Could it be possible?

Rob Reardon on reclaiming our birthright - holiness

A couple of years ago I was preaching in a small corps nestled deep within the outer limits of the division in which we were appointed. The subject of my sermon was holiness and the possibility of living lives of holiness as Christians. Perhaps I was a tad naïve, but I was shocked at how foreign the concept of holiness was to that congregation on that cold, snowy morning.

I suppose you wouldn’t be amazed at how many people in our SA congregations, Salvationists and non, have no clue that holy living - that is, living a life without sin - is completely within the realm of possibility for the believer.

When talking to his disciples about salvation, Jesus told them that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Further along in the New Testament, Paul writes to the saints in Philippi that he was “confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). This good work in you was planned from the beginning of time (see Psalm 139), and while God gave his children free will to choose paths of their own making, he has provided the way of salvation and reconciliation with himself through Christ’s sacrifice (John 3:16).

The initial work of salvation (the cleansing of the shed blood of Jesus) leaves us at a crossroads, a point at which we must decide whether or not we will surrender completely to his will and plan for our lives. Paul later exhorts the Philippians to “continue to work out [their] salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). It’s not enough for us to accept the forgiveness of our sins at the cross and stay there. This new life has so much more potential than that of remaining in our repentant state seeking Christ’s forgiveness of sin.

We can live lives where sin does not exist. Jesus promises fullness of life: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). As parents, we dare not feed our children baby food for the rest of their lives. We have a desire for them to grow and mature and become all that God intends them to be. Spiritually, God wants this for us as well. Furthermore, if we are crucified with Christ, haven’t we also died with him, that is our sinful nature is killed, crucified, dead and buried? We are reminded in Galatians 2:20 that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

We don’t have to live the way we once did, according to our sinful nature. We can be holy! The expectation is that sin in our lives can be eradicated: “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:2). Living the life made possible through Christ’s sacrifice is indeed possible - lives that are pure and spotless, holy and blameless: “…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (1 Peter 3:14); “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Now, I realize that what I’ve written is not a complete and exhaustive study of the subject of holiness, but it is the result of some thinking and preaching that I’ve done lately and the fact that not many within our circles have even an elementary grasp of the holiness doctrine. The doctrine of holiness - no, living lives of holiness - needs to be brought back to the forefront of our lives and our movement. We need to reclaim our birthright, as it were, and get this back into the mainstream of our circles.

Writer: Capt. Rob Reardon is an officer of the USA Western Territory currently serving at the USA National Headquarters in the Business Department. While youth ministry and discipleship are his passion, he is willingly taking a sojourn into the dark recesses of business administration. On good days he can be found cultivating relationships over a good cup of java. On bad days he fights the urge to tumble into a deep depression due to the performance (or lack thereof) of his favorite sports teams. Every day he is in his element loving and enjoying God, his family and the life he has been blessed with.

Tags: holiness

1 Comment to Could it be possible?

1. I understand your shock at the ignorance to Holiness in many salvationists and beleivers. I was saved in my early teens, disipled and enrolled as a Salvation Army Solider by the time I was 16,and still hadn’t ever been taught a thing about Holiness until three years later. In fact I was actually taught the opposite prior, that everyone’s a sinner and everyone will fall into temptation - with that I was taught about Mercy and Grace sure, but still for the majority of my Salvation at that point was grounded in the concept of always living or struggling with sin. And if that is where we are grounded then what are we really saved from?

   When I was first taught and explained the concept of Holiness I was shocked and it took me months and maybe even years after that to begin to understand it.

   I’m not mad at anyone for not teaching me earlier - but it has made me wonder why are soldiers being enrolled without making sure our doctrines are fully understood, such a key part.

   Holiness, I have found, is the answer to all the tough stuff. Living sin free makes life easier.
Nicole on February 15th, 2009

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