HOW TO KEEP THE BLESSING Part 2

The wisdom of the fathers

HOW TO KEEP THE BLESSING Part 2

Dr. Sheridan Baker says "Clear testimony to full salvation is so opposed by Satan, is so distasteful to a worldly church, and is so much discouraged by many who are reputed wise and good, that more lose the blessing of entire sanctification by ambiguity and indefiniteness in testimony than by any other, and, perhaps by all other, causes put together" 

A word about the manner of confession. Ask for divine wisdom to aid your common sense to make your testimony as effective as possible. Rev. M. L. Haney, the evangelist, gives the following illustration of how two persons, A and B, testify to the same blessing, one unwisely and the other wisely: 

 A. says, "I am holy." B, says, "God has in great mercy given me a holy heart."

 A. " I am wholly sanctified." B. "The very God of peace himself sanctifies me wholly." 

 A. "I am a perfect man." B. "Jesus has perfected my soul in love." 

 A. "Ten months ago I was sanctified, and since then I have not sinned." B. "Ten months ago Jesus sanctified my soul, and since then he has graciously and wondrously kept me." 

 A. "I love God with all my heart and my neighbor as myself." 

 B. "Jesus has cleansed me from all sin and filled me with perfect love." 

 A. "I am living without sin." B. "Jesus graciously keeps me from sinning against him." 

 "The testimony of Brother A. may be true, but it is given very unwisely and does much harm. It is naturally repulsive and is met with instinctive opposition, even in the breasts of good men. The opposition in its turn produces in the witness a defiant attitude, and his words with his attitude result in turning two from the experience where one is led into its possession. 

Do not forget that we testify, not for ourselves what we have done, or have not done; but we are the witnesses of Jesus, and of his power to save" Let us therefore be modest and sink ego and self out of sight, and bear in mind the words of Bishop Fowler the other day in Cleveland to some young ministers: "Remember, sanctification is not crankification." 

The devil hates holiness, and the testimony to it will at best be offensive enough to a wicked world and a worldly church; let us bear our testimony for the glory of Jesus in as modest and gentle and sweet and gracious a manner as possible. And when you have spoken as a witness then be content to endure in Christ-like silence all the ugly things that may be said to you or about you. 

(from "Holiness and Power" by Aaron Merritt Hills)