THE SECOND CRISIS IN CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
18 -- HOLINESS A SPECIALTY
Whenever ministers undertake to generalize on the subject of
holiness they invariably fail to bring any one into the experience. They may
stand for the doctrine, and train with the holiness people, and occasionally
refer to the subject in most eloquent terms, but seldom, if ever, bring any one
to feel their need of the experience. Whereas, the men who make a specialty of
holiness, doing as Mr. Wesley advised, preach it, "Constantly, strongly
and explicitly," never fail to help others into the experience. Dealing in
"glittering generalities" may quiet the conscience of the preacher,
and occasion no offense on the part of the carnal hearers, but will not witness
much of the blessing of God, nor precipitate a revival. As Mr. Wesley wrote
(Vol. 6, p. 752), "Where Christian perfection is not strongly and
explicitly preached, there is seldom any addition to the society, and little
life in the members of it. Till you press believers to expect full salvation
now, you must not look for any revival." "You can n ever speak too
strongly, or explicitly, upon the head of Christian perfection. If you speak
only faintly and indirectly none will be offended and none profited. But if you
speak out, although some will probably be angry, yet others will soon find the
power of God unto salvation. Speak to all and spare not." (Vol. 7, p.
2S4.) God makes a specialty of holiness; this may be seen in the fact that
holiness is the objective point of every commandment, of every promise, and of
everything in the divine economy.
God is holy and commands us to be holy; He calls us to be
holy, and chastises us in order to bring us to holiness. Christ died that He
might make us holy. In fact, we were chosen "in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in
love." (Eph. 1:4.) "Having therefore these promises dearly beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (11. Cor. 7:1.)
To generalize on holiness is to make secondary matters of
equal importance; this is a lowering of God's standard, and utterly neutralizes
the importance of the experience. There is nothing that can be properly
compared to holiness in importance. Everything else is of relative importance
only as it tends toward holiness, and accomplishes this end. While holiness, in
its fullest sense, is all-inclusive, everything else should be regarded simply
as a stepping-stone or means to this end. But to stop short of holiness is to
fail of the object of our justification, and the purpose of the atoning
sacrifice on Calvary. There are three particular reasons why I make a specialty
of preaching holiness: 1. It exalts and magnifies the divine nature -- the
holiness of God. 2. It is the sure way of awakening men of all conditions to a
sense of their need this by contrast -- and at the same time setting forth the
divine standard of righteousness. 3. I make a specialty of holiness because of
the reflex action -- the blessing, and joy and victory it brings to my own
soul.
This is a day of "specialists" in almost every
profession and vocation; and it is the "specialist" who is most in
demand and who generally succeeds. Men have found that by giving attention to
one thing and concentrating their efforts and energies in that particular
direction, they become the more successful, while the man who has "too
many irons in the fire," and so tries to do too many things, may arise no
higher than a "jack of all trades and master of none." This same
principle applies to the matter of preaching holiness. Brother, try it; make a
specialty of holiness in every service for at least one month, and note the
effect upon your congregation, both in Spirit, in real results, and in
attendance. Preach it "constantly, strongly and explicitly."
