Today, we look at more reasons why every Christian should seek entire sanctification.
13. Because, if not sought there is the utmost danger of backsliding. Not to go forward is to go back, and "end in the flesh." There is no standing still in a religious life. Israel could not stay on the borders of the promised land; they had either to go over, or measure their steps back into the wilderness.
14. Because, without entire sanctification we cannot occupy the best vantage-ground to resist temptation and achieve complete victory over Satan. Holiness involves all the elements of stability and strength, and affords power in the hour of trial, and great moral endurance in the conflicts of life. It secures the safest possible condition of probation. "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Christian holiness would save us from many annoyances and difficulties of
life. It would lift us above them. If the eagle were to fly low along the ground, every man might aim
a dart at it but when it soars into the clouds, it is above every arrow's reach. So they that are fully saved, "mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."
15. Because, without perfect love we cannot possess that full measure of religious joy and healthful happiness which God has provided for us, and which our nature and circumstances require. The enjoyments of the entirely sanctified heart are full, purely religious, and divine.
When our blessed Redeemer stood and cried at the Jewish feast, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink," He called upon all to come and drink at the fountain of his own infinite felicity. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." This completes the climax. Halleluiah!
16. Because, without entire sanctification we cannot reach the maximum of our spiritual power, or attain our greatest usefulness. Other circumstances being equal, God always graduates the Christian's influence by his purity. Love and purity are the strongest elements of moral power, and he who has them is invincible. Proportionately to our purity, God and good men will love us, and in the same proportion we shall have influence with God and with men. "If a man therefore purge himself from these (inward defilements), he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."
17. Because, perfect love is the most pleasing expression of gratitude to God for his infinite goodness. When we were in our sins, he convicted, pardoned, and regenerated our unworthy soul. Should we not be as entire now in the service of God as we were in the service of the devil? We are under infinite obligations of love and praise to God. He has given us his Son, his Truth, and his Spirit. He has provided for us a seat in heaven, a robe of righteousness, a harp of gold, a crown of glory, and special place in the center of his eternal love. "That where I am there ye may be also."
18. Because, God is holy -- essentially, absolutely, unchangeably, and transcendently HOLY. He infinitely loves holiness, and infinitely hates sin. He delights only in that which possesses his own nature, and bears his own image. He is the infinite model and source of holiness, and desires that all his creatures should be holy. Because it is written, "Be ye yourselves also holy." -- Alford.
19. Because, holiness has intrinsic excellence and glory in itself. It brings a whole constellation of virtues into a single heart -- perfect love, perfect faith, perfect humility, perfect patience, and perfect purity. Here are riches and honors, like the source whence they emanate, glorious as heaven and lasting as eternity. These graces constitute the richest adornment of our nature. The garments of holiness are for glory and beauty. John Bunyan declared, "The ornament and beauty of this lower world, next to God and his works, are the men and women who sparkle and shine in the beauty of holiness."
20. Because, the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom demands it. We cannot glorify God fully without it. The lives of Christians are to be the practical exponents of the holy principles of Christ's spiritual kingdom. "Ye are the light of the world." Millions of sinners are perishing for
want of a holy ministry and membership. For the want of entire sanctification, multitudes in both the ministry and membership do but little for God and the salvation of souls. Of Barnabas it is written: "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith and much people were added unto the Lord."
If then, dear reader, without entire sanctification we are subjects of indwelling sin, which is unfriendly to our religious life -- struggles for ascendency -- disturbs our peace -- obscures our spiritual vision -- is the instrument of sore temptation -- mars our Christian character -- interrupts our communion with God -- cripples our efforts to do good -- occupies a place in our hearts which should be possessed by the Holy Spirit -- obstructs our growth in grace -- renders our service to God but partial -- begets doubts and fears -- hinders usefulness, and produces distressing convictions of moral deficiency, how can we neglect its extermination with impunity? "This is the will of God even your sanctification." It is His will both permissively and authoritatively. Can we resist God's will with impunity?
Bishop Foster beautifully says: "Motives to holiness! where shall we not go to find them? What direction shall we take to elude them? Are they not everywhere? Do they not come down from the heavens, and spring up from the earth? Do we not feel them within, and behold them without us? Is there anything that has a voice that does not preach it? Nay, do not even mute and dumb things urge it with silent but persuasive eloquence? What is heaven but an eternal monument of its glory? What is hell but a terrible and endless declaration of its necessity? The happiness of the former and the anguish of the latter equally impress it upon the hearts of thoughtless mortals. Indeed, turn where we will, whether to time or eternity, to the throne or the abyss, a million arguments commend it to us, a million voices urge it upon us. -- Christian Purity, p. 184.
Reader, we are approaching a holy God, a holy heaven, and a company of saints and angels who cry: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty; heaven and earth are full of his glory."
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