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Page 1 of 20LIMITS AND EXAMPLES OF HOLINESSBy Dr. John Wesley SliderBased on the writings of Rev. Benjamin Titus Roberts“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for andassurance about what we do not see. This is whatthe ancients were commended for.” – Hebrews11.1-2 (NIV)

Page 2 of 20There is a great danger of Holiness being carriedtoo far. There is a limit to what can be made holy.(Please, notice that I said “What,” not “Who.”There is a limit to WHAT can be made holy.)There are some things which, from their nature,are not capable of being made holy.One of the reasons for the formation of the FreeMethodist Church was opposition to slavery.Leading up to the Civil War there were threegroups within what was then called theMethodist Episcopal Church. There was the “Pro-Slavery” group thatbelieved that slave-holders could bemembers, even clergy, in the denomination. There was the “Anti-Slavery” group thatbelieved that slavery was a sin and slave-

Page 3 of 20holders could not be members or clergy inthe denomination. There was the “Accomodation” group thatwanted everyone to get along. The focus ofthis group was preserving the institution –the denomination – not taking a stand onan important moral issue.The “Pro-Slavery” group broke from theMethodist Episcopal Church in 1844 to form theMethodist Episcopal Church (South).Through the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s the “AntiSlavery” group broke from the “Accomodation”group. Free Methodists were one of thedenominations that formed from the “Antislavery” group.The Free Methodist Church formed because ofthe belief that some things in society could not

Page 4 of 20be accomodated by the Church. Somecompromises should not be made with culture.Some things could not be made holy – slavery forexample.There is a limit to what can be made holy –slavery, pride, idolatry. It is not my purpose hereto go down a list of things that cannot be holy –what accomodations to society that may not bemade by the Church. I simply want to placebefore us the principle that some things cannotbe made holy.But let me also restate that all persons can bemade holy. A slave-holder, for example, may bemade holy and as a result free the slaves he orshe owns; a prideful person may be made holyand become humbled; and so on.

Page 5 of 20The effort for the Church to accommodate – totry to make holy – things that should be put awayresults in the corruption of the Church. Whenthe Church seeks to accommodate society, theresult always has been that the Church becomesmore like society, rather than society becomingmore like the Church.There are some things that we, the Church, canaccommodate. For example, we have severalholidays coming that blur the line betweensociety and religion; and in them society canencourage the Church to accommodate andcompromise.Halloween can be a fun time for family andneighbors within limits. Often churches haveevents for members and guests. This day has itsroots in Medieval European Christianity. At times

Page 6 of 20the imagery and activities can become acelebration of evil.Veterans Day is often celebrated or at least notedby churches. It is appropriate for the Church tohonor and memorialize sacrifice, commitment,loyalty, and values; but it should not lapse into acelebration of war.Thanksgiving is a national holiday, but it certainlyhas religious significance. Most churchesrecognize this period as a time of thanks to God.

Page 7 of 20Christmas, of course, has its roots in thecelebration of the birth of Christ. Its time of theyear and many of the symbols come from pagancultures. They were made holy by the earlyChurch.New Year’s Eve is an event celebrated in allcultures. There is some good theology in the ideaof a fresh start. John Wesley had a liturgy calleda “Watch Night Service” for the gathering of hisMethodists on New Year’s Eve. Wesley took asocial event and made it an event for hisMethodists.

Page 8 of 20There are some things that the Church canaccommodate and share with society – withinlimits. There are other things that we may notand cannot make holy.It is when the Church stands opposite to societythat the Church is at its best and strongest.Accomodation to society weakens the Church.Standing strong in the faith strengthens theChurch and individuals.

Page 9 of 20EXAMPLESIf we indeed want to follow the lead of JesusChrist and live a life of Holiness before God andtoward others; it will be helpful that we havesome examples of how to do live in this way. Hasthis path been marked for us?I do not want to stumble around with Holiness. Itmay be exciting to go where no one has gonebefore, but it is easier to follow a path that hasalready been taken – to have examples.

Page 10 of 20There have been those who have experiencedHoliness and give us examples. They have notbeen the honored. Generally they werepersecuted and despised. Their true characterswere understood and appreciated by only a few.But they have left an example of Holiness for us.Let us look at a few from the Bible.ABEL is an example of Holiness in the Bible. Weknow very little about Abel; but this we are told,that he brought of the first of his flock to God. Hefound favor and acceptance with God.We read in Hebrews: “By faith Abel brought Goda better offering than Cain did. By faith he wascommended as righteous, when God spoke wellof his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks,even though he is dead.” — Hebrews 11:4 (NIV)

Page 11 of 20ENOCH lived at a time where we are told in theBible that “God saw how corrupt the earth hadbecome, for all the people on earth hadcorrupted their ways.” — Genesis 6:12 (NIV)But in the midst of it, “Enoch walked faithfullywith God.” — Genesis 5:22 (NIV)In this statement of the life of Enoch we see notonly the original intent of God in Creation; butthe simplicity of Holiness. Enoch did notaccommodate the corruption around him. Hewalked with God – an intimate, personal, andloving relationship with God.Enoch exemplified Holiness in all of his life. Hecertainly knew all the cares and trials thatpressed on him and his family; but his patience,his faith, his courage never gave out. As years

Page 12 of 20passed over him he did not accommodate his lifeor his message. He stayed true to God. He didnot hold his peace in the presence of corruption.In the Letter of Jude in the New Testament weread about Enoch:“Enoch [spoke God’s message to them:] “See,the Lord to judge everyone, and to convict allof them of all the ungodly acts they havecommitted in their ungodliness, and of all thedefiant words ungodly sinners have spokenagainst him.” — Jude 14, 15.

