Holiness within the Salvation Army, generally speaking, can be divided into three main perspectives: firstly, holiness as crisis and second work of grace in the believer (Samuel Logan Brengle); secondly, holiness as a process in which believers grows in grace (Frederick Coutts); and finally, those who are indifferent or disinterested to holiness as an issue for believers .
It is scary to think that for many 21st century Salvationists holiness is something separate from salvation, or something to be overlooked within the Christian life. It is sad to think that some Salvationists have been discouraged or disillusioned by holiness models that have been preached and taught to them over the years. I must admit that in my own quest for sanctification I have fallen into this camp at times.
For now, in light of my recent exploration of Paul’s letter to the Romans, I wish to explore a different perspective of holiness in which holiness is seen in the context of God’s salvation story worked out in the faithfulness of Jesus. As Chick Yuill states when critiquing holiness teaching, “The place to begin is with Jesus Christ and his perfect adequacy. We need to remind ourselves that holiness is conferred by God through the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ”.
In my humble opinion, holiness is better thought of as participation in the faithfulness of Christ. Sanctification is not detached from justification; instead they are partners in God’s salvific purposes worked out in Jesus Christ. Holiness is not the product of our faithful obedience, expressed as growth in Christ-likeness; rather we become the holy people of God as we participate in God’s restorative-transformation in pistis Christou (faithfulness of Christ).
This restorative-transformation by the Spirit involves both the justification and sanctification of the believers, so that humanity is restored into right relationship with God and made into the likeness of Christ. The participationist language used by Paul in Romans, links the people of God with Christ and sees the goal of the ecclesia as being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.
As we participate in the faithfulness of Christ- his obedient life and death on a cross – we are transformed into the holy people of God. As God’s people we are justified and holy now and will be vindicated at the final judgment. Our experience of the holy life now, remains in tension, as God’s ecclesia waits in hope for the Parousia. Until that day the Spirit of Christ remains to sanctify the church waiting for God to complete what he has already accomplished in Christ.
See Jonathon Raymond, Journey, Exposures and Encounters, np [cited 9 June 2010] website: www.holinessandunity.org/index.php?option=com...task... For discussion and critique of Brengle & Coutts’ holiness models.
Chick Yuill, We need Saints, 143. For a pdf version see http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/0/EE754D9D83EEE57880256F9600570ED6/$file/Library-WeNeedSaints.pdf
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