Transcript Slide 1
Seven positions on sanctification or holiness…
Keith Drury & Chris Bounds
Seven positions on sanctification or holiness…
Most all denominations have a doctrine of sanctification or holiness.
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
1.
“Holiness of Christ” position - You can’t in actuality, but you can in position.
Humans are just too sinful at the core — they have no hope.
Martin Luther & John Calvin may be here — with their focus on “imputed righteousness”
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
2. Worthy goal but impossible dream
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While it is impossible in this life to become a fully devoted follower of Christ you should head that direction.
Head that way but you will never get there.
Many reformed thinkers take this position.
John Calvin? Reinhold Niebuhr? J. I. Packer?
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
3. A momentary but unsustainable experience
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Full devotion in “pulses” or short periods.
Can’t be sustained for the long haul.
Modern evangelical Lutheran perspective (Gerhard Forde). (Some scholars would argue this was Martin Luther’s position.)
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
4. A sustainable experience with momentary lapses
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Can be normative in a believer’s life. Holy Spirit enables a believer to suppress the sin nature and live in sustained victory over it. However, because the root of sin remains until death, there will be times when sin will cloud or diminish victory. Intentional disobedience as an exception, rather than the rule.
(Classic understanding of “Keswick” theology.)
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
5. Gradual growth process
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It is possible to become a fully devoted follower of Christ in this life.
But only after many years of a gradual process of spiritual growth.
Your job now is to follow the Spirit’s leading in one area at a time. Generally held by serious United Methodists like Thomas Oden (and in an adapted way by Roman Catholics).
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
6. Keep seeking until you receive
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Full devotion is possible before death or old age But not “just for the asking” God does this when HE wants to Your job is to keep seeking for HIM to make you fully devoted.
Many scholars contend this is John Wesley’ s view
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
7. Seek now and receive by faith
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Becoming fully devoted is possible right now.
It is like getting saved —by faith and available now.
View of Pheobe Palmer and traditionally the “Holiness movement”
How to become a fully devoted follower of Christ— seven answers…
What do most of these views have in common?
Surrender/commitment Faith/trust/recieving
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 AD) Summa Theologica Question 182 It is written (Col. 3:14): "Above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection," because it binds, as it were, all the other virtues together in perfect unity.A thing is said to be perfect in so far as it attains its proper end, which is the ultimate perfection thereof. Now it is charity that unites us to God, Who is the last end of the human mind, since "he that abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in him" ( 1 Jn. 4:16 ). Therefore the perfection of the Christian life consists radically in charity.
As stated above, the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity. Now perfection implies a certain universality because according to Phys. iii, 6, "the perfect is that which lacks nothing." Hence we may consider a threefold perfection. One is absolute, and answers to a totality not only on the part of the lover, but also on the part of the object loved, so that God be loved as much as He is lovable. Such perfection as this is not possible to any creature, but is competent to God alone, in Whom good is wholly and essentially.
Another perfection answers to an absolute totality on the part of the lover, so that the affective faculty always actually tends to God as much as it possibly can; and such perfection as this is not possible so long as we are on the way, but we shall have it in heaven.
The third perfection answers to a totality neither on the part of the object served, nor on the part of the lover as regards his always actually tending to God, but on the part of the lover as regards the removal of obstacles to the movement of love towards God, in which sense Augustine says (Questions. LXXXIII, qu. 36) that "carnal desire is the bane of charity; to have no carnal desires is the perfection of charity." Such perfection as this can be had in this life, and in two ways. First, by the removal from man's affections of all that is contrary to charity, such as mortal sin; and there can be no charity apart from this perfection, wherefore it is necessary for salvation. Secondly, by the removal from man's affections not only of whatever is contrary to charity, but also of whatever hinders the mind's affections from tending wholly to God. This charity is possible.