Chapter 2
What Is Meant By It
We mean by it the act of soul-healing and soul-toning which Jesus has provided for all believers. It is often alluded to in the Word in the following and their related terms: Deadness to sin. “Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11.) “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Rom. 6:6.) “1 am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me.” (Gal. 2:20.) These passages teach a dying not only to sin but to reputation, friends, position, self, and everything that may come between the soul and Jesus. A dying
“So dead that no desire will rise To pass for good or great or wise In any but our Savior’s eyes.”
The Double Cure embraces this deadness and the new life which follows.
Freedom from sin. Not only from its guilt and its penalty, but from its inbeing. “Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins [by cleansing out the fount of sin within them.]” (Matt. 1:21.) “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:86.) “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32.) “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Rom. 6:22.) Here is offered not freedom from mistakes, infirmities, or even diseases, but from SIN in just the sense indicated by the Holy Spirit in the texts quoted.
Purity. “Create within me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10.) “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.” (Ezek. 36:25.) “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matt. 6:8.) “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love for the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” (1 Pet. 1:22.) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9.)
Here inbred sin is referred to under the figure of filth which the perfect cure washes away. For this the fountain was opened in the house of David, that all sin might be washed away, and if all is washed away, then there can be none left, and the soul being purified by faith is meet for service here or reward in heaven.
Power. “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (Isa. 40:29.) “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19.) “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49.) “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” (Acts 1:8.) “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” (Col. 1:11.)
Not social, nor intellectual power, but spiritual power. Not the eloquence of the orator, but the unction of the Holy Ghost. In just the sense that the word power is here used the Double Cure imparts it.
“Abundant” blessings. The Double Cure is the doorway into a temple of indescribable loveliness, where all therein are abundantly provided for. The experiences here enjoyed are mentioned in the following and many other Scripture passages: “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Ps. 87:11.) “Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Eph. 8:20.) “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)
“Filled.” “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt 6:6) “The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 13:52.) “Be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:18.) “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:4.) “That ye might be filled with all fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19.) “And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.” (Rom. 15:29.)
Receiving the Holy Ghost. The Double Cure is frequently alluded to in the New Testament under this name. “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:17.) “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” (Acts 19:2 and references.) This is simply another Bible statement of sanctification or the Double Cure.
Oneness with God’s will. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is done in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10.) In heaven it is done promptly, cheerfully, and always. The Double Cure so establishes the kingdom of heaven in the soul that God’s will is so done on earth. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2.) “Not with eye-service, as menpleasers; but as servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.” (Eph. 6:6.) “That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” (Col. 1:9.)
These terms signify cheerful acquiescence in all the will of God It is one of the results of the Double Cure.
Pleasing God. “That as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” (1 Thess. 4 1.) “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10.) “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.” (1 John 3:22.) God is always well pleased with healthy spiritual children whose delight is to do His will. Such are all who are subjects of the Double Cure.
Holiness. “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Pet. 1:16.) “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14.) “The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:1″.) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.” (1 Pet. 2:9.)
Perfect love. “Walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Gen. 17:1.) “Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.” (Deut 13:15.) “Let your heart therefore be perfect.” (1 Kings 8:61.) “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt 6:48.) “Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded.” (Phil. 3:15.) “Perfect love casteth out fear.” (1 John 4:18.) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Eph. 1:4.)
A close study of these passages will show that the perfection here taught is not the kind condemned elsewhere, but is the perfection of love, not before man, who may mistake and misjudge, but before God, who can read the thoughts and intents of the heart. No more than this, no less than this, the Double Cure means.
Entire sanctification. “Sanctify them through thy truth.” (John 17:17) “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1 Thess. 6:23. See references.) “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,” (1 Cor. 6:11.) “For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” (Heb. 2:11.)
Sanctification is a Bible name for the divine act whereby the soul receives the gift of the Holy Ghost is cleansed from all sin, filled with perfect love, and thus made fully white. It is a synonym, therefore, of the Double Cure.
The Double Cure is Gods remedy for the “ups and downs.” Many Christians suffer from this disease. Today victorious, tomorrow defeated. “Sinning and repenting,” instead of “keeping themselves from evil,” and being “kept by the power of God.” To such the Double Cure comes with tidings glad of perfect soul health and the growth and stability which follow it.
The Double Cure is a second work subsequent to regeneration. “But this spake he of the Spirit which they which believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given: because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39.) “And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit.” (2 Cor. 1:15.) “Unto you who fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.”….. (Mal. 4:2.)
Here the sanctifying Spirit is represented as being given to those who already believe, the second grace or benefit as being offered to members of the “Church of God,” and the healing promised to those that feared the Lord.
The Double Cure is a work wrought instantaneously and by faith. “The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple.” (Mal. 3:1.) “Suddenly. there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:24.) “And while Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word.” (Acts 10:44.) “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:8,9.)
Thus prophecy and inspired experience both declare that the Double Cure is not a state to be obtained by slow development, but a divine work to be wrought on the meeting of simple conditions.
All of the above texts treat on different phases of the same work.
Though their phraseology is diverse, there is a beautiful harmony between them.
Combined they form a resistless Niagara of argument in favor of a holy life on earth.
All that we mean by the Double Cure is included in these texts. It is thus forcibly set forth as an experience to be obtained in this life, and it is in perfect harmony with reason and revelation.
Would that just now each reader might heed the Holy Spirit’s voice, and claim this rich and blood-bought heritage.
He wills that I should holy be,
That holiness I long to feel,
That full divine conformity
To all my Savior’s righteous wilt
See, Lord, the travail of Thy soul
Accomplished in this change of mine;
And plunge me every whit make whole
In all the depths of love divine.
On Thee, O God, my soul is stayed,
And waits to prove thine utmost will;
The promise by Thy mercy made,
Thou must, Thou wilt in me fulfill.