Introduction
This study is based upon the premise, and the writer holds the view, that both the Old and New Testaments constitute the divinely inspired Word of God, inerrant in the originals, and the final authority for life and truth. This is the official position of the National Holiness Association and, quite uniformly, the view of Wesleyan-Arminians everywhere.
Therefore, the Bible provides an authoritarian basis for the doctrine of holiness. Careful exegesis under the leadership of the Holy Spirit will not only communicate with the prophetic voice of "thus saith the Lord," so much needed in our day, but will contribute a dynamic force to the message of full salvation and deliverance from both the penalty and power of sin.
The Word of God is designed, by its divine author, and as used by the Holy Spirit, not only to communicate knowledge, but as an active agent in accomplishing man's redemption. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Ps. 119:9). "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). "But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Cod" (Rom. 10:17).
We are all acutely aware of the attacks being made upon the Bible as a book of authority, divinely inspired. This warfare is not new. One of the greatest evidences that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God is the fact that it has withstood its enemies across the centuries; and it is our faith that it will continue to do so. The Bible needs not to be defended as much as it needs to be declared. This is true with respect to the Bible doctrine of holiness.
In this study an attempt will be made to present the biblical basis for the doctrine of holiness by setting forth the following propositions:
(1) The doctrine of holiness is based upon the Bible presentation of (a) the holiness of God the Father, (b) the holiness of Christ, the Redeemer, and (c) the holiness of the Spirit, the divine agent in the communication of the divine nature to man.
(2) The doctrine of holiness is given perspective and purpose by the Bible's presentation of man's need.
(3) The doctrine of holiness is predicated upon the completeness and adequacy of Christ's atoning work as set forth in the Bible.
(4) The doctrine of holiness is made practical by the ethical requirements of the Bible.
(5) The doctrine of holiness as taught in the Bible is a projection of full salvation which includes the initial crisis experiences of saving grace, the growth or progressive aspects of the holy life, the perfection of the believer in love, a daily walk which glorifies God, preparation for the Lord's return, and the final restoration of the lost image, which includes bodily perfection though the resurrection.
It will also be our purpose in concluding this paper to attempt an exegesis of this great Bible doctrine with special reference to the writings of the Apostle Paul.
I. The Holiness of God
The doctrine of holiness is based upon the Bible presentation of the holiness of God: of God the Father; of Christ the Redeemer; and of the Spirit, the divine Agent in the communication of the divine nature to man.
James F. Gregory begins his chapter entitled, "The Holiness of God," contained in the book, Further Insights Into Holiness, in the following manner, "Divine revelation begins with the concept, 'In the beginning God.' In this manner we must approach all Christian doctrine. If we would understand the holiness of man, we must learn what the Bible says about the holiness of God." (1)
From the very beginning God progressively revealed His holiness to man, as man was capable of understanding that holiness. The grandeur of the creation has given to men of all ages, notwithstanding the effects of the curse because of sin, a sense of awe (cf. Ps. 69). This is a step in developing the concept of the holiness of the Creator, and it accounts for the rise of the multiplied religious superstitions all over the world as man has sought peace with a force greater in power aud purity than himself.
Before we examine a number of Scriptures which set forth the holiness of God, let us be reminded that holiness is not essentially power as expressed in the creation and other works of God; it is essentially a moral purity. Wiley states, "Holiness as it relates to the Father, expresses the perfection of moral excellence which in Him exists unoriginated and underived." (2) It is not only a principle of divine action, but it is incumbent upon His creatures. It is important that we take careful note of the Bible teaching which relates the holiness of God to man. Again Wiley says, "It is evident that holiness is not only the inward character of God as perfect goodness but consistency with this character as a standard for His own activity; and further, it is a requirement for His morally responsible creatures." (3)
The Scripture passages we now examine not only set forth the holiness of God, but also the truth of the impartibility of that holiness to man. This fact is of great significance to the Bible doctrine of holiness.
"For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves 44 with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 11:44, 45).
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, ye shall be holy: for' I the Lord your God am holy" (Levi 19:1, 2).
"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine" (Lev. 20:26).
From the record of Isaiah's vision in chapter 6 of his prophecy the following suggestive statements are gleaned: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up . . . the seraphims . . . cried one unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory . . . then said I, woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the coming, the Lord of hosts... then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand . . . and he laid it upon my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and their iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged" (Isa. 6:1b-7).
