The Biblical Basis for 

Entire Sanctification

Abridged and edited from

Entire Sanctification

By

Rev. C.B. Jernigan

Jeff Paton - Editor


Most of the controversies, which arise between men who fear God, spring from the hurry with which some of them find fault with what they have not yet examined, and speak evil of what they do not understand." 

- John Fletcher  


Holiness

Webster's International Dictionary thus defines holiness: "1.  Perfect moral integrity or purity; freedom from sin ; sanctity, innocence. 2.  State of being hallowed or consecrated to God, or His worship.

"Holy, salvation, happiness, whole, well. 1.  Set apart to the service or worship of God. 2.  Spiritually whole or sound; freedom from sinful affection; pure in heart; godly; pious; irreproachable; guiltless; acceptable to God.

God is holy

Isa. 6:37; Rev. 4:8

Heaven a holy place

Psalm 20:6

Nothing unclean shall enter

Rev. 21:27

Scriptures holy

Romans 1:2

Commandments holy

Romans 7:12

Chosen to be holy

Ephesians 1:4

Holiness lost in the fall

Romans 5:12

Restored in Christ

Col. 1:22

A holy church

Eph. 5:27

Holiness commanded

Lev. 11:14; 1 Peter 1:15, 16

Ye shall be holy

Lev. 19:2

A holy people

Deut. 7:6; 14:2

Shall be called holy

Isa. 62:12

The way of holiness

Isa. 35:8

God calls to holiness

1 Thes. 4:7

Partakers of His holiness

Heb. 12:10

Holy Ghost makes holy

1 Cor. 3:16, 17

Fruit unto holiness

Romans 6:22

Holy men

2 Peter 1:21; 2 Kings 4:9; Psalm 86:2

Bishops must be holy men (some fight holiness today!)

Titus 1:7, 8 

Paul found holy brethren

Heb. 3:1; 1 Thes. 5:27

Holy women

1 Peter 3:5

Holiness or hell

Heb. 12:14

God swore an oath that we should live holy everyday of our lives. Who says we cannot?

Luke 1:68-75 

 

 

Entire Sanctification

"Sanctify: 1.  To make sacred or holy; to set apart to a holy of religious use; to consecrate by appropriate rites; to hallow. 2.  To make free from sin; to cleanse from moral corruption and pollution; to purify."

"Sanctification:  The act of making holy; the state of being sanctified or made holy. Theologically - The act of God's grace by which the affections of men are purified or alienated from sin and the world, and exalted to a supreme love of God. Also the state of being thus purified or sanctified." - Webster's Dictionary.

Sanctify yourselves Lev. 20:7
Sanctify: keep from flesh Num. 11:18
Sanctify yourselves Josh. 3:5
I sanctify myself (Jesus) John 17:19
Sanctify them (the Apostles) John 17:17
Sanctify: cleanse the Church  Eph. 5:25, 27
Sanctify: purge conscience Heb. 19:13, 14
Purge, sanctify 2 Tim. 2:21
Sanctify, wash Ex. 19:10
The priests cleansed the inner house/ type of heart purity 2 Chron. 29:15-19
Holy Ghost brings purity Acts 15:8, 9
Heart circumcision Deut. 30:6
God of peace sanctify 1 Thes. 5:23
He that sanctifies Heb. 2:11
Jesus suffered to sanctify Heb. 13:12
By God the Father  Jude 1
By the Holy Ghost Rom. 15:16
Through the Spirit 2 Thes. 2:13
God wills sanctification 1 Thes. 4:3
According to His will Heb. 10:9, 10
By faith in Jesus Acts 26:18
Holy Ghost a witness Heb. 10:15
Christ our sanctification` 1 Cor. 1:30
God commands His sanctified ones Isa. 13:3
   

