Holiness movement


The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent influenced other traditions, such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. Churches aligned with the holiness movement teach that the life of a born-again Christian should be free of sin. The movement is historically distinguished by its emphasis on the doctrine of a second work of grace, which is called entire sanctification or Christian perfection. The word Holiness refers specifically to this belief in entire sanctification as an instantaneous, definite second work of grace, in which original sin is cleansed, the heart is made perfect in love, and the believer is empowered to serve God. For the Holiness movement, "the term 'perfection' signifies completeness of Christian character; its freedom from all sin, and possession of all the graces of the Spirit, complete in kind." A number of Christian denominations, parachurch organizations, and movements emphasize those Holiness beliefs as central doctrine.
In addition to the regular holding of church services in the morning and evening of the Lord's Day, and usually having a midweek Wednesday church service, within parts of denominations or entire denominations aligned with the holiness movement, camp meetings and tent revivals are organized throughout the year—especially in the summertime. These are aimed at preaching the New Birth and entire sanctification, along with calling backsliders to repentance. Churches in the holiness tradition emphasize a sober lifestyle, especially with regard to clean speech, modesty, and teetotalism.

Beliefs

Entire sanctification

The Holiness movement believes that the "second work of grace" refers to a personal experience subsequent to regeneration, in which the believer is cleansed from original sin. It was actually upon this doctrine, the attainment of complete freedom from sin, that the movement was built.
"In this line of thinking, a person is first saved, at which point he is justified and born again. Following this, he experiences a period of growth...This ultimately culminates in a second work of grace whereby the Holy Spirit cleanses his heart of original sin, eradicating all inbred sin. The Holy Spirit then imparts His indwelling presence, empowering the believer...This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It happens instantaneously as the believer presents himself or herself as a living sacrifice to God with an attitude of full consecration," and faith.
John Wesley, who articulated the doctrine, taught that those who had been entirely sanctified would be perfect in love, engaging in works of piety and works of mercy—both of which are characteristic of a believer's growing in grace.
The First General Holiness Assembly's 1885 Declaration of Principles, which explained:
"Entire Sanctification... is that great work wrought subsequent to regeneration, by the Holy Ghost, upon the sole condition of faith...such faith being preceded by an act of solemn and complete consecration. This work has these distinct elements:
  1. The entire extinction of the carnal mind, the total eradication of the birth principle of sin
  2. The communication of perfect love to the soul...
  3. The abiding indwelling of the Holy Ghost".
The Church of the Nazarene, a large Wesleyan-Holiness denomination in the Methodist tradition, explains that:
"We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect.
It is wrought by the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service.
Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by grace through faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.
This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as "Christian perfection", "perfect love", "heart purity", "the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit", "the fullness of the blessing", and "Christian holiness".
According to Stephen S. White, a noted Holiness scholar from the mid-1900s, there are "five cardinal elements" in the doctrine of entire sanctification:
  1. "Entire Sanctification is a Second work of Grace.
  2. Entire Sanctification is received Instantaneously.
  3. Entire Sanctification -- Frees from Sin.
  4. Entire Sanctification -- Is Attainable in This Life.
  5. Entire Sanctification -- and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit are Simultaneous"
This experience of entire sanctification or Perfection is generally identified with the filling of or the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the term used by Methodism's systematic theologian John William Fletcher. As such, entire sanctification is also known in the Methodist tradition as Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Fletcher emphasized that the experience of entire sanctification, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, cleanses the believer of original sin and empowers the believer for service to God. John Swanel Inskip, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, explained, "There is, however, one doctrine, in a great measure peculiar to Methodism. It is that, in which we teach the possibility of man attaining a state of grace in the present life, in which he will be made free from sin."
Reflecting this inward holiness, denominations aligned with the holiness movement have emphasized modesty and sobriety. However, the terminology used to define this varies with the tradition. Holiness Methodists, who make up the bulk of the Holiness Movement, have emphasized the Wesleyan-Arminian doctrine outward holiness, which includes practices such as the wearing of modest clothing and not using profanity in speech. Holiness Quakers have emphasized the Friends teaching on testimony of simplicity. Holiness Anabaptists, such as Holiness River Brethren and Holiness Mennonites, have upheld their belief in nonconformity to the world.

