We are commanded to "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Heb. xii. 4. Without the imputed holiness of Christ, producing the fruit of holy, loving obedience to Jesus, none shall see the Lord. Christ's holiness imputed to all loving believers, is entirely perfect; our holiness or obedience to Him is imperfect.

Those who claim sinless purity, or complete sanctification of the flesh, are sometimes improperly called Holiness People. They are also called "Sinless Perfectionists" or "Sinless Purity People." "Sinless Purity," expressing what is claimed by them, is better understood. For those who claim sinless purity, do not preach holiness as taught in the Bible; and thus they sin by claiming they have no sin. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." I Jno. i. 10. Such also reject the Spirit's words; that salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast;" and they commonly deny election and special atonement which is very wrong. The term holiness will not apply to those who contradict the Bible. Holiness does not describe those who pervert the truth. Holiness belongs to the church 9f Christ. In Heb. iii. 1, the church is addressed as "holy brethren." In Luke i. "That we might serve Him in holiness.” God "has chosen us that we should be holy;" and we read, "Be ye holy.” That is holy in doctrine and practice.

The church of Christ, or Old School Baptists, believe in holiness as taught in the Bible: for we rejoice in all the doctrine and practice of Christ and the apostles. We hold that all loving believers on Christ are sanctified in spirit, or made "pure in heart." We rejoice that sancti­fication is the first spiritual blessing we receive, and that it is wrought in the sinner's heart by the Holy Ghost when he is born again, or "creat­ed unto good Works." We do not believe the "flesh" is now sanctified or made pure. No, our corrupt "body" is not yet cleansed--it is control­led or kept under. But we love the comforting truth, that in the renewing work of the Holy Ghost our soul or spirit is sanctified, cleansed or "renewed," and in the resurrection "our vile body" will also be sanctified or cleansed by the Spirit's work, and raised incorruptible. "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption." Thus we are taught in the scriptures that our soul or spirit is sanctified in regeneration and that our body will be sanctified or cleansed in its resurrection. Beloved brethren, who hate sin and love holiness, we know according to the Scriptures and by sweet experience that the more holy we live, or the more obedient to our dear Saviour, the more we enjoy His sanctifying grace and comforting presence. Yes, the more we obey Jesus the more we abide in His love and feel in our hearts the sweet assurance that we "have passed from death unto life.” But this we only "know in part," and cannot attain to sinless perfection. "Ye cannot do the things that ye would," While We live holy, or turn from sin and "walk uprightly," it is imperfectly done. So we are led to depend solely on the perfect holiness of Christ imputed to us for heaven. My brother, my sister, while we consecrate our hearts and lives to God, let us look to Jesus, "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Though we deserve nothing but death, Jesus gives us His perfect holiness; and leads us "in paths of righteousness” here, while we wait to enjoy sinless purity in heaven. "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind; meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another."

Your unworthy brother in joyous love, Sparta, Tex.         M.D. DENMAN