Sin Not A Necessity

Awake to righteousness, and sin not  1 Cor. 15:34
Little children, sin not * 1 John 2:1
Shall we continue in sin? Romans 6:1, 2
Go, sin no more * John 5:14; 1 John 8:11
Stand in awe, sin not * Ps. 4:4
He that committeth sin is of the Devil 1 John 3:8
Whosoever is born of God doth not sin 1 John 5:18; 3:9
Jesus came to save from sin Matt. 1:21
Sanctification preserves the spirit, soul, and body 1 Thes. 5:23
Let not sin reign in your bodies Romans 6:12
Sin shall not reign Romans 6:14
The flesh cannot please God/ You are not in the flesh Romans 8:8, 9 
Blessed are the pure in heart Matt. 5:8
A pure heart, a clean life Matt. 15:8
Pure heart, pure thoughts Mark 7:21, 22
Cleanse hands, purify hearts James 4:8 
Cleanse filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness 2 Cor. 7:1
There is cleansing in the blood from all sin 1 John 1:7
The blood of Christ purges Heb. 9:14
Put off the old man Eph. 4:20-24
Crucify the old man  Romans 6:6
I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2:20
A fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13:1
Fruit-bearing branches already in the vine, yet need cleansing John 15:2
   

* Sin, taught as a necessity by many false teachers, is considered avoidable by the Holy Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man: and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide a way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." NASB. We are promised that God will not allow a temptation to be so strong that we cannot resist it. Temptation is a test of character where we show forth where our hearts really are.

 

Christian Perfection

The doctrine of Christian Perfection is badly misunderstood. We do not teach that man can be a perfect God; nor do as perfectly as God; neither be a perfect angel, nor as perfect as Adam was. Not perfect in knowledge; not physical perfection; not perfect before men for the Jews said Jesus was a devil. He drove the money changers out of the Temple with a whip, which from a human standpoint was not perceived as a righteous act by some. Although His actions and motives were misunderstood by many, Jesus was the example of the perfect Christian - Perfect in love. By most "religious" definitions today, Jesus would not be considered "perfect" by their standard either. 

Commanded to be perfect with God Deut. 18:13
Walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 17:1
Be perfect as your Father is perfect Matt. 5:48
Go on to perfection Hebrews 6:1
We wish your perfection 2 Cor. 13:9
Epaphras prays for your perfection Col. 4:12
I pray night and day for your perfection 2 Thes. 3:10
Scriptures are given: that the man of God may be perfect  2 Thes. 3:10
We preach to present every man perfect Col. 1:28
Finally farewell. Be perfect 2 Cor. 13:11 
God gave some apostles, some evangelists... for the perfecting of the saints Eph. 4:11-13
If thou will be perfect Matt. 19:21
Made perfect in one John 17:23
Same is perfect man James 3:2
Perfect in love 1 John 4:17, 18
Love the bond of perfectness Col. 3:14
Love is the fulfilling of the law Romans 13:10
Mark the perfect man Ps. 37:37
Noah was perfect in his generation Gen. 6:9
Hezekiah had a perfect heart 2 Kings 20:3
Asa's heart was perfect 2 Chron. 15:17
I will walk with a perfect heart Ps. 10:1, 2
Job a perfect man Job 1:1-8
Perfect way Ps. 10:1-7
The God of peace, who has the power to bring to life the dead, can make you perfect through the blood of everlasting covenant  Heb. 13:20, 21
   

Entire Sanctification

 

Sanctification, holiness. purity, and perfection is not just some mythical transfer of character from one person to another. The Scriptures everywhere speak of these traits as being realities in those believers to whom this grace is conferred. The ideas of heart perfection/purity, and that this comprises what constitutes a believer as entirely sanctified, is not an obscure pipedream of some deluded "perfectionist," but a real and Scriptural attainment for every believer in this life. Some have made a career out of  terrifying multitudes away from holiness by ridiculing holiness, sanctification, and perfection. Do not allow those who have failed this grace of God to dissuade you from experiencing the promises and blessings guaranteed by God. 

The term Justification and Sanctification are not used in a technical sense or critical sense, but rather in a general sense as referring to experience.

