It took me quite a while to get back on this one. Eventually I knew I had to post something on here to keep this blog going. About a month ago, I took off from my beloved small town of LaMoure, after a two year stint as a youth pastor. If you've ever lived in a small town then you would probably know the effects it had on me. I have rightfully claimed it was by far the best experience I have ever had in my entire life. The main reason supporting this claim is the relationships I established with almost the entire community of over 900 people. To some, that is a pretty small town but there was always more to the town than just a small town label. Apart from that it brought back to the good old memories of growing up in rural Kenya.
Growing up, there was a clear sense of community wherever you went. Whether it was at the village market or the old prairie church or on the corridors of the mud-walled elementary schools, you always never failed to sense somebody was looking out for you. I remember being punished for wrongdoing by people I didn't even know. I remember being aided by people I had never even met. All these happened the moment I arrived in the small town of LaMoure. During my time at the seminary in Kansas City, my fellow students have always wondered what in the world led me to LaMoure and how I survived two winters there. To them it is probably the most fascinating thing that they have ever heard of. To me, it was just another wonderful life experience.
Here is my point. When I first arrived in LaMoure, there was a little curiosity by a lot of people to know who I was and where I came from and some of my stories, both good and bad. After a while, everybody seemed to have known me inside out. There is always a small town mentality where people tend to share stories and spread news very quickly. Suddenly people I had not met or even remembered anything about began to say hello to me and tell how good it was to have me in the town. I was kind of fascinated by that having lived for a while in Nairobi. Life was totally different when I moved to Nairobi in 2003 after high school. It was even hard to know who lived next door no matter how many times you met. So when I came to LaMoure, my values were reinforced and once again I began to develop relationships. I was always taught to value relationships with people no matter where they came from, their background and everything that defined them. Nairobi seemed to have taken that away from me. The teens especially made my life what it is and for the first time I knew that people whom you didn't even know still cared.
Eventually, it was time for me to move on. I had arrived without any friends yet I left having developed many relationships. I don't know how long those relationships will last but I know for sure that they existed at one point in life. Nevertheless, there is only one relationship that can never be broken. The relationship with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We have to remember that we are capable of walking away from it but he will never leave us nor forsake us. So you know that I am a true Wesleyan.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
A Doctrinal Comparative Evaluation of Wesleyan and Pentecostal Perspectives on Sanctification
This paper was presented in the Doctrine of Christian Holiness class (Spring 2008)
Introduction to Sanctification
In all the varied views of what sanctification is and is not, each seem to agree to the fact that it is all directed towards a holistic relationship with God through Jesus Christ which each individual ought to yearn for. The Bible is foundational in defining this relationship as agreed by all of them. Gundry states that the authors of these varied views agree “that the Bible teaches a sanctification that is past, present, and future.” The past is embedded in Christ’s already completed work. The present is found in a life that progressively seeks to live like Christ and the future is entrusted in Christ’s return when sin is totally removed. With a strong desire to do the will of God and the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord of all our lives, we can truly be sanctified in Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to live a sanctified life.
Wesleyan Perspective
The Wesleyan tradition has been known for its strong concern for an “ethical faith.” John Wesley’s strong definitive theological viewpoints ensured that the aim for a practical and an ethical experience of the Christian life and that of the church remained a high priority of and in the Christian life. For Wesley, biblical Christianity is not an end in itself. It must be complimented by a practical ““faith that works by divine love” in the crucible of everyday life.” Every person has the freedom to choose to enjoy the gifts of God or reject them. God’s sovereign grace and the freedom of humankind to choose, put together, provides the ultimate spiritual experience for every Christian.
Pentecostal Perspective
The Pentecostal perspective is founded strongly in Acts 2:4 where speaking in tongues is considered the “initial outward evidence that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Such a person is then considered ready for the Christian service. Traditionally, this experience was witnessed by a large number of people who gathered together for worship in a former Methodist church in Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The initial belief was that sanctification was a second definite work of grace while baptism was the third. This was evident outwardly through speaking in tongues. Other definitions especially by the Assemblies of God said that the believer was required to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to be sanctified. It was not necessarily a goal to be pursued by the Christian.