Page 13 of 20This passage expresses not only the wickednessof the times, but also the faith of Enoch.Then, we read the simple summary of Enoch’slife: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then hewas no more, because God took him away.” —Genesis 5:24 (NIV)The Letter to the Hebrews interprets whatGenesis says about Enoch and also shows us whatwe should learn from this holy life: “By faithEnoch was taken from this life, so that he did notexperience death: ‘He could not be found,because God had taken him away.’ For before hewas taken, he was commended as one whopleased God. And without faith it is impossible toplease God, because anyone who comes to Himmust believe that He exists and that He rewards

Page 14 of 20those who earnestly seek Him.” – Hebrews 11.5-6(NIV)Then there is NOAH – the greatgrandson ofEnoch according to the Genesis story.God never leaves us without a witness to His loveand His way.The world had not changed from the days ofEnoch: “The Lord saw how great the wickednessof the human race had become on the earth, andthat every inclination of the thoughts of thehuman heart was only evil all the time.” —Genesis 6:5 (NIV)In the midst of this moral corruption Noah had allthe elements of true Holiness.

Page 15 of 20Noah’s friends and neighbors, relatives andacquaintances, had all forsaken God. Everygathering was a sinful gathering. Every personwas sinful. To go against the current ofcorruption required moral energy; and Noah hadenergy. God can give us the same energy.“Noah was a righteous man, blameless amongthe people of his time, and he walked faithfullywith God.” – Genesis 6:9 (NIV)Noah was right with God. Even in that corruptand wicked generation there was no one whocould find anything against him.He was a devout man. He walked faithfully (thereis that image of walking with God again) with aspirit of true devotion to God. He walked withGod.Without a spirit of devotion morality becomesrigid. Without the love of God there can be notrue Holiness.

Page 16 of 20JOB is another example of Holiness in the Bible.In the Book of Job, God Himself bears the clearesttestimony to Job’s character. He calls him hisservant and says, “Have you considered myservant Job? There is no one on earth like him; heis blameless and upright, a man who fears Godand shuns evil.” — Job 1:8 (NIV)Job was uniquely blameless and upright. Hefeared God and shunned evil. What a wonderfulcharaterization of Holiness in a person. I like theword “upright.” Job could stand up straight andtall – not cowering or hiding – before God andamong humanity. No one could find blame inhim. He feared God – took God seriously. Hekept evil at a distance.

Page 17 of 20In this masterful piece of early Hebrew literature,Job describes himself: “My foot has held fast to[God’s] path; I have kept His way and not turnedaside. I have not departed from the command ofHis lips; I have treasured the words of His mouthmore than my necessary food.” — Job 23:11-13Then Job adds: “I would be dismayed at God’spresence; when I consider, I am terrified of Him.”– Job 23:15 (NIV)There can be no true Holiness without the fear ofGod. The faith – the relationship with God – thatleaves fear of God out, is weak ; and always givesway under pressure.He avoided sin. This follows as a naturalconsequence of fearing God. In Proverbs weread: “Through love and faithfulness sin is atonedfor; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.”– Proverbs 16.6 (NIV)

Page 18 of 20Jonathan Edwards, a Massachuesetts preacherduring the early 1700s, is credited with settingthe spark of revival that became the First GreatAwakening of 1730-1735 from his pulpit itNorthampton.The awakening ebbed for awhile, and then theMethodist revivalist, George Whitefield, and fromEngland and fanned the flames.In 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached andpublished what is considered the essentialstatement of the Awakening and a classic ofAmerican literature – “Sinners in the Hands of anAngry God.”This meek, bookish, soft-spoken, and nearsightedpastor said this: “There is nothing that keeps

Page 19 of 20wicked men at any one moment out of hell, butthe mere pleasure of God.”Fear of God is essential to Holiness. Holinessdoes not stop there. If it were it would simply beparanoid legalism. Holiness is expressed in lovefor God, for others, and for self.Job exemplified Holiness in all the relations of lifeand under the most trying circumstances. Underthe accumulation of trials, Job’s faith in Godnever for an instant gave way. He maintained hisfidelity to God to the last.EXPERIENCEHoliness is not just present in the old stories ofthe Bible. It is present today. We mayexperience Holiness.