The Arminian Magazine--Spring, 1991

POWER FROM ON HIGH: RICHARD WATSON --edited by Vic Reasoner

In The King's Gold Mine: Or, The Conversion and Sanctification of the Disciples, Bud Robinson puts all of his eggs in one basket. He declares that if Luke 24:49 describes a second work of grace everyone else is wrong. If it does not, the holiness preachers are in error.

You will find the text in Luke 24:49, 'And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.' Now, if the disciples had never been converted, and were still in their sins at the time the Lord made this promises, then the promise of the Father and the enduement of power is nothing more or less than the new birth, but if they had been converted and were at that time the children of God, and not in a backslidden state, then the promise of the Father and the enduement of power is a blessing or a work of grace received by faith by the disciples subsequent to regeneration.

Now if the disciples had not been converted before Pentecost, then we Second Blessing people are without a Scriptural warrant for our doctrine and we are preaching heresy and we are false teachers, and every church in the land ought to be branded as a set of heretics and fanatics and hobby riders, who ride a hobby without eyes or ears or legs, but listen to me, folks, just a minute. If the disciples had been converted before Pentecost and were not backslidden at Pentecost, then we Second Blessing people are Scriptural and orthodox, and the crowd that is preaching that the disciples were never converted until Pentecost are unscriptural and unorthodox, and are false teachers and the churches ought to be closed in their faces and every church in the land ought to be open to us.

Robinson assumes the disciples to be regenerated and that the fulfillment of this promise at Pentecost constitutes a second work of grace.

The holiness movement seems unwilling to admit that they use Wesley's name, but do not teach his doctrine. In this sermon by Richard Watson, no such equation is made of Pentecost and a second work of grace. It is ironic that Uncle Bud thought he was contending for Wesleyan doctrine and in so doing indicted the father of Wesleyan theology as a heretic. This is not the last time students of Wesley have been attacked as not being Wesleyan by men who have never read Wesley.

Here is an edited version of "Power from on High," sermon #66 in Watson's two-volume Sermons and Sketches of Sermons. That Watson believed in entire sanctification is evident from reading chapter 29 in his Theological Institutes, entitled "Further Benefits of Redemption." However, Watson correctly understands "sanctification" as being a broader term. It is "that work of God's grace by which we are renewed after the image of God, set apart for his service, and enabled to die unto sin and live unto righteousness" [Richard Watson, A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, p. 841].

While this sermon is condensed, nothing has been inserted or omitted which would change Watson's interpretation of Luke 24:49. We must conclude that what the early Methodists described as the new birth, the later holiness movement described as a second work. We must also conclude that Pentecostalism did not rise out of Methodist theology. If the holiness movement had not tampered with the truth, there would have been no Pentecostal movement.

Power from on High Luke 24:49

These words are addressed by our Lord to the eleven and those that were with them. He was about to leave them, so he renews the promise and bids them wait in Jerusalem.

They did wait, as all must wait, for this heavenly gift. Just as they tossed this promise around in their minds while they waited for its fulfillment, so we may profitably direct our attention to its importance. May we be influenced to seek the same gift which, in His ordinary operations, is promised to us.

I propose to illustrate this description of the blessed Spirit by the extraordinary effects produced on the Apostles and by the ordinary influence exerted on all true Christians.

I. The Extraordinary Operations of the Spirit.

1. The gift of tongues. He who knows the difficulty of acquiring a foreign language will perceive what a miracle was this infusion of words into the memory and their ability to speak them fluently.

2. The illumination of the mind. The Apostles had heard Christ. They had reasoned among themselves. Through the mist of prejudice there had sometimes been a flash of light followed by obscurity. Now all was explained. The harmony of the law and the gospel, the mystery of faith, were opened to them and to all by them.

3. The power with which they spoke. There was a rush of accompanying energy such as accompanied not even the words of Christ. Those who were not stubbornly blind were pricked in their heart. And those who resisted the truth hated the light and hated the men. But they would not have hated either had they not felt the light was light from heaven and the men were men of God.

4. Miracles of healing. They did all the works of Christ and did them in greater quantity. They were men inferior to Christ the God-man, yet they performed the very works of divinity. The sick were healed. Virtue issued from Peter, as from His Master's garments. The dead were raised. Demons were ejected.

