LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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36 DEFINITENESS

The importance of being specific and definite can scarcely be exaggerated. A preacher may preach on repentance or the new birth in an indefinite way for a whole year, and no one will be awakened or converted. In like manner he may preach about sanctification and holiness in an indefinite way, and no one will be offended and no one will seek and obtain the experience. This is the difficulty with much of the preaching of these days; it is all of the sheet-lightning sort, and strikes nowhere. God’s truth will not return void, and if preached explicitly, specifically, and definitely will invariably precipitate a revival along the lines of truth that has been emphasized. A preacher who aims at nothing definite, and deals simply in glittering generalities should not be disappointed if his ministry is unfruitful. Much of the preaching of these days reminds one of the dude-preacher, who had some convictions of truth, but feared that by being too definite and specific he might offend his congregation, and hence tried to round the corners by saying, “You are all sinners—so to speak; unless you repent—to a certain extent; and be converted—to a certain degree, you will all be damned—in a certain measure.” Of course no one was offended and no one was helped.

Holiness will not win and prosper where men generalize either in sermon or testimony.

Presumably all preachers think they are lifting up the standard of holiness—and indeed many of them do preach some good doctrine—but neutralize it all by apologizing and generalizing before they finish, and no one gets the experience. Of course it is difficult to preach an experience and lead others into an experience that one does not himself enjoy. We venture the assertion that any preacher who is called of God, who will himself seek and obtain the experience of sanctification, and will then explicitly and definitely preach it, and bear definite testimony, can have a revival almost anytime and anywhere. When not willing to do this, he must be content with failure as far as soul saving is concerned, and let himself down easy by saying, “the people are Gospel-hardened,” or, “the conditions and circumstances were unfavorable.” As Mr. Wesley observed, concerning the failure of certain Methodist preachers on Launceston Circuit, “either they did not speak of perfection at all (the special doctrine committed to our trust) or they speak of it only in general terms, without urging the believers to go on unto perfection, and to expect it every moment. And wherever this is not done the work of God does not prosper.” (Vol. 4, p.459.)

This same principle obtains in seeking God. A person may pray for pardon in an indefinite, round-about way for forty years and never get it; but finally he becomes desperate and strikes out across lots, definitely asking God to forgive his sins, and is soon the glad recipient of the grace he sought. In like manner a Christian may pray in a vague indefinite manner, “create within me a clean heart,” “give me more religion,” etc., etc., and never get it. Finally in the desperation of his soul, he cries out definitely, “sanctify me wholly,” “take inbred sin out of my heart,” “deliver me from the carnality of my heart,” etc., and soon obtains the blessed experience of entire sanctification.

Whenever a soul is definite with God, God will be pleased to be definite with that soul.

Jesus taught this when He said, “if a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will be give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he ask for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” The thought is that we should ask definitely for what we want, and then expect to receive exactly what we have asked for. Be definite in preaching, in prayer, and in testimony and a definite work will be accomplished.

Amen.