(1 Th. 4:1-7) "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."
A survey was conducted in Jan. 2006, that began with this question:
Are You Holy?
The survey, conducted by the Barna Research Group. A very prestigious and well known research group.
The survey found that:
21 percent of Americans consider themselves holy.
> 73 percent of Americans believe that a person can become holy, regardless of his past.
> 50 percent surveyed said they knew someone whom they considered holy.
The study also asked Americans to define holy.
> 21 percent admitted they didn’t know how to.
> 19 percent said holy is "being Christ-like"
> 18 percent said holy is "making faith your top priority."
The survey’s director, George Barna, said...
> "The results portray a body of Christians who attend church but do not understand the concept or significance of holiness....
> ...The challenge to the nation’s Christian ministries is to foster a genuine hunger for holiness among the masses who claim they love God but who are ignorant about biblical teachings regarding holiness."
Even secular surveyors know that...
...While Americans call themselves Christian, they have no concept of Christianity.
> "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
> "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
This ignorance is not limited to America...
> A Church of England bishop has urged Christians to recognize the "motherhood" of God.
> The Bishop of Bolton, the Right Rev. David Gillett, said God’s motherly role was an established element in Christian belief and should be emphasized to counter masculine images.
> In the latest issue of Crux, the Manchester diocesan magazine, the bishop said that MOTHERING SUNDAY, which falls on March 26, was a good time to explore the theme.
> "Some dismiss the idea as a modern heresy linked with the rise of feminism," he said.
The Da Vinci Code (book & movie)
Much of the controversy surrounding the book and the film is the proposition that Jesus was actually married to Mary Magdalene.
> The story line claims she had a child with Jesus – an heir that became France’s royal bloodline.
> It further suggests Catholic secret societies hid these and many other secrets about Jesus.
> It supposes Leonardo Da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton were in on the secret.
> Da Vinci, the book says, tried to covertly alert the world through his painting of The Last Supper.
"The last temptation of Ch------...
> Same assertion, and same lies...
> But by and large it was rejected by most Americans...
The difference is that today, 40 million copies of the book have already been sold... and...
> Tom Hanks stars in what they think will be as well received by Christians as The Passion...
How can a blasphemous book and movie sell so well in America?
Because most Americans have absolutely no concept of Christianity and what it means to be a Christian.
> The country is full of religious idiots!
(V. 7) "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."
"The Call to Holiness"
I. What is the Call to Holiness?
A. A Work of Grace Wrought in the Heart of a Believer.
1. Begins at salvation.
> You cannot be HOLY apart from the Holy Spirit.
> And, you cannot have the indwelling of the Spirit apart from Salvation.
> (Rom. 8:5-8) Describes the difference between the saved and the lost.
> A lost person CANNOT please God.
> (v. 9) A SAVED PERSON HAS THE SPIRIT OF GOD...
2. Begins at salvation but is Distinct from Salvation.
> It is another work of God in the heart of the believer.
3. It deals with a different aspect of sin than salvation does.
> While salvation deals with being saved from the PENALTY of sin...
> The call to holiness deals with being saved from the POWER of sin!
B. An Actual Call of God (1 Ths. 4:7)
1. Just as God calls men into a specific area of service, so God calls all His children into a life of holiness.
> God first calls man to repentance whereby he is born again and becomes a new creature in Christ.
> He then calls man to a life of Holiness so that man can have fellowship with God.
2. "The gifts and callings of God are without repentance."
> That means that God will NEVER stop wanting you to live a life of holiness.
> Straying from God’s call will only double your judgement.
C. The Call to Holiness Is the Will of God (1 Thes. 4:3; Eph 1:4)
1. Same exact Greek word in vs. 3,4, & 7.
> Means "consecrated or sanctified"
2. The call to holiness was given before the world began...
[Eph. 1:4] "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..."
3. Not an accident or spur of the moment decsion.
> God called us unto holiness BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!
A work of Grace...
An actual call of God...
The will of God...
D. It was Purchased by the Suffering and Shed Blood of Christ (Hebrews 13:10-13).
1. What He purchased for us is more than His own people could partake of... (v. 10).
> We have something they don’t even have!
2. Jesus suffered shame as well as agony (v. 11-12).
> He was crucified outside of Jerusalem like an unclean beast.
3. He suffered this that He might SANCTIFY us by His blood.
> We are made HOLY by the blood of Jesus Christ.
> The same blood that saves our vile lives from the PENALTY of sin...
> Also gives us victory over the POWER of sin!
4. Because this was done for us, we ought to go forth unto Him without the camp...
> "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."
5. If He suffered for our holiness, we ought to strive for holiness.
> We should desire to fulfill the life our Savior purchased for us.
E. Holiness Is the Result of a Surrendered Will.
1. God will not save anyone against that persons will!
> God is not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance...
> But, even though He calls us unto repentance, He will NOT force us to repent.
> Salvation is an act of the surrendered will of man.
2. The call to holiness is likewise an act of the surrendered will of man...
> It is God’s will that we be sanctified...
> God calls us unto holiness...
> But for the work to be done we HAVE TO SURRENDER OUR WILL.
II. The Pursuit of Holiness [Rom. 6].
A. Holiness is For Us (v. 1-7).
1. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
> Many who profess being saved are just religious...
> If you really believe that you died unto sin and live unto God then it would effect your life!
> We have been saved and called unto holiness; How shall we live any longer therein?
2. "Know ye not...?"
> Some have professed to be saved for many years and still don’t know the VERY BASICS...
3. If it is for us, why do we not live like it?
> We have an unhealthy attitude toward sin.
> Sin is an offense toward God!
> Sin grieves the heart of God.
B. Holiness is an act of the will.
1. Notice the words Obey in vs. 16-17.
> Its not whom you say is your Lord that is your Lord, its whom you obey that is your Lord.
> "To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey..."
2. Rituals and worship mean NOTHING without obedience (1 Sam. 15:19-22).
> Hath the Lord as great delight..?
> Which does the Lord like more?
3. To OBEY is better than your false worship!
> Many put on an act of piety on Sunday morning and live like hell the rest of the week...
> Your not fooling God; Not fooling the church... Yourself!
4. Holiness is an act of the will (Rom. 6:17).
> You were the servants of sin, but you have OBEYED FROM THE HEART...
III. The Desire of Holiness (Rom 12:1-2).
A. Three Elements of Holiness.
1. My Body.
> Its nobody’s business how I dress; Its God’s business!
> I can get a tattoo if I want to; Not with God’s body!
> Nobody tells me what to do; God does, unless you are not His...
> YOUR BODY IS THE ELEMENT of holiness.
> God wants your BODY!
2. My Mind.
> I am accountable to God for my very thoughts.
> Your mind is the battleground of the devil.
> God wants us to guard our MIND!
> We do this by renewing our mind to God!
3. My Will.
> I must CHOOSE to be conformed to the will of God.
> Holiness is a CHOICE!
> But, it is a choice you must make to be in fellowship with God.
My Body; My Mind; My Will!
B. Three Actions of Holiness.
1. Present your bodies...
> You cannot present your body if your not present!
> You must be HERE to worship God!
> When you choose between good and evil, Present your body to God.
2. Sacrifice your life.
> "I am too busy to attend church."
> "I cant afford to tithe..."
> "I like my life of pleasure..."
> That’s why its called SACRIFICE!
3. Transform your life.
> Be not conformed to this world...
> Don’t be like the world!
> But, be transformed...
> Be different; Be like Christ!
C. Three PLEADINGS of the Apostle for Holiness ("I beseech you...").
1. Be Alive toward God.
> A LIVING sacrifice.
> Dead Christianity makes God sick.
> God wants us to be ALIVE to Him.
> God is not the God of the dead, but of the living!
> Get on fire; Be ALIVE unto God!
2. Be Holy...
> We have already seen that this is God’s will, and God’s call for us.
> Holiness is the perfect will of God!
> The Apostle Paul begs Christians to give themselves to holiness.
3. Be Acceptable.
> This means that God does not accept the person who is in disobedience to Him.
> "Follow peace with all men and HOLINESS without which no man will see the Lord..."
> "Which is that good, and ACCEPTABLE, and perfect, will of God."
IV. The Fight for Holiness (Heb. 12:4-11)
A. God’s desire for our holiness is subject to chastening.
1. Not to inflict pain, but to apply correction.
> Just as a good father chastens his children...
2. God does this because He loves us (v 6).
> He that spareth his rod HATETH...
3. God’s chastening is ALWAYS done for our profit...
> That we might be partakers of his holiness...
B. The pursuit of holiness is a FIGHT (v. 4).
1. Strive means fight.
> You have not resisted, fighting against sin.
2. When we are tempted to sin, we are to resist...
> Put up a fight against sin.
C. When you are tempted to LUST, Fight it!
1. Gossip - Get Drunk - Do Drugs - Immorality...
> Listen to Wicked Music...
2. Miss Church - Forsake Prayer Miss Church...
> Backbite & Cause Division...
> Miss Church...
Conclusion: Most who profess Christ not only know nothing of holiness, but they don’t want to know.
Most want to live their own lives with a little bit of church thrown in.
Many are completely ignorant of what it means to be a Christian, and they like it that way!
I LOVE GOD! I WANT TO PLEASE HIM!
I HATE MY SIN; I WANT VICTORY!