5. Discernment of spirits. The hearts of men were opened and man was endued with an attribute of God; the ability to search the heart.

6. Courage. Theirs was a courage which shrunk not in the hour of trial. It was not merely excitement, but a calm, deliberate surrender of themselves to shame, suffering, and death. There was not one apostate among them after the "power from on high" descended.

While we see in all these circumstances a demonstration of the Apostles' mission, we also see what God can make man when he gives him the gift of His Spirit.

II. The Ordinary Influences of the Spirit.

The gift of the Spirit is still "power from on high." It is true that the gifts most mentioned were extraordinary. Their purpose was to make the glory of God visible to all. When attention was aroused and Christianity could appeal to these demonstrations as matters of historical fact, the work was left to be carried on by more secret and invisible influences. When the cloud of glory descended on the temple, "the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud." Yet God was not less the mighty God of Israel, when invisible. The Spirit is now in the Church, working all in all.

We have been told that since the extraordinary gifts are not longer being dispensed, the direct influence of the Holy Spirit did not continue. Let me refute this.

It confused the extraordinary with the ordinary gifts. One does not necessarily imply the other. All who received the Holy Spirit as teacher and comforter did not work miracles. Some who had gifts did not have renewing grace.

If the Apostles needed the direct influence of the Holy Spirit to make them Christians, so do we. We are called to be all that the gospel requires. Now either we can attain this without the Spirit or we cannot. If we can, man can be saved without God. If we cannot attain it, the gospel is no longer "the power of God unto salvation."

But these objections are dispelled by the words of Christ, "I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever." Thank God, if we wait, we too shall be "endued with power from on high." Let us consider, then, how this power manifests itself.

1. In awakening the soul of man. There are two states of mind with reference to eternal things. One is marked by unconcern and neglect. The sinner has no sense of danger, though on its very brink. He had no abhorrence of sin, though leprous with it. He has no sense of slavery, though actually bound. He has no shame and humiliation before God, though ungratefulness and rebellion shape his life.

What if this sleep is broken What if the ear listens at last to the reproving voice of alarm What if the danger becomes visible What if fears are aroused What is the heart breaks under a sense of its ingratitude What change at Pentecost was greater than this

Does man awaken himself does he pierce his own conscience Does he render himself miserable and wretched It is impossible. It is the "power from on high" that produces this.

2. By the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. Here, also, are two states of mind. One is full of fear and alarm. The other is full of faith and a joyful sense of reconciliation with God. Here is a change as great as the other. Here, too, is the "power from on high." If for these doubts I may receive assurance; if for this dread of God I may receive the Spirit of adoption, then let me wait until I am endowed with this heavenly gift - the Spirit who cries in every believing heart, "Abba, Father."

3. By the Holy Spirit as Sanctifier. There is not a sin from which we may not cease. but this power is not of man. It is the "power from on high," destroying the love of sin, breaking its power, and filling the soul with the fear and love of God, that the dart of temptation falls blunted and broken. "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

4. From the fruits of the Spirit. Look at the list of them; "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Now when these are called the fruits of the Spirit, the expression infers that they are not of man. The human heart is naturally as barren of these fruits as the desert is of corn and wine and oil. Even what seems to approach them is not the same. Natural good temper is not love to God. Cheerfulness is not joy in the Lord. Tranquility is not the peace of God.

But even where the contrast is as great as possible, love shall grow in the heart that was hating and malignant. Let it be gloomy and dark, here joy shall spring up. Let it be turbulent and restless, here peace shall establish her dominion. This is also a miracle. It is "power from on high."

Conclusion:

1. There is a power promised to you more glorious than all the endowments of apostolic gifts.

2. The baptism of secret fire is invisible to the eye, but it works powerfully and constantly. It softens the heart, kindles joy, diffuses purity, gives energy in duty, and lifts you up in devout thoughts to heaven. If you seek it, all this is yours.

3. If you ask how you are to attain it, make the apostles your example. Believe your Lord, "I send the promise of my Father upon you." Wait for this,not idly, but in prayer and in public worship.

