Time to walk the walk!

I live in two worlds.

In one world my neighbours are Railton, Cadman, Finney, Phoebe Palmer and a host of unknown holy illiterate early Salvationist converts. In this world absolute surrender to God and rigorous separation from the values and fashions of the secular world are the norm. Here entire sanctification is considered a basic requirement of Christianity and an absolute must for Salvationists. In this world total commitment and constant victory over sin is seen as possible, reasonable and essential.

The other world in which I live is The Salvation Army Greater London 2006. Here Entire sanctification is talked about but normally dismissed as unlikely, unreasonable and old fashioned. In its original form it is either dismissed as culturally irrelevant or watered down until it becomes unrecognisable to the holiness preached a hundred years ago. Here people say that the acceptance of TV, Cinema, DVD’s, Sunday sport, cosmetic surgery and greater material wealth etc. means that such extreme commitment just won’t work – this is a world that could easily accommodate the Rich Young Ruler who failed to meet Christ’s expectations.

Last night, being unable to sleep, I asked God to talk to me about this issue. I asked him if old fashioned holiness was still appropriate for today and if so what that actually meant in practice.

Today I had an email from a good friend, who basically seemed to be saying stop discussing, stop researching, stop debating and do it!

This blog is called “Beyond the brook’ a reference to Osborn’s hardcore holiness song. The ‘brook’ the old General was referring to was the brook of Kidron (John 18.1) and it separated Gethsemane from Calvary. I have come to this brook in my own spiritual journey and find myself facing three options; I can retreat, I can stand still or I can cross it and make my way to Calvary.

If I cross it that will mean that I have said yes to the absolute surrender so familiar to those early pioneers, it will mean that I have finally accepted that entire consecration and separation from the values of this world is as relevant today as it has ever been. It will mean that in addition to being saved, justified and baptised in the Spirit I will at last be ‘holy’ – a living sacrifice acceptable to and consecrated by God.

Another lost poem seems to suggest that this struggle has been going on within me for some time!

I am here Lord in that garden fair
Where you struggled hard to conquer your will,
And the trees that shade
Heard the prayers that you prayed
And their leaves gently whisper it still,
"Must I go still further, climbing the distant hill?"

I am here Lord and the flowers bright
Write your answer with their glorious hue,
And the birds that wing
Overhead also sing
Of the things that a saviour must do,
"See he goes still further, climbing the distant hill!"

You are here Lord in the garden fair
Where for many years I've struggled to pray.
And the master’s shout
Tells my soul to come out.
For you've come here to take me away,
And you lead me still further, climbing the distant hill.

If the sentiments expressed in this blog, on my web page, around the internet and in private conversations have been sincere then it is time to get my feet wet. At the end of the day the holiness argument will only be settled by example.

The friend who emailed me quoted from Booth's 'Ladder of Holiness' - seven steps to full salvation (a book I have never come across). Step 1 says, in relation to holiness, "set apart a special time for it's consideration, retiring for the purpose if possible into a place where you can be alone with God - earnestly pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit". This person also pushed me back to Romans 8 (not that I needed much pushing I basically live in this chapter!) This also tied in with a word I received from another good friend some time ago.

I am going to follow this advice and I will not blog again until I have crossed the brook and I am enjoying the blessing of holiness as it was appreciated by Railton et al. Then I can preach what I know, happy and resolved that my gospel is neither extreme nor unreasonable but simply the gospel of Christ unchanged from generation to generation.

Yours soon to be (by the grace of God) fully set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army.

A