From: Holiness for Ordinary People by Keith Drury
(c) 1983 Wesley Press

Chapter 13

Continual Cleansing

This is unfortunate; for all proponents of this work of God would hasten to affirm that the

sanctified life is paramount to them. Of course, the life must have an initiation, thus the

emphasis on being cleansed at one time. But the continual life of holiness is the central issue in

all we have discussed.

The relationship of the wedding to married life is a parallel example. The wedding is

the initiation of married life. It is a significant occasion, to be remembered throughout a person's

entire life. But if a bride or groom expects to continually live in a wedding-day atmosphere, they

will soon be disappointed. Marriage is life lived out in light of the wedding-day commitment.

This is equally true with sanctification. The event of sanctification may be remembered,

all through a person's life, as the significant initiation it is. Yet, the continuous sanctified life,

lived in light of that initial consecration, is of greater importance. The life does not come

without the initiation; therefore, the one-time event is vital. But, if there is no life of holiness

following that event, the event or "experience" is useless.

Entire sanctification must not be viewed as something done "way back then," but as a

life here-and-now - in the trenches of life. It is not a static life - you have arrived and are merely

sitting around waiting to be taken to heaven. It is a life of active service to the Lord. Holiness is

not final achievement, allowing a person to rest in their completeness. It is expandable. Further

spiritual growth is the inevitable result. While the entirely sanctified person possesses love,

compassion, joy, peacefulness, humility, and patience of the same quality as Jesus, the quantity of

them is expandable.

The life of holiness is a daily walk with Christ. It is maintained by a continuous faith

and consecration, which results in a continual cleansing by the Lord, our Partner in this journey.

A sanctified person is not exempt from the battles of life - never to be tempted again.

The life of holiness is not without difficulties, struggles, temptations, and even defeats. The

difference is that these foes are encountered with a firm settledness of will - "Not my will, but

Yours be done."

Spiritual Dryness

Why in the world would a book on sanctification deal with the topic, "spiritual dryness?"

Doesn't the Lord eliminate any possibility of dryness in the life of anyone who is entirely

sanctified? Isn't the life of holiness one of constant bubbling and joy in one's soul? Could a

sanctified person remain sanctified through a time when the enthusiasm, excitement, and thrill of

growing in grace and serving Jesus evaporates?

To say the possibilities of spiritual dryness are gone for the sanctified would be untrue.

Almost every person testifying to sanctification will honestly admit that there are times when

God seems further away, daily study of the Word seems insipid, and church services leave the

individual unmoved and bored. What has happened? Is the work of sanctification lost?

Such spiritual dryness results from several causes. Disobedience could be one cause. It

is possible that God is urging the believer to move forward to a new area - say, being more

generous in giving to God's work - and that he or she is resisting the idea. This resistance to

moving forward will promptly dry up the soul of a sanctified believer. The sanctified life

prospers in proportion to our obedience to His know leadings. Any resistance or foot-dragging

will divert our lives onto a plateau of spiritual dryness from which the only return is repentance

and renewed commitment.

However, resistance to the Lord's will is not the only cause of spiritual dryness. Many

sincere believers have cast away their faith that the Lord had sanctified them fully when they hit

the first dry plain in their Christian walk. Assuming that the sanctified life is one of continual

joy and celebration, they figured that when things got difficult they had lost it all. So they gave

up.

A great season of temptation can bring on a period of spiritual dryness. We can

experience an assault from the tempter with such vengeance, and for so long a season, that our

wrestling against evil leaves us spiritually wrung out. We have little joy or excitement about

anything.

Another cause is "spiritual burnout." Christian workers are especially prone to this

malady. It is possible to be so involved in church work, camps, retreats, evangelistic teams,

counseling, and a million other spiritual activities that spiritual exhaustion results.

Physical burnout is another cause of spiritual dryness. A sanctified mother of three,

with low iron, who is holding down a full-time job, carrying several responsibilities at church,

and sleeping five hours per night will naturally be tired and bored in church services. Her heart

will not leap at the idea of giving another night of her week to go soul-winning. Is she still

sanctified? Yes. Likely she does not need to go to the altar as much as she needs to go to bed!

Physical exhaustion can produce spiritual dryness.

The life of holiness is not based upon feelings. To be sure, a life of total submission has

feelings associated with it. But reliance on feelings will bring discouragement. What we call

"spiritual dryness" can sometimes come as a natural cycle of life. If it has been a general pattern

of your life to be somewhat "blue" on Mondays, entire sanctification will not necessarily make

your Mondays bright and exciting. One man was troubled because every spring he became

discontented, preoccupied, and yearned to quit his job. Only after reflection did he discover that

during the first eleven years of his married life he have moved home first from school, then to a

summer job or elsewhere every single spring. His uneasiness was a result of this natural "cycle of

life." Entire sanctification did not change his urge to do something different in the springtime.

It is important to determine the cause of spiritual dryness in the sanctified believer's life.

If it is caused by willful resistance to the Lord, repentance is the only cure. But, if it is caused by

physical or spiritual burnout, an assault of the tempter or a natural cycle of life, we should be

careful to recognize the reason for our "dryness" and not cast away our faith.