4. Realize that "if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." Aspire, then, to this.

5. Pray for the outpouring of the Spirit upon your friends, the whole Church, the whole world. Even that shall come.

PENTECOSTAL REGENERATION & ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION --Jack Jones

"If a person is baptized with the Holy Ghost when he is regenerated, then there is not need or place for a second work of grace. Those who teach such a doctrine are enemies of the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification."

But John Wesley believed in Pentecostal regeneration and also in entire sanctification. In his letter to Rev. Joseph Benson in 1770, he said:

But I have no time to throw away in contending for words, especially where the thing is allowed. And you allow the whole thing which I contend for; an entire deliverance from sin, a recovery of the whole image of God, the loving God with all your heart, soul, and strength. And you believe God is able to give you this; yea, and to give it you in an instant. You trust He will. Oh, hold fast this also; this blessed hope, which He has wrought in your heart! And with all zeal and diligence, confirm the brethren, 1. In holding fast that whereto they have attained; namely, the remission of all their sins, by faith in a bleeding Lord. 2. In expecting a second change, whereby they shall be saved from all sin, and perfected in love.

If they like to call this "receiving the Holy Ghost," they may; only the phrase, in that sense, is not Scriptural, and not quite proper; for they all "received the Holy Ghost," when they were justified. God then "sent forth the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The question, then, is better addressed to Wesley. If they received the Holy ghost when they were saved, how did Wesley find any place for a second blessing

John Miley gives an answer: "The doctrine of an incompleteness of the work of regeneration underlies that of entire sanctification, particularly in its Wesleyan form."

Wesley's sermon "On Sin in Believers" makes his view of the incompleteness of regeneration clear. He states:

And as far as I have ever observed, the whole body of ancient Christians, who have left us anything in writing declare with one voice that even believers in Christ, till they are "strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might", have need to "wrestle with flesh and blood", with an evil nature, as well as "with principalities and powers".

Yet he cautions:

The same testimony is given by all other churches; not only by the Greek and Romish Church, but by every Reformed Church in Europe, of whatever denomination. Indeed some of these seem to carry the thing too far; so describing the corruption of heart in a believer, as scarce to allow that he has dominion over it, but rather is in bondage thereto. And by this means they leave hardly any distinction between a believer and unbeliever.

He then gives his understanding of what it means to be regenerate. He writes:

I use indifferently the words "regenerate", "justified", or "believers"; since, though they have not precisely the same meaning (the first implying an inward, actual change; the second a relative one, and the third, the means whereby both the one and the other are wrought) yet they come to one and the same thing, as every one that "believes" is both "justified" and "born of God".

By "sin" [in believers] I here understand inward sin: any sinful temper, passion, or affection; such as pride, self-will, love of the world, in any kind or degree; such as lust, anger, peevishness; any disposition contrary to the mind which was in Christ.

The question is not concerning outward sin, whether a child of God commits sin or no. we all agree and earnestly maintain, "He that committeth sin is of the devil." We agree, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin."

We allow that the state of a justified person is inexpressibly great and glorious. He is "born again, not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." He is a child of God, a member of Christ, an heir of the kingdom of heaven. "The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keepeth his heart and mind in Christ Jesus." His very "body is a temple of the Holy Ghost", and "an habitation of God through the Spirit". He is "created anew in Christ Jesus"; he is washed, he is sanctified. His "heart is purified by faith"; He is cleansed from "the corruption that is in the world." "The love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him." And so long as he "walketh in love" (which he may always do) he "worships God in spirit and in truth". He "keepeth the commandments of God, and doeth those things that are pleasing in His sight"; so "exercising himself as to have a conscience void of offence, towards God and towards man". And he has power both over outward and inward sin, even from the moment he is justified.

The sum of all is this: there are in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary principles, nature and grace, termed by St. Paul, the "flesh" and the "spirit". Hence although even babes in Christ are sanctified, yet it is only in part. In a degree, according to the measure of their faith, they are spiritual; yet, in a degree they are carnal. Accordingly, believers are continually exhorted to watch against the flesh, as well as the world and the devil. And to this agrees the constant experience of the children of God. While they feel this witness in themselves, they feel a will not wholly resigned to the will of God. They know they are in Him, and yet find a heart ready to depart from him, a proneness to evil in many instances, and backwardness to that which is good. . . . Let us, therefore, hold fast that sound doctrine "once delivered to the saints", and delivered down by them with the written word to all succeeding generations: that although we are renewed, cleansed, purified, sanctified, the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether; but the flesh, the evil nature, still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit.

