Baptistic Theologies, 2009

ther, than the blessed life of a spiritual triumphant! It was something of what the apostle tasted when he exclaimed ‘Thanks be to God who always gives us triumph in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 2:14); and something of which our Lord thirsted for His disciples and with which he linked the fully joyful existence when He told them to: ‘Abide in me, and I in you’, ‘he who abides in me, and I in them will bear much fruit’ (John 15:4-5). 65 It is to abide in Christ, for Kargel, that victory is found. This abiding is linked to obedience to the Holy Spirit. ‘The Holy Spirit would like to bring them into that estate of victory in the Christ, their Lord, always giving to them the triumph in Him, in a condition which they would have great pleasure when they encounter various tempting (James 1:2)’. 66 In his book, Christ Our Sanctification , he lists eight things that were necessary to comprehend if a person was to move on in sanctification. The /T'7 first two points are related to Christ. First, one must understand the deep riches that are in Jesus Christ. You have not only some of the blessings and gifts from Christ and through Him, but have accepted Him (John 3:16; Colossians 2:6; John 1:12), embodied so deeply in your soul, that you have become a participator with Him (Hebrews 3:14), one Body with Him (Ephesians 3:6), a member of Him, who is the Head (Eph. 1:22-23), one with Him, as the branch was one with the Vine (John 15:4-5). 68 His second point is that the Christian must abide in Christ. 64 Ibid., in What is your Relationship to the Holy Spirit, p. 160. 65 Ibid., in Old Testament Prototypes, p. 270. 66 Ibid., in What is your Relationship to the Holy Spirit, p. 139. 67 The third was to fully yield to the Holy Spirit. The fourth was to use the word of God. The fifth was to have true faith. The sixth was to pray. The seventh was to have fellowship with other believers. The eighth was to suffer. 68 Ibid., in Christ our Sanctification, p. 78. 36 Baptistic Theologies Christ in us, and we in Christ is the unique basis on which the purpose of God can be achieved, to keep us from sin and change us into the image of Christ; this is our unique hope of this present time and eternal glory (Col 1:27). There is no other way.. , 69 For Kargel, it was the recognition that all God’s will is to be found in Christ. Christ and the abiding in Him was the central thought in much of 70 Kargel’s writings on sanctification. Full salvation leads to suffering For Kargel, revival ultimately will lead to suffering. This is a uniqueness of Kargel that I have found regarding his views of holiness which sets him apart within the Holiness Movement; it was suffering that united the believer with Christ. In the headings of his book, Christ our Sanctification, suffering is listed as one of the eight ways of sanctification, along with daily Bible reading and prayer, and it is the topic with which he concluded 71 that