THE MAIN THING - HOLINESS

THE ONE “MUST HAVE”

Several years ago Professor Keith Drury shocked his audience at the Presidential Breakfast of the Christian Holiness Association when he declared, “THE HOLINESS MOVEMENT IS DEAD.” That address (http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/dead.footnoted.htm) certainly stirred great passions among those of us who identify with the message of Scriptural holiness.

Drury could not have been more right when he observed, “Holiness is our stated belief. But in most places we don’t make it the main thing.” 

I am heartbroken when I see how far we have drifted from our emphasis upon holiness. 

We used to believe that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” 

We used to believe in first blessing holiness--loving obedience to all of God’s will—was the one infallible mark of the new birth.

We used to believe in second blessing holiness—that the grand purpose of Christ’s redemption was to “destroy the works of the devil” and that in a moment of time, God’s Spirit would purify our hearts of carnality and fill us with a perfect love for God.

We used to believe that professing Christians who went on and on about grace and faith and God’s love were tragically missing that one vital “must have”—namely Holiness. 

We used to believe that grace was grace to live godly lives not to excuse sin.

We used to believe that faith was faith that overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil, not some silly positive affirmation grounded in nothing but pretend.

We used to believe that God’s love is amazing, but we knew that ultimately it is our love for God that is the one “must have!”  We will be judged on our love for God, not His love for us.

We used to believe that any preacher who preached without offending the devil, defending the Word, naming sin, and proclaiming holiness was wasting our time and his.

We used to believe that music that sounded sensual and of the world had no place in the worship of the Holy!

We used to be believe that holiness meant separation from the world!  Its amusements, its adornments, it attractions held no sway for us.  We didn’t want to look like the world, we didn’t want to act like the world, and we didn’t want to be of this world.

We used to believe that if any church nearby would dare to stand up and declare “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD”—we ought to lend our influence, our support, and our encouragement to them, before spending our time with those who have taken the broad path of accommodation and compromise.

We used to believe that we were called to spread Scriptural holiness throughout our land and around the globe.  Many of our forebears “rode hard and died young” as they travelled by horseback proclaiming holiness.  Today we can’t even get a few believers together to talk missions—even if we offer them pizza.

We used to believe that if we were not holy we would be forever lost in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.  It was holiness or hell. 

THE ST LOUIS HOLINESS CONVENTION has been called to the kingdom for such a time as this to “stir up our pure minds by way of remembrance,” and to reclaim again THE MAIN THING—namely HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD!