New Love Thinking Aloud About Practical Holiness
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NEW LOVE THINKING ALOUD ABOUT PRACTICAL HOLINESS Shaw Clifton And international guest writers INTRODUCTION material. It is the writers who take responsibility for any views The modern Salvation Army is still a 'sanctification Army', even if expressed. Nothing purports to be an official statement for The some in our ranks have forgotten it, and even if those beyond our Salvation Army, unless so labeled. ranks do not always notice it. The real possibility of living a sanctified I am deeply indebted to my distinguished guest contributors for life, victorious over sin and temptation, is encapsulated in our Tenth their ready response to my invitation to write for this volume. All are Doctrine and can be heard expounded in many (though not all) parts officers of The Salvation Army, They represent a wide range of of the Army world on a regular basis experience, ranks, ages and nationalities, but in each of them there This volume of essays does not set out to expound the doctrine but beats a heart in which William Booth and Samuel Brengle would have instead assumes its truth and practicability. For those seeking a taken delight. Their literary styles vary widely, adding interest to the systematic exposition of our teaching on sanctification and on the book. Challenge, flair and thrust abound. I feel especially blessed to blessing of a clean heart I recommend the Army's 'Handbook of be able to include contributions from three younger officers (Court, Doctrine' in the successive editions published in 1940, 1969 and 1998 Ryan and Clifton) who write with articulate passion about holiness. Each edition is helpful, but the earliest offers the most compelling and Clearly, all is not lost, life-challenging read Lt. Colonel Marlene Chase, Literary Secretary and Editor-in-Chief New Love is not a 'how to' book. It has come about because, in the at the USA National Headquarters, has been a strong source of words of the incomparable Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle, the encouragement since the earliest days of this project. My private various writers 'desire with unutterable longings to bless and help'. It secretary in Wellington, Major Joyce Langdon, with her gift of was Franz Kafka who said, 'A book must be the axe for the frozen sea helpfulness, has given extra mile clerical support. I record warm inside us.' So our aim is to encourage readers to plumb afresh the thanks also to the Literature Council of the New Zealand, Fiji and universal relevance and applicability of Wesleyan holiness, and to Tonga Territory in Wellington. demonstrate, by a wide choice of everyday themes and topics, the Without the constancy and understanding of Helen, my wife, this down-to- earth nature of holiness teaching, of which we in the Army volume would never have seen the light of day. Our son, Captain Matt are blessed still to be inheritors and stewards. Clifton, as well as providing a chapter of his own, has provided The Army's Crest Books label in the United States of America penetrating comment along the way and has saved me from many an deserves much credit for the 2003 publication of Robert Rightmire's error. Jenny and Marcus Collings, our daughter and son-in-law, have splendid Sanctified Sanity, that scholarly, yet eminently readable, also made most helpful input I take sole responsibility for opinions account of Brengle's life and holiness teaching has already brought to expressed in my chapters and for any errors that remain throughout many of us a renewed, timely emphasis on our holiness heritage. The the volume present volume hopes to build upon that publication and offers an The day by day prayers and weekly airmail letters of my aged unpretentious, pastorally motivated collection of essays for father, Major Albert Clifton (R), have made an incalculable Salvationists and others to consider. contribution to my life and it is to him, with love, admiration and The aim has been to produce a book that is stimulating, readable, gratitude for his unassuming example of holy living, that I dedicate and accessible in both style and content For that reason, and to allow the pages within these covers the text to flow, detailed footnotes and references have not been included. Shaw Clifton Some of the essays may appear to contain mildly controversial Wellington, New Zealand March 2004 1 2 QUOTATIONS TO PONDER There is no ceiling on goodness. Anon. I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. A pure heart will give you peace. You must not expect a life of Leviticus 11:44 uninterrupted gladness in this world but peace is your birthright, and with a pure heart, the treasure shall be yours. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our William Booth sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 'Neath the searching light of Heaven, Here a deeper truth I see; Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves Though the past was long forgiven, from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness One more chain must yet be riven, out of reverence for God. Lord, from self I am not free. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Ruth Tracy Holiness for you and for me is not maturity, but purity: a clean heart Though you know your sins forgiven, in which the Holy Spirit dwells, filling it with pure, tender and Greater things await you still; constant love to God and man. Freedom here from sin's dominion, Samuel Logan Brengle Power to do the Master's will. Fear no danger, he is with you, The law of the Christian is Christ Himself in Person. Let no foe your steps arrest; Seek today the Father’s blessing, In Him we have life and therefore also the law of our life Enter now the land of rest. Bernard Haring Walter Windybank To attend to holiness is to attend to a matter that lies Holiness of life is the only true evidence of a saving faith. at the very heart of what it means to be and become fully human Hannah More Stephen C. Barton Sanctification is to be intensely focussed on God's point of view. Holiness is God's way of providing a remedy for sin – Oswald Chambers an antidote in this life for its poison, a healing for its disease, a restoration for its destruction. A pure heart will improve your judgement. The Holy Spirit will be Florence Booth your teacher. Samuel Logan Brengle 3 4 Nothing on earth do I desire CHAPTER 1 But thy pure love within my breast. Antoinette Bourignon, trs John Wesley SALVATIONISM HOLINESS AND THE NON-NEGOTIABLES We believe that it is the privilege of all believers OF SALVATIONISM to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Doctrine 10 of The Salvation Army A crucial and basic distinction The challenge rang out: 'Has not The Salvation Army passed its Jesus has died to purchase this uttermost salvation, sell-by date?' I was being called to account in a public setting. It felt as and it is your Heavenly Father's will for you, just now. though the Army was on trial and I was to be her defending advocate. Have faith in God, give yourself utterly to him, even now, The Lord helped me. It was necessary first to clarify the question. It and begin to seek the blessing with a determination turned out that those asking it knew quite a bit about the Army. They never to stop seeking until it is yours, knew our structures and methods, our doctrines and policies So it was and you shall not be long without it. not so much a question about The Salvation Army as an organisation, Samuel Logan Brengle but more an attempt to tease out the nature of Salvationism It is important not to confuse The Salvation Army with Salvationism. If 'The Salvation Army' is the ecclesial body known by that name, the vast international organisation that is both evangelical church and social service agency (see the writer's Who Are These Salvationists? – An Analysis for the 21st Century (Alexandria, Crest Books, 1999)), then 'Salvationism' is the sum total or combination of various distinctive characteristics that are peculiar to the Army Salvationism is a word that denotes certain attitudes, a particular worldview. It signifies an amalgam of beliefs, stances, commitments, callings that when taken together cannot be found in any other body, religious or secular. The challenge thus became: 'Has Salvationism passed its sell-by date?' To answer adequately meant teasing out the elusive meaning of Salvationism 'What is Salvationism?' is not the same question as 'What is The Salvation Army?' The latter can be answered pretty well by reference to our history, our methods, and our structures. Salvationism on the other hand is the thing that underlies and undergirds all of that. It is what makes us who we are. It is about our 5 6 pulse, our heartbeat. It is about the non-negotiables that make us a A Salvationist cake recipe? distinctive people, called out by God. (In this essay I am using 'non- What then is Salvationism? Of what does it consist? Suppose we negotiables' and 'distinctives' as synonyms.) were about to bake a Salvationist cake. What would be the essential Salvationism was invented by God. The Salvation Army was raised up ingredients? Now other cakes might contain some of the same by God who then entrusted Salvationism to it as a sacred trust.