Continual Faith

The faith by which we obtain the work of entire sanctification is not merely a one-time

exercise. It is a continual daily faith. To receive entire sanctification, I must come to the point of

saying, "I believe You are cleansing me - the work is done and I claim it by faith." To continue

in this life the same kind of faith is necessary. For example, "I am continuing in this life today

and I believe You continue to cleanse me."

Once doubt sets in, the life begins to slip away. As long as I believe it is possible to live

without willful sin, the possibility of full obedience to the Lord is there. Once I begin to doubt

the possibility, my life will follow my doubts. Continuous faith to maintain the sanctified life is

as much a necessity as initial faith is for obtaining it.

Continual Consecration

To receive the cleansing and power connected with entire sanctification, total

consecration is required. Likewise, to continue in this life, a continual consecration is necessary.

At the event of our sanctification, we settled the question of who will be the Lord of our life. As

each of us continues to walk with Him, new areas will arise where continued consecration is

required in light of the earlier one-time submission of our will to God.

These diagrams may help us to understand this process of "walking in the light:"

Light Light Light

1. My Life 2. My Life 3. My Life

At the initial event of our entire sanctification we consecrate all to God - our entire

future, time, talent, money, reputation - everything. There are often one or two specific areas of

holdout which focus on the question of who will be boss. However, when these are surrendered

to the Lord, He is free to do His work of entire sanctification.

1. Usually there follows a period of joy and excitement as the sanctified believer

now walks in full obedience to everything he or she clearly recognizes as God's will. It can be

said that the believer's life is in harmony with all his known light from God.

2. But the sanctified life is not static. There is growth and expansion. How does

this occur? God moves His light! In the midst of our living in total submission to all the past

leadings of God, He leads again. He moves His light forward. Now, two crescents appear - one,

an area of my life outside of God's light. These are things He leads me to put off. They are not

sin in themselves (yet, they may become sin if I refuse to lay them aside). Usually, they are

things of "second best" nature - items or practices not sinful, but nevertheless they are weights

which slow me down in serving the Lord.

Some call these "convictions" - meaning that God has convinced them that certain

things are better left beside the path if the race is to be run effectively. Obviously, these are very

personal and can never be applied to others. When God moves His light forward, He often

prompts us to lay aside particular things to make us more effective in serving Him. In this way,

the sanctified person experiences "conviction."

The second crescent includes new tasks and habits the Lord leads the believer to "put

on." Perhaps the Lord convicts the sanctified believer to begin a weekly habit of soul-winning, or

double tithing, or doing deeds of mercy for the poor. Again, this conviction is quite personal and

cannot be generalized. And again, if the sanctified believer rebels against the Lord's guidance,

sin will result.

3. The sanctified believer has settled the question - he or she will obey the Master

whatever the cost. The natural result of this process of continual sanctification will be a stepping

forward in to the full brightness of God's revealed light. Not the believer's life again corresponds

with all revealed light. The sanctified believer rejoices as he or she can say his life is in full

submission to the Lord in all areas where God's will is known.

This is the continuous walk of holiness. It is "walking in the light!" It is the natural

expanding process of becoming more like Jesus. At the moment of entire consecration, the issue

was settled - my will was and is submitted completely to Jesus. Yet, there will be multitudes of

challenging situations in my sanctified life that will provide opportunities for me to reaffirm that

initial commitment. Making Him Lord of my life in one moment of consecration must be

followed by keeping Him Lord of my life. This is done in subsequent times of reaffirmation.

Thus, the sanctified life, most simply put, is the obedient life. It is life lived out in light

of a one-time commitment that Christ will be the absolute Lord of our lives from that day

forward. It is the submissive life. It is a life where Jesus Christ is the daily leader, and we

faithfully follow all of His promptings daily. It is a life of continuous growth and expansion as

we obediently walk in the newly revealed light.

Where is this light headed? Why does He bring "new light" to us in this walk? Because

He is constantly at work in us, conforming us into an image of His perfect Son. His light leads us

closer toward Christlikeness. And we know that, if we are fully obedient to His leadings, we will

one day be like Him and we shall see Him face to face. Until then, to the extent to which we are

obedient, He is transforming us from "glory into glory," and we cannot even imagine what He

intends to develop in us in the future. But that need not matter. Our task is to obey. Thus, the

life of holiness - obedience.

Continual Cleansing

As we walk in this kind of obedience, His blood cleanses us. From what? Weren't we

cleansed once and for all?

Christ's blood is a continued necessity for our daily walk. We will never reach a state of

life when Christ's blood will no longer be needed. His blood continually cleanses the obedient

believer as he or she walks in the light. We cannot receive a once-for-all cleansing and then go

our merry way in self-reliance. We must rely daily on the blood of Christ for continual cleansing.

