In this message outline, we look at what is living a life of holiness.
Opening Verse - Hebrews 12:14 - Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord,
INTRODUCTION
Psalm 19:7-10 - The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
God’s word is more desirable than fine gold and sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb.
David here gave two reasons why the word of God is significant.
1st Benefit - God’s word gives instruction and warning
is needed for sins we are vulnerable to.
is needed for dangers we cannot see.
is needed for dangers we cannot appreciate.
is needed for dangers far off in the future.
Verse 11 Moreover by them is Your servant warned, and by keeping them comes great reward.
2nd Benefit - Obedience becomes its own reward because we live the way God wants us and has designed us to live.
Verse 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be upright and innocent from great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Without God’s revelation (the Holy Spirit and God’s Word), it is impossible to understand or recognize all the sin, disobedience, or faults in our lives.
Sin is sin, even if we are ignorant of it.
DEAL WITH SIN
Psalm 51:6 - You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You make me to know wisdom.
There cannot be (should not) be hypocrisy between our spiritual and physical lives. We can’t become satisfied and give way to sin. We can’t simply make excuses for it.
It is not good enough to say I am just human. Or that is just who I am. Or that is my upbringing. Or that is my culture. We need to continually deal with sin in our lives.
How do we deal with sin?
Question (self) – When is the last time you took stock before God and asked what things (sin, or is there sin) need to be dealt with in your life?
Walk in the light – fellowship with God’s Word brings continual cleansing
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The light is the Word of God - Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
If we are in God’s Word there will be an ongoing evaluation and revealing through the shining light of God’s Word.
Do not ignore those promptings.
We often neglect the responsibility on our part. We want Grace and Mercy. That is completely true… but we also need to remember the Bible says…
Philippians 2:12-13 - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but so much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the One working in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure.
Being saved does not simply mean that we can continue our old life as though nothing has happened. Repentance means turning from the old way and walking in the opposite direction in a new way. To put off the old man and be made into a new creation.
We are to be actively committed to obeying God in our daily lives. This is part of our sanctification (walking in holiness).
We are to do this in an attitude of fear and trembling. As Christians, we need to have a Godly fear that guards us against temptations. Guards us against falling into sin and grieving God and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Part of “working out” your salvation means to keep on working out to completion or the ultimate fulfillment. It is having a continued effort to see the complete salvation that God has provided to us by His grace and mercy.
NEED GOD'S WORD
Confess Sin - 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Notice: the IF - there is not a commitment to forgive sins that we are unwilling to confess
Proverbs 28:13 - He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
HOLINESS IS NOT OPTIONAL
Without holiness no one will see the Lord - Hebrews 12:14 - A lack of holiness is a serious obstacle to a close relationship (fellowship) with God.
Because we are His children, we should be holy.
1 Peter 1:13–16- 13 Therefore guard your minds, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children do not conduct yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. 15 But as He who has called you is holy, so be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Obedient children should not indulge in the sins which characterized them in their previous life. Now that we are Christians, we should pattern our life after the One whose name we bear.
To be godly means to be Godlike. God is holy in all His ways. If we are to be like Him, we must be holy in all that we do and say.
Instead of imitating the ungodly world with its fads and fashions, our lives should reproduce the holy character of the One who called us. We may never be as holy as He is in this life, but we should be holy because He is.
Paul’s example and challenge – You are the temple of the living God
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 7:1 - Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Yes, Holiness means to be separated out – but because you are separated out, there is to be a different way of living. We are to be clean.
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Also available on audio podcast.
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