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SANCTIFICATION AND REVIVALS
God’s method for saving the world is by and through the sanctification of His people. Jesus
prayed, “Sanctify them,” “that they all may be one,” “that the world may believe” (John 17:12-21).
According to this prayer, sanctification is essential to that unity of His people, which is imperative,
and the condition for saving the world. Hence, he who opposes or is indifferent to the subject of
sanctification virtually is in opposition to the divine method for saving the world. This will explain
why preachers antagonistic to sanctification as a distinct experience, do not see many sinners
converted.
By seventeen years of continuous experience as an evangelist, laboring in many states, and among
more than a score of denominations, thus having tested this matter under all conditions and
circumstances, I have demonstrated that wherever believers are sanctified wholly, sinners will be
converted. Never have I known this to fail. The sure way and short cut to precipitating a revival is
to have believers sanctified.
Mr. Wesley wrote: “Indeed, this I always observe, — wherever a work of sanctification breaks out,
the whole work of God prospers. Some are convinced of sin, others justified, and all stirred up to
greater earnestness for salvation.” — Journal, Aug., 1775. Again, in writing to Rev. John Baxendale,
in 1875, he said: “Indeed, His work will flourish in every place where full sanctification is clearly
and strongly preached.” — Works, Vol. 6, p. 172, and again in Vol. 6, p. 721, Mr. Wesley said:
“Where Christian perfection is not strongly and explicitly preached, there is seldom any remarkable
blessing from God; and consequently little addition to the society, and little life in the members of
it. . . . Till you press the believers to expect full salvation now, you must not look for any revival.”
The sanctification of one hundred and twenty believers by the baptism with the Holy Ghost on
the day of Pentecost, instantly precipitated a revival such as the world had never witnessed, and
resulted in the conversion of “about three thousand souls” the first day. Speaking to the disciples
concerning this “second blessing,” — the gift of the Holy Ghost, Jesus said, “If I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come
[unto you, who are already converted] he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of
judgment” (John 16:7,8). The sure and quick way to bring conviction and salvation to the unsaved,
is for the church herself to seek and obtain the blessing of entire sanctification and so be filled with
the Holy Ghost.
Men are constantly praying for the Holy Ghost that they might use Him, but what is needed, is
that believers so utterly devote and abandon themselves to Him, that He may purify and cleanse them
from all sin, and then infill and use them. The sanctification of one believer often means the
salvation of many souls.
To any pastor desiring a revival, we would like to offer the following receipt, and will
unhesitatingly guarantee that where this receipt is followed out, a revival will take place. To the
pastor: If clearly justified, seek definitely until you obtain the distinct experience of entire
sanctification; then bear public testimony to the same, without equivocation, and then preach
definitely on the subject of entire sanctification until at least six members of the congregation seek
and obtain a definite experience of sanctification, and the revival, resulting in the conversion of
sinners is assured. It has been tried many times and never known to fall. “And the heathen shall know
that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezek
36:23).
***
First: The preaching of holiness is essential because holiness is the divine standard which God
would have us lift up. He who does not believe in holiness must believe in sin. To deny the
possibility of holiness in this life is equivalent to saying Jesus cannot save from all sin. Men must
understand that in order to be saved at all they must abandon and forsake all sin. Even sinners
recognize that a “sinning religion” does not commend itself, and admit that holiness is the true
standard. They naturally and most truthfully reason concerning professors of religion who insist they
cannot live without sin, that they are just as good as those professors, since they are both living the
same way.
Second. The definite preaching of holiness is always strengthening and stimulating to those who
are Christians, as it edifies them, and brings them to see their need and privileges, and so stirs them
up to more diligent heart-searchings and consequent callings upon God. Thus the revival begins
where a true revival must always begin. Whenever the children of God get out into the tides of full
salvation, and hence have the joys of salvation, and are free and impelled to service by the fullness
of the Spirit, sinners invariably come under conviction, and begin to seek God. Jesus said, in
speaking of His disciples, concerning the Holy Spirit, “And when he is come [to you who are
Christians] he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness.” Generally speaking, Christians
lack the fullness of the Spirit and consequently there is no conviction. The Holy Spirit does the work
of conviction most generally through the overflow of Christian hearts.
THIRD. The preaching of holiness is essential that by contrast sinners may see their distance from
God. A man may never realize his poverty until he stands by the side of some multi-millionaire; or
how ignorant he is, until he comes in contact with those who are far advanced along intellectual
lines, and are greatly his superiors; just so a man may never realize how sinful he is until he has a
glimpse of God’s holiness. It was when Isaiah had a vision of the holiness of God that he began to
cry out, “I am undone.” So in magnifying the holiness of God men will come to more fully realize
the necessity of being holy if they would dwell with a holy God. If God is holy, I must be holy.
FOURTH. Then, again, the definite preaching of holiness at once clearly draws the lines of battle,
for there is nothing that the devil so much hates, and God so much delights to bless, as the definite
preaching of holiness. The preaching of holiness causes agitation, and when men become aroused
and agitated they will give attention and begin to think, and when they begin to think, the Holy Spirit
has special opportunity. Where there is no agitation there is invariably stagnation. As intimated, God
will always bless the uncompromising preaching of holiness. But some one will inquire, would you
preach holiness to sinners? I would answer, “Yes,” and then teach them that in order to reach
holiness they must first repent and be born again. When God sent Moses into Egypt He did not tell
him to preach to them about, or start them for the wilderness of Zin, but started them at once for
Canaan, though it required two crossings to reach Canaan.
The objective point of all the provisions of the atonement, and of every commandment and
promise in the Bible, is holiness. He “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things
[marg.] in Christ ACCORDING as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph. 1:3,4). “Holiness, without which no
man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).
