Decision #2

Decision #2

Returning to a Belief and Practice

of Sanctification

FOCUS

The centrality of sanctification and 

its impact on salvation and Church life

Scriptures:  2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23;

John Wesley [113]

This doctrine [entire sanctification] is the grand depositum from which god has lodged with the people called Methodists; and for the sake of propagating this chiefly he appears to have raised us up.

Our main doctrines, which include all the rest, are three, that of repentance, of faith, and of holiness. The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself. 

 Another Wesley Quote:  “I have observed that where sanctification is preached the churches grow. Where it is not the churches decline.”  [114]

Sanctification Defined:  the ongoing growth of the Christian life occurring after the justification experience that brings us into relationship with God, assuring us that our sins are forgiven and we are saved.  Justification is the first of the two-part salvation process; sanctification is the second. Justification is the first step into relationship with God; sanctification is all the other steps in growing in the image of Christ. Justification required one decision; sanctification is a series of decisions throughout life. [114]

Authors note that most Methodists along with most other mainline Christians think of salvation exclusively in terms of the forgiveness of sins.  [114]

In brief, sanctification, or holiness, means that we are consumed with our love for God and for neighbor, unite with God, being made in Christ's image walking as He walked, being caught and led by the Spirit, serving Christ in the world.  Holiness is a life consumed by Christ. [115]

Sanctification “requires disciple.”  [117]

The Problem of the Casual Christian  [See page 117!]

1. Does not experience the fullness of the promises of God and is easily lost.

2. The children and grandchildren of casual Christians do not always see and do not experience the depth of the faith [mem: commitment to the institutional church?] of their parents and grandparents and drift away without accepting the essentiality of the Gospel.

3.  If the “Casual Christian” wave that has passed over other countries passes over the US, the casual Christian will be gone from the Church with astonishing speed.

Decision #2

To return immediately to preaching, teaching, and living the belief in sanctification and subsequently setting up those guidelines and models by which the Methodist people are able to experience and enjoy the righteousness, peace, and joy that come thereby.

MEM COMMENTS

The evangelicals of the past 100 or so years with their powerful but nearly exclusive emphasis upon a dramatic “moment of decision” where one “accepts Christ' in a great explosion of emotion has hurt us here.  The idea of sanctification or for that matter, of a “life of service to God,” was, more often than not, absent from the discussion.  Sign your name of the bottom of the four spiritual laws or go to the altar one night and you had your ticket to ride! 

It is easier to create a moment of decision that to create a lifelong commitment to an alternate way of living from the 'norm' of any culture.  Sunday morning worship is not enough.  A 30” minute weekly Sunday School Class while helpful is not enough.  A group that likes each other but has no definitive understand of God's expectations or “claims” on their personal life is not enough.  These are not enough to inspire the passionate sharing of the faith with others. 

While we must be careful to avoid making this two-step saving process into a matter of works righteousness, we must find a way to communicate that in fact the focus of Jesus was not on “personal salvation” at least in the ways we have defined the concept in this age.  Jesus' focus was upon the coming reign of God, the Kingdom of God where all that was wrong would be set right.  Of course, we must have that “moment of decision” when we choose to follow Jesus and be made in His image.  This is important. However, without the act of actually “following Jesus,” the emotion of the moment will quickly fade and we will find ourselves drifting back into our previous sin filled lifestyle.  The problem of losing focus and drifting away from the faith affects even the most passionate of believers.  Our human nature and the power of a culture which seeks to move us in a different direction make the matter of 'faith drift' an ever present reality. 

I am concerned that we could easily fall into the heresy of believing we can bring forth the Kingdom of God by doing “good works.”  Our Calvinist friends would be happen to warn us of this danger. 

The “works” are in response to the call and claim of God upon our lives witnessed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Also, if you think about the matter of how God works to inspire and transform us, God cannot and does not give us all the wisdom and understanding we need in a single millisecond of time.  It takes time for human folk to understand what living a life of faith means.  Also, each moment of life presents us with new challenges requiring new insights, and skills.  A life-long intentional walk with God is required.