Holiness: The False & the True, A Biographical and Biblical Explanation

For the first six years of Harry Ironside’s Christian life, he was involved with a group that taught that sinless perfection could be obtained by the believer with an experience called the “second blessing.” Ironside believed that if he strove hard enough, zealously resisted temptations, and used a variety of methods taught him by the group, he could reach this state of perfection. During this time period, Ironside became aware that many who were on the same path to perfect holiness fell into despair and even mental breakdown, and he himself finally became tormented that he had perhaps lost his salvation and was doomed to be eternally lost because he failed to reach this level of perfect holiness. Finally, young Ironside came to the realization that he had become wholly dependent upon himself rather than on Christ. He saw that he “had been looking within for holiness instead of without.” In this book, Ironside gives us a two-fold treasure: First, he describes in detail the six years of bondage that led to disillusionment and then the glorious freedom and life of grace that followed. Second, Holiness: The False & the True provides valuable insight based on Scripture on holiness, sanctification, and how to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.