moral necessity
Puritan Board Junior
First of all, the holiness movement tends to have a small view of sin. When they speak of "victory", they are often referring to external behaviors that are not being committed. What they fail to grasp, is that such external behaviors are only the fruit of the real sin lying underneath of it all. Sin involves the initial cumpulsion and minute desire towards a behavior that is contrary to absolute perfection, not just the stifling of it once it has compelled us from within. Also, they entirely leave out the sins of omission. What about all of the things I should be doing that I am not doing, like actions of love towards my neighbor, or the thousands of needs I could have met for others today that I did not lift a finger towards. How about the sins of attitude.....was I really wanting to love my neighbor when I helped him rake his leaves yesterday....was I desiring it with my entire heart......and what about my motives while doing so......were they 100% for the glory that God would have for himself as a result of it? Basically, a stoical monk with a half-iron will would be able to outdo most perfectionists, because the main thing is emphasized that must be conquered is external, known, sinful actions. Give an unregenerate person enough motive, and they'll stifle about any desire within them that is sinful. Hold a gun to their head 24/7, or to that of a family member, and watch how much p*rn they watch, or how much they get drunk, or how strict they now keep the sabbath. Israel did a pretty good job at keeping those laws that demanded their life from them if they didn't obey. So, I think the holiness movement first has a small view of what sin is in the first place.
Second, I think that, where the holiness movement messed up, was with their understanding of what was restored in regeneration. They believe that the faculty of the will is entirely restored to wholeness. The other two faculties of the understanding and the affections they still see as partially corrupted. Whereas, reformed thinking, in my opinion, sees all three faculties as only partially restored. Sanctification is still needed in all three areas. And so, sometimes our wills are overpowered by the sin within us, as was David's, Samson's, Solomon's, and many others. John Newton speaks about this in several of his letters, as does Owen in a few of his discourses, if I remember correctly.
But, I'm with you, in that it is frustrating, b/c often the difference is hard to catch onto, b/c what they promise is what we all want. And, once you trade in 17 years of your life for believing it, and realize that you're actually a worse sinner afterwards then you were starting out in the first place, you look back at all those decisions you made because of it, and all the advice you gave to other young believers, and just cringe. It was a path of utter darkness for me, one that was filled with misery, doubt, and fear...and the joy and peace of the gospel were nowhere to be found, nor was true sanctification. For, if victory over true sin was attainable, I sure wasn't experiencing it, if I was honest about it. So, off to church I went, for my weekly beatings.......*sigh*
Second, I think that, where the holiness movement messed up, was with their understanding of what was restored in regeneration. They believe that the faculty of the will is entirely restored to wholeness. The other two faculties of the understanding and the affections they still see as partially corrupted. Whereas, reformed thinking, in my opinion, sees all three faculties as only partially restored. Sanctification is still needed in all three areas. And so, sometimes our wills are overpowered by the sin within us, as was David's, Samson's, Solomon's, and many others. John Newton speaks about this in several of his letters, as does Owen in a few of his discourses, if I remember correctly.
But, I'm with you, in that it is frustrating, b/c often the difference is hard to catch onto, b/c what they promise is what we all want. And, once you trade in 17 years of your life for believing it, and realize that you're actually a worse sinner afterwards then you were starting out in the first place, you look back at all those decisions you made because of it, and all the advice you gave to other young believers, and just cringe. It was a path of utter darkness for me, one that was filled with misery, doubt, and fear...and the joy and peace of the gospel were nowhere to be found, nor was true sanctification. For, if victory over true sin was attainable, I sure wasn't experiencing it, if I was honest about it. So, off to church I went, for my weekly beatings.......*sigh*
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