Wesley's View on Entire Sanctification

Click on the link below to listen to sermon English Sermons Wesley’s View on Holiness & Entire Sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23) Dr. Sidney Yuan (swyuan@ucla.edu) Preached at Hillside Community Church of the Nazarene 2804 S. Fullerton Rd, Rowland Heights, CA 91748 Spiritual Growth What is Sanctification? 1) JustificationNot Under the “Penalty of Sin” (Spiritual Birth) 2) SanctificationNot Under the “Power of Sin” (Spiritual Growth) 3) GlorificationNot Under the “Presence of Sin” (Physical Death) Time What is Holiness? The Hebrew word for Holiness is “qadosh” or the Greek word “hagios” both mean to be separated, set apart for God. It is sacred and holy. God wanted the Israelites to be holy and separated. He gave them special laws to observe and special diet to separate them from their neighbors. "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy" God calls us to a high standard of living • Leviticus 19:2- “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. • Matthew 5:48- “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. “ • 1 Peter 1:15-16- “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Entire Sanctification 1 Thessalonians 5:23- Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NASB). In other Bible versions, “entirely” is translated as “in every way” (NLT, ISV), “completely” (ESV), “wholly” (KJV) and “through and through” (NIV) Relationship to Blameless • Colossians 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— • 1 Corinthians 1:8 (Our Lord Jesus Christ) who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Relationship to Blameless (2) • Philippians 2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world • Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love Relationship to Blameless (3) • 1 Thessalonians 3:13- May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. Blameless Characters in the Scripture The Bible also has examples of people who lived in holy relationship with God. • Noah was called "a righteous man, blameless" (Genesis 6:9). • Job, it was said, was "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1). • In his first letter, John says: "Love has been perfected among us" (1 John 4:17, NRSV). Wesley’s View on Entire Sanctification • to set apart our lives and completely surrender to God and His will • to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37). • to have a completely cleansed heart and freedom from the power of sin (Romans 6:14). • to be perfect in our relationship with Christ. (Christian perfection does not mean we are sinless or absolutely perfect. Biblically it means completeness and fullness of maturity and Christian character) Trichotomy Nature of Man Body- Material (Genesis 2:7a) Soul/Spirit- NonMaterial Soul consists of our mind, emotion, and will; God breathed into Adam and he became a living being (Genesis 2:7b) Spirit- For as the body without the spirit is dead..(James 2:26); for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17) • 1 Thessalonians 5:23 • Hebrews 4:12 • 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4 Spirit Soul Body Spirit How to align our soul to the spirit? Spiritual Maturity, More Christ-Like Stages in Entire Sanctification Physical Death Alignment between Soul & Spirit 2) Instantaneous Sanctification Spiritual Birth 1) Progressive Sanctification 3) Fall from Sanctification Entire Sanctification Stages Growth in Maturity Purity Heart (Intention) Time Progressive Sanctification An Example • “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1) • “I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15:9) • “I am the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8) • Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15) Instantaneous Sanctification An Example Healing of the paralyzed man (Matthew 9:1-8) “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2) God’s Sovereignty Pick up you mat and walk (Matthew 9: 6; John 5:8) Healing of the paralytic man by the pool (John 5:1-15) “See, you are well again. Stop Man’s sinning or something worse Responsibility may happen to you” (John 5:14) Analogy Between Healing of Diseases (Physical) and Sanctification (Spiritual) Spiritual Healing Physical Healing Instantaneous Sanctification Healing by Supernatural Means Progressive Sanctification Healing Through Natural Means Both supernatural and natural means of healing can be miracles Misconceptions of Entire Sanctification • ES can only be achieved instantaneously • ES takes away our ability to sin • ES is the destination of the Christian life, and ES means sinless • Definition of sin should be narrowed so that ES can be achieved • ES equals to the baptism of the Holy Spirit Entire Sanctification is More Than Power Over Sin • Entire Sanctification is not merely emptying of sin • Entire Sanctification is filling up of Love and Obedience • No one can see our Entire Sanctification, but they can see our outpouring of love through the grace of God. Correct View of Entire Sanctification Entire Sanctification: • is by the work of the same Holy Spirit who convicts us and baptizes us into faith • is through faith by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-10) • can be either instantaneous or progressive • can have many stages little children, young men, and fathers (1 John 2:12-14). • is opening ourselves “entirely” to God’s grace and have the intention to be wholly devoted to God (have a pure heart) • is to manifest our inward holiness in outward action of obedience and love, and more Christ-like (growing in maturity) Conclusions Like all living organisms, anything that is not growing is probably dead. This is also true for our spiritual life. Are we growing spiritually? If not, our faith is probably dead. Are you willing to be holy, and be set apart for God? Are you willing to have a completely cleansed heart and freedom from the power of sin? Are you willing to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength so that your inward holiness is manifested in your outward love and obedience Other Sermons by Dr. Sidney Yuan (袁惠鈞博士) Please Click Below to Access: • • • • • His Sermon Collection His Sermons on Church.com.hk His Sermons on JGospel.net About The Speaker If you like his sermons, please like his Facebook page