During the early 1800’s as America passed from the blessings of the Second Great Awakening, a movement called Liberalism emerged out of the European Enlightenment birthing the “modern” era of Western Civilization. Born within the theological world of Protestantism in Germany, Liberalism began to pervade all of Western society’s Christianity. This openly antichrist, anti-God movement from within Christianity denounced the literality of the Scriptures and basically rejected all the cardinal doctrines of the historic Christian Faith. Not only were all the miracles of the Bible defamed as myths, but also the historicity of Jesus was strongly condemned. …

Callings in Scripture appear in a number of unique and specific contexts covering the lifetime of a Christian. There is the calling to God-consciousness that comes to a child early in life, gently echoing through a variety of circumstances appointed of the Lord. A definite call to “Come unto Me” is that calling which brings the soul to the threshold of the New Birth. As the Christian continues in his or her walk with God, there will be the commanding call, “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thessalonians 4:7). The Scriptures also declare callings to specific ministries for one’s life; these may include callings to be a pastor, preacher, teacher, missionary, or evangelist. …

The spiritual and theological path from the dead sinner to the walking saint, and on into heaven, is marked by at least seven progressive steps in the doctrine of sanctification. They are: potential sanctification (John 17:17); positional sanctification (I Corinthians 1:2); experiential (crisis) sanctification (Romans 6:1-14); expansional (growth) sanctification (Romans 8:1-5); perfectional (maturity) sanctification (I Thessalonians 5:23); glorificational (in heaven) sanctification (Revelation 22:11); and eternal sanctification throughout the Eternal Golden Age (Revelation 4:8).

The three dangers remain: to neglect the biblical teaching of sanctification, entirely; to legalize the biblical teaching of sanctification, self-righteously; or to avoid the biblical teaching of sanctification, licentiously. But to live the hope of the Christian life without the holiness of God would lead to a wretched wallowing and in the despair of Romans, chapter seven. …

There is a total picture of holiness through the prisms of light granted to us through this revelation from God. And we are witnessing a fading of these facts in our time as cheap grace is preached and easy believism is proposed.

Yet, sanctification extends, through redemption, a separation from sin and apostasy; a cleansing and purifying; and an enablement by the grace of God; that leads to consecration; that results in godliness; that matures in Christian character. This is what is implied in the separation from the world, the flesh, and the devil; this is what is meant by the fact that God's people are different. …

The biblical doctrine of sanctification is both the most neglected and the most misunderstood doctrine of the Christian life. However, it must be honorably taught if we are to consider ourselves upholding the fundamental teachings of the Holy Scriptures. If it is neglected then the Christian convert is left marooned on the island of evangelism; if it is misunderstood then it will hinder the hope of revival among the saints. No doctrine has suffered more at the hands of the believers identified with Christianity in spite of the fact that this necessary and precious teaching must become the experimental doctrine of the church, having presupposed the appropriation by faith, of the fundamentals of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. …

All human history is the result of what appears as tides, driftings, trends, turning points, catastrophes, and climaxes in time. Even the Bible records such tendencies. The tides and the driftings are most subtle, covering long segments of history which men do not readily discern. The trends are initiated by man with the hope to change current and contemporary history. But there are turning points, like awakenings and revivals, as well as the catastrophes and climaxes in history, which are often authored by God Himself. …

When Christ came to earth He came through the Jewish line. The Bible emphatically declares Him to be the seed of Abraham and from David’s loins. His divine appointment by the Heavenly Father was that He would come to earth as a Jew and spend His life among the Jews of Palestine. He declared that salvation was of the Jew.

On rare occasions there were Gentiles with whom Jesus briefly associated: the Syrophenician woman, a Samaritan woman, and the Greeks who came to see Him. In John 10:16, He told the Jewish leaders, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” This was a most unusual statement: “other sheep I have,” (in the present tense) though they had not come to know Him yet. …

There have been certain generations in history where godliness and hunger for spirituality permeated the atmosphere of a society. This was evident when great awakenings were in their prime and revivals swept across communities. Such an atmosphere made it easier to live right, preach right, and stand for the right. Some years ago a friend showed me original newspapers from Wales printed during the Welsh revivals at the turn of the twentieth century. On the second page each day a large map of the country of Wales was published with shadings to show the spread of the revival throughout that country. By the time the move of God had made its impact in that country, all of its pubs were closed down. Yes, it would have been easy then to know a spiritual walk with God and to speak publicly and freely of His Word. …

There are two approaches that must be taken concerning this subject of “religious correctness.” One is from the perspective of the State and the other from the perspective of the Church. In both categories the remnant of Christ living on the earth today will find itself isolated from society and the public church unless it is willing to conform to the “religious correctness” designated by each. …

In our previous Straightway article, we presented the historical background and philosophy of the quest for human “utopia” by men such as Cain, Nimrod, and later, Plato in his work Republic. In the last four hundred years, there has been a philosophical and ideological proclivity to sway the populace toward a dependence upon not only a state-controlled government but also, eventually, toward a global one. The twentieth century brought the powers of socialism and communism to the forefront in many countries; these countries were governed through the will of an individual or an elite, all-powerful body of rulers. Literary writings have increasingly called for all mankind to submit to its societal unit, government, or State. Several of these literary writings have become the blueprint for that which we are presently confronting today, as evidenced in our own country’s ever-escalating submission to greater Federal control of its citizens. …