We need His blood to cleanse us from the thousands of times we unknowingly fall short

of His perfect standard. We need Christ's blood to continually cleanse us of every thought,

attitude, word, or deed which does not edify and encourage. We need Christ's blood to cleanse us

from the daily accumulation of "dust" we gather by traveling the roads of this world. We need

the merit of Christ's blood to supply us with the daily cleansing required to maintain a life of

holiness. This life is not self-maintained. It is maintained only as I am in a love relationship

with Jesus Christ. Holiness is living as Jesus Christ lived. holiness is walking in step with Jesus.

If I am to be holy, it will only be in relationship with Jesus Christ.

Mildred Wynkoop illustrates this continued cleansing by asking readers to imagine

themselves as suffering from defective kidneys. There is no hope in yourself - your blood supply

is self-polluting. The only hope lies outside - if you can be attached periodically to a machine

which will cleanse your blood. But suppose there was a way in which you could be attached to a

healthy friend so that his kidneys could cleanse your polluted blood. Suppose that this friend was

willing to be connected to you. So long as you were connected to this friend, and walking step by

step with Him, your friend would insure a continuing perfection of your blood supply. An entire

life-style would be established to maintain this moment-by-moment cleansing.

This is what holiness is all about. It is being connected to Christ in a daily obedient

walk of submission. It is walking where He leads. It is relying on Christ, and Him alone, for

cleansing. The life commences with a once-for-all yielding of ourselves to His will. And, it

continues as we are connected to Jesus Christ and walk in daily submission to His leadings.

Holiness is Christlikeness. Christlikeness is not reserved for a select few older saints or

ministers. It is for every believer. Holiness is for ordinary people.

BIBLE STUDY

1. According to 1 John 1:5-7, on what is the continuous purification dependent?

2. Read Galatians 5:22-25. How do we "keep in step" with the spirit?

3. Read John 10:27. What relationship should we have to Christ as we follow His

continued leadings?

4. Read John 15:5. What is the secret of the believer's continued vitality?

5. What is the specific request found in 1 Thessalonians 4:1?

For Review and Discussion

1. What parallel does this chapter make between the wedding/married life and entire

sanctification/living the sanctified life?

2. What are some causes of spiritual dryness which even the entirely sanctified believer

may experience?

3. Entire sanctification is obtained through consecration and faith. how is this life

maintained?

4. In what area is God "moving His Light forward" for you?

5. For what does the entirely sanctified person need "continual cleansing?'

AFTERWORD

If you are interested in this total cleansing, yet your are not sure you have received this

work of God, what should you do? You should "keep on keeping on." Holiness is not a message

designed to bludgeon honest believers into despair by telling them they are defective. It is a

message of hope, encouragement, and possibility. It marches into your life saying, "You can do

it. You can be Christlike, with God's help."

Sometimes this message of optimism has the reverse effect on sincere Christians. The

idea of perfect love for God and others may seem so distant a possibility to you that you are

tempted to give up in despair, or say the whole teaching must be false.

Don't respond either in despair or in doubt. If you are sincerely interested in the whole

matter of becoming fully Christlike, keep seeking! How?

(1) STUDY. Keep reading books, pamphlets, testimonies, magazine articles, and

especially God's Word. Ask people, who live exemplary lives, about holiness. Ask God, "If this

is really true, show me clearly in Your Word." No one is asking you to accept a dogma without

thinking. Use your own mind. Study the matter thoroughly, so that you might become convinced

of truth.

(2) PURSUE HOLINESS. Even if you are unclear about entire sanctification, you

certainly would not deny God's progressive sanctification in your life right now. Undoubtedly

you would agree that it is God's goal to change His children into the image of His own Son - in

word, thought, and action. So, follow hard after holiness. Pursue it with single-minded

intensity. Become a "seeker." Actively crucify the deeds of the flesh. Methodically put on

thoughts, words, and actions of righteousness. If you seek holiness, you will find it. If you

hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will be filled.

(3) CONTINUALLY CONSECRATE YOURSELF. God wants all of you - all of

your thoughts, words, actions, talents, habits, time, possessions, every part of you. What areas in

your life are not now under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Practice continually bringing each of

these under His full authority. Hold nothing back. As He prompts you to yield a new area to

Him, do so immediately, joyfully, and without resistance. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill every

corner of your entire life. Resist Him at no point. Give Him your all.

(4) RECEIVE THIS WORK BY FAITH. Your study, pursuit of holiness, and

continual consecration will invariably lead you to a point of decision. The moment the Holy

Spirit convinces you that He wishes to completely cleanse and empower you, surrender

completely to Him. reach out in faith and receive entire sanctification. Begin living the

sanctified life. How is it that you were converted? All your self-adjustment wouldn't save you.

You finally had to reach out in faith and say, "Save me now."

So it is that you can say, "Fill me now," and God's sanctifying work will be done. How

many times have you said, "Be gone!" to anger, jealousy, hatred, pride, impure thoughts, unholy

habits, and the like? Yet, they stay on. These spirits are stronger than you are. The Holy Spirit,

however, is The Strong Man. It is He alone who can drive these inclinations from the temple of

your heart. The fullness of the Holy Spirit drives out everything contrary to His Spirit, just as

when the sun rises the darkness flees. Let the Son rise in your heart!