Comparative Analysis of Wesleyan and Pentecostal Perspectives on Sanctification
For Wesleyans, “the supreme and overruling purpose of God’s plan of salvation is to renew men’s and women’s hearts in His own image.” This view strongly suggests that the current life of an individual is full of a divine purpose. It also suggests a fundamental relationship which must be built from the point of salvation as one seeks to grow in grace. The holiness lost in the fall of man can be restored fully by the grace of God which is available to all. Some of the early teachings from the Pentecostal movements however suggest that sanctification is attained the moment one believes in Jesus Christ. Their sins are forgiven and they become totally cleansed from all unrighteousness. According the Pentecostal movement, water baptism plays a very important role in sanctification. One is immersed in water and dies with Christ and one arises from that water one also arises with Christ as Christ arose from the dead. This signifies a unique newly established relationship between one and God that can never be broken. This relationship in itself is established by the work of Christ and our union with him.
According to the Wesleyans, God purposefully loved all human kind. This is virtually evident in the provision of the prevenient grace. Adam and Eve had been corrupted yet the Lord overlooked this and called them back to Himself accepting them the way they were. In a similar way, God has continued to call every single descendant of Adam and Eve and it is upon them to accept or reject this call. This persistent call for restoration of a broken relationship truly reflects on the magnitude of God’s love above everything else. For the Pentecostals, the moment we are set free by the blood of Christ, we are made full participants in God’s kingdom. We then become rightful inheritors of the blessings of God through Jesus Christ. All this happened because of the sacrifice by Jesus Christ on the cross for all humankind. The cross therefore becomes very critical to our sanctification.
For the Pentecostals, there is need for progress in sanctification. We are dead to sin when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, but we still have a part to play in the ensuing process. We may be saved but we still have work to do. This work includes turning away from our former ways and acquiring new ways that are in line with the will of God. Our continued walk with Christ also means continual cleansing from all unrighteousness so that when we play our part well, God plays His equally. For the Wesleyans, we have to depend upon God. This is what it means to love God with all our hearts, soul and mind. The spirit is in constant work in us. This enables us to come to the point of repentance and faith and our lives are constantly renewed in the image of God. God wants to restore us back to that perfect relationship before the fall. This can only happen if we totally submit and depend on Him.
According to the Wesleyans, regeneration marks the beginning of sanctification. We are granted a compelling motive to love God and to be conformed in His image. We then become victorious over sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. At this moment we begin to become like Christ. This grows and develops into a perfect love for God and for others which is meant for every child born of God. For the Pentecostals the Spirit’s work does not only give us life but also baptizes us into the body of Christ. When we are plunged into the water of baptism we become filled and saturated with the Spirit. The Word of God is also empowered and made effective in us through the Holy Spirit. The Word of the Spirit is the word of God. It is only through this Word that God accomplishes His work in our hearts and in our lives. When we do our part, God sees our potential and “makes provision for it through the Spirit and the Word.”
According to the Pentecostals, “God’s purpose in sanctification is to bring us to maturity, not (at least in this life) to absolute or perfection.” This maturity is brought about by the Word and the Spirit. The Christians therefore has the duty to respond the Word and the Spirit in faith and obedience. We have to fully cooperate with the Word and the Spirit in order to become sanctified. Nevertheless, not matter how much we progress and or even try to, we can not be made perfect in this life. As long as we are doing our best with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are essentially healthy Christians participating in entire sanctification. For the Wesleyans, sanctification is a process through which we are perfected in Christ. To be sanctified is to be set apart and totally consecrated to God. There is still more work going on beyond this life but Christians can be made perfect in love in this love. “Wesley understood entire sanctification, or perfection in love, then, as a continuum of grace and response that leads persons from the guilt and despair of their sin to the knowledge of God and, by faith in His grace in Jesus Christ, to the crisis moment of the justification and the new birth.” We are able to respond to God’s Holiness and love for us through obedience. This obedience to the will of God leads to conformity to the mind of Christ for the believer. At this point one is free and able to enjoy the “pure love of God in all their relationships.” Gundry concludes that Wesley’s “emphasis upon the importance of what God does “in us” through Christ, as well as upon what God does “for us” through Christ, constitutes Wesley’s greatest contribution to the Christian church.” Perfection of love in us by God through the Holy Spirit is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. It is a gift that can be enjoyed by every Christian today.
