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| Bramwell & William Booth |
There is a story about The Salvation Army’s
founder, General William Booth. His son, Bramwell, was passing by his father’s home very late one
night and saw the light still on in the General’s bedroom with the General
pacing back and forth. He was advanced
in age and somewhat frail. Bramwell inquired, “Father, what are you doing up so
late? Shouldn’t you be asleep by
now.” Booth’s response was something to
the effect, “I can’t stop thinking about the peoples' sin. What are they to do about their sin.”
General Booth was a realist. Sin was a major issue for all people then as
it is now. In reality, the General and
his Army would be steadfast in their teaching and preaching about sin and the
need for a full salvation for all humanity. Their mission
did not just stop with getting people saved from the uttermost of sin, but helping
them to go on to being saved to the uttermost of Christlikeness, holiness.
We don’t hear teaching and preaching about
sin much anymore. It’s rare, and
holiness seems to be off the table as a topic as well. There is no doubt that sin abounds. We read it in the paper, see it portrayed in
the media, and celebrate it with time spent watching it on Netficks and on the
internet. So many Christians remain burdened down by sin. We find laudable a
supposedly elite group of saints who remind us that there is something to the
idea of holiness, but ignore God's offer of a full salvation, a complete work of grace. Sadly it's true now. Neither
sin nor holiness are topics to be raised in polite company. We don’t teach it
nor preach it much. How far we’ve
drifted (fallen) away from what’s on God’s heart and mind, his desire for every believer.
John Wesley had something to say about
sin. In his 1763 sermon, On Sin In Believers, he says the
following:
There
are in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary Principles,
nature and grace, termed by St. Paul the flesh and the spirit. Hence, although even babes in Christ are
sanctified, yet it is only in part. In a
degree, according to the measure of their faith, they are spiritual; yet in
degree they are carnal . . . they feel a will not wholly resigned to the will of
God. They know they are in him; and yet find a heart ready to depart from
him,
a proneness to evil in many instances, and a backwardness to that which
is
good. . . and . . . Although we are renewed,
cleansed, purified, sanctified the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we
are not then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether, but the flesh, the evil
nature still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit.
This word from Wesley likely disturbed his
listeners. It was not that they were a
band of robbers or murders, but their small lies, deceits, gossip, dishonesty,
fained concerns for others, their outward appearance of holiness and yet inward
sin was being called for what it was, a remaining carnality, a residue of sinful habits of the heart. This is a word we don’t like to hear today,
but where is there not “a proneness to evil” and "a backwardness to that which
is good,” if not in sins of commission, then in sins of omission?
Nevertheless, God does not will us to
continue a life that leans readily into sin.
Where sin abounded, grace more abounded (Romans 5:20), and still
does. Our salvation can be a full
one: from the guilt and penalty of sin
in the past to power over sin and to sanctification, purity of heart, holiness
in the likeness of Our Lord. Thanks be
to God.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify
you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul, and
body be kept blameless at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful. He will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-34
When it comes to talking about great ideas
like God’s grace and holiness, it is hard not to talk about all three in the
same conversation. Holiness and purity
of heart are powerful ideas that are
marked by special events in people’s lives. There you have it, all three in one. Such events are God’s handiwork in the heart
of believers who open their hearts to the deeper, cleansing by the Holy Spirit
through a sanctifying event of faith by God’s grace. When a life is transformed into the likeness
of Christ, it brings joy to the heart, thanks to God, and becomes the topic of heart-felt
conversation by others.
