January 10

Read: II Peter 1:1-4

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (II Peter 1:4).

Conformed To God’s Nature

“Entire sanctification is that work of the Holy Spirit by which the child of God is cleansed from all inbred sin through faith in Jesus Christ. It is subsequent to regeneration, and is wrought when the believer presents himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, and is thus enabled through grace to love God with all the heart and to walk in His holy commandments blameless.

“Be it Resolved, That the General Conference… now in its twenty-first quadrennial session, do hereby declare and reaffirm our faith and adherence to those Doctrines that have been held as fundamental.

“We reaffirm our faith in the doctrine of entire sanctification, by which work of grace the heart is cleansed by the Holy Spirit from all inbred sin through faith in Jesus Christ when the believer presents himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, and is enabled through grace to love God with all his heart and to walk in His holy commandments blameless. By the act of cleansing it is to be interpreted and taught by the ministry and teachers that it is not a ‘suppression’ or a ‘counteraction’ of ‘inbred sin’ so as to ‘make it inoperative’; but ‘to destroy’ or ‘to eradicate’ from the heart so that the believer not only has a right to heaven, but is so conformed to God’s nature that he will enjoy God and heaven forever. These terms are what we hold that cleansing from all sin implies” (Wesleyan Methodist Discipline).

The cleansing stream I see, I see! I plunge, and O it cleanseth me; O praise the Lord, it cleanseth me, It cleanseth me, yes, cleanseth me.

— Phoebe Palmer