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Have I one grain of holiness?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Brother James, Jan 12, 2006.

  1. Brother James

    Brother James New Member

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    I read this this morning and it was a great blessing to me brethren. I believe Mr. Philpot has it right here. Oh that we might realize how corrupt we are in the flesh and depend totally on the grace of God for life!

    "But we are bound to give thanks aways to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." 2 Thessalonians 2:13

    There is the impartation of righteousness, as well as the imputation of it; and the impartation of it is the communication of a divine nature to the soul. Have I one grain of holiness in myself? Not one. Can all the men in the world, by all their united exertions, raise up a grain of spiritual holiness in their hearts? Not an atom, with all their efforts. If all the preachers in the world were to unite together for the purpose of working a grain of holiness in one man's soul, they might strive to all eternity--they could no more by their preaching create holiness, than by their preaching they could create a lump of gold.

    But because, by a gracious act of God the Father, Jesus is made unto his people sanctification, he imparts a measure of his own holiness to them. He works in them to will and to do of his own good pleasure; he sends the Holy Spirit, to raise up holy desires--in a word, he communicates a nature perfectly holy, which therefore loves holiness, and has communion with a holy God; a heavenly, spiritual, and divine nature, which bathes in eternal things as its element, and enjoys spiritual things as sweet and precious. It may indeed be small in measure; and he that has it is often exercised and troubled because he has so little of it; yet he has enough just to know what it is.

    Has not your soul, though you feel to be a defiled wretch, though every iniquity is at times working in your heart, though every worm of obscenity and corruption is too often trailing its filthy slime upon your carnal mind--has it not felt, does it not sometimes feel, a measure of holiness Godwards? Do you never feel a breathing forth of your soul into the bosom of a holy God? Heavenly desires, pure affections, singleness of eye, simplicity of purpose, a heart that longs to have the mind, image, and likeness of Jesus stamped upon it--this is a holiness such as the Lord of life and glory imparts out of his fullness to his poor and needy family.

    J.C. PHILPOT
     
  2. genesis12

    genesis12 Member

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    Have I one grain of holiness? No, not one. My righteousness is as filthy rags. He imparts HIS righteousness to me. Hallelujah!
     
  3. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    "Have I one grain of holiness? No, not one. My righteousness is as filthy rags. He imparts HIS righteousness to me. Hallelujah!"

    Then don't you have a whole grain elevator full?

    :D
     
  4. bjonson

    bjonson New Member

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    brother James,

    That is a great quote. Of course, most Arminian evangelicals today would disagree with the scripture you quoted - they believe THEY are the ones who chose God and then, because He sees the future, God decided to choose them. It's all backward, but that's ok becauase it strokes the pride of the Arminian.

    Great quote...sorry for the tangent comment.
     
  5. Brother James

    Brother James New Member

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    I agree with you brother, but I hope everybody gets a blessing from it anyway. The closer you get in faith to Jesus the more your corruption is revealed to you.
     
  6. Humblesmith

    Humblesmith Member

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    No, we have not even one grain of holiness on our own. But realizing that we have none is not an act of holiness. Realizing that I'm filthy is not an act of cleanness.
     
  7. mima

    mima New Member

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    Your message, while little understood, is completely correct. Without the importation of the holiness and righteousness of Lord Jesus Christ we stand justifiably condemed.
     
  8. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    None at all? In the very least, we're made in God's image and likeness. That's worth something. We're made a little lower than the angels, and crowned woth glory and honor. That's gotta be worth something. As said earlier, the very act of recognizing our lack of holiness is an act of holiness in and of itself. Yeah, we're embodied with the sin nature, but the sin nature of man can never ever erase the handiwork of God. We cannot overcome our sin nature without His grace, but our sin is never so great that it cannot be overcome. We simply cannot overcome it on our own.
    Good point, but one concept at a time. Righteousness and holiness are two different things. Don't confuse scripture about one with the other.
     
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