LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON,
OKLAHOMA
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Chapter 17
HOW TO OBTAIN THE GREAT DELIVERANCE Such
a deliverance as that described in the foregoing chapter implies a way of
obtainment. Being a divine work and deliverance, it is not an attainment, but an
obtainment. The
way of approach to such a blessing should be simple. Reason and mercy alike cry
out for a simple way. The fact of unlettered multitudes, the greater fact of the
spiritual misery of these multitudes, and their craving for and need of such a
blessing, would suggest the thought that God would not lay down an obscure and
difficult way, but one that the simple-minded and the soul-burdened could easily
discover and walk therein. Here
is the trouble with many today: that they look for profound scholarship and
mighty intellectual gifts as the necessary condition of the understanding and
obtainment of this grace; when, if this were the condition, the great mass of
mankind would at the first count be ruled out. So
far from being apparent to the wise, it is “hidden from the wise.” Not that
a wise man cannot receive this blessing, but it is not to be found in the lines
of an earthly wisdom. The mere reasoner will never see it. The precious secret
is not discoverable through syllogisms. Logic is utterly helpless at a door that
opens only to another touch altogether. A
gentleman said to the author that reasoning was perfectly allowable in the
matter because God himself said: “Come, now, and let us reason together.”
Our reply was that God said come reason together with him. It is not human
reasoning, a mental contest of man with man, that is alluded to, but a
conference with God. We all know that reasoning with God will bring us most
rapidly to silence, tears, and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition
to this the very substance of this famous reasoning is given: “Though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool!” Would that all reasoning were equally
blessed, and worthy to be remembered. The
way to the great deliverance ought to be simple, then, if for no other reason
than the goodness of God. Besides this, the way must be simple because of the
great multitude of people who cannot obtain the blessing in any other manner.
The way, thank God, is simple. Two
steps or compliances on our part will bring us to the point where God will
destroy the “old man” and give us a pure heart. These two steps are
consecration and faith. The
conditions of justification and regeneration are repentance and faith. We see no
mention made of consecration, from the fact that the sinner has nothing to
consecrate. He surrenders, which, to the hasty glance, looks like consecration,
but it is not the same. It is human wisdom that has tacked on consecration as a
condition of pardon. The Bible itself says repent and believe, and we shall be
saved. But
to the pardoned and regenerated man comes the words of Paul in If
a man desires the blessing spoken of in this volume, the first step to be taken
is CONSECRATION. Present
all to God. Keep back nothing. Let there be no mental reservation. Let body,
soul, talents, time, will, reputation, property, family, and everything, be laid
on the altar. This
is what we owe to God. It is our reasonable service. It is what all have to do
sooner or later. Death compels us to give up all to God body, spirit, friends,
land, home, and all. As a compulsory act it brings no blessing. But if we do it
voluntarily, the blessed experience of sanctification is the result. Let
not the reader stop to speculate and doubt, but test the matter faithfully for
himself. It is worth a faithful trial; yes, verily, a thousand trials. Some
have received the light and rejoice in the deliverance. Let their assurance
reassure the reader of these lines. It is true. Only do as bidden by the word of
God and by the great crowd of rejoicing witnesses in the land, and the seeker
will become the finder, and know for himself beyond all doubt the truth of these
things we have written. The
second step is FAITH. Believe
that God accepts the consecration; that our altar, which Paul says is Christ,
sanctifies the gift thus laid upon the altar, and sanctifies it now. Do
not say, “I feel it,” or, “I know it,” until the witness comes; but say,
“believe it.” Feeling is one thing, knowledge is another, and faith a third.
