LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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35 WHY MEN OPPOSE HOLINESS

First. Because they love sin and are not willing to give it up and turn from it. When a man is done with sin he wants holiness. There is nothing else to want. He who does not believe in holiness must believe in sin. We have found that the objections to holiness are more frequently the outcome of moral conditions than of mental difficulties. Certainly, the moral condition gives an unconscious bias to the eye. “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” A man with a pure heart can see purity everywhere, while a man with sin in his heart can see purity nowhere. Our likes and dislikes are controlled largely by our appetites—the things we long for and desire; and our desires are determined by the condition or nature ruling within. A turkey buzzard will alight upon a carcass, because such is the nature and desire of the bird; whereas, a humming bird will just as naturally alight in a flower garden, because that is the nature and desire of the humming bird. The more we are partakers of the divine nature the more intense our love and desire for holiness.

Second. Men oppose holiness because of their ignorance concerning the Scriptures and the power of God. As Jesus said to the Pharisee: “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.” Any person antagonizing holiness does one of two things: either he publishes his ignorance or his infidelity (lack of faith/disloyalty) concerning the Bible. The terms “holy” and “holiness” occur more than six hundred times in the Bible and are frequently applied to people being transformed by grace. If Jesus Christ can save a man from any sin, He can save him from all sin. Being ignorant concerning the real Bible teachings on this subject of holiness accounts for much of the prejudice and opposition concerning it. The facts are, the subject of holiness is so Scriptural, reasonable and logical that no one can antagonize it without first misstating and misrepresenting the matter.

Third. In the last analysis, opposition to holiness is due to the “carnal mind” in the hearts of men, which, “is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” This “enmity” is innate and inborn, and is not only at enmity but is within itself the very quintessence of “enmity against God.” In another place it is called, “our old man.” In opposing holiness this “old man” is actuated by the devil, and is simply fighting for his own life; holiness means death to the “old man.” (The spiritually healthy man replaces the spiritually sick man.) The “carnal mind” is a condition—a principle within, which cannot be pardoned, but must be eradicated and destroyed by the blood of Jesus. So wherever opposition to the blood of Jesus manifests itself, that very opposition is in itself the strongest evidence of the lack and need of holiness. The opposition proves that the principle of enmity is still in the heart.

He who does not want holiness wants “unholiness,” or sin, no matter what his profession or pretentious may be. All men realize the fact that holiness is necessary for entering heaven and so, theoretically, all men want holiness at the end of life; but to desire holiness only at death, is not to desire it at all. If there is a real desire for holiness, it must be in the present tense; and if holiness is desired in the present tense, why should there be any objection to a present tense experience of holiness?

How any person can profess to love God, who is the very essence and embodiment of holiness, and yet be antagonistic to holiness, is indeed a mystery. Or, how a man can believe God is holy, and not want to be like Him, is difficult to understand. “Every man that hath this hope in him (the hope of seeing Jesus as He is) purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John, 3:3 .

Many will admit to a relative holiness, but deny the possibility of a positive holiness. To strive to be holier than in former days, does not seem objectionable, but to insist on being positively cleansed from ALL sin seems to them a very dangerous heresy. But to deny the possibility of being thus cleansed is to doubt the effectiveness of the blood of Christ and deny the Scripture. A heart in which there remains any sin surely is not holy. The holiness commanded, and enjoined upon us, is: “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy.” “As”—“So,” would seem to indicate that the heart is to be positively clean. To demand a holy life, and yet deny me the privilege of a holy heart is demanding the impossible. “Thou blind Pharisee cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

By holiness is meant a heart cleansed from all sin, and filled with pure love, so as to love God with all the heart and our neighbor as ourselves. There is surely nothing objectionable about an experience like that. A holy God inspired holy men by the Holy Ghost to write a holy Bible to tell us that Christ died to make us holy, and that we must be holy in order to enter a holy heaven and associate with holy angels and dwell with a holy God.