In Justification there is life In Sanctification there is life more abundant
In Justification the "old man" is repressed In Sanctification the "old man" is destroyed
In Justification there is "peace with God"  In Sanctification there is the "peace of God"
In Justification there is love In Sanctification there is perfect love which casteth out fear
In Justification we "put on the new man" In Sanctification we "put off the old man and his deeds"
Justification gives us a right to heaven Sanctification gives the fitness for heaven
In Justification there is joy - intermittent joy In Sanctification there is fullness of joy - abiding joy
Justification includes pardon, which is a judicial act ** Sanctification includes cleansing, which is a priestly function
Justification is obtained by surrender, repentance, and faith Sanctification is obtained by consecration, obedience, and faith
Justification delivers from guilt and condemnation Sanctification delivers from unholy tempers and abnormal appetites
Justification comprehends adoption, making us children of God  Sanctification comprehends anointing, making us kings and priests unto God
Justification separates us from the world, so we are no longer of the world Sanctification takes the word out of us; worldly desires and ambitions
Justification is illustrated by the rescue of the sinking man from the water Sanctification is getting the water out of the lungs of the drowning man
Justification is conditioned on confession of sin (1 Jn. 1:9) Sanctification is conditioned on "walking in the light as he is in the light" (1 Jn. 1:7)
Justification has to do with sin as an act - sins committed Sanctification has to do with sin as a principle - the sin nature, the result of the curse
Justification restores us to the favor of God which we had lost through our own disobedience Sanctification restores us to holiness or the moral likeness of God, which we had lost through Adam's disobedience 
Justification is the impartation of a spiritual nature, bringing us into possession of eternal life Sanctification is the crucifixion and destruction of our carnal nature, making us dead indeed unto sin
Justification makes us free from outward sin and condemnation Sanctification makes us "free indeed." Gives the "deed" to our freedom with all the mortgages paid off. Freedom from fear, and doubt, and pride.
In Justification we are united as the branch to the vine In Sanctification we receive the purging promised to the living and fruitful vine, that we may "bring forth more fruit." (John 15:2)
In Justification the experience is a "well of water" (John 4:14). A well for personal use In Sanctification there is a fullness of blessings so that out of our inward parts "shall flow rivers of living water" (John 6:38, 39). A river cannot be confined to personal use, but will bless and fructify wherever it flows
Justification: "The forensic, judicial, or gracious act of God by which the sinner is declared righteous, or justly free from the obligation to penalty and fully restored to divine favor." - Standard Dictionary  Sanctification: "To make holy; cleanse from sin. Specially in theology, the gracious work of the Holy Spirit whereby the believer is freed from sin, and exalted to holiness of heart and life." - Standard Dictionary
   
   
A perfection of LOVE,

"When entire sanctification is come, then love becomes perfect. With hatred gone, and envy no more, and jealousy driven away, and pride cast out, and anger transformed and malice removed, and unholy ambition sanctified, and self seeking banished, and avarice nailed to the Cross, and covetousness clean gone forever, the heart, now released from its bondage to moral corruption, swells with ecstasy of perfect love to God, perfect fellowship with God's children, and a tender compassion for the lost members of Adam's race." 

- Dr. J.G. Morrison

 

1 John 2:5, 6; 4:16-21

Matt. 5:43-48

 
"The nature of Christian Perfection; it is perfect love."

 

 

 

 

- John Fletcher

"The seat of this perfect love, a heart cleansed from its own thoughts."

"The Blessed effect of it, a worthy magnifying of God's holy name."

"Its author, God, of whom the blessing is asked."

"The immediate mean of it, the inspiration of his Holy Spirit."

"And, lastly, the gracious procurer of it, our Lord Jesus Christ."

** Inherited depravity or sin is not something in which we are personally guilty of, and as such, cannot be forgiven. Depravity is not something in which we can repent and turn from. It is something that that we need cleansing from. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 

 

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION By Adam Clarke   UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

 

BIBLICAL THEOLOGY