Conclusion
These two perspectives are obviously distinct from each other. Both draw a lot of biblical support for their views but what remains important is the issue itself which is sanctification. Sanctification is scriptural and is necessary for every Christian. We must die to sin and live as Christ in our daily lives. Of course we are bound to make mistakes but that should not be an excuse for submitting our lives fully to God and allowing Him to be Lord over our lives. When we sing the song of surrendering all to Jesus we should mean every single word in there. It is the only way through which we can be transformed by Christ through the Holy Spirit and live a sanctified life.
Introduction to Sanctification
In all the varied views of what sanctification is and is not, each seem to agree to the fact that it is all directed towards a holistic relationship with God through Jesus Christ which each individual ought to yearn for. The Bible is foundational in defining this relationship as agreed by all of them. Gundry states that the authors of these varied views agree “that the Bible teaches a sanctification that is past, present, and future.” The past is embedded in Christ’s already completed work. The present is found in a life that progressively seeks to live like Christ and the future is entrusted in Christ’s return when sin is totally removed. With a strong desire to do the will of God and the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord of all our lives, we can truly be sanctified in Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to live a sanctified life.
Wesleyan Perspective
The Wesleyan tradition has been known for its strong concern for an “ethical faith.” John Wesley’s strong definitive theological viewpoints ensured that the aim for a practical and an ethical experience of the Christian life and that of the church remained a high priority of and in the Christian life. For Wesley, biblical Christianity is not an end in itself. It must be complimented by a practical ““faith that works by divine love” in the crucible of everyday life.” Every person has the freedom to choose to enjoy the gifts of God or reject them. God’s sovereign grace and the freedom of humankind to choose, put together, provides the ultimate spiritual experience for every Christian.
Pentecostal Perspective
The Pentecostal perspective is founded strongly in Acts 2:4 where speaking in tongues is considered the “initial outward evidence that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Such a person is then considered ready for the Christian service. Traditionally, this experience was witnessed by a large number of people who gathered together for worship in a former Methodist church in Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The initial belief was that sanctification was a second definite work of grace while baptism was the third. This was evident outwardly through speaking in tongues. Other definitions especially by the Assemblies of God said that the believer was required to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to be sanctified. It was not necessarily a goal to be pursued by the Christian.
Comparative Analysis of Wesleyan and Pentecostal Perspectives on Sanctification
For Wesleyans, “the supreme and overruling purpose of God’s plan of salvation is to renew men’s and women’s hearts in His own image.” This view strongly suggests that the current life of an individual is full of a divine purpose. It also suggests a fundamental relationship which must be built from the point of salvation as one seeks to grow in grace. The holiness lost in the fall of man can be restored fully by the grace of God which is available to all. Some of the early teachings from the Pentecostal movements however suggest that sanctification is attained the moment one believes in Jesus Christ. Their sins are forgiven and they become totally cleansed from all unrighteousness. According the Pentecostal movement, water baptism plays a very important role in sanctification. One is immersed in water and dies with Christ and one arises from that water one also arises with Christ as Christ arose from the dead. This signifies a unique newly established relationship between one and God that can never be broken. This relationship in itself is established by the work of Christ and our union with him.
