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Melvin Harter | PentecostalTheology.com
I would like to repeat myself so that everyone in Pentecostal Theology can have a full understanding. My post is to all Holiness Preachers. I say that it is pointless to have any meaningful discussion with modern Progressives. Their minds are totally made up and they reject the Word of God as it regards Instantaneous Sanctification, also known as Entire Sanctification. I have had in depth discussions with many on Facebook, and I find they have no real interest truly studying the biblical doctrine of Sanctification. They are bound to tradition and reject even the Koine Greek text of the New Testament. As ministers of the full gospel, we are commanded not to “cast our pearls before swine.” Time is too short, Jesus is coming soon. And as Hebrews 12:14 states, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.” The definition of holiness is “the result of a sanctified life.” Those who continue to hold to the view that sanctification is never achievable in this life, reject Hebrews 12:14 and it is very sad when they had an opportunity to be sanctified and live a holiness life, yet reject such an experience. It is sad in the fact that “without holiness, they will never see the Lord.” Draw your own conclusion. I say, “Let’s plant the seed of holiness into hearts that genuinely love the Lord and desire to live a life according to His Word.”
Robert Cox
The reaction to the gospel will never dispel my preaching. Even to those that refuse it.
Wayne Dodd
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”
Sanctification is by the spirit when one is baptized in the spirit. To Sanctify means to set apart for use. It is not a sinless condition. Walking in sanctification is a life long learning.
With all due respect sir, your theology is biblically off. This is an old COG doctrine.
Melvin Harter
Wayne Dodd, you forgot the “Cleansing” part of sanctification. Cleansing has a relationship to living a life above sin.
Street Preacherz
If you say ‘sanctification is a life long learning’ when do you actually learn to refuse evil. I’m not saying there won’t be struggles and an assualt of the enemy but we ‘learn’ to stand in the grace of God. Drawing our strength from him. From Jesus Christ. He is the true Vine. A source of comfort wisdom.and strength. And we fight temptation in Jesus name. Possessing our soul in patience.
Wayne Dodd
For clarification, I believe one is fully sanctified when they are baptized in the HG. But learning to walk in that is definitely “progressive.”
Varnel Watson
pointless to have any meaningful discussion with modern Progressives is about right
Joel A. McNabb
2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein .
Holiness is an old doctrine alright, even an old hobo though a fool can understand it. Any who reject holiness lamps have gone out, when the Lord of glory comes they will be found sleeping. By the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, the cutting away of the flesh holiness is made perfect. 1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Joel A. McNabb
If we are born of the spirit when we repent, the flesh has not been cut off, as revealed in the circumcision, males are not born circumcised, the cutting away is done after the birth. Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Louise Cummings
I believe in Hebrews 12:14. I believe in Sanctification. I remember explaining it like this. I know it’s kinda of a child like way explaining it. This was how I explained it. My mother use to have a garden. All around the edges of the garden was what mother called Jonson grass. You cut it down , and in a few days it would be standing up tall again. So my mother would get a hold of that grass and pull it up by the roots. And the roots would go deep in the ground. You should have seen those long roots she would pull out of the garden. Throw them completely out of the garden. Because if you left a root. It would come back. So she pulled them all out , throw them away. And that’s how I explained. You are born with roots of sin because of Adam and Eve. So when you get saved , give your heart to the Lord. If you don’t go on to Sanctification.you hadn’t got the roots out. You have to go on to Sanctification by pulling the roots out. That what Sanctification is , it is praying until you got the roots out. When you do that. You are so in love with Jesus until that desire to sin is gone. Then we can live by the Scripture you were talking about in Hebrews. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. It takes a clean Holy life. I know you can still be tempted. But when you are cleaned up and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will teach you , lead you and Sanctification will kill that desire to sin. You may not agree. But being raised on a farm. I saw mother do that so much in different places where this stuff. It would be long until you didn’t have to worry about that stuff. Because she pulled the roots out.
Walter Polasik
Dr. Harter, having just read your post above I submit that it is a COP OUT to not face the music of what Scripture ACTUALLY says sir. Since Pentecostal-Holiness preachers are the ones propagating the doctrine, the onus is on YOU to show how it is Scriptural following normal, generally-established rules of biblical hermeneutics. I am putting in, once again, the statement that there is NO PLACE in Scripture that links an experience of the Holy Spirit, whether with tongues or not, to producing a state wherein the believer will never sin again. The Bible teaches growing in grace, it does not teach that the believer will never sin again after either the New Birth or the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To say you will not deal with “progressives” (I assume you mean those who believe, as I do, in Progressive Sanctification, not rank Liberals) is to admit theological cowardice at the very least. I have no problem talking Scripture and I will not have it said of me that I am “not interested in what the Bible has to say” about the topic. I most certainly am, in fact, that is my challenge to those who hold this and other biblically untenable doctrines. I have been dealing with cults and various Christian aberrations for well over 20 years now. I do not shrink from challenge where the integrity of God’s Word is concerned. I also warn that I’ve already heard it said by the cults too many times: “Yes, I know that’s what it says ON THE PAGE…but what it REALLY MEANS is….” and off they go. So, I have no worries. I welcome the challenge. There are only three positions to any biblical debate: 1.) The posited doctrine IS biblically verifiable. 2.) The posited doctrine is NOT biblically verifiable and 3.) We don’t have enough information to make a dogmatic statement. In this case there is quite enough evidence to go with verdict #2. Therefore, don’t bring the challenge and then accuse Pentecostals who disagree on the basis of SCRIPTURE that WE are the ones “not interested” in the biblical truth. Au contraire, monsieur!