Definition of sin

Holiness adherents also hold to a distinctive definition of sin. They believe that "only conscious sins are truly sins." Historian Charles Jones explained, "Believing that sin was conscious disobedience to a known law of God, holiness believers were convinced that the true Christian, having repented of every known act of sin, did not and could not willfully sin again and remain a Christian." Historian Benjamin Pettit described the approach of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement as:
1. "The person who sins is not a Christian but a sinner.
2. When a person is saved, he is out of the sin business.
3. The sinner must repent and be restored to his lost relationship with God.
4. To sin results in spiritual death."
In his study of this question, Caleb Black concluded that "the consensus understanding of sin in the Holiness tradition is that sin is an avoidable, voluntary, morally responsible act that those born of God do not commit." Put simply, Holiness adherents adhere to the definition of sin, as explained by Wesley himself:

"Nothing is sin, strictly speaking, but a voluntary transgression of a known law of God. Therefore, every voluntary breach of the law of love is sin; and nothing else, if we speak properly. To strain the matter farther is only to make way for Calvinism."

Dr. Timothy Cooley explained, "If this definition is compromised, victorious Christian living becomes meaningless, and entire sanctification an impossibility." "The definition and consequences of sin are a key theological distinctive of the Holiness Movement as it underlies their entire theological system. To differ on the conception of sin is to destroy the foundation of holiness theology."
With this definition of sin, Holiness adherents believe that while Christians may fall into sin, they also have the God-given power to avoid sin and, in this sense, be free from sin. Furthermore, not only does God enable this obedience, but he also requires it. One of the movement's founders, J. A. Wood, explains, "The lowest type of a Christian sinneth not, and is not condemned. The minimum of salvation is salvation from sinning. The maximum is salvation from pollution—the inclination to sin." Another founder, C. J. Fowler, explains that "We teach that regeneration does not allow the committing of conscious sin."
Harry Jessop warns, "It should ever be born in mind that believers cannot commit sin without forfeiting justification." The founder of the Church of God, D. S. Warner, explains, "Holiness writers and teachers, as far as my knowledge extends, uniformly hold up a sinless life, as the true test and Bible standard of regeneration." This doctrine follows in the footsteps of Wesley, who wrote, "If a believer wilfully sins, he casts away his faith. Neither is it possible he should have justifying faith again, without previously repenting."

Lifestyle

Denominations aligned with the Holiness movement believe the moral aspects of the law of God are pertinent for today, and adherents obey teachings regarding modesty, clean speech, and sober living. Consequently, members of the Holiness movement readily apply Scriptural lifestyle commands to their lives and view them as generally binding today, and apply these principles in numerous different ways. "Holiness churches have been distinguished from other churches by their more careful lifestyle. Many churches and denominations in the Holiness movement prohibit smoking, drinking, dancing, listening to inappropriate worldly music, or wearing makeup or flashy clothes."

Diversity in belief and practice

Christian denominations aligned with the holiness movement all share a belief in the doctrine of Christian perfection. Apart from this, denominations identified with the holiness movement differ on several issues, given that Methodist, Quaker, Anabaptist, and Restorationist churches comprise the holiness movement, and these denominations have unique doctrines and theologies. Methodist denominations that are a part of the holiness movement, such as the Free Methodist Church or Missionary Methodist Church, affirm the celebration of the sacraments, chiefly Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Denominations of the Quaker tradition, such as the Central Yearly Meeting of Friends, are entirely non-sacramental.
Anabaptist denominations aligned with the holiness movement, such as the Apostolic Christian Church, teach the observance of ordinances, such as communion, headcovering and footwashing. While the Methodist denominations of the holiness movement hold to church membership, such as the Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church, the concept of membership rolls is rejected in holiness denominations of a Restorationist background, such as the Church of God.