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6. ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION
_A/306. Christ gave himself even unto death for the cleansing
of His church (Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 13:12). His disciples
are called to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Corinthians 7:1). Christ
has provided in the atonement for the believer to be entirely sanctified
(Hebrews 9:13-14; 10:8-10). Sanctification begins with regeneration
and results in a deeper relationship when the believer is fully
cleansed in heart (Psalm 51:5-13; 1 John 1:5-2:1). This cleansing
accompanies the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Acts
15:8-9).
Paul prayed: "May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly;
and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful,
and he will do it: (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
God the Holy Spirit is the sanctifier (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; 2
Thess-alonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). Coming into the life at conversion,
He fills with His presence when the Christian's consecration is
complete, cleansing the heart and empowering for witness and service
(John 3:5; Romans 8:9; Galatians 3:3; Acts 1:8). He sheds God's
love throughout the heart and life of the Christian (Romans 5:5;
1 John 4:12-13).
Accepting the promise of God by faith, believers will enter into
a deepened relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians
2:20; 4:6-7; Romans 8:14-17). They will be enabled to love God with
all their heart, soul, strength, and mind, and their neighbor as
themselves (Matthew 22:37-40; Galatians 5:25-6:2). They will know
an inner surrender to all the will of God, and life will be transformed
from one of inward conflict to one of glad obedience (Romans 12:1-2;
Galatians 5:16-25).
Inward sanctification cleanses the Christian from sin and delivers
from the idolatry of self (1 Peter 3:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17;
6:15-20). Cleansing makes one perfect, not in performance, but in
love (Matthew 5:43-48; 1 John 4:12-13).
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7. GROWING IN CHRIST
_A/307. The Christian has a new relationship with God and a new
life in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The joy of this
new life in Christ may for a time obscure the need for growing up
in Christ, often referred to as Christian maturity. The new Christian
must ultimately choose between growth and decline.
The Bible is the Christian's growth manual. It must be taken seriously,
read, and studied for meaning. If the growing Christian is listening,
God will speak through its pages. The value and meaning of life
are found in this book. Scripture is a means of cleansing and changing
attitudes and acts.
The growing Christian is increasingly sensitive to both good and
evil, steadily learning to distinguish between them. The Holy Spirit
will guide in harmony with the Scriptures. One must be alert to
the Spirit's directives, immediately resisting temptation and responding
to God's call to higher living.
Maturity involves personal development which yields growing respect
for one's self and for others. Respect for others necessitates self-respect.
The Ten Commandments, summarized into two by Jesus, teach the nature
of respect in the growth of the moral person. The quality of a Christian
relationship to others affects the quality of one's own life. Growth
in Christ requires readiness to mend relationships both with God
and with others (James 5:16).
Growth in Christ involves responsibility for the well-being of others,
all of whom are loved by God and made in His image. Christians need
to love and to be loved. They will express their love both by deeds
of kindness and by personal words of witness that Christ is the
embodiment of God's love and the Savior of the world.
Maturity in Christ should develop adequacy for life and a concern
for the transformation of the world according to God's will. Trusting
in God and sustained by the Holy Spirit, the Christian will replace
attitudes of defeat and futility with those of courage and confidence.
Prayer is an indispensable means of growth toward Christlikeness.
In prayer the Christian talks and listens, confesses and adores,
asks and thanks. It should be as conversation, avoiding artificial
phrases and tones. Sincere prayer changes the supplicant and often
circumstances (James 5:16). The Bible teaches that both individual
and group praying are effective for those who are in Christ. Prayer
takes us beyond ourselves and emphasizes our dependence on God.
Both prayer and Bible study should be regular, without becoming
mere rituals (Psalm 119:11, 105).
Growing Christians find their proper environment in the fellowship
of believers.
They do not live independently from the body of Christ. Worship
requires a proper attitude toward God. It involves the believers'
active participation. They must prepare mind and spirit for communication
with God. Sincere followers of Christ reach out to God in praise,
thanksgiving, dedication, confession, faith, and service. As a part
of the body of Christ they must involve themselves in corporate
worship, as well as in the other ministries of the church. Support,
insight, inspiration, and discipline are fruits of fellowship. Small
group participation is a means of grace and growth.
Growth comes with the acceptance of duty in the life of the church.
The Holy Spirit provides Christians with talents which can be developed
for the common good. The use of these talents is a means of growth.
God ministers to them as they engage in activities pleasing to the
Lord.
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8. THE GIFTS OF THE
SPIRIT
A/308. The Holy Spirit distributes, as He wills, gifts of speech
and service devoted to the common good and the building of the church.
Gifts are to be exercised under the lordship of Christ. The believer
is to seek as the evidence of the Holy Spirit's fullness, not the
gifts themselves, but the giver. The greater gifts, however, are
to be desired above the lesser. "Make love your aim, and earnestly
desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy"
(1 Corinthians 14:1).
The Apostle Paul gives guidelines, helping the church to discern
the authenticity of gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings
order out of chaos. This is true of His work in creation, as well
as in redemption. He is never the author of confusion but is the
source of love, power, and a sound mind. Therefore, in public worship
everything is to be done decently and in order. Speaking or teaching
to speak with unintelligible sounds is not consistent with such
order. The language of worship is to be the language of the people.
All communication in worship is to be experienced with understanding
(1 Corinthians 14:6-12).
Life in the Spirit is characterized by pure love. The gifts of the
Spirit are to be accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit. Every gift
of the Spirit is exercised with the love and compassion of Christ.
Unkind critical attitudes and schism in the church are evidences
of the flesh (Galatians 5:13-15).
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9. DIVINE HEALING
A/309. We believe that all healing, whether of body, mind, or spirit
has its ultimate source in God who is "above all and through
all and in all." He may heal by the mediation of surgery, medication,
change of environment, counseling, corrected attitudes, or through
the restorative processes of nature itself. He may heal through
one or more of the above in combination with prayer, or He may heal
by direct intervention in response to prayer. The Scriptures report
many cases of the latter kind of healing which centers in the life
and ministry of the apostles and the church.
Consistent with the Scriptures (James 5:14-15), therefore, we urge
our pastors to make opportunity for the sick and afflicted to come
before God in the fellowship of the church, in strong faith that
the God and Father of Jesus Christ is both able and willing to heal.
At the same time, we recognize that although God's sovereign purposes
are good and He is working toward a final redemption which assures
wholeness to all believers, He may not grant physical healing for
all in this life. We believe that in such cases He can glorify himself
through the resurrection to life everlasting.
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