Is Sanctification a Second work of Grace?

by David Cox

Highly involved in the issue of whether we can truly be completely ("entirely") holy is the relation of this doctrine towards salvation. In general the Methodist-Wesleyian movement has answered the question of whether it is possible with a definite yes (at least in their thinking), and they now move on to its relationship with salvation. Because this is equal with salvation in spiritual importance, they make it a complete second work of grace.

Holiness in the sense of being perfect, never sinning, is simply an unbiblical expectation or teaching. 1 John 1:8-10 clearly teaches that the man who believes he is without sin is (1) deceived, and (2) calling God a liar (because God has said all are sinners).

The point of the Bible's teaching is not that we are somehow made sinless here on earth by our own efforts or by God's miraculous power. The point is that we are moving ourselves by our own volition towards heaven. It is not a flawless record that the good Christian achieves, but a determined and successful war against sin in his own life before death. That being the desire of God, our constant, incessant working towards holiness is what God desires to see in us. The attitude of giving oneself over to sin is what unbelievers do, not the children of God.

When a person deems himself as having arrived, the first thing we need to understand is that this is spiritual pride. A person with pride is sinning person. Humility would dictate that such a truly sinless person would never make a claim to perfection. His claim would be a self revelation of his own sin.

There is good and bad in this idea of a second work of Grace. The bad is that people actually think they can be sinless, which is a deception. The good is that people work towards that. But the bad is when they think they have gained something through their efforts that their Christian brethren don't yet have.