Holiness Movement

[zaksmummy]

I think what you are trying to attain is righteousness, not holiness. What you need to look at is what does a righteous person look like. We know that righteousness can be attained, look at this scripture from James 5v16 "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." If righteousness was not available to us then why would James inform us that this persons prayer is strong and powerful?

What did King David have to say about it?

Psalm 23v3 "He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake." Some versions say "paths of righteousness" rather than "right paths"

Psalm 119v9 "How can those who are young keep their way pure?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

The thing to remember about attaining righteousness is that it is very easy to fall into legalism. The way I have found to combat this is to pray and seek humility, and dont expect others to live up to your righteousness, always bear in mind that God talks to each of us about our own issues and others may and will not see things your way. Also you are seeking righteousness as an act of obedience to God and Him alone.

Hope this helps.

 

[msbojingles]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

You may also find some interesting answers from the Nazarene forum. What you are asking is very much along the lines of their doctrine of "entire sanctification". They may be able to give you some additional answers.

 

[JSGuitarist]

Using the Vincent Synan definition which defines Holiness based on beliefs in sanctification then Wesley and Booth would be in. A friend of mine who reads about such things said Wesley meant Zinzendorf from the Moravians and he did not agree with Wesley's view of sanctification when they discussed it. If I am not mistaken Thomas a'Kempis was a Medieval Catholic monk.

I don't think Finney was theologically Holiness.


That doesn't mean these other men did not believe in holiness, btw.

He was sinless perfectionist though, and believed it was necessary for salvation.

 

[Seeking Him]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

As far as holiness, Jesus fulfilled the law, and now the law is fulfilled in us. Jesus lives in us, and his holiness lives in us. I think the more we truly experience this work of the cross, we won't feel we have to have all these other laws (both external and internal).

We are in union with Him, "joined to Him that was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit to God." The fruit of holiness comes from that union.

 

[Sabertooth]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

"Holiness Movement" means different things to different people.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Biblical "Holiness" is staying true to the convictions of the Holy Spirit as you are transformed by the renewing of your mind* (Rom. 12:2) and repenting when you fail those convictions or become aware of new ones. No condo, no bondo. This is doable.

No Christian can willfully, continue in sin without approaching apostasy (1Tim. 4:1, 2). Biblical Christianity requires an ongoing voluntary surrender to Jesus' lordship. Transitional failure does not disqualify you, but long-term, deliberate abandonment can.

*Sanctification is a process. God will always add new convictions (and necessary grace) as we grow in Him. Much of this comes from reading His Word and letting Him change us through it.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1Cor. 10:13

PS: This definition of holiness only applies to those who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, the Messiah. We are not saved because we are good; we are (pronounced) good because we are saved.

 

[Andrea411]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

Great read on how to attain true holiness...

http://www.enterhisrest.org/ichabod/death_route_col.pdf

It is only when man controls what holiness means i.e.:dress, dancing, foods etc etc that legalism comes in. The scriptures are clear how to attain holiness and what to do when we fail. I don't expect to ever become perfect, I expect to become more like Jesus everyday. I think holiness is a path not a destination... until He who is perfect comes again and we put on incorruptible bodies

God bless, andrea

 

[Esdra]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

In the Wesley's Parish - Methodist/ Nazarene Forum are some people who are in the Holiness Movement. Also some Church of the Nazerene guys.
While the Holiness Movement can be labeled charismatic, it is originated in Weslyanism and Methodism and IMO also has less focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit but more on Holiness, meaning how to become holy and more God -like.

Or are you looking for something else?

Esdra

 

[Esdra]

I'm not saying I'm going to join this movement (tho its a bit of a thought) however here is where I differ. I may think that the "holiness" part of the movement is "good" but this legalism you guys talk about "only skirts and dresses" "nothing with a heavy beat in music" its seems they have left the "sinfulness" of such things up to some "group" that makes the decision HOWEVER anything outside of what scripture says is sinful, is and SHOULD be left to PERSONAL convictions. If I find heavy metal is sinful then it is sinful for ME but not for the dude next to me, things not addressed by scripture like that are left up to YOU. My 2 cents


I'm just looking into the whole Charismatic/pentecostal stuff is all...I'm very "skeptical" about a lot of it, however not so much of this movement.

