Entire Sanctification and the Baptism with the Holy Ghost

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines sanctification as: the act of making holy; the act of consecration or setting apart for a sacred purpose, consecration.  Webster’s New Century 2001 Dictionary defines sanctify as: to make holy; to purify from sin or evil.  In the Bible, sanctification can have more than one meaning, so the context must be considered just as the usage of other terms.  This is one reason we are using the term entire sanctification.  We are defining it briefly as a definite cleansing from the depravity of the nature; an after-act to conversion wrought by the Holy Ghost.  “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is he who calleth you, who will also do it,” (I Thessalonians 5:23-24).  This glorious experience does not put one above temptation, but will supply greater ability to resist it.  It will not remove humanity, only carnality.  We will still have growth after being sanctified just as we have growth after being justified.  However we do not “grow into” either experience, as both are an instantaneous work of grace received by faith.  This is also when we receive the indwelling of the Spirit of Truth that guides us into all truth. (John 16:13)  Sanctification is simultaneous with the baptism with the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16).  This will become clearer further on.  It is a second work of grace following conversion that supplies the believer with additional spiritual power.  Jesus prayed that His disciples, and for “them also that shall believe on me through their word” [you and me] to be sanctified in John 17:17, 19-20. 

THE EARLY DISCIPLES

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…,” (Acts 1:8).   Therefore there is greater power to resist temptation after the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  This was spoken to Christ’s disciples.   Their sins had been forgiven as the palsied man, (Mark 2:5) and the sinful woman’s were (Luke 7:47-50).  Their names were written in heaven, (Luke 10:20) they had eternal life, (John 17:2) and were not of the world, (John 17:16).  This promise of the Holy Ghost baptism was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, (Acts 2:1-4).  The Holy Spirit had been dwelling with them, but now as promised, He was in them, (see John 14:17).  We might point out here that the words with and in are not so much the Spirit’s location as it His way of operating.  The Holy Spirit comes to and works in the sinner in conviction.  The Spirit is certainly in the justified in some sense according to Romans 8:9-11. However the Spirit works in a greater degree and in different ways in the wholly sanctified.  This difference could be illustrated by comparing an ordinary sinner whose deeds are influenced by suggestions of Satan, and the demonic that is possessed by an evil spirit and is more fully under his power and control.  One great difference in this illustration is that the devil possessed person is bound whereas the Spirit baptized saint is gloriously free.  Now we will continue with examples that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is after conversion.

BELIEVERS AT EPHESUS AND SAMARIA

 Paul asked “certain disciples” at Ephesus, “…Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?”  They had not, but received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, (Acts 19:1-6).  Those at Samaria believed and were water baptized.  At a later time in another meeting with different ministers, they received the Holy Ghost, (Acts 8:5-17).  In addition to receiving more power, this experience is also a crucial:

SECOND CLEANSING FOR BELIEVERS

Except for Christ, who by-passed a human father, we all inherited a carnal nature from birth, (Psalms 51:5, 58:3) which led us all into committed sin.  These committed sins were cleansed away in the first work of grace, when we were saved, justified, born again etc.  This depraved nature remains in the justified, which is the need of a second cleansing.  In the congregation of the church of God at Corinth there were “babes in Christ,” who were “yet carnal,” (I Corinthians 3:1-3). Babes in Christ are instructed to “go on unto perfection,” (Hebrews 5:13-6:1) which is the second cleansing.  Holiness begins in justification and is perfected in sanctification. Sanctification is the experience that perfects our holiness (see Corinthians 7:1) and completes our salvation.  “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,” (Hebrews 10:14).  Jesus taught a second cleansing, (John 15:1-2) using the figure of a vine.  Only saved people are branches and these needed purged.  God had Cornelius, a devout man whose prayers were heard; (Acts 10:4) send for Peter that he would receive the Holy Ghost.  When Peter related this incident, (Acts 15:8-9) Cornelius and his household’s “hearts were purified [cleansed] by faith”.

A SECOND CLEANSING ALSO TAUGHT

THROUGH TYPES AND SHADOWS

Old Testament rituals and sacrifices were not meaningless.  They portrayed through types and shadows truths for the later gospel day.  One of several examples is the tabernacle, which was to be constructed, “according to the pattern” (Hebrews 8:5).  This is expounded upon in the eighth, ninth, and tenth chapters of Hebrews. This ancient structure served as the dwelling place of God in those times.  It had two rooms, (typifying justification and sanctification) the holy place and the most holy, or holy of holies.  There were two altars and the blood of sin offerings was placed upon both altars typifying a twofold cleansing.  In Hebrews 10:19, “Brethren,” those in the holy place, are exhorted to enter into the holiest.

HOW TO RECEIVE THE SECOND WORK OF GRACE

This experience is for the obedient (Acts 5:32) and not for the world (John 14:17).  So the first condition is to be sure of your first work.  If you are sinning, your urgent need is to have godly sorrow for your sins, repent and be willing to forsake all sin and be saved.  Only those who have done that and are living free from sin are eligible.  To enter the second room (holy of holies) one must be in the first room (the holy place).   Next, there must be a desire to receive all God has for you, so some knowledge of this second grace would be necessary.  We must ask in faith believing.  The secret is in our consecration.  We receive this second work of grace by faith but our faith will only take hold if we know in our heart we are surrendering our all and dying out to self and our ways.  So we must make a complete surrender to the whole will of God and a consecration of our time, talents, and whatever influence we have now or will have in the future.   A summary of these conditions is recorded in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”   This verse speaks of consecration and sacrifice.  We must consecrate our body (our all) to God and “die out” (sacrifice) to ourselves and our ways to God.  Once this consecration is made, God will be pleased to accept your vessel and sanctify you wholly, purging your heart from the carnal nature and take up His abode in your soul.  His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that the work is done as we receive this experience by faith.  As you continue to walk in the light He sheds on your path you will have additional assurance by having a power you did not have before.   To live a sin free life in a consistent way, takes a total surrender of self to the will of God.  Then it is not our strength or power, it is Christ within us.  Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  You will prove to yourself the validity of this teaching as you live out this experience. 

Wesley is credited with bringing this truth back to light after the Protestant Reformation.  It has long since been cast aside or perverted by his followers and many others.  One such perversion is:

SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES

Those who teach that speaking in unknown tongues is the evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost have counterfeited sanctification.  This false tongues spirit has wormed its way into many denominations.  They make great claims of spirituality, but it is all a colossal fraud.  It is actually a counterfeit of the true church of God.  True Bible tongues are always intelligent languages, not unintelligent gibberish.  Here are the Bible examples of this, “every man heard them speak in his own language,” (Acts 2:6).  “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God,” (Acts 10:46).  “They spake with tongues, and prophesied,” (Acts 19:6).  The fact that they understood they were magnifying God and prophesying shows they were speaking intelligent language.    The added italic word “unknown” in I Corinthians 14:2, does not mean unknowable, but foreign or unknown to the audience, not the speaker.  All three examples we quoted in Acts says nothing about a “heavenly” or “prayer language” or “personal edification.”  The reason the foreign (unknown) language speaker in I Corinthians 14:4, was edified, was because he understood what he was saying.  The reason the church was not edified, is because they did not understand that foreign language.  Verse 16, in the same chapter, also proves it was intelligent language, as he knew he was, “giving thanks.”

Jesus warned, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name…and shall deceive many, (Matt. 24:4-5).

In His Service, Bill Roberts

For more information on false tongues get the booklet, “False Tongues Exposed and True Explained”.