Our perfection before God – which is our chief goal in this church – requires holiness.
A close, personal walk with God with abundant fellowship and fruit requires holiness.
I could entertain with Numbers 22, prophecy, politics, current events, Bible economics, cults, etc.
This subject is difficult to understand, accept, and practice anytime but greatly in America in 2000.
The Call
Because God is holy, He calls us to be holy (I Pet 1:13-16; Lev 11:44-45).
The will of God for your life is sanctification unto holiness (I Thes 4:1-8).
Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and live holy lives (Titus 2:11-15).
God’s mercies call us to holy lives without conformity (Romans 12:1-2).
Pure religion before God is to be unspotted from the world (Jas 1:26-27).
Since all shall be melted, we should live holy and spotless (II Pet 3:9-14).
We are called to be saints – sanctified or holy ones (Rom 1:7; I Cor 1:2).
We are holy eternally, legally, vitally, finally; but we are also called to it!
The Definition.
Holiness. Spiritual perfection or purity. 1. Kept or regarded as inviolate from ordinary use; set apart for religious use or observance; consecrated, dedicated, sacred. 2. Free from all contamination of sin and evil, morally and spiritually perfect and unsullied, possessing infinite moral perfection as found in God. 4. Conformed to the will of God, entirely devoted to God. Morally and spiritually unstained; free from sinful affection; of godly character and life; sanctified; saintly; sinless.
Sanctification is the act or process by which something is made holy.
Righteousness is legal correctness. Holiness is higher and broader.
Righteousness is legal perfection; holiness is moral perfection.
Holiness is extreme! It hates any and all evil or any moral imperfection.
Holiness is intolerant! It cannot consider sin or allow any spot from it.
God is free from sin (Job 34:10; Dt 32:4; I Jn 1:5; Heb 7:26; James 1:13).
God has infinite hatred for sin (Heb 1:9; Pr 6:16-19; 8:13; Ps 5:5-6; 7:11).
He cannot behold or look upon evil approvingly (Habakkuk 1:13).
Compromising God’s holiness is not allowed (Ezekiel 20:39; Josh 24:19).
It is true Bible separation from sin and sinners (II Corinthians 6:14-18).
It is being unspotted from the world or the flesh (James 1:27; Jude 1:23).
The Importance
What is holy? God, His Spirit, His Scriptures, His angels, His temple, etc.
God’s holiness is very definitely emphasized over any other attribute.
His name is Holy (Isaiah 57:15; Dan 9:24; John 17:11; I John 5:7).
Aaron’s mitre had gold on blue lace for holiness (Ex 28:36-38).
The four beasts at His throne praise His holiness (Is 6:3; Rev 4:8).
Satan’s demons knew His Holiness (Mark 1:23-24; Luke 4:33-34).
The LORD swears by His holiness (Psalm 89:35; Amos 4:2).
You cannot serve God acceptably without it (Joshua 24:19; Rom 12:1-2).
As Esau, you will never see the LORD without it (Hebrews 12:14-17).
Only the holy will be in heaven (Revelation 20:6; 21:27; I Thess 5:23).
Prayers are only heard if you are holy (I Tim 2:8 cp Ps 66:18 cp Is 59:1-8).
The Examples
The Presence of the LORD requires holiness (Ex 3:1-5; Joshua 5:13-15).
Consider how God’s holiness affected righteous Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8).
Job saw God’s holiness and was humbled right then (Job 40:3-5; 42:5-6).
Our Lord’s presence caused Peter to know his own sinfulness (Luke 5:8).
The Rewards or Motives
Promises are attached to our practical holiness (II Cor 7:1 cp 6:14-18).
The N.T. should motivate us much more than the O.T. (Hebrews 9:13-14).
We have a new man created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph 4:24).
Since Christ has died for us, we should live for Him (Romans 6:19,22).
God’s chastening is designed to work holiness in our lives (Heb 12:10-17).
A fervent view of Jesus Christ’s coming will purify our lives (I John 3:3).
