accomplished as the Spirit of God lifts the veil from our darkened comprehension and illuminates our understanding. Until the disciples were sanctified and Spirit filled our Lord had to limit in His teaching.
"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you" (John 14:15-17).
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he shall shew it unto you" (John 16:12-14).
The apostle Paul also was limited in teaching his converts at Corinth for the carnal nature again was hindering these believers from hearing and appreciating the deeper Gospel truths. He told them so:
"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it; neither yet now are ye able" (1 Cor. 3:1-2).
The Holy Spirit, then, was to be Revealer, Reminder, Guide and Teacher in the absence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit of truth would indwell them and keep them from serious doctrinal error as well as from evil. His illumination would assure them of greater spiritual accuracy, showing them how to live the holy life, present the gospel of holiness to the world, and lead the flock of God into the experience and life of the sanctified. Certainly, this promised feature of the Spirit's baptism is essential to each Christian today; for our age is marked with apostasy. The Laodicean church is its truest picture.
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see" (Rev. 3:17-18).
With the Baptism of purity comes the blessing of increased perception. The promise of Jesus that "the pure in heart shall see God" becomes a blessed reality. The sanctified have clearer vision on how to walk with God, testify, preach, teach the message to others, and lead earnest seekers into this great blessing.
On the Pacific coast, wicked men known as "Land Pirates" deceived and plundered sailing vessels caught in severe storms and searching for some harbor of safety. It is said that they attached lighted lanterns to horses, ponies and donkeys. By walking them rapidly over the sand dunes in two columns spread wide apart, they made the appearance of harbor lights. Mariners, desperate to guide their vessels to safety, followed these false lights until they were smashed upon hidden rocks or reefs just beneath the ocean surface. Impaled upon the rocks and battered by the waves, few seaman survived. When the weather cleared and dawn came, the "Land Pirates" rode to the wreckage and salvaged what treasures survived.
Our age of high technology has spawned many dangerous philosophies, cults and weird religions. By these twisted, anti-God teachings, great numbers have been deceived and spiritually plundered. Only the pure, loving and perceptive Bible Church can guide seekers for truth and heaven into a safe harbor. If we would not garble the Bible message and spread false doctrine to further increase the moral confusion already so widespread, we must be sanctified and taught the Holy Scriptures by their author, the Holy Spirit. One of the works of the flesh is termed... "heresies" (Gal. 5:19-20).
Jesus positively forbade His church to attempt any evangelism or gospel work until the Divine Teacher had not only purified their hearts and filled them with the kindly holy fruits of divine love but had also established the Holy Ghost as Teacher upon the throne of their understanding. Peter is an outstanding example of this. It is both amazing and instructive to observe Peter, the Spirit-filled, as his heart and mind is cleared for spiritual accuracy and application. The prophesy of Joel now has personal meaning for himself, for those to whom he is preaching and "for all that are afar off" (Acts 2:39). Further, the new converts "continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine" (verse 42) on a "daily" basis (verse 46) and with the Lord's blessing, adding "to the church daily such as should be saved" (verse 47).
Reader, if one willfully retains the carnal mind it will warp one's thinking concerning vital Christianity, holiness and service to this present age.
4. Power Is Essential
As we have seen, the power of the Holy Spirit is to attend the experience of entire sanctification. Jesus promised, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" (Acts 1:8).
Power for Stability
It is not especially power to do but essentially to keep alive and working what already has been done, i.e., power to keep pure in the midst of a morally corrupt society and power to retain perfect love in the various interpersonal relationships with people with whom we associate. In short, the Holy Spirit's power is essential to retaining the blessing of entire sanctification.
The Apostle Paul well understood the need for this power to steady and establish his young converts. Instability among them, even the best of his congregations and with the best of the Christians, was constantly on his mind. For this very reason, he wrote the Thessalonians of his concern that they be sanctified.
"Night and day praying exceedingly that we might perfect that which is lacking in your faith... To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints" (1 Thess. 3:10, 13).
The experience of entire sanctification is calculated to correct the "up and down" experience, take the "wobble" out of our walk and give constant victory in the place of spiritual vacillation. It is said that God will never call you where his grace cannot keep you. The sanctified need the Spirit's power to cleave unto the Lord at all times, enabling them to withstand compromise with dead religion, suffer for the cause of vital piety and... "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). It is a big order, but the Spirit is adequate for spiritual stability.
Power for Service
The Spirit's power is also necessary for effective service. The power of the Spirit will keep you in a humble place, a hard place, or even in a hated place enabling you as a purged... "vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21) to make a telling and lasting spiritual difference in your work by your witness.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6).
Power to Suffer
Some have understood the words of Jesus: "Ye shall be witnesses unto me" (Acts 1:8) as implying martyrs. These argue that the witnesses of Revelation were martyrs and that our Lord intended the saints should have the power of the Spirit both to speak and to suffer for Him. As to this interpretation being correct, we have no comment; but certainly the baptism of the Holy Ghost enabled the early church to suffer great hardships for Christ and His cause. The Holy Spirit is continuing to do so today. We must, therefore, say for the encouragement of all the sanctified, that God's grace for suffering in Jesus' name will accompany the great blessing of heart holiness.
"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
"Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Reader, you will be seeking that which is scriptural when asking the Lord for the experience of entire sanctification that will:
1. purify your heart from the nature of inbred sin,
2. yield the fruit of perfect love,
3. establish the Holy Spirit upon the throne of your understanding for spiritual guidance,
4. empower you to retain this work of grace and enable you to become a useful worker and witness in the Lord's service.
Seek entire sanctification now! It is for us all today. "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24).
Yes! Even your sanctification!
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