Psalm 99:9 is another passage which relates the nature of God to appropriate response on the part of man. "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy."
Let us examine yet another passage. "There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee; neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let no arrogancy come out of your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him are actions weighed" (I Sam. 2:2, 3).
The holiness of God as taught in the Bible is not something abstract, in that it is unrelated to God's creatures. While man will always have a sense of awe and wonder as he gets a glimpse of the holiness of his Maker and Redeemer, he may become a partaker of the divine nature. The Christian, purified and made holy, will passionately pray for more holiness.
It is essential to the Bible doctrine of holiness that Christ, the Redeemer, should also be holy. Holiness may be experienced by the sinner only through a holy Savior. The efficacy of Christ's atoning work is based upon the miracle of the incarnation which made possible a holy sacrifice as a "lamb without blemish." The Savior was God, and holy. He proceeded from God and, while becoming a man, lost none of His holiness. Such keystone passages as John 1:1-5 must ever be kept in sharp focus.
Clearly presenting the holiness of Christ are the following passages: "And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1 :3.5).
"The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just" (Acts 3:13,14).
Any consideration of the holiness of Christ must certainly include the vivid description of John the revelator in Revelation, chapter 1.
As was true with the holiness of God the Father, the purity and righteousness of Christ the Son is impartible to man. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature . . . For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (I Cor. 5:17, 21).
"If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. . . For they [fathers] for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he [Christ] for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness" (Heb. 12:7,10).
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (I Pet. 1:4). The Holy Spirit, the divine agent in the communication of the divine nature to man, is also holy. His name, the Holy Spirit, speaks not only of His holiness as a person, but also indicates His office and work to make men holy. The giving of divine names to the Holy Spirit, ascribing divine attributes and works to Him, and the trinitarian phrases, "Father, Son and Holy Spirit," all attest His deity.
The relation of the Holy Spirit to man, and His specific mission iii the world to minister to men, is a well-known truth in evangelical circles. Jesus gave promise of, and prepared His disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Both Jew and Gentile experienced the purification of their hearts when the Holy Spirit was given unto them. The role of the Spirit in the church, and in the maturation of the Christian, was a favorite topic of the apostles. Wiley states significantly: "Holiness as it relates to the Spirit is holiness imparted or made accessible to men." (4) This divine objective and possibility by grace is a distinctive of the holiness message.
II. Man's Need
The doctrine of holiness is given perspective and purpose by the Bible's presentation of man's need.
The story of sin is adequately told in the Bible. All of human history and the present world-scene attest the fact of sin and the resultant extensive total depravity of the human race.
If our doctrine of sin is unscriptural our entire theological system will lack cohesion and purpose. Christ's redemptive purpose was to "destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8). Certainly man's total need is included in the provision of His death and shed blood.
The Bible teaches the dual nature of sin, and its double cure. Sin as an act requires forgiveness, which is obtainable through repentance and faith. Sin in nature, which is inherited, requires cleansing, which is available through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In making this simple distinction between sins and sin we need to remind ourselves that sin which remains in the nature of a regenerate believer is enmity against God, and the toleration of this sin or depravity, and the rejection of God's provision for cleansing and deliverance from it, does constitute an act of the will, and hence becomes a sin for which we are morally accountable to God.
David knew the dual nature of sin, and clearly delineated this concept in his prayer, as recorded in Psalm 51. "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me" (Ps. 51:1-3).
A New Testament passage which relates forgiveness for sins and cleansing from sin is I John 1:9:" If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The dual nature of sin is taught in chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Romans. That justification is associated with forgiveness of sins and the absolving of guilt is without question. In Romans 6 it is clear that "the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin." In Romans 7 an individual testifies to "sin dwelling in him."
The answer to man's sin, both in deed and in nature, is the blood of Christ. The blood covers the guilt and cleanses the pollution of the heart. There is both pardon and purity provided in Christ's atonement. The Holy Spirit administers the blood of atonement to-day, as He did on the day of Pentecost, and as He has done in all the ages past. The glorious and glad message of holiness is found everywhere throughout the Bible, and it is especially expressed in Hebrews 13:12: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."
III. Christ's Atoning Work
The doctrine of holiness is predicated upon the Bible's setting forth of the completeness and adequacy of Christ's atoning work.
