HOLINESS and HEBREWS 12:14, C. H. Cayce Brother J. A. Martin, Vardaman, Miss., wrote us some time ago that he is living among a number of persons who claim to have reached a state of sinless perfection in the flesh, and that they quote Heb. 12:14 in support of their position, and asks our views on this text. It reads, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” According to the contention of these “Holiness” folks a man is required, in this text, to attain to a state of holiness in the flesh in order to see the Lord, or in order to enter heaven. If their contention be true, then no man will ever enter heaven, for Solomon, the wisest man, said, “For there is no man that sinneth not.”— 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Ch 6:36. In both of these places he uses the exact words quoted. The man who says he does not sin, admits he is not a man. Again, the same wise man said, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”— Eccl. 7:20.
This language is plain, and the man who claims that he does not sin simply denies these plain statements, and there are many others.
As to Heb. 12:14, the text does not at all teach that one must reach a state of sinless perfection in order to be saved in heaven; it does not even intimate such a thing. If it did teach that, it would be a positive contradiction of the statements already referred to. The Bible contains no such contradiction as that. The word which is translated holiness in that text means sanctification. Sanctification means set apart to a holy or religious use. They do not attain to this by their own acts or life. It is the work of God. “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”— 1 Cor. 6:11. Here it is plainly stated that they were sanctified by the Spirit of our God. They were set apart to a holy or religious use by the Spirit of God.
Again: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”— Heb. 10:10. Here it is plainly stated that they were sanctified by the will of God through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. This is the way they were set apart to a religious use. Again: “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.”— Jude 1:1-25. Here it is plainly stated that they were sanctified, set apart to a holy or religious use, by God the Father. Now, that this work has been done, since the Lord has set them apart to a holy or religious use, they should follow after that, as admonished in Heb. 12:14.
They should follow after that unto which the Lord has set them apart. In other words, as the Lord has set them apart to a religious use, they should endeavor to walk in obedience to His commandments. This is the teaching of the Scriptures, and no intimation of the doctrine is found which is taught by these modern “Holiness” people. Some folks may be so blinded and deluded as to believe that they have reached a state of sinless perfection in this life, but they are few. There may be many who hypocritically claim they have reached such a state. We have but little confidence in a man who makes such a claim. The Primitive Baptist, March 2, 1915.