In the "Plain Account" Wesley instructed such believers to find deliverance:

If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after justification, of inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; if to this change, immensely greater than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, direct witness of the renewal; I judge it as impossible this man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie.

He also gives the character of the entirely sanctified in a question and answer format:

22. By what "fruit of the Spirit" may we "know that we are of God," even in the highest sense

By love, joy, peace, always abiding; by invariable long-suffering, patience, resignation; by gentleness, triumphing over all provocation; by goodness, mildness, sweetness, tenderness of spirit; by fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity; by meekness, calmness, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not only in food and sleep, but in all things natural and spiritual.

23. But what great matter is there is this Have we not all this when we are justified

What! Total resignation to the will of God, without any mixture of self-will Gentleness, without any touch of anger, even the moment we are provoked Love to God, without the least love to the creature, but in and for God, excluding all pride Love to man, excluding all envy, all jealousy, and rash judging Meekness, keeping the whole soul inviolably calm And temperance in all things Deny that any ever came up to this, if you please; but do not say all who are justified do.

24. But some who are newly justified do. What, then, will we say to these

If they really do, I will say they are sanctified; saved from sin in that moment; and that they never need lose what God has given, or feel sin any more.

But certainly this is an exempt case. It is otherwise with the generality of those that are justified: they feel in themselves more or less pride, anger, self-will, a heart bent to backsliding. And till they have gradually mortified these, they are not fully renewed in love.

25. But is not this the case of all that are justified Do they not gradually die to sin and grow in grace, till at, or perhaps a little before death, God perfects them in love

I believe this is the case of most, but not all. God usually gives a considerable time for men to receive light, to grow in grace, to do and suffer His will before they are either justified or sanctified; but He does not invariably adhere to this; sometimes He "cuts short His work"; He does the work of many years in a few weeks; perhaps in a week, a day, an hour. He justifies or sanctifies both those who have done or suffered nothing, and who have not had time for a gradual growth either in light or grace. And "may He not do what He will with His own Is thine eye evil, because He is good"

It need not, therefore, be affirmed over and over and proved by forty texts of Scripture, either that most men are perfected in love at last, that there is a gradual work of God in the soul, or that, generally speaking, it is a long time, even many years, before sin is destroyed. All this we know: but we know likewise, that God may, with man's good leave, "cut short his work," in whatever degree He pleases, and do the usual work of many years in a moment. He does so in many instances; and yet there is a gradual work, both before and after that moment; so that one may affirm the work is gradual; another, it is instantaneous, without any manner of contradiction.

It seems to me the battle is really joined when we teach that the experience of the Apostles before Pentecost was not New Testament regeneration. If the Pentecostal experience represents regeneration, and if the life of the Apostles subsequent to it is the expected life of all who are regenerate, then it is apparent that drastic revisions of teaching on the subject are in order. In the first place, one can no longer point to the defective experience of the disciples previous to Pentecost as the standard for all who are "merely regenerated." This may mean that we have been urging "awakened sinners" to seek entire sanctification when they yet need justification! And the entire sanctification Wesley taught must exceed the standard exegesis. This is, of course, true, as noted above.

I have been interested to note the affinity of C. S. Lewis with the Wesleyan doctrine. He wrote in Mere Christianity:

It [the New Testament] talks about Christians "being born again"; it talks about them "putting on Christ"; about Christ "being formed in us"; about our coming to "have the mind of Christ." Put right out of your head the idea that these are only fancy ways of saying that Christians are to read what Christ said and try to carry it out. . . . They mean that a real Person, Christ, here and now, in that very room where you are saying your prayers, is doing things to you. It is not a question of a good man who died two thousand years ago. It is a living Man, still as much a man as you, and still as much God as He was when He created the world, really coming and interfering with your very self; killing the old natural self in you and replacing it with the kind of self He has.

