A Visual Supplement
For Sanctification Class 103
Karcher Church of the Nazarene
By Alan Gibson
In order to know what needs fixed, we first will have to discover what is wrong.
We will journey back to the beginning of Genesis to make our discoveries.
I want to make a caveat before we get started. I am no theologian and this is simply my attempt to understand this great work of God. My
visuals and illustrations, like all attempts at such, cannot really do justice to the redemptive work of God in the life of an individual. We must always bear in mind that we cannot really dissect humanity as I have done. God relates
to us as a whole person and seeks to restore us wholly.
Scripture often uses different words interchangeably to describe our relationship to God in the process of
restoration. Sometimes heart, mind, soul, and spirit can mean the same thing. This compounds the complexity
of our understanding in what is taking place in our lives. I have been careful to use such words in their strongest
tendencies. I’ve done my best to honor Scripture as it pertains to the way that God relates to us and vice-versa.
As you will see in the diagrams, there is overlapping in the trichotomy of man that I have developed.
In order to help bring some clarity, I have divided man into three major parts: Soul, Mind, and
Body. Man at his essence, is a spirit that finds expression through these three arenas.
I have come to understand man as a trichotomy based on such scriptures as Ge.2:7 and 1Th.5:23. In
conjunction with these two verses, I am convinced that Matthew 22:37 is a call to Scriptural Holiness that uses this idea of a trichotomy.
My visual presentations reflect that.
The very term holiness seems abstract in our minds, at best.
Defining what it is to absolute holy is difficult to do in our finite thinking. How do you explain what you
have come to understand through an experience in a personal relationship to the Divine and Who is the essence of Holiness.
Of course, our foundation to this understanding of holiness is found in the Word of God.
But, in order for one to gain an understanding of this Truth, one must subject themselves to the experience of heart holiness.
Simply reading about holiness, will only give one a surface level of understanding.
To define the word HOLY is: the moral and ethical wholeness or perfection; freedom
from moral evil. God possesses this unique quality by virtue of His essence or nature.
Holiness is God’s character. He is the essence of absolute perfection.
He has always and will forever remain as such. God is holy (Le.20:7) and He never changes (Ma.3:6; He.13:8).
“Who is like you, O Lord?” (Ex.15:11). “There is none holy like the Lord” (1Sa.2:2).
“Who shall not fear You, O Lord … for You alone are holy.” (Re.15:4).
God created man in His own image (Ge.1:26,27). Man was
perfect in body, mind and soul, and thus his spirit was perfect. He did holy acts, because he was holy in his nature. Man was holy in two ways: in the natural
image and his moral image. Neither had been touched by sin or the separation from God.
In Genesis 3, man was tempted and willfully chose to disobey the way (holiness) of God. He became sinful or separated, and now was subjected to the very opposite of God – death in both his spiritual and physical being.
He became depraved and all who were born after the “seed” of Adam, were now subjected to these deaths (Ge.8:21; Ps.51:5; Ro.3:23; 5:12-21; Ep.2:3).
Every part of man’s being was touched by sin and he was unable to please God – to be holy. Man had
severed his ties with God. God cannot have fellowship with darkness (2Co.6:14; 1Jn.1:5).
Man was utterly lost and without hope (Ro.7:17, 20; Ep.2:1-5).
Genesis 3 records mans fall from his state of perfection into a state of total depravity. He was completely cut off from God. Only by God’s grace did he have a chance back. Here are a few scriptures that reflect his fallen state.
"...man, even though, every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.” Ge. 8:21
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
Ps.1:5
“For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God,” Ro.3:3
“Nevertheless, death reigned
from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as Adam did,” Ro.5:14
“All of us also lived among
them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following it’s desires and thoughts.” Ep.2:3
“But your iniquities have
separated you from God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Is.59:2
“We assert that the will of fallen man is by nature free - only to evil.” John Wesley
We must always bear in mind that the overall process of God’s initiative to restore fellowship
with humanity is called sanctification.
When we think of this process as a restoration of relationship instead of a substance or pollution
of original sin, then Wesley’s description of “perfect love” will make better sense. Depravity isn’t a
thing, but a broken fellowship with God. What we inherit isn’t a thing, but Adam’s severed ties with God. Holiness is perfect fellowship with God, not a perfect living experience as we will see.
But, God’s love reached out to humanity in the form of grace – “not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance.” (2Pe.3:9). He showed them the way back to fellowship, by providing a salvation from sin through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (Jn.3:16; Lk.1:74,75; Ro.8:2,9; 1Co.15:20; Ti.2:11)
Sin can be defined as: “A voluntary transgression (acts of sin – Js.4:17) of a known law
of God by a morally responsible agent or as any state or attitude (original sin – Ro.5:12-21; 1Co.15:21,22) which is contrary to Christian love.”1
(italics mine)
In my visual, I have broken down the areas in which sin manifest itself in our lives.
Original Sin - rebellious will / attitude, selfish motive, inclination to depraved moral image (inherited from Adam). This
is not a thing or substance, but a lack of relationship with God.
Heart Sins - disobedience, ignoring Holy Spirit, disobeying conscience
Internal Sins - evil scheming, wicked mulling.
External Sins - visible outward manifestations of sin.
Holiness really begins in conversion when by faith we
accept the atoning work of Christ. We surrender to Him, He forgives us of our sins / transgressions, applying his
blood to our heart, thereby removing the guilt and takes up residence in our spirit. Our heart is purified by His
blood and His holiness (or perfection) dwells in our soul through His Holy Spirit. We begin a new life in Christ,
growing in His likeness as we obey the leading of His Spirit. We are initially sanctified.
Terminology: initial sanctification, born again, salvation, saved, committing your life to Christ, believer, new life in Christ, new creation, conversion, adoption, accepting Christ as Savior, living for Jesus, possessing Christ.
1 "Studies in Biblical Holiness" - Donald Metz, pg. 79. Dr. Donald Metz served as Professor of Theology at Mid-America Nazarene College (not Mid-America Nazarene University) - Olathe, KS (return)