Called unto . . .

HOLINESS AND CT
The latest issue of Christianity Today had a news article about the Church of the Nazarene in which it was reported that our basic focus or stated doctrines were being examined. Quoting a keen young author and a general superintendent the article failed to make clear just what the new emphases might be.

The idea of ‘secondness’ has been a cornerstone on which the Church of the Nazarene has been established. Subsequent- following- the experience of justification the ‘second blessing’ has been preached and has been testified to, and, in my opinion, has been demonstrated in thousands of lives across the past 100 years. Not that Nazarene have any monopoly on sanctification; many more thousands have made the consecration called for in Romans 12:1,2 and have discovered over and over into what deeper things God leads them as they live the covenant life.

There is a deep kernel of truth in that ‘secondness’ no matter how we define the doctrine. The Spirit bears witness when we are totally given over to God- God-committed- and when we ask for the faith to keep eternal covenant with Him. We need to keep challenging our people (and ourselves as ministers) to deliberately belong to God.

But what I read in CT leads me to believe that the reporter sees something other than holiness as “our watchword and song.” Like so much of American culture-driven Christianity from store fronts to cathedrals, Pentecostals to Catholics, we’re thinking spectacle- excitement- public relations.

I'm sure the motives behind the new study of entire sanctification is sincere. But the hard kernel of truth is still there: the challenge to belong to God without reservation, and to maske that covenant solemnly and forever.