Joseph Kidwell
I was saved on 01/05/73 in an Assemblies of God congregation and received the Holy Ghost on 08/05/73 in the same church. There certainly is sanctification involved with the infilling of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 3:11-12), but to say that it is always a distinct experience from the infilling of the Holy Ghost is not true. There is not one example of it being a distinct experience in the Acts of the Apostles.. I agree with Walter Polasik and Wayne Dodd regarding the progressive nature of sanctification as well as Terri Tippins on what John Wesley really taught regarding this issue.
Tom Steele
Melvin Harter, I love the way you worded your post and the statements you made regarding holiness and sanctification. I don’t know what your time is like, but if you have the time to read through my written work I would love to hear your thoughts as it relates to what you shared. If you do feel you would have time, reply to my comment and I will reply back with the link where I have an archive list.
Varnel Watson
Good observation Melvin Harter Tom Steele How did they get sanctified in the Old Testament? Did it take for ever?
Gabroo Shah
Actually Sir its impossible to preach you too. You’re right n found a correct theology. Question is how would you possibly change ppl without Changing self. Changing self will involve breaking an age old political system n self denial too. Melvin
Gabroo Shah
Lemme finish all this childish debate with a peep into reality for everyone.
1. OSAS ppl dont want to deny CONVENIENT pleasures n dont realize that lust jezebel n racial evil is supported by their theology. You can even abort unborn baby n still be saved in everlasting but mysterious n funny grace. This is quite a free ride n indulgence just like in history of Europe. Follow one church system n you become ‘elect n can sin to be saved’
Moving on to pentecostals, pentecostal traditional aspect only living in Christ can save is true but hey there are super rare ppl who really practice that n wisdom is different from passion. You can have passion n still serve satan unknowingly coz ppl lack spiritual wisdom in practical life.
Oneness ppl are basically those who have learned one thing n they feel they can wear skirts n be carnal but still pretend to be Christian.
In all this its rare to find real Christians. n I took away fame of discussion doers. Sorry about that
Link Hudson
Troy Day by washing their clothes and abstaing from sex on one occasion.
Street Preacherz
How is it the Christian believer has no problem believing the Ten Commandments, and the threats of hell and glady receive a curse for it’s violation as just and right but refuse to believe Jesus words, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
Melvin Harter
What would you think if someone was trying to convince you that you could put water, instead of gasoline in your automobile and that it would run? Would you continue to have a lengthy discussion on the subject matter? Absolutely not, else you would likewise be an idiot. So it is with much of this string. And when I refuse to engage in such discussion, I am informed I am a “cop-out. Entire Sanctification does infer a Christian will never sin again. People who advocate that thought are from the Assembly of God or Baptist background. That is due to their old doctrine of Predestination. Once again, these people who post such statements have no knowledge of the history of the Holiness Movement, nor of scripture. Like Trump’s statement of FAKE NEWS, these people are FAKE, and void of any true biblical knowledge. For example, take note of the brother’s explanation he gives of Ephesians 4:22(f). He states that the PUT OFF means “continuance action.” That tells me that he did not even research a commentary regarding this passage. And these people want me to give my time to this ignorance? If the brother would have studied just a little, he would have discovered that Paul uses the AORIST TENSE, thus fully supporting my position. Now were the Corinthians all saved? Yes. Were they all sanctified? No. This was the issue Paul was dealing with in Ephesians and Colossians. And then our dear brother lists First Corinthians where Paul states, “I die daily.” I know where he got his knowledge. By listening to some other preacher or teacher who is just as ignorant of the scriptures. Paul’s “I die daily” has absolutely NO REFERENCE to Sanctification whatsoever. Instead, it has to do with physical death. He writes of the physical persecution he endured, and states “I die daily” meaning his physical life was in jeopardy every day of his Christian life. Read the chapter yourself. See if you can find any reference whatsoever to Sanctification? The chapter deals totally with physical death and our resurrection. But they do not want you to know that. They want to promote their false doctrine so they can continue to live in some ” begetting sin” without feeling condemned about it. So my conclusion is, Do I wish to engage in discussions where ignorance is involved, and all because they are just too lazy to really study the scriptures and discover the truth? Second Timothy 2:15 condemns them. NO MY FRIENDS, WATER WILL NEVER BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR GASOLINE IN A VEHICLE. Again, If the brothers wish to discuss theology, I encourage them to obtain some type of formal biblical knowledge before they start posting their foolishness. Sad to say, but when they do post such falsehood, many true biblical scholars simply laugh at them, even though often times they post no response.
Varnel Watson
Walter Polasik Link Hudson AG also believe in instant entire sanctification. They just dont specify praying and tarring for it – just include it into the salvation crises experience. Same difference
Varnel Watson
That Entire Sanctification is a definite act of God’s grace, subsequent to the New Birth, by which the believer’s heart is purified and made holy. It cannot be attained progressively by works, struggle or suppression, but it is obtained by faith in the sanctifying blood of Jesus Christ. Holiness of life and purity of heart are central to Christian living – Luke 1:74,75; John 17:15-17; I Thessalonians 4:3,7,8; 5:22-24; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10,14; 13:11,12; Titus 2:11-14; I John 1:7; Hebrews 12:14; I Peter 1:14-16. http://probible.net/heb-12-14/