HOLINESS by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 1, 1881

HOLINESS.

By R. F. Cottrell

BY ELD. R. F. COTTRELL.

THE Lord has ever required his people to be holy, and without holiness no man shall see the Lord.—Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Nothing short of a perfect consecration to the will and service of God is acceptable in his sight. Says Paul, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. 5:23. We must be given to God without reserve, in order for this to take place. The Lord never accepts half the heart. It must be a full surrender; and there must be a continual living up to the light given.

In order to the development of a perfect character, God has given us a perfect law by which to live. Nothing short of a perfect submission to this law, in the spirit as well as the letter, will do. In past generations the claims of this law have not been understood by the mass of Christians. Yet doubtless God has accepted of every fully consecrated heart, knowing their willingness to walk in all the light they saw. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent of their violations of the fourth commandment, and keep the Sabbath of the Lord. With this light shining upon our pathway, it is in vain to talk of holiness and sanctification without walking in the light. Yet we find men whose professed holiness and sanctification serve as a perfect shield to ward off the rays of divine light which are now shining from the word of God. Their language seems to be, "I am sanctified, and am under the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Lord blesses me continually, which he would not do if I were transgressing the fourth commandment; therefore the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath." Such holiness as this God abhors. It does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, and the Lord has said that such shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

Some people have the faculty to work themselves up into an excited state of mind, and they then fancy that they are the peculiar favorites of the Almighty. That they are under the immediate direction of the Holy Spirit. Instead of bringing themselves into subjection to the Law of God, they make God approve of all they do. Others, that are living nearer to the requirements of God, feel a constant sense of their unworthiness. They cannot feel as others feel, and therefore doubting their acceptance.

Doubtless both these classes are in error. The conscientious, desponding one should look up, and by faith claim the promises of God. And both classes should know that feeling is not faith. The poor publican went to his house justified, rather than the boasting pharisee.

Brethren, let us strive for holiness, for entire consecration, perfect sanctification. It is for us to enjoy, or God would never have required it. But let us seek for it in the appointed way—by obedience to God and the exercise of faith in Christ. One of these alone is insufficient; we must keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. We must, if we would be translated as Enoch and Elijah were, walk with God as they did. O that every thought may be brought into subjection. The commandment is exceeding broad, but no impossibility is required of us.

But in regard to the profession of our attainments in Christian perfection, let us be as modest as the Apostle Paul. Said he, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after," etc. Let us follow after, knowing that it is not a vain pursuit; but let us not boast of our attainments, but leave that to the judgment of God. Satan is pleased to have a person profess high attainments in holiness, even perfect sanctification. When one is sufficiently exalted for that, the enemy will seldom, if ever, fail to bring a reproach on the cause of truth through him.

We may enjoy the presence of the Spirit of God, and be led by that Spirit. And unless we have the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his. But all is not of the Holy Spirit that is said to be in these days of apostasy. That Spirit never leads a man to transgress the word of God. By their fruits ye shall know them.