Quick note: The Church of the Nazerene is also part of the Holiness Movement, but they do play music with "heavy beat in it".
Actually their worship songs are very similar to the ones in pentecostal/charismatic churches, like Every Nation or Hillsong. (Actually even the same as those song in the Charismatic Catholic Renewal.)

 

[gideons300]

I really didn't know where to put this thread so I figured right here would be the best option. I have looked into the Holiness movement a tad last night (Christian perfectionism yadayada...) who here adheres to this? and what scriptural support can you give me that a Christian can become near or fully sinless in this life time?

I suspect not many here will , at least at present, adhere to such a take on Christianity, and personally, the term 'sinless perfection' is a misnomer, for it's basis is something WE accomplish, and thus, it is unscriptural.

But at the same time, the word is quite clear. There is something out there for us as believers, and thank God there are now those who seek it, even if right now they "see through a glass darkly", amen?

Has not Jesus told us that our shield of faith WILL quench ALL the fiery arrows of the enemy?

Has He not promised us that He will not allow us to be tempted above our ability to withstand it without falling?

Are we not told that the grace of God....true grace.... teaches us the how of possessing our vessels in sanctification and honor?

How can one be a living sacrifice without the promise of holiness, where God keeps us from falling?

If we look at the very promise of the new covenant in Ezekiel 36, has God not said, and quite clearly, that the promise does more than just to grant us forgiveness? Has He not told us that He will put new hearts in us and "cause us" to walk in obedience? He has indeed. Yet, as His children, we have forgotten many of His glorious benefits, our shields of faith are down, and sin still has the rule over us. Why is this? Is it not because we are lukewarm to God's desire for us, nor believe he can do exactly as He has promised to do, and make us holy overcoming children?

It is simple. We have never applied the promises, by reckoning ourselves truly dead to sin and self, believing that we are in fact, brand new creatures, with new natures. What is the culprit? Unbelief. How do we find the cure? We repent, confess our unbelief that God can do in us, for us what we can never do, make us holy, truly Christ-like, from the inside out. We arm ourselves with the truth, believing that as we hold fast to that truth, that we ARE light, that we ARE new, that sin no longer has a hold on us, nor dominion over us, and in our continuing in that truth, we will experience the very free indeed that Jesus promised us in John 8.

Right now, all of the church sleeps. We all have walked in religion, and partial healing, and yes, forgiveness is a wonderful thing. But if sin is not overthrown inside us, if self is not removed from the throne of our hearts so that our Jesus can be savior AND Lord, the danger is great, for sin will harden our hearts, and we will end up going through the motions, having a nice tidy form of godliness, but denying the power of the God we say we believe in.

Yet in these last days, God will awaken His sleeping bride, and she will break before Him in tears, and cry out like the man in Romans 7 to deliver us from... US. And when we do, the faith to believe all those amazing promises of God will sprout again in our hearts and the joy of our salvation from our sins, not in them, will be restored. It is coming, and it is just now that people are again becoming convicted of the need for far more than nice Sunday services and long to LIVE what we believe, bringing great honor to the Lord who loves us.

The church, once vibrant and impassioned with the zeal of God, turning the world upside down for their savior, will again arise from the ashes of religion, and put on strength. The key? Coming to the point where we have NO strength, admitting it to our God and crying out for deliverance. We will not go out with a whimper. We were birthed in radical love and holy character, and we will go out the same way.

The bones are beginning to rattle. Can you feel them?

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[ToBeBlessed]

I prefer the term 'sanctification' to holiness.

Sanctification shows a journey, a journey we take with the Holy Spirit, a walk or our walk with Jesus. We are sanctified over time for our work in His kingdom. Sanctification is what we become by following the prompts and desires of the Lord and the Holy Spirit specifically for our lives.

Holiness or to say one is holy has an expectation that you have become something good. That you have gotten to a certain point in your goodness and that someone achieves or get's close to achieving. One who is holy is thought to be better than the unholy, but this is not correct.

We are rewarded and blessed by God for our obedience and we are being sanctified everyday. We will never reach a complete sanctification until the Lord makes us perfect after this life.