A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
the message of holiness, but E. N. Bell, later the first
chairman of the Assemblies of God, wrote in his defense
shortly after his death, “He was much misunderstood. No
one among us believed more firmly than he in Bible holiness,
nor insisted more strongly that without holiness no
man could see the Lord, holding it as God’s only standard
for all believers.” 50
Durham himself asserted that “God’s one standard is
entire sanctification.” He affirmed the importance of
“growth after conversion” and living “a holy, separate
life.” He taught that God expects Spirit-filled believers “to
live a clean, holy, separate life, to crucify the flesh, and
walk in the Spirit.” 51
Durham’s Doctrine of Full Salvation
The Finished Work doctrine had implications for the
baptism of the Holy Spirit as well as for sanctification. If
sanctification was not a second work of grace but began
at conversion as the believer appropriated the benefits of
the Cross, then what about the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Was it a second work of grace, or was it too associated
with conversion?
Durham continued to regard the baptism of the Holy
Spirit as a second crisis experience following conversion.
Since sanctification had no initial objective sign, it was
easy for him to collapse it back into his previous
encounter with God at repentance. But the baptism of the
Spirit was an overwhelming emotional and spiritual experience,
and it came with the initial sign of speaking in
tongues. Durham knew it was more than what he had
received previously, which he had already identified as
conversion, so he did not equate the two.
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