Holy Security
Some have wondered, after being entirely sanctified (living above willful sin), if this work of God in a person’s heart makes one eternally secure.
They come to the conclusion that they will never sin again so they will never be lost.
This is not true. There is no spiritual plain of grace from which a person may reach from which they may not fall.
Security in one’s spiritual life is a relative matter.
I am sitting on a chair as I speak to you. Unless I’m overcome with severe sickness or dizziness, my chances of falling out of this chair are slim.
However, if I now stand on the chair or better yet at the edge of the chair, I am more likely to fall – or to become less secure in this situation.
If the chair is placed on a table as I stand upon it, my security becomes more in jeopardy.
Let’s think even more preposterous. If I where to get a couple of ladders, one to climb to the roof and another to climb to the top of the steeple, and perch the table on top with the chair on top of it and then stand on them my security is dangerously insecure.
In regards to this example security is a relative thing depending on where and what we are doing at the time.
Our security is a relative matter.
There are two extremes that we find in regards to security.
There are those who argue for an unconditional security, no matter what they may do.
Then there are those who argue that it is not only possible but even likely that a believer may fall, which results in an “eternal insecurity”.
As you may plainly see, neither is sound teaching.
Truth, we can obviously see, is found in a middle of the road believe.
A believer should not ignore the possibility that the devil can target a believer with cunning devices resulting in a state of fallen grace.
Also, a believer need not live in a state of crippling fear concerning them unduly of falling from grace.
Sanctification verses Backsliding.
It is entirely possible for a person to live above willful sinning, which is entire sanctification.
However, a daily walk of the sanctified life must follow the event and experience of sanctification.
What happens when a person walking in sanctification ignores one of the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
There are three possibilities where they could go from here.
They may continue to further disobey. Such as, refusing to witness when the Lord prompted followed by a drying up of personal spiritual disciplines (like devotions and prayer), that could lead into a critical and gossiping spirit.
Second and more likely, one may settle into a state of lukewarmness, going through the motions of church, but not experiencing the joy and happiness of living a totally free life in Christ.
Thirdly, one may respond after realizing their failure of spiritual disobedience by repentance. Confess that you lost His power, and recommit your life to Jesus, receiving His cleansing and power again.
The sanctified life is maintained the same it is obtained – by consecration and faith in Jesus Christ.
This is a daily walk, and the sanctified life is maintained to the extent in ones continual daily consecration and sustained faith.
Sanctification verses Security.
Willful disobedience at any stage of growth must be considered a present danger, but on the other hand we must avoid becoming insecure of our sanctified life.
Security is relative to our obedience. A person who constantly lives in obedience to God is totally secure as they continue to walk in obedience.
The question is, will the person living the sanctified life be more likely to obey Christ?
The answer to this is Yes. The sanctified person can be said to be more secure but not unconditionally secure; but as long as one walks in obedience to Christ, there should be no fear of falling from grace.
God is not a bouncer at the door looking to bounce those who fail him out of His family.
Like a loving father, he tenderly encourages, corrects, and chastises his children.
When our lives head in the wrong direction, He nudges, rebukes, and sometimes delivers painful discipline in an attempt to awaken us and help to straighten us out.
At this point, if we despise our rebel his correction and walk out of His house in rebellion, then this is where we forfeit the grace that He so freely gives.
Entirely, the crux of the matter is am I obeying all known leading and promptings of the Lord?
If I am, then there is no need to worry about ones security.
If not, then one should worry about the level of their obedience, not their security.
So we find that the central issue here is obedience-not security.
We need continual growth.
One mistake that we commonly make is making the event of entire sanctification more of an issue than the life that follows.
The sanctified life does need the beginning but the emphasis is a continual life of holiness after the event.
A parallel example would be a wedding.
The initiation of the marriage begins on the wedding day, which most people remember for the rest of their lives.
However, if the bride or the groom expects to live in a wedding day atmosphere for the rest of their life, they will be soon disappointed.
Marriage is living daily with each other in light of the wedding day commitment.
Entire sanctification must then not be viewed as something did way back then but as a life lived in the here and now - on the battlefield and in the trenches of life.
Sanctification is not a stagnate condition – it’s not thinking “now you have arrived” and merely wait to be taken to heaven.
Sanctification is living an active life through Jesus Christ. It is expandable.
Further spiritual growth is inevitable when living for Christ.
Through this holy living we obtain qualities like Jesus has and longer we faithfully walk the quantity of those qualities is expandable.
Sanctification verses Spiritual Dryness.
Isn’t the possibility of spiritual dryness eliminated after entire sanctification?
No, it would be untrue to say that the possibility of spiritual dryness is gone after entire sanctification.
Every Christian can personally testify to one point of their lives where God seemed to be further away, the study of the word was monotonous and church service left them unmoved and bored.
There are several causes resulting in spiritual dryness.
Disobedience could be one cause – God could be moving a person to move forward in one area of their lives and they are resisting the idea.
This resistance can dry up the soul of any believer.
The sanctified life prospers in proportion to our obedience to the leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Any resistance will bring our lives to a plateau of spiritual dryness from which the only cure is repentance and a renewing of your spirit.
Some sincere believers have cast away their faith. When they hit a plain of spiritual dryness they gave up their sanctified life because things got a little rough, they figured when things got rough they lost it all.
Wrestling with severe temptation may bring on a period of spiritual dryness.
Spiritual burnout is another cause of spiritual dryness.
Physical burnout is yet another cause of spiritual dryness. More then likely this person doesn’t need to go to the altar as much as they just need to go to bed and rest.
The life of holiness is not based on feelings because reliance on feelings will bring about discouragement. A person cannot expect to live on a spiritual high for the rest of their Christian life without having a down side. Certainly, we have feelings associated with sanctification but we don’t find our strength in them.
It is important to find the root cause of spiritual dryness in sanctified living.
Sanctification is Continual Consecration.
At the event of entire sanctification we consecrate all that we have to God – our time, money, possessions, family – everything.
When these are surrendered, He is free to do His work of entire sanctification.
There is a period of joy and excitement as the believer now walks in full obedience to God and His will.
The sanctified life is a continual growth and expansion of our living in total submission to the leadings of God.
He moves us forward in revealing things that He wants us to do or change.
Being resistant to these promptings are not sin but weights that slow us down in serving the Lord.
In this way the sanctified person experience conviction by the Holy Spirit.
The sanctified believer has settled the question concerning his life – he will serve the Lord his God with all his heart, soul and mind.
This is the continual walk of holiness – the natural expanding process of becoming more like Jesus.
At the moment of entire sanctification – the issue of your will is submitted completely – yet there will be a multitude of challenging situations in your sanctified life that will provide opportunities for you to confirm your commitment.
Making Jesus Lord of your life is one moment of consecration but must be followed with keeping him Lord of your life.
Sanctification is a continual cleansing.
As we walk in this kind of obedience, His blood is continually cleansing us.
We cannot receive a once-and-for-all cleansing and then continue on in self-reliance. We must rely daily on the blood of Christ for continual cleansing.
We need His blood to cleanse us from the many times we fall short of His perfect standard.
We need Christ’s blood to continually cleanse us of every word, attitude, thought, or deed that does not edify and encourage.
Holiness is about being connected with Christ in a daily walk of submission.
It is walking where He leads and relying on Him alone for cleansing.
Holiness is being Christlike.
Christlikeness is not reserved for a few of the older folks, our saints or ministers. It is for all believers. It is for ordinary people.