According to the Wesleyans, God purposefully loved all human kind. This is virtually evident in the provision of the prevenient grace. Adam and Eve had been corrupted yet the Lord overlooked this and called them back to Himself accepting them the way they were. In a similar way, God has continued to call every single descendant of Adam and Eve and it is upon them to accept or reject this call. This persistent call for restoration of a broken relationship truly reflects on the magnitude of God’s love above everything else. For the Pentecostals, the moment we are set free by the blood of Christ, we are made full participants in God’s kingdom. We then become rightful inheritors of the blessings of God through Jesus Christ. All this happened because of the sacrifice by Jesus Christ on the cross for all humankind. The cross therefore becomes very critical to our sanctification.
For the Pentecostals, there is need for progress in sanctification. We are dead to sin when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, but we still have a part to play in the ensuing process. We may be saved but we still have work to do. This work includes turning away from our former ways and acquiring new ways that are in line with the will of God. Our continued walk with Christ also means continual cleansing from all unrighteousness so that when we play our part well, God plays His equally. For the Wesleyans, we have to depend upon God. This is what it means to love God with all our hearts, soul and mind. The spirit is in constant work in us. This enables us to come to the point of repentance and faith and our lives are constantly renewed in the image of God. God wants to restore us back to that perfect relationship before the fall. This can only happen if we totally submit and depend on Him.
According to the Wesleyans, regeneration marks the beginning of sanctification. We are granted a compelling motive to love God and to be conformed in His image. We then become victorious over sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. At this moment we begin to become like Christ. This grows and develops into a perfect love for God and for others which is meant for every child born of God. For the Pentecostals the Spirit’s work does not only give us life but also baptizes us into the body of Christ. When we are plunged into the water of baptism we become filled and saturated with the Spirit. The Word of God is also empowered and made effective in us through the Holy Spirit. The Word of the Spirit is the word of God. It is only through this Word that God accomplishes His work in our hearts and in our lives. When we do our part, God sees our potential and “makes provision for it through the Spirit and the Word.”
According to the Pentecostals, “God’s purpose in sanctification is to bring us to maturity, not (at least in this life) to absolute or perfection.” This maturity is brought about by the Word and the Spirit. The Christians therefore has the duty to respond the Word and the Spirit in faith and obedience. We have to fully cooperate with the Word and the Spirit in order to become sanctified. Nevertheless, not matter how much we progress and or even try to, we can not be made perfect in this life. As long as we are doing our best with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are essentially healthy Christians participating in entire sanctification. For the Wesleyans, sanctification is a process through which we are perfected in Christ. To be sanctified is to be set apart and totally consecrated to God. There is still more work going on beyond this life but Christians can be made perfect in love in this love. “Wesley understood entire sanctification, or perfection in love, then, as a continuum of grace and response that leads persons from the guilt and despair of their sin to the knowledge of God and, by faith in His grace in Jesus Christ, to the crisis moment of the justification and the new birth.” We are able to respond to God’s Holiness and love for us through obedience. This obedience to the will of God leads to conformity to the mind of Christ for the believer. At this point one is free and able to enjoy the “pure love of God in all their relationships.” Gundry concludes that Wesley’s “emphasis upon the importance of what God does “in us” through Christ, as well as upon what God does “for us” through Christ, constitutes Wesley’s greatest contribution to the Christian church.” Perfection of love in us by God through the Holy Spirit is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. It is a gift that can be enjoyed by every Christian today.
Conclusion
These two perspectives are obviously distinct from each other. Both draw a lot of biblical support for their views but what remains important is the issue itself which is sanctification. Sanctification is scriptural and is necessary for every Christian. We must die to sin and live as Christ in our daily lives. Of course we are bound to make mistakes but that should not be an excuse for submitting our lives fully to God and allowing Him to be Lord over our lives. When we sing the song of surrendering all to Jesus we should mean every single word in there. It is the only way through which we can be transformed by Christ through the Holy Spirit and live a sanctified life.
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