What does Entire Sanctification practically mean to me?

I am mature enough to know that what I say is not always reflected in what I do - this is especially true when it comes to practical spiritual issues like holiness. However, I am also quite certain that what I say is a real reflection of what is in my heart. The things that matter to me are my wife, my family and our service together within The Salvation Army for the lost.

However my everyday actions - in particular the way I spend my time, money and resources - do not (and certainly) have not always reflected this.

I have read and re-read Chapter 10 of the old doctrine book and I am more convinced than ever that Entire Sanctification is the only possible way forward. I can do nothing and stay where I am but I will not make any further progress without properly embracing Entire Sanctification.

I am willing to admit that I fall well short of this commitment and I know very few people – even those ‘best practice’ Christians we peddle out now and again seem to fall short of this extreme and total surrender.

I am certain that we will not see revival until we put this right. The price of holiness is entire renunciation and consecration, the price of revival is personal holiness. Without this transaction taking place nothing will improve and we will remain an irrelevant and redundant movement within the world.

What does Entire Sanctification practically mean to me?
The following is taken from the old Doctrine Book.

“The bestowal of entire sanctification, as with every other gift of God’s grace, is conditional — it depends upon the whole-hearted co-operation of the person to be benefited.”

Renunciation: Giving up everything opposed to the will of God… must be forever, and it must be entire…including things that are:

· wasteful (of both time and money), injurious … selfish (causing annoyance to others), unnecessary…
· absorb time, thought, and money which could be better employed…
· doubtful (whether connected with mind, body, family, business, recreation, dealings with comrades, or anything else.

The Bible clearly sets forth principles, which should govern the daily conduct of God’s people…

· God’s people should be separate from the world in spirit and conduct.
· Habits, which influence others wrongly, ought to be given up, even though harmless to those who practice them.
· The body is to be honoured and treated as God’s dwelling-place, and hence should not be polluted or injured.

It is reasonable that seekers after Holiness should completely renounce everything wrong or doubtful.

Consecration: The dedication to God of ourselves and all we possess, to live only to please Him and do His will.

Consecration to God must be both entire and real.

· it must include the body, with all its members and powers; the mind, with all its faculties; the heart, with all its capacities; also goods, money, family, influence, reputation, time, ability, life, indeed everything.
· not in imagination or sentiment merely, but everything must henceforth actually be used as belonging to God and not to ourselves.
· Consecration is like a sacrifice because by it we give ourselves up to God… a living, not a dead sacrifice.
· Consecration is like crucifixion because it involves painful dying to many things very precious to the natural man…
· When once a man’s possessions have been consecrated to God, he will use them, as God directs him, in the way that seems most likely to advance God’s Kingdom, whether this be by selling all that he does not actually need, and devoting the proceeds to God’s cause right away, or by retaining his property and using in God’s service the income which it brings to him.

Summary

Renunciation means giving up what is against God.
Consecration means giving up all we have to be used for God.
Consecration, although a condition of sanctification, must not be mistaken for sanctification itself. Consecration is an act done by man before God sanctifies him; sanctification is a work done by God within man after man has done his part.”

Conviction + Renunciation + Consecration + Faith + Obedience = Holiness = Revival

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