The dissolution of all things should cause us to live holily (II Pet 3:9-14).
The Opposition
It is not preached; less seldom demanded; and even less seldom enforced.
We live in a very carnal age greedily addicted to pleasure in the flesh.
It is a hated subject, for it is the very antithesis and enemy of the flesh.
Satan will viciously attack it, for he loves carnal and unholy Christians.
It is a hard subject, for it demands sacrifices of even spots from the world.
It would destroy some habits with which you are comfortable and enjoy.
It will make you strange to others when you truly practice it (I Pet 4:1-5).
It is extreme and therefore uncomfortable and disliked by compromisers.
It exactly opposes the liberal, lascivious, undisciplined Christianity today.
Instead of repentance and sanctification, Christians conform to the world.
Christians have compromised so far they cannot imagine Bible holiness.
We modify God to our weak standards (Psalm 50:21; Isaiah 55:8-9).
“I just don’t think I can go that far. I believe in moderation in all things.”
You sound like a Pentecostal, hellfire and brimstone preacher, or Amish.
Our educational and entertainment forces are bent on destroying holiness.
Holiness is extreme, hateful, intolerant, not practical, divisive, etc.
Sin is environmentally caused, a poor choice, a minor thing, etc.
We laugh about sin; we joke about it; we mock it; we watch it.
Any condemnation is intolerant, fanatic, hateful, controlling, etc.
There is nothing sacred or holy anymore; everything is profaned.
Paul’s prophesied perilous times for Christianity are here (II Tim 3:1-9).
Read it without prejudice or vain imaginations – unholy (3:2).
Read further about despisers of those that are good (3:3).
And lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (3:4).
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (3:5).
God’s holiness damns false teachers of yesterday and today (Jer 23:9-40).
The Application
How spotted are you? How conformed? How separated? How holy?
Are you spotted with television? friends? speech? thoughts? laughter? jokes? music? Covetousness? Pride? Fleshly minded? Money? Wine? Education? Child training? Authority? Time? Service Preparation?
David would set no wicked thing before his eyes out of hatred (Ps 101:3).
Holiness knows that any playing with sin is profane (Pro 24:9; Rom 1:32).
It is why we do not observe Christmas (Deut 12:29-32 cp II Cor 6:14-7:1).
Loving the brethren is a large part of holiness (I Thes 3:12-13; I Pet 1:22).
Women should be holy – beyond just sexual purity (I Tim 2:15; Tit 2:3).
They must mortify idleness, pride, debate, tattling, busybodies, folly, etc.
Holy women fear their husbands with meek and quiet spirits (I Peter 3:5).
Treachery in your marriage profanes God’s holiness (Malachi 2:11).
Holiness applies to every aspect of our lives (I Cor 10:31; Col 3:17,23).
You cannot compromise with any sin (Haggai 2:10-14 cp I Cor 15:33).
Godliness (holiness) with contentment is great gain (I Timothy 6:6).
We need holy fathers who will hate sin themselves and teach the children.
This is the greatest threat to this church as measured by the LORD.
The Cure
You must have a true vision of God’s holiness to know it (Ps 4:4; 33:8).
We should understand the horrible state of the world (Ephesians 4:17-19).
Put away your idols and repent of your sins (Gen 35:2; Psalm 139:23-24).
We must reduce care in our lives to be as holy as possible (I Cor 7:32-35).
Limit your thoughts to holy matters of virtue (Phil 4:8; Matt 23:25-28).
Put on the holy new man you have received from Christ (Ephesians 4:24).
Forget everyone else and following a multitude to do evil (Exodus 23:2).
Avoid the appearance of evil (I The 5:22) or temptation to it (Rom 13:14).
Practical holiness is available to all who will repent (James 4:8; I Jn 1:9).
We may walk in the Light of God’s holiness (I John 1:7 cp Isaiah 35:8).
Conclusion:
If this sermon has not caused appreciation, joy, or conviction, then repent and purchase a tape.
After this assembly combined forces of Satan, the world, and your flesh will assault you.
