I was recently asked about the “holiness movement” and whether I “believe that while you’re set free from the bondage and dominion of sin, do you now claim to walk perfectly uprightly, or, are you still grappling with your sin nature (flesh patterns) in a fallen world?”
Here is my answer that might be helpful to you as well:
“Hi ______, thanks for the message and taking the time to understand my position. I fully reject the “holiness” movement, or what I understand as Nazarene or holiness pentecostalism. I reject sinless perfectionism taught by Pelagians, and also the “second blessing” or “entire sanctification” commonly taught in Weslyan Arminian traditions. [added – or “baptism in the Holy Spirit” apart from initial salvation, sometimes known as a “second work of grace”]
“I believe Scripture says that the Christian has been set free from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-36; Romans 6:15-23). He is a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and is no longer an unrighteous sinner (1 Cor. 6:9-10) but has been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11). I believe that once God has justified and positionally sanctified the sinner, who is now a saint, he or she will live out the implications of a heart changed by the Gospel (Eph. 2:8-10).
“As a regenerate (born again) child of God (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:4-8), the saint will will “work out his salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12-13; Titus 2:11-14)), purify himself as He is pure (1 John 3:3), and no longer live in a habitual lifestyle of sin because the fruit of the Spirit is manifest in him, he has been born of God, and God’s seed remains in him. (Galatians 5:19-26; 1 John 3:1-9) He will progressively and surely put of the old man and put on the new man (Colossians 3; Ephesians 4:17-24).
“This means the believer progresses in a life of sanctification, battling sin for the duration, though becoming holy as God is holy, because Jesus will finish the work He started, until the believer’s final glorification, all for the glory of God alone (Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6-8; 1 Peter 1:13-16; Phil. 1:6; Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:1-14).
“Christians do sin, though not as a habitual lifestyle, and when we do sin and confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us, and Christ advocates before the Father on our behalf as our Mediator and High Priest (1 John 1:8-2:2).
“I like what Steven Lawson says in that the Christian walk is not one of sinless perfection, but of sinless direction.”
Further Reading
What Is Wrong with NON-Lordship Salvation? Part 5 – Sanctification
Biblical Assurance of Salvation
airō 
wpuymac
January 2, 2013
Next time you can save yourself the blog space and just reprint the new testament! LOL Just kidding, nice job using scripture to explain the answer to the question.
Justin Edwards
January 2, 2013
:-)…thanks, brother.
Linda
January 3, 2013
never heard of the “holiness movement” perse. Have dealt with people who believe they are sinless NOW. Usually I share with them the verses in 1 John 1:9-10. Their retort usually is that John was talking to non-believers. My reply is John even includes himself!
There will also be a new heaven and a new earth but this also hasn’t happened yet. Just like we are saved and righteous in God’s sight NOW (positionally) we won’t be sinless until God takes us home. In the mind of God who is the great “I AM” he sees us in Christ in our rightful position according to his grace. But we haven’t gotten there yet it’s still in the future.
Great replies and gentleness Justin~
Justin Edwards
January 4, 2013
Amen, Linda – already perfect but not yet perfected!
Nancy Kottke
January 14, 2013
How wonderful to have found this post. Just had this discussion at our last Wed. bible study. Continual progress!
Chris Baumgart
February 4, 2013
Sorry, I feel this perspective falls a bit short. Why couldn’t one be holy on this life? Thoroughly sanctified through faith in Jesus Christ. A believer has all the ” tools” to draw from… A believer has Christ Himself to abide in… And by faith walk away from temptation, just as Christ did here on earth… The Holy Spirit that dwells in me is a powerful force… Guiding my moves, my will, testing my motives… Praying always, is it possible? Yes. “positioning” sounds close to a Calvinist teaching… And, I’m sorry, why do Christians believe that when they get to heaven, they become automaticly holy…? Jesus teaches us that sin comes from within, from the spirit. It is only manifested through the flesh. The history of our spiritual heritage clearly shows that sin started in Heaven, not on earth. Lucifer and a third of the holy angels sinned, rebelling against God. This tells us there is temptation even in the heavens… Jesus died for the, “now” not for the, “later” – Jesus arose to tell us His Way works! -peace.
Justin Edwards
February 5, 2013
Chris, where do get that the article said we cannot be holy in this life? And are you suggesting that Christians and angels in heaven can rebel against God?
Chris B.
February 5, 2013
This site is “spiritually wimpy” – not allowing reasonable debate, displays a form of pride very dangerous to your soul. Jesus is holy, and likewise he commands us to get our hearts in line with Him. Rejecting this, and empowering the love of sin to continue to keep a place in the hearts of your followers, readers is sad. Sanctification through faith is a very real principle. Abiding in the righteousness of Christ allows us to live holy lives, literally. Grace through Faith, sanctified through faith… And by faith we overcome the wicked desires of the flesh. As Paul says, we mortify our body’s, do you really love your sin to the point to shape your religious doctrine around it? I would say yes. This is sad.
Justin Edwards
February 5, 2013
You will have to forgive me not being able to get to comments as quickly as I would like sometimes. Thanks for the patience you have displayed here. 😉
Secondly, where are you getting from the article “do you really love your sin to the point to shape your religious doctrine around it? I would say yes.”?
Chris B.
February 6, 2013
we are immediately sanctified positionally… But then we need to be “really” sanctified by God who stops us from sinning…. Sorry, my friend. It sounds like a redundant ball of confusion.. If we are already sanctified why must we be sanctified again? And what does keep us from sinning in heaven? …scripture tells us that Lucifer was a Holy creation along with a third of God’s angels – sinfully rebelling they left heaven… “and the Angels who kept not their Principality, but abandoned their own way of life,… Jude 1:6 – I guess they didn’t make the cut on the, once saved always saved list… And we’re talking citizens of heaven even! ; )
Justin Edwards
February 6, 2013
I see. So you do not sin? And Lucifer nor the angels who followed him were elect. That is why they fell.
Chris B.
February 6, 2013
Ok, following your response… The Angels who were sanctified, holy citizens walking and serving God in eternity lost their what seemed to them, their “elective” status with God because they weren’t really elect. So this would mean even a Believer here once entering heaven being made holy, as God’s finished work, walking and serving Him throughout eternity could lose his or her “elective” status because they were never truly one of the “elect”. -?
Justin Edwards
February 6, 2013
The fallen angels served God’s purposes in their fall, and they were never elect. You may find this helpful: http://pbministries.org/books/gill/Doctrinal_Divinity/Book_3/book3_05.htm
Eternal life begins at conversion, and it never ends. Once elect always elect and preserved.
Please answer my first question – do you sin?
Chris B.
February 6, 2013
Justin, in response to your first question – do I sin? **Only if I choose to.
Chris B.
February 7, 2013
A question with your resource material above and the “point”of election as being preserved…? For me seems to be in doubt. How do we know we will not eventually serve a purpose for God sometime in eternity with open rebellion as the holy angels once did? Or any other creature that lives in heaven or the new earth? According to God’s sovereignty we will never be secure with the “once elect always elect” theology. Because we do not know ourselves as well as God does, let alone what would seem, God’s greater purposes for His Way and sovereign Will to be accomplished.
Justin Edwards
February 7, 2013
Chris, I think you need to spend some serious study in God’s Word as you have an extremely wayward understanding of the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. This might even be a reflection of your own heart, if you do not know for certain that a) God is faithful and will not renege on His promises b) you have the enduring and everlasting hope of eternal life.
I bid you to begin in the book of Ephesians, Romans 6-8, and 1 Peter.