Full salvation as a theological term expresses a Bible precept. It presents an adequate remedy for sin, and in scope includes deliverance from the guilt, power, and ultimately the presence of sin. Christ's atoning work makes reconciliation possible, but also includes the final redemption of the body. This complete salvation is for time and eternity.
Entire sanctification is another term which applies to fullness of redemption. It is for this that Paul prays in I Thessalonians 5:23, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." The Amplified Bible gives this rendering of the foregoing passage: "And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through that is, separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete and found blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah." It is evident that entire sanctification can be experienced in this life, and that following this experience it is possible to live a life of holiness and complete devotion to Cod.
Any detailed presentation of the Bible teaching on justification and regeneration is beyond the limits of this study. It is indeed a wonder-full experience of grace which effects in the repenting and Christ-receiving sinner the miracle of the new birth (spiritual resurrection) and imparts the blessing of forgiveness. Ephesians 2:1 and 1:7 are significant Bible references: "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins . . . In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace."
Entire sanctification is a direct reference to the purifying work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. It is effected by the baptism with the Spirit subsequent to regeneration, and not only cleanses, but also empowers for service. Once again attention is directed to the experience of both Jews and Gentiles in the early church who experienced the "purifying of their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:8, 9).
All of this is possible because of the efficacy of Christ's blood aud His perfect sacrifice. His death, resurrection, and present high priestly ministry at the right hand of the Father in heaven make holiness of heart and the living of a holy life possible (see Rom. 5:1,11; 6:4-13; Col. 2:13; 3:1-4; Heb. 13:20, 21).
IV. Ethical Content of the Bible
The doctrine of holiness is made practical by the ethical content of the Bible.
Christian experience is never an end in itself. Christ's concern was not only that the Holy Spirit should come, but that those filled with the Spirit might do "the greater works." While priority is given to being, Jesus had much to say about doing. "Ye shall be witnesses unto me after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" (Acts 1:8). The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the Spirit-filled life. Fruit is not only beautiful, but useful. In the Epistles of Romans and Ephesians, which we shall examine briefly later, there is a great amount of ethical content. Romans, chapters 12-16, might well be called the ethical division of the book. In Ephesians we are exhorted to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called," and to "walk in love" (Eph. 4:1; 5:2).
Perhaps at this point mention should be made of the body, the members of which are to become "instruments of righteousness" (Rom. 6:13). The body is to be consecrated as a "living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (Rom. 12:1). We are responsible for the use of our own bodies, and for what we do with our bodies and minds with respect to others.
The Bible deals with social ethics. The Ten Commandments are still in effect. A right relationship with God is coupled with a right relationship with our fellowmen. The law of love, which is the fulfilling of the whole law, includes loving God with all the heart, and our neighbors as ourselves.
Much could be said about the witness of the holy life. It is evident that with all our witnessing and evangelizing we need to give greater care to the consistency of our walk. We should emulate Paul in his ability to write to the Thessalonians, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe" (I Thess. 2:10).
Fruit is natural, but there is also the pruning and the purging if there is to be much fruit. Let us not ignore the disciplines of the holy life.
V. A Projection of Full Salvation
The doctrine of holiness as taught in the Bible is a projection of full salvation, which includes the initial experiences of grace, the growth or progressive aspects of the holy life, the perfection of the believer in love, a daily walk which glorifies God, preparation for the Lord's return, and the final restoration of the lost image, which includes bodily perfection through the resurrection.
This rather involved summary statement is justified on the basis of the conviction that we need to communicate a well-rounded message. If we are Bible preachers and teachers we will be less likely to lose perspective, and thus emphasize certain phases of the Christian life at the expense of other equally important truths and applications. The fact that the Word of God takes man from his lost estate and elevates him to the position where he may "sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," and their in the future ages Christ will "shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us" (Eph. 2:6, 7) is indicative of its genius.
We have already treated the initial experiences of grace, and have taken note of the fact that there is growth in grace after one is saved and sanctified. Christian perfection, or the perfection of love, is another subject which deserves careful study. Mention has been made of the ethical implications of holiness. The Bible does relate the work of the Holy Spirit to the church, and the preparation of the church, as the bride of Christ, for the Lord's return.
I Thessalonians, chapter 4 is an example of this latter truth. This chapter begins with several pointed statements concerning the Christian's sanctification. It is the will of Cod (v.3). God has not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness (v.7). This wonderful portion of God's Word closes with clear teaching concerning the Lord's return. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him . . . For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:13-17). The Lord's return is spoken of in I John 3:3 as the purifying hope of the Christian.
