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The Assemblies of God Statement on Sanctification

(A Brief Review by Calvin and Wesley)

Dennis Leggett*

Introduction
John Calvin and John Wesley were at the 1916 General Council
of the Assemblies of God. Well, at least some of their theological
"descendants" were. The seventeen point (now sixteen) "Statement of
Fundamental Truths" that enunciated the theology of the Assemblies of
God was formulated at that council. The influence of these two theolo-
gians can be recognized throughout the "Statement." At points their
influence is obvious, but there are points where one is hard pressed to
' identify either of them with much confidence.
One eddy of these two converging rivers is in the Assemblies of God
statement on sanctification. I would like to give a brief account of the
development of the Assemblies of God position on sanctification,
evaluate that statement from the point of view of both Calvin and
Wesley, and finally, offer a few suggestions to clarify the doctrine and
practice of the Assemblies of God.

Development of the Assemblies of God Position

E. S. Williams, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God
(1929-49), is quoted as saying,
I feel that the weakness in our movement when it comes to preaching
sanctification, is that the doctrine is taught so vaguely that many fail to
get sight of something definite which they may have in their own lives.
Since Pentecostal theology tends to be communicated primarily through
preaching and oral tradition, this vagueness was, and continues to be, a
threat to the vitality and spirituality of the Assemblies of God.2
Around the turn of this century, a great revival of the work of the
Holy Spirit was fanned to flame in the United States.3 During the early

*Dennis Leggett serves as Assistant Professor of Youth Ministries and Bible

at Northwest College of the Assemblies of God in Kirkland, Washington.

lquoted in P. C. Nelson, Bible Doctrines (Ft Worth: Southwestern Press, 1943)

p. 115. Williams goes on to say "While we know sanctification is progressive, I
would like to see more emphasis put upon a present experience as we take our posi-
tion in the Lord." Williams was reared in a Holiness church and was an Apostolic
Faith minister prior to joining the Assemblies of God in 1914.
2R. P. Spittler, "Pentecostal and Charismatic Spirituality," in Dictionary of Pente-
costal and Charismatic Movements. S. M. Burgess and G. B. McGee, eds. (Grand
Rapids: Regency/Zondervan
11 Publishing House, 1988), 804-809. See discussion of
"Onhty."
3E. L. Blumhofer, "Assemblies of God," Dictionary of Pentecostal and
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stages of this revival, much of the leadership was provided by those

from the Holiness groups. As a result, there was a definite Wesleyan
view evident in the teaching on sanctification. As the revival contin-
ued, a number of Baptists, Presbyterians, and others from Reformed
backgrounds, experienced the Spirit baptism and began to identify
themselves with the growing Pentecostal movement.4 As Pentecostal
and Holiness groups began to organize and coalesce, there arose a
polarizing doctrinal disagreement regarding the issue of sanctification.
Those of Wesleyan/Holiness backgrounds held that sanctification
was a second, instantaneous, crisis experience in Christian growth.
This "second blessing" cleansed the believer from "inbred sin," eradi-
cated the sin nature, and prepared the person for the "third work of
grace," the Holy Spirit baptism. Most contended that entire sanctifica-
tion, or "perfection," was possible in this life.
Reformed theology's most vocal Pentecostal representative at this
time was William H. Durham, Pastor of Chicago's North Avenue
Mission. Durham embraced the Pentecostal experience during a visit to
the Azusa Street revival in 1907. He felt that the Holiness position on
sanctification was unscriptural and without validation in experience. In
1910, in a sermon at a Pentecostal convention in Chicago, Durham set
forth what would become known as "The Finished Work of Calvary"
teaching.5 He asserted that those converted to Christ were both justi-
fied and sanctified at conversion. Consequently, an additional cleans-
ing experience was not needed, or to be sought. Rather, an ongoing
obedient and overcoming life would provide progressive evidence of
the accomplished work of Christ.
By the time the leaders of the growing Pentecostal movement called
for a "General Council" to be convened at Hot Springs, Arkansas
during April of 1914, these two views of sanctification dominated and
divided the movement.6 Though some of these leaders sought to deal
with doctrinal issues at this conference, the common distrust of denom-
inations among the conferees produced only an informal fellowship
with no formal doctrinal statement.

Charismatic Movements. S. M. Burgess and G. B. McGee (eds.); G. B. McGee, "A

Brief History of the Modern Pentecostal Outpouring," Paraclete, 18:2 (Spring,
1984); W. W. Menzies, Anointed to Serve, Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing
House, 1971, and, V. Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United
States Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971, offer historical
accounts of this revival.
4Menzies, Anointed to Serve, 74-75.
5See E. L. Blumhofer, "The Finished Work of Calvary," Paraclete. 18:4, (Fall
1984), 17-21, and, C. Brumback, Suddenly From Heaven (Springfield, Mo.: Gospel
Publishing House, 1961), Chapter 9.
6Menzies, Anointed to Serve, 74-76, and, Synan, The Holiness Pentecostal Move-
ment, 47, 63, 76.