Christ says, "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked - the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours."

For what we are trying to do is to remain what we call "ourselves," to keep personal happiness as our great aim in life, and yet at the same time be "good." We are all trying to let our mind and heart go their own way - centered on money or pleasure or ambition - and hoping, in spite of this, to behave honestly and chastely and humbly. And that is exactly what Christ has warned us you could not do. As He said, a thistle cannot produce figs.

In summary, the work of entire sanctification as a second work of grace is a corollary of a doctrine of incompleteness in regeneration. Therefore Pentecostal regeneration cannot prejudice the doctrine any more than Pentecostal sanctification might have enhanced it.

SOLD OUT AT ROMANS 7 --Vic Reasoner

The Church fathers, until Augustine in the fifth century, generally interpreted Romans 7 as pre-Christian experience. According to Augustine the conflict of Romans 7 remains the highest stage of Christian experience. To this day Calvinists usually follow Augustine, interpreting Romans 7 as Christian experience. "The Arminian controversy really began upon the exegesis of this passage," according to M. B. Riddle in Lange's Commentary.

Jacob Hermansz was a Dutch theologian of the late sixteenth century. We know him by his Latin name, Jacobus Arminius. He went to Geneva to study under John Calvin's son-in-law and successor, Theodore Beza. He returned to Amsterdam to pastor. He had the reputation of being a brilliant preacher, a gifted Bible exegete, and a humble and dedicated Christian. His expositional preaching drew large crowds.

He was considered the greatest scholar of his day. He was the first ever to receive the Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Leiden. He was later professor of theology at the university, until his death in 1609.

In 1589 Dirck Coornhert declared that the supralapsarian theory of Beza actually made God the author of sin. Arminius was commissioned to answer this charge. He finally concluded that Coornhert was right. No one could refute his scholarship, but preachers began to openly attack him from the pulpit. His words were twisted out of context and his enemies tried to destroy his influence. Finally, he asked for a public hearing, but he died before the synod convened. He was about 49 when he died, and his death was probably hastened by the stress he was under.

Although it was Arminius who had called for an open forum, the Synod of Dort (1618-9) only solidified the Calvinistic position. His followers, the Remonstrants, were not allowed to enter into the debate. They were either put to death, banished, or imprisoned. They were unable to hold any office in the church or state until 1625, when they were granted limited tolerance.

The writings of Arminius have been compiled in three volumes. The second longest treatise we have is his "Dissertation on the True and Genuine Sense of the Seventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans." It runs 258 pages.

Within one hundred years after his death, the Remonstrants had drifted toward Pegalianism. It was John Wesley who led a move back to evangelical Arminianism, even naming his magazine The Arminian.

The early Methodists held that Romans 7 was not a description of Christian experience. Wesley said, "To have spoken this of himself, or any true believer, would have been foreign to the whole scope of his discourse." Wesley saw verses 7-25 as a digression by Paul. Adam Clarke stated, "The very genius of Christianity demonstrates that nothing like this can, with any propriety, be spoken of a genuine Christian." John Fletcher devoted an entire section to Romans 7 in his "Last Check to Antinomianism." He challenged the Calvinists to drop "the yoke of carnality which they try to fix upon St. Paul's neck." Richard Watson summarized the seventh and eighth chapters of Romans, saying:

The moral state of man is traced in the experience of St. Paul as an example, from his conviction for sin by the law of God revealed to him in its spirituality, to his entrance into the condition and privilege of a justified state.

The Holy Spirit is only mentioned once in the entire chapter (verse 6). He is referred to some twenty times in the following chapter. Romans 7 makes no mention of the grace of God. It is a classic psychological analysis of the struggle between the conscience and the will. Every sinner knows the conflict between what he ought to do and what he wants to do. Desire usually wins out over duty.

The Greek personal pronoun ego is used eight times in this description. In Greek, as with many other languages, the subject is understood in the verb. Paul supplied an additional word (ego) for emphasis. He does not use it once in chapter 8. Chapter 7 closes with a double pronoun in verse 25, "I myself." Paul describes a man trying to be a Christian by himself.