The Bible doctrine of holiness requires that all the consequences of sin and the curse must be dealt with. Christian perfection, which does not now include the perfection of the body and of performance, is the threshold of total perfection. "When we shall see him, we shall be like him" (I John 3:2). "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" (Phil. 3:21).
In conclusion, a simplified form of exegesis will be presented.
Quite often I am engaged in conversation by those who have sincere questions concerning the scriptural basis for the holiness message. On such occasions I take delight in sharing a series of parallelisms which are found in the book, Exploring Our Christian Faith, which is edited by W. T. Purkiser. They follow without reading the supporting Bible references:
(1) Both justification and sanctification are expressions of divine love (John 3:16 and Eph. 5:25-27).
(2) Both justification and sanctification are subjects of God's will for man (I Tim. 2:3, 4 and Heb. 10:10 and I Thess. 4:3).
(3) Both justification and sanctification are accomplished through the Word (I Pet. 1:23 and John 17:17).
(4) Both justification and sanctification are wrought in the heart by the effective power of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5 and II Thess. 2:13).
(5) Both justification and sanctification are provided by the atonement of Christ on the cross of Calvary (Rom. 5:9 and Heb. 13:12).
(6) Both justification and sanctification are expressions of the grace of God, and not the achievements of human effort (Eph. 2:8, 9 and Titus 2:11-14).
(7) Both justification and sanctification are brought to the individual's heart in response to faith (Rom. 5:1 and Acts 15:8, 9). (5)
The holiness message is not based upon a few isolated proof texts. Scripture does not need to be taken out of context in order to build a foundation for the Wesleyan-Arminian theology. This great truth can be preached expositorily from several great books of the Bible. I would like to use Romans and Ephesians, and I hope by a quick review of these two great epistles, to identify the holiness message.
In Romans, chapters 1-3, we are told the story of sin. Among other things, we learn that man is a sinner because he is sinful. "There is none righteous, no not one" (3:10). "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (3:23).
Chapter 4 presents the crucified and risen Christ (vv. 24, 25). Let us remember' that the Holy Spirit does not work independently. He is in the world to "glorify Christ" and to "take the things of Christ and show them unto us." The holiness message, if it is biblically based, must be a Christ-centered message. The Spirit can do nothing for us apart from the work of Christ. He administers the provisions of the finished work of Christ.
Romans, chapter 4, presents the great subject of faith. We are reminded that Abraham was justified by faith, and had the witness of his justification before he was circumcised. I like to think of this section as the bridge building chapter: the bridge which spans the great gulf which separates man from God is Christ (vv. 24, 25). We must exercise faith, and trust ourselves to the adequacy of the bridge to bring us to God and effect deliverance from sin's penalty and power.
The fifth chapter of Romans is well known as the justification chapter. The first verse reads, "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." In listing the numerous blessings of the justified, it presents initial salvation as the greatest experience man can have in this life. Once justified, man has access to the grace of God. He also has the Holy Spirit, according to verse 5, and experiences the joy of hope (v.2), and the deeper, fuller joy of sharing in the full atonement (v.11). We need not minimize the first work of grace to make room for a second crisis experience.
Chapter 6 raises the standard for holy living, which is incumbent upon all Christians. We cannot ignore such clear statements as are found in verse 6: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Sin is not to reign in our mortal bodies. In fact, we are expected to live so holily that the members of our body will become instruments of righteousness unto God (v. 13). This pattern and pace for holy living is not consistent with the prevalent view that the best we can hope for as Christians in this life is to sin in word, thought and deed every day.
Chapter 7 is not easy to interpret, nor is the man of chapter 7 easily identified. We cannot accept the view that this man with the problem of the divided will, as described in verses 15-24, is a normal, regenerate Christian, and that this is the best we can hope for as long as we are in the body.
Two other views come nearer the truth. Some sincerely believe that this man is regenerate, but as yet unsanctified. Let us acknowledge that this description of the divided will, and of vassiliation, is characteristic of the unsanctified heart. However, the view of Adam Clark and Daniel Steele, and most Wesleyan scholars today, that Paul here presents a description of himself as an awakened legalist, an unregenerated man in whose mind are deep desires for a better life, is no doubt the correct view.
