What is the Holiness movement / Holiness church?

The Holiness movement is a Christian Protestant movement started during the mid- to late 1800s that emphasized John Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection, also known as entire sanctification. The Holiness movement came primarily out of Methodism due to the perceived erosion of their doctrine of sanctification. They viewed Methodism as leaving its “fathers” and sought to return to their original doctrine and practice. Some churches associated with this movement are the Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church, the Church of Christ in Christian Union, the Salvation Army, and the Nazarene Church.

Distinctives of the Holiness movement include their views on personal sin, entire sanctification, and a commitment to a conservative lifestyle. First, the historic understanding of sin in the Holiness movement is that it exists in two categories: the nature and the acts. Regarding acts of sin, one theologian explains, “Holiness writers, following the Wesleyan theology, define sin as a wilful transgression of a known law of God” (Wilcox, L. D., Be Ye Holy, Leslie, Revivalist Press, 1977, p. 40). Holiness groups traditionally believe that those born of God are both enabled and required to live without committing sin. Historian Charles Jones explains, “Believing that sin was conscious disobedience to a known law of God, holiness believers were convinced that the true Christian, having repented of every known act of sin, did not and could not willfully sin again and remain a Christian” (Perfectionist Persuasion, The Scarecrow Press, 1974, p 32–33). Professor Caleb Black concludes that “the consensus understanding of sin in the Holiness tradition is that sin is an avoidable, voluntary, morally responsible act that those born of God do not commit” (What About Sin?: An Appraisal of the Nature of Sin in the American Holiness Tradition, Kindle edition, 86).

The Holiness movement also has a distinct view of sanctification. In their theology, the heart of the believer can be cleansed from the corruption of sin after conversion. Entire sanctification is a work of grace wrought by the baptism or filling of the Holy Ghost. In their view, this does not negate the possibility of sinning, but rather better equips one for service and for overcoming sin. Another characteristic of the Holiness movement is its conservative lifestyle expectations. Throughout their history, they have advocated a conservative lifestyle, most readily seen in areas of entertainment, jewelry, and clothing.

The Holiness movement’s doctrine of entire sanctification is opposed by Reformed theologians, who assert that original sin still exists in even the most faithful person. Holiness is a biblical mandate and something every believer should strive for (Hebrews 12:14), but absolute holiness is impossible to attain in this world. Even the apostle Paul was unable to be completely sinless, and he admitted as much, saying that the old law of sin was still alive in his body, even though he served God in his mind and spirit (Romans 7:21–23). Christians do sin (1 John 1:5–10) but, hopefully, less and less as we mature in Christ (Philippians 3:12).

The Holiness movement has had an undeniable impact on the worldwide church. The Holiness movement was one of the primary forerunners of the Keswick movement. Likewise, the Pentecostal movement’s origins can be traced back to Holiness doctrine, although their theology differs significantly. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church estimated that, in 2005, “Holiness Churches have about 2 million members in the USA, with strong missionary work in the Caribbean and E. Asia” (Cross, F. L., and Livingstone, E. A., eds., Oxford University Press, 2005, p. 783).