But many people are bothered by a change in the verb tense. Through verse 13, the aeorist tense was used. Then Paul switched to the present tense and used it through the end of the chapter. J. I. Packer declared, "Grammatically, therefore, the natural way to read it would be as a transcript of Paul's self-knowledge at the time of writing. . . ." He argued the present tense must have a present reference and describe something distinct from the past experience of the previous verses.

Calvinists are correct in observing the fact of the tense change. They are incorrect in their interpretation of what that fact signifies. In this case, a careful reading of the context will shed a great deal of light on the commentaries! This digression is introduced by the clear statement found in 6:14 and concluded by an equally clear summary in 8:2. Salvation delivers from sin.

How can the context be harmonized with the switch in verb tenses In A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, we are told one of the special uses of the present tense is the "historical present." "The present tense is thus employed when a past event is viewed with the vividness of a present occurrence." Today this literary technique is called a "flashback." Whether or not this is accepted as the proper interpretation for Romans 7:14- 25 probably depends upon your own theological presuppositions. The explanation that Paul is remembering his pre-Christian experience is allowed by Greek grammar, however.

Recently a leading Calvinistic exponent, Anthony Hoekema, Calvin Seminary professor emeritus, reversed himself and declared that he no longer believes Romans 7 describes a regenerate person. He stated:

The mood of frustration and defeat that permeates this section does not comport with the mood of victory in terms of which Paul usually describes the Christian life. The person pictured is still a captive of the law of sin (7:23), whereas the believer described in 6:17-18 is no longer a slave to sin.

That kind of intellectual honesty is rare. How would he have fared at the Synod of Dort

While Hoekema's comments are refreshing, it is very disheartening to read comments and hear sermons coming from the holiness movement on Romans 7. Keep in mind that these men consider themselves defenders of Wesleyan-Arminian orthodoxy. W. B. Godbey said:

Every Christian, when converted, sets out to obey the Lord on earth like the angels in heaven, thus keeping the law in the beauty of holiness; but destined to defeat, failure, mortification despondency, culminating is desperation, like Paul in the verse when he cried out, "O wretched man that I am!"

H. C. Morrison wrote:

The Christian reader will at once recognize the undoubted truthfulness of these Scriptures for they are corroborated by the every-day experience of believing souls, who, struggling against the "old man," have often been made to cry out, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death"

For Morrison, the solution to this problem is to receive the baptism with the Holy Ghost, which he equates with entire sanctification.Early Methodism taught that occurred along with justification.

Charles Ewing Brown explained what he thought Romans 7:7-25 meant:

Assuming, then, that we have in this chapter an account of the experience of a true and even of an advanced Christian, we learn that in every Christian there is a mixture of good and evil . . . .

In Great Holiness Classics: Holiness Teaching Today, not only are the statements by Morrison and Brown reprinted, but Milton Agnew describes Christian experience:

After conversion he discovers in himself a new nature that does "joyfully concur with the law of God" (Romans 7:22). But he learns to his distress that he also has an old nature, an "old self," aroused and battling for supremacy. There occurs a profoundly disturbing struggle between the two natures, the two "I's" of 7:14-25 . . . ."

William Greathouse, writing in Beacon Bible Commentary, admits the primary meaning of Romans 7 is the unrenewed man. Yet he claims that the passage has a secondary meaning in which it describes a carnal babe in Christ. We are warned in Biblical Hermeneutics that "if the Scripture has more than one meaning, it has no meaning at all."

Nazarene scholar Ralph Earle encouraged preachers to apply romans 7 both before and after conversion in Word Meanings in the New Testament. Therefore, fellow Nazarene, Kenneth Grider seems to be overly optimistic when he asserts that "anyone in the Holiness movement knows that a regenerate person does not sin willfully, and yet this person depicted in Romans 7 seems to do that." He blames the "folk theology" of ministers and teachers for spreading the idea that Romans 7 depicts a saved man. But as long as his denomination is reprinting Great Holiness Classics, which are not necessarily great classics nor Wesleyan, it is hard to pin all the blame on the uneducated.