"One of the biggest problems in interpreting Romans 7 is this: Was Paul writing of himself before he became a Christian, or was he describing his own struggles with 'indwelling sin' after he became a Christian? . . . This much is sure: Paul is telling us the way sin behaves, whether in an awakened legalist (as he was for a time, even as John Wesley between 1725 and 1738) or in a 'born-again' soul. Another fact of equal importance is this: the law of God which is holy and good (7:12) is no more able to free the soul from inbred sin than it is able to freely justify the guilty sinner (Rom. 3:19-31). In brief we should learn from Romans 7 that the freedom from sin of which Paul writes in 6:22 is possible through Christ by faith, but it is impossible through human efforts at keeping God's law." (6)
The wonderful progression of the book of Romans takes us now to Romans, chapter 8, which is evidently a description of the Spirit-filled life. If Romans 5 is the chapter on justification, then Romans 8 is the chapter on sanctification.
It is worthy of note that in the first seven chapters Paul mentions the Holy Spirit only once. This mention is in the "justification" chapter, verse 5:" the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." However, in chapter 8 the Holy Spirit is mentioned no less than 19 times - 15 times in the first 16 verses.
A simple outline of the chapter, depicting the Spirit-filled life, is suggested as follows:
1. Spiritually directed (v.1-4)
2. Spiritually minded (v.5-8)
3. Spiritually quickened (v.9-13)
4. Spiritually identified (v.14-17)
5. Spiritual anticipation (v. 18-25)
6. Spiritual ministry (v. 26, 27)
7. Spiritual adjustment (v.28-30)
8. Spiritual victory (v.31-39)
Perhaps the key verse is 9, which is rendered in Phillip's translation as follows: "But you are not carnal but spiritual if the Spirit of God finds a home within you. You cannot indeed be a Christian at all unless you have something of his Spirit in you. Now if Christ does live within you his presence means that your sinful nature is dead, but your spirit becomes alive because of the righteousness he brings with him." (7)
Is it an over-simplification to state that the sanctified Christian has the Holy Spirit in this "at home" relationship rather than as a mere guest? And does this concept line up with what Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16)?
The Epistle to the Ephesians has become a favorite as a basis for preaching holiness. Two words, ruin and redemption, could well outline the book. In chapter 2, Paul climaxes his review of the past state of the Ephesian Christians by reminding them that they were "by nature the children of wrath." But they had been "saved by grace" and had been made to "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." There is at least one reference to the Holy Spirit in each of the 6 chapters of the epistle. The most familiar is found in chapter 5, verse 18: "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
Both of the crisis experiences of grace are presented in sharp focus. Chapter 2, verse 1, presents the new birth as spiritual resurrection, and one of the greatest passages dealing with forgiveness is found in chapter 1, verse 7. The "after that" of chapter 1, verse 13 clearly indicates that something happened to these Christians after they were saved. The language is plain: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."
This New Testament book also deals with the growth aspect of the holy life in chapter 4. After presenting the church universal, the Apostle identifies the various functions of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the "perfecting of the saints." This process is to continue until "we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." While absolute perfection cannot be realized in this life, we can achieve Christian maturity: "That henceforth we be no more children" (4:14).
This process will culminate in the glorification of the church, as described in chapter 5, verses 25-27: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
The present tense in the book of Ephesians is impressive and significant. They were at the time of Paul's writing, saints (1:1). Now, we as they, are in Christ (2:13), and none are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints (2:19). Now we have access to God (2:18). Now the power of God works in us. "Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (3:20).
It was a happy day in my life, after a period of confusion resulting from oft repeated cliches, and so much theoretical preaching which was not Bible based, that the Bible itself began to speak to me and its total message was fully redemptive. The atoning work of Christ was adequate for my deepest need, for both time and eternity. This truth is so vast and so profound that we will always be reaching out to comprehend and appropriate it. This study has touched only the surface. Nothing has been said about the typology of holiness. Such works as A. B. Simpson's two volumes, The Holy Spirit, are especially valuable to such a study. I am convinced that the Bible is relevant, and that there is a Biblical basis for the doctrine of holiness.
Documentations
1. Kenneth E. Geiger (ed.), Further Insights Into Holiness (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1963), p.31.
2. H. Orton Wiley, Christian Theology (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1952), I, 373.
3. Ibid., p.374.
4. Ibid., p.376.
5. W. T. Purkiser, Exploring Our Christian Faith (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1960), pp. 354-356.
6. Delbert H. Rose.
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