A Warning Against Counterfeit
Sanctification
Chapter 6—A Warning Against Counterfeit
Sanctification
From a report of “The
Conference in Sweden” In Mid-June, 1886. Published in
the The Review and Herald, October 5, 1886.
During the meetings at
Orebro I was urged by the Spirit of the Lord to present His law as the great
standard of righteousness and to warn our people against the
modern, counterfeit sanctification which has its origin in will-worship rather
than in submission to the will of God. This error is fast
flooding the world, and as God’s witnesses we shall be called to bear a decided
testimony against it. It is one of the veriest
delusions of the last days and will prove a temptation to all who believe
present truth. Those who have not their faith firmly established upon the Word
of God will be misled. And the saddest part of it all is that so few who are
deceived by this error ever find their way to the light again. {FW 51.1}
The Bible is the
standard by which to test the claims of all who profess sanctification. Jesus
prayed that His disciples might be sanctified through the truth, and He says,
“Thy word is truth” (John 17:17); while the psalmist declares, “Thy law is the
truth” (Psalm 119:142). All whom God is leading will manifest a high regard for
the Scriptures in which His voice is heard. The Bible will be to them
“profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16). “Ye shall know them by their fruits”
(Matthew 7:16). {FW 51.2}
We need no other
evidence in order to judge of men’s sanctification; if they are fearful lest
they shall not obey the whole will of God, if they are listening diligently to
His voice, trusting in His wisdom, and making His Word the man of their
counsel, then, while they make no boasts of superior goodness, we may be sure
that they are seeking to attain to perfection of Christian character. But
if the claimants of holiness even intimate that they are no longer required to
search the Scriptures, we need not hesitate to pronounce their sanctification
spurious. They are leaning to their own understanding instead of
conforming to the will of God. {FW 51.3}
What God Requires
God requires at this
time just what He required of the holy pair in Eden—perfect obedience to His
requirements. His law remains the same in all ages. The great standard of
righteousness presented in the Old Testament is not lowered in the New. It is
not the work of the gospel to weaken the claims of God’s holy law but to bring
men up where they can keep its precepts. {FW 52.1}
The faith in Christ
that saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. “Believe,
believe,” is their cry; “only believe in Christ, and you will be saved. It is
all you have to do.” While true faith trusts wholly in Christ for salvation, it
will lead to perfect conformity to the law of God. Faith is manifested by
works. And the apostle John declares, “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth
not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).
{FW 52.2}
It is unsafe to trust
to feelings or impressions; these are unreliable guides. God’s law is the only
correct standard of holiness. It is by this law that character is to be judged.
If an inquirer after salvation were to ask, “What shall I do to
inherit eternal life?” the modern teachers of sanctification would answer,
“Only believe that Jesus saves you.” But when Christ was
asked this question He said, “What is written in the law? how
readest thou?” And when the questioner replied, “Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, ...and
thy neighbour as thyself,” Jesus said, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and
thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25-29). {FW 52.3}
True sanctification
will be evidenced by a conscientious regard for all the commandments of God, by
a careful improvement of every talent, by a circumspect conversation, by
revealing in every act the meekness of Christ. {FW 53.1}
A Sanctification That Leads Away From the Bible
A number of persons were
present at this meeting who held to the popular theory of sanctification, and
as the claims of God’s law were presented and the true character of this error
was shown, one man was so much offended that he rose abruptly and left the
meeting hall. I afterward heard that he had come from Stockholm to attend the
meeting. In conversation with one of our ministers he claimed to be
sinless and said that he had no need of the Bible, for the Lord told him
directly what to do; he was far beyond the Bible teachings.
What can be expected of those who follow their own imaginings rather than God’s
Word but that they will be deluded? They cast away the only detector of error,
and what is to prevent the great deceiver from leading them captive at his
will? {FW 53.2}
This man represents a
class. Spurious sanctification leads directly away from the Bible.
Religion is reduced to a fable. Feelings and impressions are made the
criterion. While they profess to be sinless and boast of their righteousness,
the claimants of sanctification teach that men are at liberty to transgress the
law of God and that those who obey its precepts have fallen from grace.
A presentation of its claims arouses their opposition and excites anger and
contempt. Thus their character is shown, for “the carnal mind is enmity against
God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans
8:7). {FW 53.3}
The true follower of
Christ will make no boastful claims to holiness. It is by the law of God that
the sinner is convicted. He sees his own sinfulness in contrast with the
perfect righteousness which it enjoins, and this leads him to humility and
repentance. He becomes reconciled to God through the blood of Christ, and as he
continues to walk with Him he will be gaining a clearer sense of the holiness
of God’s character and the far-reaching nature of His requirements. He will
see more clearly his own defects and will feel the need of continual repentance
and faith in the blood of Christ. {FW 53.4}
He who bears with him
a continual sense of the presence of Christ cannot indulge self-confidence or
self-righteousness. None of the prophets or apostles made proud
boasts of holiness. The nearer they came to perfection of character, the less
worthy and righteous they viewed themselves. But those who have
the least sense of the perfection of Jesus, those whose eyes are least directed
to Him, are the ones who make the strongest claim to perfection. {FW 54.1}