Is it any wonder the pew is confused when the pulpit sounds an uncertain note Is it any wonder the student is unclear when the teacher tries to ride the fence

It does matter what we believe about Romans 7. Our interpretation of the passage is like a watershed. Whichever way we go will lead us to drastically different theological conclusions. The man described in Romans 7 was a slave to sin. It is true that he is unsanctified; he is also unsaved. We need not discount regeneration in order to make room for sanctification. For too long the holiness movement has tried to establish the need for a second work by demonstrating the failure of the first work.

Let us declare a moratorium on such illustrations as supposed Christians losing their temper and kicking the cow, biting the cow, or beating the cow. According to Galatians 5:20, outbursts of anger are a work of the flesh. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh. Those who walk after the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. True Christians are enabled by the Spirit to control sinful desires. Entire sanctification is a completion or perfection of what God began in regeneration. If nothing changed when we got saved, then we are simply making two trips to the altar to get saved, and claiming we have the second blessing. If we accept the second blessing on the basis of logical deduction, it is possible to have made two or more trips forward and still be a slave to sin.

The holiness movement has adopted the theology of John Calvin, while claiming to be the defender of John Wesley. No wonder we profess so much and live so far short of our profession.

Bibliography (for further reading)

Bangs, Carl. Arminius, A Study in the Dutch Reformation. 1971. Rpt. Grand Rapids: Francis Asbury Press, 1985.

Lake, Donald M. "Jacob Arminius' Contribution to a Theology of Grace." Clark H. Pinnock, ed. Grace Unlimited. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1975.

Nichols, James and W. R. Bagnall, eds. The Writings of James Arminius. 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1956.

Wynkoop, Mildred. Foundations of Wesleyan-Arminian Theology. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967.

ROLE MODELS: THE NEED TODAY --C. Marion Brown

1 Corinthians 11:1

I once heard a preacher state three of the things that characterized Israel before Samuel were a demoralized priesthood, an alienated laity, and a silent God. Those three earmarks, could, in some measure, be applied to the generation in which we serve. In assessing the ministry today we seem to fall into two major categories. On one hand there is the group who, by their works say, "There is little use; who are we against so many Anyway, isn't this what is meant by the last days Evil doers and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Who are we to challenge God"

The second group is like unto the first, but in addition the lure of this present evil world has corrupted their very moral fiber and they have little restraint against many immoral practices. While some may not engage in sexual immorality, yet other forms of sin such as cheating, lying, and stealing are a way of life, and they, by their actions, say to a disillusioned culture, this is the best we have to offer.

If our culture is to experience a spiritual awakening, it will only be affected thorough men. They are God's chosen method. True, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, but he effects it through men.

Before St. Paul could stand and say with authority, "Follow me as I follow Christ," he had to experience a definite conversion. The radical Saul was not the same as the ransomed Paul. Threatenings and slaughter was his breath before the trip to Damascus, but afterward, the disciples marvelled at Paul's defense of Christ and His resurrection power. Perhaps this is a basic heed of the ministry today. Paul's conversion led to a determined obedience to his Savior. Note 1 Corinthians 2:2; Acts 20:22-24. How often does counting the cost affect the decisions faced by the ministry today If the product in our society is any clue, then the answer is: ALL TOO OFTEN.

Paul also worked hard at discipling. Without a doubt, we can say St. Paul's greatest gift to the New Testament Church is the collection of letters given to believers who needed discipling. Note how personally Paul became involved in this process, especially calling Timothy "my son." He went to great length to disarm animosity. The whole epistle of Philemon was written to resolve a master-slave dispute which had resulted in Onesimus running away. Our generation has been besieged with just the opposite influence, giving license to Onesimus to "kick out of the traces." Is it any wonder we hesitate to boldly proclaim with St. Paul, "Follow me as I follow Christ"

Paul's declaration of the distinctive doctrine of justification by faith is known as the theme of his letter to the Romans. The straightforward approach used in chapter 6 would not have won him any popularity contests in modern day America, but here is the mute testimony of a martyred saint who cries, "Follow me as I follow Christ."

May I issue a clarion call to all who may read these lines. The absolute need today is for men - men who will hazard their lives, futures, and fortunes for the faith once delivered to the saints and will tremblingly, but resolutely say to a disillusioned laity, "Follow me as I follow Christ."