Neither feeling nor knowledge is expected of us at this time, but simply faith. We
are required to believe God’s word, and that word says: “The altar
sanctifieth the gift.” God cannot and will not sanctify unbelief. Man wandered
from God and fell through doubt of his word; he is to come back through belief
of the truth, by an unshaken confidence in every word. Here
are some of God’s words: “Whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy,’’
“The altar sanctifieth the gift.” Faith must take hold of and rest on these
statements of God. The result will come speedily, and be most wonderful and
satisfactory. These
are the two steps. In taking them, however, there is another exercise of the
soul which accompanies both steps—viz., PRAYER. Consecration
and faith are the conditions of obtaining sanctification; yet neither one will
be born or continue to live without prayer. Through prayer we gather strength to
consecrate, and through prayer faith is aroused and stimulated to take hold of
the great blessing. The
disciples had been praying for ten days when the baptism of fire suddenly fell
upon them. For three days the writer was living in supplication, every breath
was a petition, when swiftly, graciously, overwhelmingly, the blessing sought
after, consecrated for, believed in, and prayed for, came upon his soul. Our
advice to every seeker of sanctification is: Live upon your knees. Pray whether
you feel like it or not. Pray with words and without words. Pray with groanings
that cannot be uttered. Let your sighs be prayers. Sometimes we never pray more
acceptably and prevailingly than when stretched on our faces, we groan for
deliverance before God. Knock on and call at the door of mercy until the very
noise will create remark in heaven. The kingdom suffereth violence, and the King
is well pleased with importunity. The inevitable result of all this will be the
descending baptism of fire, and the clear, unmistakable witness of the Spirit to
the sanctification of the soul. When
the witness comes we need not that any man should teach us what has happened.
The soul is thrilled with the purifying work and the testifying Spirit. We know
that inbred sin is gone and that the heart is pure. Here
is the time of shouts, overflowing gladness, radiant smiles, joyous laughter,
happy tears, or a great still peace according to the temperament of the
individual. This is what the seeker wanted to experience at the first, but which
cannot possibly take place until the last. It is never to be worked up, but
comes spontaneously the instant the Holy Spirit witnesses to the accomplished
work in the soul. We do not have to work it up; it works itself up. It may come
like a cyclone, or it may be breathed on the heart as gently as an evening
zephyr from the South; but in either case the soul will know perfectly well what
has happened, and will rejoice accordingly. This,
then, is the order of the work of grace: The
Word Preached, Conviction for Inbred Sin, Prayer, Consecration, Continued
Prayer, Faith, The Divine Instantaneous Work, The Witness of the Spirit, The
Soul’s Knowledge, The Feeling, Established. The
two great facts that produce the knowledge in the soul’s consciousness of
entire sanctification are the work of the Spirit and the witness of the Spirit.
The soul is conscious of the change and hears the voice. Then
comes the feeling; then establishment. Some
critics may find fault with the fourth feature (Consecration), saying that we
consecrate to obtain pardon. But the Bible does not say so, but states that the
conditions of pardon are repentance and faith. What the critic takes to be the
consecration of the sinner is, as stated in a previous chapter, nothing but
surrender. The sinner surrenders; the Christian consecrates. Furthermore,
we would say that while a spirit of consecration is seen in every regenerated
life that is worthy of the name, yet consecration is one thing and perfect
consecration another; just as sanctification is seen to be one thing and entire
sanctification something far deeper, sweeter, and more blessed. It is perfect
consecration that secures entire sanctification. The
reader will also observe that the word “repentance” is not found in the
order named above. The blessing held up here is for the Christian, and the real
Christian should have nothing to repent of. He should, by virtue of the
regenerated life, be living without sin, according to Bible statement. Repentance
presupposes a sinful and backslidden life, but the blessing of sanctification is
for the soul that is in a justified condition and walking in the clear light
with a joyous sense of acceptance with God. There can be a profound conviction
over the presence of inbred sin, with intense yearning for its removal, but this
is not repentance. Christ
distinctly said that he had not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance. But he did not say that he did not have a call for believers. On the
contrary, the Bible says that “God has called us to holiness.” Any one who
reads the Epistles will recognize this call running throughout them all. And we
confess to astonishment that men who are quick to see the call to repentance
fail to observe the distinct call to holiness. Sinners are not called to
holiness, but to repentance; and Christians are not called to repentance, but to
holiness. God “commands” sinners everywhere to repent, but he
“beseeches” his people to present themselves upon the altar as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto him. Would
that Christians everywhere that have not the blessing spoken of in this volume
would put themselves under full salvation preaching. Soon inbred sin, or the
plague of the heart, would be revealed, and deep conviction would take place.
Prayer, consecration, and faith would swiftly follow. Then would come the
baptism of fire purifying the heart, and the delightful witness of the Holy
Ghost to the work. Knowledge of the work at once would fill the mind, joy
overflow the heart, and the life, settled and grounded upon Christ, enter upon a
restful experience that language cannot satisfactorily describe. As
we know what blessedness the death of the “old man” or sanctification is to
the individual, and what power and glory and victory it means to the Church, we
cannot but breathe the prayer of the Psalmist: “O that the salvation of
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